Opportunity to buy the best Preamp... but which?

Einstein's "The Tube" preamp is good but ultimately more colored and more difficult to match with a system. It's presentation is forward (ala B&W speakers), soundstaging is OK but not Ref 3 territory, and it's ability to capture the way live music breaths and expands and changes it's dynamic envelope is replaced with a sense of artifice which imbues a presumed quickness...but it misses the beauty that connects all the notes together. A ref 3 needs proper setup and time in a system to be fully appreciated. One must also appreciate exceptional music and have a great reference point (BSO perhaps)! As for Meridian, owned the G6 and demo'd some of the other reference gear. Meridian reminds me of very good Hi Fi, exciting and flashy but missing the soul of a performance (great home theater stuff..if that's your bag). By the way, the ref 3 needs about 500 hours before it shows it's mustard..and it needs a great power cord, the stock one would take it into average land.

Are there any new designs that leapfrog all these top machines?

There are certainly preamps that have technology that do represent breakthroughs. In addition a top preamp will have the best coupling caps available and things like that...

"Are there any new designs that leapfrog all these top machines?"

If you have followed the H-CAT thread and its new technology/ies advertised, corroborated by its owners, there sure are new designs that leapfrogs these top basic design machines at thousands less.

Me, I will stick with one of these top machines though.

while one may have the opportunity to buy the best preamp. the best preamp only exists in one's mind, not in reality.

best is a value judgement, determined by criteria devised by an individual. another individual may devlop a different set of factors. there will always be a disagreement, because priorities differ. it is more relevant to decide what you like rather than so-called quality.

Components are like Ice Cream, everybody likes a different flavor. Even when you get to Vanilla where you don't want anything colored you find out ultimately there are different flavors of Vanilla. I sold the AR Ref. 3 to my neighbor with a reference system and still find it lacks what I am looking for in music which is purity, to my own ears.
I think anybody looking for the perfect pre needs to listen to several and decides what sounds best to them afterwards. We put the AR 3 and Einstein in 3 different systems with high end power cables and top of the line components. 4 out of the 5 people preferred the Einstein in each system. But, I have several friends that own the AR 3 and believe it is the best piece they have ever owned and to their ears it very well could be. I am not saying either piece is better, I think you have to listen to them in your system and see what the synergy is.

That is why some of us never stop buying and connecting new pieces looking for the ultimate in synergy in our system. Also, a G6 is not an 861. In the system that my 861 sits, and this is just because of they gear and the way it is set up in this system, the AR3 was fully exposed as something I would never own for a long period of time.

When I put it in my second system did it really start to shine. But in that system the Einstein shined brighter and the ears that were here and that agreed have been in the business for over 30 years with many credentials and also we had a high end stereo reviewer.

I just hate it when somebody states one piece is the best over something else. It is purely personal taste. The best is what the individual themselves percieve is the best sounding to them. What makes them want to get up and dance, gets their foot tapping, etc. That is what good music is about.