Having heard a many of the pre/pros mentioned above, i just wanted to state that they don't all sound the same. The higher priced models tend to have far fewer features, and MUCH better sound quality.
The best sound coming from the Theta, Krell, Classe, and Meridian models. I've found that none of these pre/pro's sound as good as a real high quality two channel pre-amp. I run my Meridian pre/pro through my two channel pre-amp.
With any pre/pro, be sure to understand how the analog inputs are handled. Some high end pre/pro's do not provide an analog pass thru.
The best sound coming from the Theta, Krell, Classe, and Meridian models. I've found that none of these pre/pro's sound as good as a real high quality two channel pre-amp. I run my Meridian pre/pro through my two channel pre-amp.
With any pre/pro, be sure to understand how the analog inputs are handled. Some high end pre/pro's do not provide an analog pass thru.