Recommendations please for good, affordable pre-amp for system?

@jond , Donzi bought the Theta Digital Casablanca 6-Channel Preamp Processor.

@jond , if you scroll down, you'll see the details below the top stuff. 

I like the thought, expressed here I earlier think, that buying the preamp is as hard as the speakers. Surprisingly to me, although budget is not unlimited, I find myself a little bit expecting a process of buy-play-try. I anticipate, as long as I keep to auction and used, I can try, and recycle, and not get hurt too badly. Although surely the best is to find a local dealer who can demo this element is best, I think that's going to be hard in my area.

I expect to receive amp and pre within a few days. I'm looking forward to plugging this in and beginning this new life of audio!

A used Quad 99 is pretty decent and has useful tone controls for helping Internet radio out a bit ☺

I'm a huge fan of the AMC CVT1030 tube preamp which can be a bargain on the used market. They usually need a bit of work but are very satisfying. I know these units inside out if you ever get one and need advice. 

There are lots of opinions and there are some people who hear more things than others and people who prefer some sound personalities to others.  No one here is going to be able to tell you which preamp work best with your amp, speakers, sources, etc. without guessing or without putting their personal tastes into your system.

You have some expensive, demanding speakers.  You got a well-respected amp.  If you bought a $300-500 Bryston preamp, you might love it, you might not.  But just because someone tells you that tubes add warmth doesn't mean that warmth is necessarily a good thing or that tubes are better.  My Aikido preamp is not a high-end tube preamp, but it does add a certain sound personality.  I went back and forth between it and the Pass endlessly before settling on the Pass.  I may go back to the tube pre one day, but for now, I'm perfectly happy with a simple, easy-to-use solid state setup.

Based on how you've been in this thread, I suspect you are at the beginning of months or years of buying, trying, selling, trading, building.