Tubeyist sounding Pre-amp?

Bigkidz...surprised you mentioned counterpoint. Have had a 3.1 for 25 years( !). Purchased expensive potential replacements 3 times, one of which is in storage bc I keep going back to the CP. Shame this company went away so long ago, they would have done some great things. Had a CJ amp long ago, should have kept that too!

You owe it to yourself to listen to CJ's highly acclaimed PFR SS preamp.  It is tube sounding without the issues of tube maintenance (magic how they do it).  Stereophile rated class A all the way.  If you can find one, you can get it at a good used price.  Based on what you are looking for I think it is a guaranteed love affair for you.  

" Do you 5 channels? Does anyone need 5 channels?"

If you speakers allow for it, you can use 4 of the 5 channels and do a vertical biamp. 

Thx - I see there was one on here but it sod.

My guess is that there is no magic, but a certain circuit topology and some MOSFETs involved....

The schiit saga is a new product $350 preamp. With your $500
budget it leaves some room to tube roll, although I’m not sure a single tube will deliver anything close to a fat sound.

my other suggestion would be a bottle head kit.