I have a very similar experience with Darylhifi. I have tried so very many preamps and amps and over and over, I find so few preamps really bring on the musicality and involvement. And yet so many amps, even with their differences from model to model or company to company, rarely do I hear an amp that is not musical. I must say here that I have only experience with tube products though.
My advice would be to hear as many preamps as you can in your system or one that is as close to one you are persuing. You will know when the "right" one comes along.....and it may not be as expensive as you think. There are so many incredible preamps on the used market now in the $2k-4k range. This leaves so much money available to you for powerful mono amps or a top notch SE amp or even OTL to suit your needs for the speakers. Something along a $3500/$6500 split would be what I would expect to pay for preamp/amp.
And yes, once you find that preamp, the amp you end up with may have much to do with the synergy...but it will have much more to do with the speakers it(they) are to drive.
My advice would be to hear as many preamps as you can in your system or one that is as close to one you are persuing. You will know when the "right" one comes along.....and it may not be as expensive as you think. There are so many incredible preamps on the used market now in the $2k-4k range. This leaves so much money available to you for powerful mono amps or a top notch SE amp or even OTL to suit your needs for the speakers. Something along a $3500/$6500 split would be what I would expect to pay for preamp/amp.
And yes, once you find that preamp, the amp you end up with may have much to do with the synergy...but it will have much more to do with the speakers it(they) are to drive.