Need under $1500 preamp for my system

I need the 12db (or whatever it is) gain from my Freya to get my SEP power amp off the ground (it could be that Dennis Had designed my little tube amp for higher gain preamps...like the ones he makes)...it does work with the other lower gain settings but the tube gain really digs out the mojo of my power amp.

I am learning much valuable information from you all - thank you!
I am seeing a ModWright SWL 9.0 Anniversary Edition Stereo with MM Phono available. I like that it has phono on it, but it is a totally new design over the original. Does anyone have experience with this redesigned model?
Also, can I really plug my musical fidelity x-ray right into the back of the parasound ZM 2350? Maybe I could use the bypass inputs of the Modwright for that? Would that make sense over using the standard CD input?

I have a Rogue Metis and have had no problems at all. Easy tube rolling sounds great and should be under your budget.

Another Schiit Freya owner here, with the "+" version.  I tried to post earlier,  not sure what happened.  The Freya+ is the best preamp I've owned and also the cheapest(except for the Schiit Saga).  I'm sure that if you've got unlimited funds, you can get a better sounding pre, but for most of us, for $899 this is a bona fide home run.

Anyway, the Freya is worthy of any preamp shortlist, unless you hate tubes.  Imaging, staging beyond the speakers, and resolution.  The piano sounds so natural, better than my old Parasound Halo gear.

And from what I've read, Schiit went with a subtle touch with the tube effect.  In fact, some tube lovers think the Freya+ isn't "tubey" enough.  For me, the gear has to be faithful to the music, not adding "tubey" effects or whatever.  Adding personality, that's for my speakers... 

And if I don't feel like tubes, I simply select one of the other non tube modes.  That's right, there are 3 different modes.  Passive, jfet buffer and the tube section.  

A buddy is selling off his other brand $4000 tube preamp at a loss after picking up a black face $1000 Quicksilver Audio Linestage tube preamp, liking it more. QS LS come up for sale used in Silver face version second hand every once in a while for reasonable prices. Super value, fyi. I sold off some of my higher cost gear and now run other QS products now and really like them. The QS products fly under the radar in the mainstream world.