Preamp dillema for McCormack Ultra Platinum

What aspects of sound reproduction are most important to you and what are you looking to improve upon with a new preamp?  Will be easier to make recommendations once your particular tastes and goals are better known.  Also, I seem to recall modified McCormack amps may have a relatively low input impedance, and if so not all tubed preamps will work well with your amp (I could be wrong on this though). 

I had a stock RLD-1 in my system on a demo feeding my DNA 0.5 Rev A, and although good I found it to sound a little veiled.  I think your amp deserves better, and frankly I think a $1500 budget might be a bit low for your amp -- a good preamp is critical to getting the most out of your amp so don't cheap out there. 

Well, there's a Hegel P20 and a Pass X2.5 available here now in your price range that I'd think would both be a nice improvement in refinement over your Ref50 (and at least get rid of the unnecessary ADA processing -- EEK!).  For a little more and moving to tubes there's an Audio Research LS17, or for again a little more there's a VAC Standard LE that could be a really nice sonic match for what you're looking for.  Obviously check that these work with your DNA1 -- I'd look for a bit under 10kOhms output impedance just to be safe.

Just FYI and FWIW, I'm looking at a Sachs SP14 (about $2k stock) or a Backert Rhumba 1.2 (one here now for $2400 I wish I could buy -- dammit).  Looking forward to what a little tube magic can do in front of my SMc amp.  Anyway, hope this helps and best of luck.