Best solid state pre-amp below US $ 10.000,00 ??

FrankPiet, the Boulder 1010 and 1012 throw indeed an extremely stable and large sound stage and instrument images. While they are expensive when purchased new, Boulder seems to warrant its products almost indefinitely even when purchased 2nd hand, and their price on the used market is more reasonable, typically under 10K.

many many choices - throw in cj prem350. best of tubes and SS.

This has been an interesting thread with lots of expected recommendations. Now that the focus has shifted to also include tube units, it makes the quest a lot more fun.

Dgad's comment, "If you are happy w. the Audio Aero direct, I am sure a preamp won't make it better, just different", is unfortunately not quite the case. A local (Minneapolis) audiophile has the AA CDP. When we inserted my Aestheix Callisto Signature line stage in his system, there was such a huge improvement to the dimension, decays and realism to the presentation. I never would have believed this had I not heard it. You had to listen with great focus to hear the very minimal loss of resolution brought on by the Callisto. Removing the Callisto made it immediately clear the dimenisonality was gone. We also tried my previous BAT 31SE which clearly had more signal loss than the Callisto but again, it too brought on similar qualities as did the Callisto that the system with no line stage simply was lacking. It's not only about dynamics.

Hopefully you will get a chance to hear the Janus which is much the Calypso and Rhea units in one product. If you want to get an idea of the Calypso's musicality, read Jadem6's review of this. A few weeks after he wrote this, we compared his Calypso and my Callisto Sig in both our systems. He wrote a review on this shortly thereafter. He does a phenomenol job to describe these units. Both units have a nearly identical tonality but the Callisto brings on an ability to control the bass that neither of us have heard another tube line stage too. And the Callisto is miles ahead in its terms of portraying instrument and stage size, decays of the notes and the microdynamics most likely brought on by the size of all this. Once you hear this, it is tough if not impossible to go back to the Calypso or anything you heard before it. The ML, Spectral, Ayre, e.g., will not even come close to the Callisto in this regard.

I realize you want a full-function unit with built-in phono stage, but perhaps the option of separate line and phono stages would be worth some investigation.

If $10k is in your range, I would still seriously keep my eyes out for a VAC unit. The Renaissance often goes for much less and this has gotten praise from all over. And one last unit to consider is the upcoming full function preamp by Michael Elliot....the Aria WV preamp. Check it out on www.ariaaudio.com. If you remember all the praise of the Counterpoint SA9 & SA11 of 15 years ago, imagine what a modern all-out-assault by the designer of those units might be.

John

Hey John - once my CDP and power conditioner break in, i would like to have you over to hear the little Nagra PL-L. (I seem to have a thing for small electronics with big sound).

BTW, I wholly agree with John, the system sounded much better WITH a high quality preamp that direct from the AA to the Berning (it was my system he was referring to).

Artg / Jafox: I´ve auditionned last night Nagra PL-P vs. CAT SL-1 Ultimate MK II. Here are my findings:
Nagra beats the CAT hands down is respect of: neutrality, imaging, focus, speed, articulation and depth of soundstage as well as air around instruments - WOW. Furthermore the Nagra is more quiet than the CAT. The onboard phono-stage is at least together with my Benz LP in a class of its own (clearly bettered the borrowed Clearaudio Basic Symmetry as well as the borrowed Pass X-Ono).. The built quality is far better than CAT which is a little poor.
The CAT has got more slam, dynamics and inner detail and a better musical flow. CAT likes my Electraglide power cords, Nagra doesn´t (to bright, dry and lean).
I don´t know were to put the AESTHETIX Janus ?? Is it in the middle ? What about the buildquality, flexibility and reliability of the Janus ?? Does it match well with Ayre power amp and Audio Aero pre ??
I´ve listened to the VAC and was not very convinced - poor built quality, audible noisefloor and rediciously expensive in Germany. CAT and Nagra were def. better.