Preamp advice

I don't think you can do better:

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650263291-dehavilland-ultraverve-iii/

Read one of the giants of audio about this unit:

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0404/dehavilland.htm

You'll thank me.

I'm not the seller.

I owned the following preamps

• CODA 07x (2022 model) ($7000)
• BAT VK-42SE ($7000)
• Bryston BP-20 + MPS-2 PS 
• Benchmark LA4 
• Benchmark HPA4
• Schiit Freya+
• Schiit Kara F
• Schitt Saga 2 (returned it)
• Topping pe90

I sold all of those and now have what I hope will be my long-term preamp for my office system. I say I "hope", because I do not know how long this new preamp will last.

The preamp is the Schiiit Valhalla 3 OTL/OCL preamp at $500 but with 2 replacement tubes for the 2-front facing stock tubes.

NOS-5670 JAN GE 5670W / 2C51W (2) @ $19.95 = $39.90
SK-5670-6922 5670 to 6922 Adapter (2) @ $9.95 = $19.90

When a person selects components based on percentages (see below)—which are entirely unfounded ideologies—and evaluates music through the lens of price, they will never fully appreciate design, craftsmanship, or develop the ability to discover the real gems that make a system truly great. In other words, when someone fixates on cost tiers, they risk overlooking underrated components while also overpaying for marginal gains that do not meaningfully improve musical engagement. What they see and hear is not the music, but dollar signs—multiple ones at that. Sigh… What is ironic is that even the AR preamp they advocate is not particularly high-end by today’s market standards in terms of price.

I would not drop into the budget category like Schiit... it fits the will not break the bank part really well.  I would concentrate on older audiophile products and reach as far as you can... don’t try and get by or your system will be highly compromised of it’s potential. 

Audio Research LS-28 SE

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650219477-audio-research-ls-28se/

I wrote the nonsense on the Valhalla 3 OTL/OCL and very happy with it sonically. The reason I got that preamp is because my friend told me to take home a $33k Allnic OTL/OCL tube preamp to listen and it was the best preamp I have ever heard.

Products – Allnic Audio (the $33k one is not listed on the website, I think it was the L-15000 OTL/OCL Signature)

Super detailed and holographic (tubes). The Schiit Valhalla 3 OTL/OCL does not scale to the Allnic level, but it is better than all those preamps I listed above, including the Holo Audio Serene preamp which I forgot to list.

I have done a big change of heart with regards to preamps. I used to think that tube preamps were not detailed and DAC direct to amp was ALWAYS bad. However, the OTL/OCL tube preamps are very detailed and 2 DACs I recently heard, the imersiv D-1 and the Meitner MA3i are superb direct to amp (and also via a preamp for the Meitner).

I am still a fan of the Benchmark LA4 preamp. I like the Valhalla 3 OTL/OCL more sonically, but it is a PIA to use and not as feature rich as the LA4.

If I had money to burn, I would be looking at the $15k Allnic OTL/OCL as a headphone amp for my RAAL SR1a and also as a RCA out only preamp to my 2-channel amp.

HPA-15000 OTL/OCL – Allnic Audio (also a superb RCA output preamp)

I had that unit in the house for 3 weeks and compared it to the Valhalla 3 with the stock Schiit tubes. The Allnic was a lot better, however, the 2 replacement Valhalla tubes I now use are much better than stock and my satisfaction with the Valhalla 3 OTL/OCL is very high. I would rather buy the Meitner MA3i DAC over the HPA 15000 OTL/OCL because the Valhalla 3 OTL/OCL is pretty good so the DAC would be a better choice.

I also heard this OTL/OCL DAC and it was amazing. This review talks a a little about the character of OTL/OCL.

Allnic Audio D-15000 Signature OTL/OCL DAC - The Absolute Sound