Best 3 tube preamps under $18000?

I would seriously have to stretch a couple of grand for the BAT REX or get the VK52se which may not be the best under 18k but it is upgradeable to the rex which is one of the if not the best pre-amps out there at any price.

There are great brands, like the Forsell Fetcode and the Millennia...they are fantastic.

Let's throw a couple more on the pile:

CAT SL-1 Ultimate
Allnic L-4000
Atma-sphere MP-1 (yeah, I know it's been mentioned, but it deserves to be nominated again)

As the proud owner of a VAC Ren pre, I was flabergasted (astounded, amazed, etc) when I heard the Veloce LS1 battery powered tube preamp (about $14k or so). This is easily the single most dynamic, blackest background, most musical pre that I have ever heard in any system. Having taken one home for audition ( with the corresponding matching phono stage also battery powered), I am now in the process of trying to figure out how to pay for the one I have ordered.

If you only have one source and it is digital the an $18000 pre amp is a big waste of money. It is a very expensive way to turn the volume LESS DOWN. $18 grand could go along way to improve a system in other ways.