Recommend The Best No Frills Preamp up to $5K.


I'm vinyl only so I don't need much, except a warm spacious lush sound, but I don't want to sacrifice dynamics. 

Vintage is ok too.

dhcod

@maverick2108 +1 on Aric Audio Super 6SN7; smallish footprint, and I put in a couple of Ray Reserve 6SN7 tubes and my goodness what a lush lovely but powerful sound with dynamics galore. I found it quite superior to my Herron Audio 360 line-stage preamp which I'd enjoyed for years, though I am keeping my Herron Audio phono preamp. Aric is great to talk to about this stuff, too. 

Accuphase C2420 or newer C2450 with AD2820/2850 phono (optional) module. It has two independent phono inputs, with variety of MC/MM settings, excellent headphones’ amp, subsonic filter, low/high adjustments, plenty of bal/un-bal inputs. Works well driving class A and AB Accuphase amps, Luxman tube amp, and all other amps in my collection! 

A no frills preamp, without the added components like phono pre or a DAC….Seriously look at the Parasound JC2BP. Extremely low noise with a high dynamic range and exceeding full range specs. 
I am 95% analog and this preamp has been the best thing for my analog sources.