Good preamp for Bel Canto EVo 200.2?

If your not completely set on tubes, you should check out the Musical Fidelity A3cr pre-amp. It's about $1500 new and sounds just wonderful. If you read Sam Tellig's Stereophile review, he goes on about the almost tube like harmonic presentation even though the amp is solid state with the greater linearity and convenience that entails. I have one and just love it.

I have been home demoing the BelCanto amp over the last month on weekends with different preamps and have listened to Cary (great) but the single ended version, VTL 5.5 also good and new version has ballanced inputs I believe. Hovland-ok but not my cup of tea., AudioNote M2 with silver wiring and black gate caps YES YES fabulous!!! Creek passive volume which is what my buddy went with believe it or not for 300 bucks- yes it's that good but I would have gone with the Cary or Audio Note. We also listened to the Joule Electra ok and Mark Levenson (yuck) the creek was better! and I know Belles has a nice pre you should look into or a very safe bet is the Audible Illusion of course- good luck

Steer away from any solid state pre-amp with the EVo 200.2, for the amp needs some good tubes in line to bring the harmonics into the system. It has a tendency to sound very
"sterile" on some systems with solid state components up line.