Best Tubed Preamp For A Warm, Rich Sound, Yet Still Detailed and Agile

Hi, Nightfall,
Just because you have $XXXX doesn't mean you need to spend all of it. I would investigate Don Sachs Consulting's 6SN7-based line pre-amp. Don's in Nelson, B.C. His no-frills unit starts at $1800 (US) and is based on Roy Mottram's hugely successful SP-14 line pre-amp, with better parts and 48-step volume control. Add all the bells & whistles, including a remote, even better caps (Mundorf, Dueland & Jupiters) you're looking at about $3,000. I own one and it will be my last. Don is a delight to deal with. Take the $3,000 I've saved you and re-cap your power amp(s) and upgrade the driver tubes.

You may want to take a look at Decware in East Peoria IL. There is a very good website. Steve has an exceptional preamp that is reasonably priced. All hand made with point to point wiring and lifetime warranty although you will probably never need to use it. Also many of his amps have a volume control and are very good without using a preamp. Good luck!

Whitestix - Is the Shuguang Treasure CV-181-Z a direct replacement for the 6SN7 in any circuit that uses that tube (I have a DeHavilland Ultraverve which uses one 6SN7)?

I was speaking with Jeff Wells of Wells Audio, at length, earlier tonight. Turns out that he has two preamps coming out this summer which he said would produce world class sound paired with my existing Wells power amplifier. I think, at this point, I'll probably wait to check those out before I purchase anything else in terms of a preamp. At least barring some miraculous deal on one of those discussed here.

My sincere thanks to everyone for their advice and recommendations, all information is greatly appreciated. I've done a great deal of research based on the input and am well armed for making a preamp decision when I pull the trigger. 

I'd like to respond to jmcgrogan2's post (my computer will not let me cut & paste in this forum). The Cary SLP-05 output impedence, per their published specification is 400 ohms. The input impedenace of my MAC MC 302 is 22k ohms (much less than the "OP's" 50k and certainly less than the manual's 30k), While the MAC's 22k ohms are perhaps less than desirable for ease of "driviing" the amp, the SLP-05 has NO problems at all and I've got more power than I could ever use .... volume levels remain well below the half-way mark on the SLP's volume control pot and that is VERY loud.