the tough question: Which preamplifier? and why

I have found that the LEAST predictable interaction is between preamp/linestage and an amplifier. A lot of times, a combination that I think will work well does not do so at all. This is a must experiment situation.

Tube preamp/linestages, in particular, seem unpredictable. When the combination is bad, the sound will often be lifeless, bloated in midbass and murky. The opposite is also true -- when things work out there is a kind of hard to explain "magic" that is much more difficult to obtain with solidstate gear.

If you can find dealers that will work with you, I suggest that you work out home trial. The dealers I work with will allow home trial of electronics. If you are buying the Placette new, you have a home trial period.

I think you have made a reasonable list for a start -- one solid state, one passive and one tube unit. However, one should not, based on these particular models, rule out a particular type -- synergy with a particular model is a BIG factor.

Mrtennis if you thought the UV didn't sound like a tube preamp, then you will probably love the Cary. I say this because it is the typical (what people think of) tube sound. Warm and lush, but not resolving or detailed. I owned the UV2 and thought it had just enough tube goodness, but with resolution and dynamics the Cary can't muster.

That being said, I now own the Sonic Euphoria PLC which is better than either. And I would highly recommend it to the OP or anyone else who has a passive friendly system.

Shakey

i owned the sonic euphoria passive preamp. it was too focused for my taste, almost to the point of being analytical.

of the four preamps mentioned, i suspect the cary is the least likely to be bought, unless i replace the caps and substitute audionte copper/oil, or mundorf silver.

MtT, you shared your four preamp choices, which in itself represents an opinion, and then you warned readers not to rely on opinion.

The irony was humorous.

But...if I have to explain it, then it wasn't that funny after all.

Larryi hit the nail on the head. This has certainly been my experience time and again. My most recent example is a CJ pv10 and premier 14. While the 14 was under repair I put my spare pv10 in and the result was an incredible improvement. They were driving Mcintosh 501's which have a low input impedence - the pv10's output imp is around 800 while I believe the 14 is around 200, I'm guessing that's the reason? The synergy is clearly better in every area.