What tube preamp to get to smooth out the sound?????

Onhwy61 is correct, you may not need a preamp. Another suggestion would be to try a line conditioner or something as simple as a power cord. One example (and I'm sure there are many others) is the TG Audio HSR-I pc, which does a great job of "smoothing out the sound" and retails for only $240. Would at least be worth a try before spending 2K on a preamp.

Hi Angela! Yup, it's me. The same Suzy from AA. After 20 years and more component changes than I can remember, my experience has been that just about anything has the potential to make a big difference in your system. The biggest difference I heard recently was a change in speaker cable -- I replaced $2000 worth of cable with a pair that retailed for about one fourth as much and was shocked at how much better it sounded. It's a myth that you have to always spend more to get better sound. Sometimes you just need to find the right tweak or component -- system synergy is as important as anything else. Nothing makes me happier than being able to improve the sound of my system and actually come out money ahead!

Cornfedboy - I really don't want to trash the $2000 cable as I'm sure it sounds wonderful in other systems. It is a popular cable, and I don't want to be tarred and feathered by everyone that owns it :) The point was that a $500 cable sounded better as it was a better match for my system. (The $500 cable is made by Dunlavy - I believe it is called LCR Ultra. Not sure it is even on the market yet, as I picked up a sample at the last CES)