WHAT'S THE BEST SOLID STATE PREAMP FOR $3000 ??

Bryston.

In your case Brytson.But that Placette is suposed to be a killer.Going to replace my KRC2 when I get chance but want tubes and polarity so BAT is best for me.I would sound killer with your rig s well but you said SS.
Cheers
Chazz

The Rowland Synergy IIi is competitive with the preamps mentioned in this thread, and the balanced circuit would compliment your Pass amp.

Bob_reynolds - The PASS X1 was in production for 10-years (1999 – 2008) – over this long production period improvements were made to both the Control Unit and Power Supply. I owned - at the same time - an early-version of the X1 with the small power-supply, and a late-version with the full-size power-supply. The later version sounded noticeably better, so out of curiosity, I removed the top-cover of the Control Units and Power Supplies and found the PCBs and Electronic Components of the Control Units to be different as well as those of the Power Supplies - the full-size power supply’s components could not fit in the small power supply’s box. There are also differences in the Control Unit’s Volume Knob, Buttons and Display.