Audiophile Stereo Preamp Comparison Chart
Every stereo preamp we have reviewed, sorted by price from low to high. Prices are as reviewed. Click any model to read the full review.
| Stereo Preamp | Price at review | Tubes | Built-in DAC | Phono | Room correction | HDMI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schiit Saga 2 | $279 | No | No | No | No | No |
| Schiit Saga+ | $399 | Hybrid (tube buffer) | No | No | No | No |
| Topping A90 Discrete | $599 | No | No | No | No | No |
| Topping Pre90 | $599 | No | No | No | No | No |
| Schiit Freya S | $599 | No | No | No | No | No |
| FiiO R7 | $699 | No | Yes, plus streaming | No | No | No |
| Adcom GFP-915 | $999 | No | Yes | MM/MC | No | No |
| QUAD 33 | $1,599 | No | No | MM/MC | No | No |
| Onkyo ICON P-80 | $1,999 | No | Yes, plus streaming | MM/MC | Dirac Live | HDMI ARC |
| SPL Elector | $2,699 | No | No | No | No | No |
| Parasound Halo P 6 | $2,750 | No | Yes | MM/MC/MI | No | No |
| Amped America AAP-1 | $3,000 | No | Yes | MM/MC | No | No |
| Benchmark Media LA4 | $3,050 | No | No | No | No | No |
| Parasound JC 2 BP | $3,799 | No | No | No | No | No |
| PS Audio Stellar Gold | $3,995 | No | No | No | No | No |
| Vincent Audio SA-T7 | $3,999 | Hybrid | Yes | No | No | No |
| SPL Director MK2 | $4,110 | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Anthem STR Preamplifier | $4,299 | No | Yes | MM/MC | Anthem ARC | No |
| AGD Productions Alto | $4,995 | No | No | MM/MC | No | No |
| Rotel Michi P5 Series 2 | $5,000 | No | Yes | MM/MC | No | No |
| Bryston BP-19 | $5,200 | No | No | Optional module | No | No |
| Pass Labs XP-12 | $6,100 | No | No | No | No | No |
| NAD M66 | $6,999 | No | Yes, plus BluOS streaming | MM/MC | Dirac Live | HDMI eARC |
| PS Audio PMG Signature | $8,999 | No | No | No | No | No |
| McIntosh C2800 | $9,000 | Yes | Yes | MM/MC | No | HDMI ARC |
| Boulder 812 | $9,250 | No | Yes, plus streaming | No | No | No |
| Classé Delta PRE | $9,999 | No | Yes | MM | No | Optional |
| Pass Labs XP-22 | $9,999 | No | No | No | No | No |
| Mark Levinson No. 326S | $10,000 | No | No | Optional | No | No |
| Mark Levinson No. 5206 | $11,000 | No | Yes | MM/MC | No | No |
| Trinnov Amethyst | $11,000 | No | Yes | Phono/line input | Trinnov | No |
| Bricasti Design M20 | $12,500 | No | No | No | No | No |
| Allnic L-7000 | $16,200 | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Infigo Audio Method 7 | $20,000 | No | No | MM/MC | No | No |
| Pass Labs XP-32 | $20,212 | No | No | No | No | No |
| T+A P 3100 HV | $23,500 | No | No | No | No | No |
| Boulder 1110 | $24,000 | No | No | No | No | No |
| CH Precision L1 | $34,000 | No | No | No | No | No |
The CH Precision L1 price is for the preamp alone; its optional X1 external power supply was $17,000 more at review.
More Preamps Reviewed in Other Categories
Some components do double duty as a preamp. Read our reviews of the TEAC UD-507, T+A DAC 200 and FiiO K9 Pro DAC/preamps in our DAC reviews. For turntables, see our phonostage reviews.
How We Review Audiophile Stereo Preamps
Preamps are some of the more desirable components to review, as they are physically pretty easy to deal with. You will want to test the different inputs, explore the gain structure (how loud it will get) and more, but stereo preamp reviews are fairly simple. One big challenge is isolating an internal DAC, which is close to impossible with most modern audiophile preamps.
As with power amps, the pro audio view of the “sound of a preamp” is that the best ones have no house sound: the better the preamp, the closer you get to the sound on the recording. Others disagree and want their audio components to add a flavor, which is common among tube enthusiasts. It is important to note that the best tube gear has very little “flavor” and much more of the sound that is on the recording.
Audiophile Stereo Preamp FAQ
What does a stereo preamp do?
A stereo preamp selects between your sources, such as a DAC, turntable or streamer, and controls the volume before the signal goes to your power amplifier. Many modern preamps also add a built-in DAC, a phonostage, HDMI ARC for TV sound, a headphone amp or digital room correction.
Do I need a preamp if my DAC has a volume control?
Not always. If you have a single digital source, a DAC with a good volume control can drive a power amp directly. A dedicated preamp makes more sense when you have several analog and digital sources, a turntable, or want the sound and flexibility of a high-end analog volume control. We dig into this in our article on whether you should consolidate your stereo preamp.
Should I buy a tube or solid-state preamp?
It comes down to taste and system matching. Solid-state preamps like the Pass Labs XP-32 and SPL Elector aim for no house sound at all. Tube preamps like the Allnic L-7000 and McIntosh C2800 are loved for their midrange, though the best ones add very little flavor. Tubes do need replacing over time.
Is room correction worth it in a stereo preamp?
For most listening rooms, yes. Room correction like Dirac Live (NAD M66, Onkyo ICON P-80), Anthem ARC and Trinnov tames bass peaks and nulls that no amount of expensive gear can fix on its own. Purists who want a fully analog signal path may skip it.
Does a stereo preamp need a phono stage?
Only if you play vinyl. Many preamps, like the NAD M66, Parasound Halo P 6 and QUAD 33, include one. Others, like the SPL Elector and Pass Labs XP-32, are line-level only, so you will want a separate phonostage.
