help choosing a preamp

Hi Truman,

thanks for that...good to know. have always been a CJ man myself so never had the (mis)fortune of your experience with service on the audible illusions. Again, good to know. Sorry to hear.

The HA-160D have a nice preamp section. It does a nice job with jazz and classical.

Forget the Audible Illusions, Art Ferris has the worst service i've ever experienced. Conversely, consider a Quicksilver Full Function Tube Preamp. Mike Sanders is great! His pre is built like a tank, has tube rectification (older one), many inputs/two outputs/ many features, built-in tube Phono Pre too.
Wright Sound preamps too (rare).

Nice system. CJ Premier 14, 17LS (i or ii); ARC LS27; Shindo (depending on your taste); older Gryphon SS preamps; Audible Illusions Modulus 3a; good luck.