Preamp for my system...Please

Price range about $5000.00 used here on Audiogon

ARC Ref 3, McIntosh c2300 or Cary Audio SLP05

3 great choices in your price range, the ARC is prob the best of those, the Cary my favorite, and the Mac the best value (comes with and excellent MC/MM phono stage)

can't go wrong with any of those

Try to look for a pre-owned EAR Yoshino 868Linesage for I recommend 834Phonostage.

If your interested in tubes maybe atmasphere's MP3 or audiovalve's Eclipse might work for you.

Mike I had always ahd a solid state system top to bottom. And I wanted to add a 2 channel pre-amp with unity gain and decided to take a run at tubes. I bought a Audio Research LS26 about 650 hours ago and am very happy with the sound. I had been advised if I was to try tubes to do the pre-amp first and I can atest that I was given good advice. I looked at the McIntosh C2300 and the rest of my system is Mcintosh Pre/pro and amps and I think the LS26 was the right choice. People that I talked to about the C2300 advised me to go with a C2200 but it didn't have unity gain so I jumped brands, take a look at ARC.