Pls recommend a tupe pre under 2500 for my system.

Thank you for all of your suggestions.

After some positioning tweaks I've decided to work out some issues with my speakers and listening room before I try adding a tube pre to my system. First things, first.

Used VTL 5.5. I am one of those people that read all the Richard Hardesty journals on components as a way to shortcut my system build efforts. This pre-amp is very well regarded and very quiet and has a HT bypass thru. It is easily in your budget (used). Mine is paired up with a Sherbourne SS Amp and Vandersteen 2CE signatures. Great sound but makes me want to move higher up in the Vandersteen line.

Dante, addressing the room first is the smart move. If you still want a warmer sound after doing that, at this price point (used) you really should consider the Aesthetix Calypso - but know going in that you must replace the stock tubes to get what the unit is capable of delivering. If you want warm, with the correct tubes, that is very achievable. When you want more detail, change the tubes, there are lots of threads already with tube recs, so you really will not go in blind.

Already some great recs listed above and I am not trying to short sell any of them, just wanted to add one of the best preamps I have ever heard, that also happens to fit your budget.

A room is the biggest speaker/piece of audio equipment you will ever own!