Grace 101, Focusrite ISA, True Systems,John Hardy.. theres a ton more....Budget... you might look into the Mackie Onyx. Dont know if theres enough gain for a ribbon.

Audient ASP008

Very clean

For a clean, but huge sound - try the Langevin DVC. It's a shade on the "dark" side, but I'd not hesitate to use it on the cleanest of sources.

It doesn't have the most gain in the world, but for "normal" sources, it's perfect.

Cheers-
J.

Some great suggestions for pre-amps here. I'd like to add the DAV BG1 to the list. The BG series are very transparent (clean) pre-amps with switched gain, and I have no trouble in using them with low-output ribbon mics.

Just curious, but why do you need clean (what I'd call transparent)? Are you doing classical recordings? These are all great preamps, but for the type of music you do I like your list better.

I personally really like the ISAONE. I record my vocals through it using a Neuman TLM103. It also sounds good with my SM7b.

Hey all! First time poster here at Recording.org. I would look at the API 3124 or 512. Very clean but a little on the expensive side. I think the RNP from FMR audio gets overlooked a lot and it is really clean. Sometimes too clean but you get two channels for 499 msrp. Could probably get it a lower if you looked around.

I'm using an Avalon VT737, which is pricey, but it was worth the wait. It serves my purposes fantastically well on vox and acoustic guitar. I DI my bass guitar through it as well, and it makes a big difference. Previously, I had purchased a Behringer preamp for chump change by comparison, but the quality was so terrible that I ended up taking it back. I decided to be patient, and I read everything I could find on preamps. The most valuable information I got was when I asked people who had made recordings that I liked what they had used. The Avalon kept coming up, so I set my sights on it and saved my money for over a year until I had enough to get one. Since the price was way too much to try flying it home under the wife's radar, ha ha, I went for broke and got a U87 to go with it. I figured she would be shocked by the sticker price with or without the mic, and one big shock is better than two big shocks. I wasn't wrong there. Gentlemen, if you play your cards right, you can have it all. (If I can quote a famous poet, there's a lesson in there that runs at large. Take it. You're welcome. No extra charge.)

I second the Avalon VT 737! Yes, way over your budget, but so worth the sacrifice.
I also bought a U87 at the same time, and I also DI my bass through the 737.
For vocals, the compression section of the 737 is so smooth and transparent that I try to not use ITB compressors any more on vocals.
For bass, with the proper compressor settings I am finally getting the "punchy" attack that I like!
So, worth considering for future purchase even if your budget won't handle it now!
Jeff

For clean I'd go with Martech or GML - API is awesome but not sure I'd use the word clean

Sytek MPX-4Aii (4 clean channels, $900)

all pre's tube or solid state are going to color your sound. if you wnat clean your going to have to spend money and a really clean pre, because it takes really expensive components and time to make a super clean pre. for my money AMEK 9098EQ
with AMEK 9098C
have at it!!