Opportunity to buy the best Preamp... but which?

I had the AR Ref 3 and the CJ Art 3 and several others but the new Einstein " The Tube" is the most musical of all, hands down. I also have a second system which has Avantgarde Duo's and I use a Meridian 861 pre and just recently added the Meridian 800 cd player after going through about 20 cd combinations over the last 2 years and this was the best combo by far.
I also use my Meridian for a high end Home Theater system as well but when used for 2 channel it is an incredible preamp and I would take it over any of the ones you have mentioned. It is the one piece in my system along with my Duo's that I have never had the urge to replace.

Components are like Ice Cream, everybody likes a different flavor. Even when you get to Vanilla where you don't want anything colored you find out ultimately there are different flavors of Vanilla. I sold the AR Ref. 3 to my neighbor with a reference system and still find it lacks what I am looking for in music which is purity, to my own ears.
I think anybody looking for the perfect pre needs to listen to several and decides what sounds best to them afterwards. We put the AR 3 and Einstein in 3 different systems with high end power cables and top of the line components. 4 out of the 5 people preferred the Einstein in each system. But, I have several friends that own the AR 3 and believe it is the best piece they have ever owned and to their ears it very well could be. I am not saying either piece is better, I think you have to listen to them in your system and see what the synergy is.

That is why some of us never stop buying and connecting new pieces looking for the ultimate in synergy in our system. Also, a G6 is not an 861. In the system that my 861 sits, and this is just because of they gear and the way it is set up in this system, the AR3 was fully exposed as something I would never own for a long period of time.

When I put it in my second system did it really start to shine. But in that system the Einstein shined brighter and the ears that were here and that agreed have been in the business for over 30 years with many credentials and also we had a high end stereo reviewer.

I just hate it when somebody states one piece is the best over something else. It is purely personal taste. The best is what the individual themselves percieve is the best sounding to them. What makes them want to get up and dance, gets their foot tapping, etc. That is what good music is about.