Preamp $600-$1000

IMHO, try the Audio Experience Symphonies Plus line stage (~600). Lots of room to experiment with different tube brands for not a lot of money, well built, and a really good sounding unit. If you don't like it, you could always sell it for only a small loss. I think you'll probably love it, though.

TAD-150 signature if you can find one. It is a tube hybrid that will run somewhere in the $700-900 range. I know that there was an interruption in the supply of new ones but, contact Paul at Bizzy Bee Audio. This unit far surpasses anything near its price range IMO...

I second the TAD-150 idea.

Audio Research is a good choice. In the past, I had used a
VTL 2.5, which sells used for around $750 used, with a Levinson 27. Worked out nicely!

Ahhh ~!

I own an older Levinson ML-3 amp. I was running Revel Gems with it, using a Quicksilver Remote Linestage preamp.
The Quicksilver is single-ended, uses 2 6922 tubes and has a remote. This is one of the nicest sounding short buck preamps I've heard. It's still in the system, however it's driving a pair of Levinson 33H's now on the same Gems.

It stands up to the 33H's fine. I am amazed at what I'm getting out of this.

You should be able to find used for $1K or a bit less.

Good luck,

Paul :-)

You're going to get plenty of suggestions. I made the same transition from a solid state preamp to a tubed unit and it definitely was the right move. I went with a VTL 2.5 and it paid off as I wanted.
More midrange magic and warmth with out sacrificing detail and resolution. But I don't know what other tubed preamps may have sounded like and I may have gotten the same or better results with another tubed preamp. Or it could have been worse. I don't know and would like to experience others just for the curiousity. I think the answer is to experiment and have fun.

Sonic Frontier Line 1. No contest. Between $ 875.00 and $ 1,000.00. Incredible build quality for the price, a remote ''puck'' that is a work of art, built-in Headroom headphone amp circuit, reversible polarity switch on the remote, programmable input levels - dimming display function, and there's more for you to find out. For me, this preamp has always been THE no-brainer in that price category. And if you don't like it, you will probably get all of your money back. What's not to like here? Good luck. Oh, and by the way, it SOUNDS real nice too.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I just finished with a Manley Shrimp (still kinda hungry) haha. I will be looking out for others on the list next. I have heard huge differences so far and expect to hear more before I find the right one. The thrill is in the hunt....right? Or is it the proof in the pudding?

Oh oh, I see another one coming. The sickness spreads.

bat 3vki..goes for $750-$1300 depending on age and options... incedible sound, build quality, and reliable...

I talked to Paul at TAD and he said the TAD-150 can no longer be produced. He said that he will be coming out with two models to replace it: A buffered passive (TAD-100), and a pre more enhanced with tubes (TAD-250).

How about Walters last MF Xv3
Can't beat that at his price