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The more things in the signal path, the worse it gets. I use a Cary 306/200 and the V12 with Harmonic Technology Magic balanced interconnect. JMlab Mezzo Utopia speakers. All I can say is WOW.

I also have a Lexicon MC-1 for the shared Home Theater. Is that so unusal?

McIntosh C712

Actually, I have two preamps of sorts. Thermionic two channel bliss in the living room and digital surround in the den. Ooops. I got three preamps, three that is, 'cause the computers themselves are preamps of sorts. Hmm maybe I got six, no seven, preamps . . . .

CTC Blowtorch and Vendetta Research phono stage. Everything you've read is true.

Melos SHA-1, used as a system pre-amp. Stereophile liked it, I liked it, it was the right price, and it's never given me a reason to look elsewhere.

I enjoy immensely a minimalist First Sound Presence Deluxe MkII tube preamp. The level of transparency, realism and midrange liquidity are simply out of this world. The sound coming out of my excellent Von Schweikert VR-7 speakers isn't euphonic at all, but highly detailed, dynamic and life-like.

Completely dual mono, dual attenuators => wonderful sound! May replace with minimalist tube dual mono in future?

Prefer the spacial qualities and tone of a tube preamp.Must have patience to wait for them to warm up.Multi-channel? whose going to make these recordings? Very few good two channel recordings!

Well I use this pre-amp because I have not been able to put together enough "scratch" (as the kids like to say) for the Hovland HP-100. Simple enough, would'nt you say?

It's part of my NAD integrated amp.

It's the musicality, air, and space....solid state cannot compete, dollar-for-dollar.

Audio Research LS-25 - because it sounds good in my system.

New Jolida 12ax7tube pre/Mosfet amp hybird 1701 IA, not tone controls.

I love the warm, sweet sound of tubes, especially with SACDs.

I'm using a minimalist passive preamp. Why? - I have a single source system and this solution provides me with the most cost effective way to transparent and coloration-free sound.

I am used to my Harmon-Kardon Citation IV.

Audio Research LS2. Although there probably have been many minor upgrades in later AR machines and by other manufacturers, I feel the LS2 has the best cost/sound ratio of any preamp, especially on the used market. The thing is bullet proof and just keeps keeping on.

Minimalist solid-state anaolg two-channel intergrated

E.A.R. phono unit with home-built passive line stage.

Minimalist solid-state analog two-channel—purest sound for the least money.

I have a Electronic Tonalities Foreplay Tube preamplifier. It is a tweakers delight. It is a great sounding pre without tweaks and a great price for an intro to tube audio. I purchased mine to find out what the tube mania was about 2 years ago. I hooked up my SS pre once to see if I imagined the improvement in sound. I hadn't. Annoint me a Bottlehead. Davet

I use an instrumentation preamp I bult from Audio Amateur 2/95. It sounds incredible: tight bass, transparent with stunning detail. For the phono, I am currently a twin op-amp feed-forward design,that uses active bass with a passive treble. Not bad.

My preamp (Parasound) does have a defeat button, which is my standard setting. If recordings were perfect, I could live without tone controls or even balance controls. But sometimes a good performance is marred by a flawed recording. I'd rather enjoy as much as I can than live with bad sound (or even worse, limit myself to so-called "audiophile" recordings).

A Marsh P2000- very neutral and an excellent value!

I currently use a BAT VK3I tube pre-amp with a BAT VK200 power amp. This pair seems to be one of the sweetest combos that I have ever owned. I'm driving a pair of B&W Nautilus 803s in a 20'X 16' room and I have excellent imaging and bass response on all types of media. My analog playback is on the WB full circle set up going through a BAT VKP5 tube output phono pre and my digital front end is the new Audiophile Edition Rotel RCD991 connected to the pre using Syn Looking Glass inner-cons. I love the extremely neutral sound of the tubes on the 3I. I am a mix & match (maybe mixed up) kind of guy, but I have a wiiiiiide array of musical taste and thought a wide array of gear would be complimentary to my media. I have had this current set up for about two years now and outside of upgrading cables and adding a Richard Gray RGPS1200 I have been extremely pleased with this system. Sounds great, fits my budget, and it has garnered me many a compliment. I like to call it my middle-of-the-road system. Until I hit the big time I am very happy sitting in the middle of the road.

I use an Audio by Van Alstine Omega III preamp in a Dynaco PAT-5 chassis. I love the combination of high-end sound quality, great flexibility, and vintage Dynaco styling.

I am assuming by full featured you mean a Line stage pr amp with a separate Phono stage. With all the utility of a volume control and source switch my Audio Research LS 15 just took a major leap forward when I started using the balanced direct input for my CD listening through a just purchaed D to A convertor. How much each added to my musical experience I'll never take the time to study. Now on to the just received Silverman Beethoven sonatas.

I use a McIntosh C-39 Control center that also has Dolby Pro Logic and is teamed with a McIntosh MSD4 surround processor. The reason I picked the C-39 is that it has a full analog pass-through for music and also does a great job as home theatre surround. I was impressed with the full bass and treble control that also does a direct pass through when the bass/treble are set at flat. Also, if you're familiar with McIntosh equipment you will agree that they are built like tanks and, with the electro-magnetic switching all enclosed in argon gas filled modules, that this peice will outlast me.

IMO only tubes can do the job in a pre, I love my Classe power amps but CAT stole my ears as a pre.