best preamp ever - cost is no object

Ayon Spheris, Cello Audio Suite, Boulder 2010, Audio Note M-1000 - with these you can´t go wrong as they for sure represent the cream of the crop. Have heard all of them (unfortunately in different set-ups but you´ll def. get the WOW-Factor ;)

I currently have a Boulder 1010 on loan (normally I use Nagra PL-L which I like a lot) and I must say in my system it is by far the best pre-amp I´ve ever heard (resolution, speed, detail, imaging, soundstage, neutrality, ..) are at the very top. As power amp I use Ayre V-1xe which replaced a modded V-5xe.
Is it the best pre ? Don´t know as there is Boulder 2010, FM Acoustics, Ayon Spheris, Kondo M-1000, First Sound Paramount and a handfull of other state-of-the Art units but I believe at this level its just a matter of taste and system synergy.

Mrtennis: sorry I have to disagree. There are some very special products that are in a legue of its own (soundwise, build quality wise, etc.). Especially the Boulder 2000 series products together with the big FM Acoustics and the DartZeel represent the best money can buy in the solid state amplification field.
Micro Seiki, Walker, Rockport or Goldmund Reference are quite peerless in the field of state-of-the art analogue playback.
It´s like in sports: there is just one John McEnroe, just one Roger Federer etc and many Accuphase, Levinsons which are good/ very good but not state-of-the-art.

Coming back to the initial question: Dynaudio Arbiter is a very very special pre-amp to. Made to order only, very expensive and very flexible. The afore mentionned ASR is a very nice product but funny wise its reputation in the US is much higher than in Germany the land of its origin. To me its to slow and to warm in sound (but thats a matter of taste) and detail retrieval and transparency is a lot better with VTL, Ayon, Boulder or FM Acoustics gear.

Mr. Tennis: would be interesting to know how good old Mac would have played his 1984 Wimbledon final against current Roger Federer - would have been a very close call - but then you have to consider Pete Sampras and Stefan Edberg as well..

I´ve just inserted an Ayre K-1xe into my system and I must say - that you´ll have to spend very crazy money to top its performance significantly (so from a respective price point this might be the best value in solid state pre-amplification). Better but much more expensive was the phantastic Ayon Spheris tube pre-amp for € 20 grand which according to the dealer is the best tube pre he has ever heard (and he carries a lot of tube pre´s as Nagra, CAT, VTL, Audio Research, Einstein, Brinkmann, T+A and Kondo).

AND: coming back to tennis: McÉnroe was for sure the player with the best "touch and talent" in professional tennis and with 156 titles the most successful ;)

Me neither..

Did a lot of comparison in the meantime: to my ears the two best solid state pre-ams are FM Acoustics 268 Mk II and Boulder 2010. The best tube pre I´ve encountered so far is Ayon Audio Spheris - magic !!

TbG: has H-Cat got a home-page ?