Best Line Stage Preamp?

Are you very restricted financially? If not, here are a few models that sounded nice with an Antares (this is just my limited experience - not an exhaustive list):
*CAT Ultimate (tube)
*Placette passive
*Symphonic Line RG3/3 (ss)
*YBA passion (ss)
*Ayre (the 2nd from the top model)

Incidentally, I also listen to and judge by, classical. Overall, if you have efficient speakers, I would suggest you consider/ try a matched passive.

Fianlly, if you have money to invest and want the "best", lots has been said about the CTC Blowtorch. I haven;t heard it, but people with excellent systems, musical knowledge and reasonable ears have and have been impressed. It's very expensive.
Cheers

If you want to actually hear what your amp can do, get the Placette passive. Clearly (no pun intended) the most transparent "pre-amp" I've ever heard. I own one by the way, and it replaced an $8,200.00 pre based on sound and music making ability. However, if you need to alter or "tailor" the sound of your amp because you think something is missing or is there that shouldn't be, try a few pre-amps. Most of them make good tone controls.

Yea, that is why Placette makes a more expensive active preamp, so you can have the option to 'tailor' the sound.

The Placette active line stage would be nice. But along those same lines, I would not discount the Pass Labs X-1 nor the Chapter Audio Preface preamps.

I've owned all of these and are all top runners in their solid state price categories.

I've demo'ed the Ayre K3-x in my home a few years ago and was not very impressed. It could have had to do with it's built-in 'Ayre conditioners' that may have affected the colorations and resolution.

-IMO

Hi Stehno: Interesting about the Ayre (I guess it's the same model I listened to).
I found it very "neutral" sounding. I can't remember any gross negatives. Coming to think of it, I can't remember major positives either -- other than it was in the "enjoyable" list!
Cheers