I have yet to hear a pre which comes anywhere close to top tier 2-channel pre's. I had a Meridian 861 and while phenomenal for a pre it was no match for my ARC LS26.
If your focus is 2-channel get a dedicated pre-amp with passthrough and save yourself the hassle and expense.
If your focus is 2-channel get a dedicated pre-amp with passthrough and save yourself the hassle and expense.