Hard to answer "best" type questions, since most people's sampling of available products is small or shortlived. I can say that I love my CAT Ultimate and prefer it to some preamps I have owned in the past, including: Audible Illusions 3A, McCormack Passive (TL1?), and several ARC preamps I have used in the past. You need to make auditions with CAT on your must listen list.
