Best tube pre under 1500?

Blue Circle BC21 - almost has no other competition at that price range. Utterly musical and open with great naturalness but not too colored. Build quality is superb - no circuit boards, all point-to-point wiring w/Cardas wire, (2) 6sn7's, solid Cherry Knobs & feet, high quality output/input jacks (rca). Watch how quickly a used one, if you can find a used one, gets snatched up. Good stuff, but if you need a phono stage you will have to get a seperate phono unit. Had good sound with the Classe' 47.5 pre also, but after I heard the BC21 sold it :) Good luck.

Chris

I've seen your name before...I believe you advised me on tubes for a Sigma dac once. Anyway, I'll look into the Sound Valves pre. What do you think about Rogue pre amps?

For the money i'd check out space-tech-lab.com. hand-made, point to point...i've heard there lowest end model and for the money there was nothing that ive ever heard that came near it.
just a thought

Try Transcendent Sound Grounded Grid. The price is $499 for
the kit.

CJ PV12 used for $1000. Excellent soundstage.