Preamp recommendation request

All great suggestions for the specific question,...Benchmark, Esoteric and Pass XP-32 are great options.

We can also add:

Esoteric C-02X

Esoteric Grandioso C1 and C1X

Block Audio Line with PowerBlock SE

Pilium Alexander

MBL 6010D Reference

Jeff Rowland is great sounding....does it meet the requirement?

Other favorite preamps of all time, but I don't believe they meet the "matching requirement":

Robert Koda Takumi K-10 and K-15

True Life Audio SSP-1

JMF Audio PRS 1.5

First Sound Presence Deluxe MkIII and option builds above that

First Sound Paramount SSE Mk III and option builds above that

Kondo AudioNote preamps, and original Shindo (Monbrison & Giscours) offerings belong on the list

Backert Audio Rhythm 1.2 and 1.3

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk
 
Dartzeel NHB-18NS mk2

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Feanor said:
It doesn't seem that anyone has mentioned it, but leading option has got to be the Benchmark LA4 line preamp. This pre has had outstanding reviews by many critics. E.g. This ASR review (of the HPA4 version headphone amp). Or the Stereophile review.

Thing about this preamp is if you're looking for colorations, (or "musicality", "warmth", or whatever you call that), forget it: this pre faithfully delivers what's on the recording.

View attachment 32540

Pretty obviously the Benchmark LA4 isn't your ticket if you're out to impress your buddies or yourself ... as on a Pass X32.
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I have owned a few Benchmark pieces and I have known at least three friends who purchased two of their amplifiers. Benchmark definitely receives some very good reviews and are built well. Every Benchmark I have heard sound very accurate to the extreme. I would say to the point of sounding sterile. I prefer more musical sounding gear, and I understand this is subjective. However, every one of the friends that bought two of the Benchmark amplifiers returned them for this exact reason. It is also why I have since gotten rid of the Benchmark pieces I owned. The three pre-amps that I have owned that stand out to me are the Acoustic Research, the McIntosh (I admit to being biased), and the Wyred 4 Sound STP-SE Stage 2 is so far better of a performer than it price tag would indicate. It has built a reputation, and I know several Shark Members own one of these bad boys!
 
I have the Jeff Rowland Corus and the Jeff Rowland model 625 amplifier with Magnepan 3.7i and this couple are very musical.
 
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