Tube Preamps under $10k with deep bass extension

I have put my AI M3A (w NOS Tungsram ECC88s) up against a conrad johnson LS16 and a very early version of the First Sound starter model, Presence (not Presence Deluxe or 4.0).
I preferred the M3A.
The cj is more than three time the M3A's price and the M3A has a phono section! Both the FS and cj did some things technically better, but the M3A simply allows more muscial life and drama to breathe. The cj was down-right boring--in two different systems. I have every confidence that a recent FS Presence Deluxe would sound very fine indeed.

The CAT Ultimate in my system is quick and has bass to die for. All four of these pre-amps have good bass. (I can get close to a 20Hz tone.) I would be surprised if anyone craving bass did not get all that a tubed pre-amp could offer in the way of bass from a CAT. (The CAT does not electrically mate with my pwr amps [Cary SLAM-100's] or I would probably be running with the CAT.)

I will receive a broken in Lamm LL2 in one week. If anyone is interested in the LL2 results, let me know. Supposed to have great bass....

I had an AI briefly, and it's a fine preamp, but the First Sound Presence Deluxe MkII is in another league altogether. Outstanding bass and dynamics, huge soundstage.

The Herron is also excellent on bass and dynamics, with great imaging and a very "live", musical sound.

I currently have a EAR 834L. I can't speak to it's exact bass extension, and it's most likely not at the level you are looking. But I found the extension stronger and lower than what I was achieving with with my adcom pre. Just a thought, you may want to check into their offerings.

Rackon, I believe you when you say the First Sound Presence Deluxe is in another league from the AI M3A. That is why I said the following in my original post: "I have every confidence that a recent FS Presence Deluxe would sound very fine indeed."

I actually plan on auditioning a FS Presence Deluxe in a week or two. The Lamm LL2, FS Presence Deluxe, and the M3A will (hopefully) be at my house at the same time.

I did hear a new, current version First Sound Presence Deluxe in my system just yesterday for several hours. In a word, Gorgeous. To add to that with more descriptors: neutral, natural, detailed but not etched or aggressive, deeply moving emotionally, and always just about the music--nothing more, nothing less.
Rackon was right, the FS Presence Deluxe is indeed in a whole other class than the AI M3A.

And as compared to the Lamm LL2 Deluxe, the FS also just brought me closer to the musical intent of the recordings. The FS Presence Deluxe has no glare or fatiguing artifacts. The Lamm does have these to a noticeable extent in my system.
I have to qualify this by saying the Lamm LL2 Dlx may suffer from some of the same electrical mis-match characteristics that the CAT Ultimate has when mated to the Cary SLAM-100's (sensitive inputs .75 V). The Lamm and the CAT both have more dynamic, exciting presentations with perhaps more defined bass characteristics, but at an unacceptable level of accompanying fatigue from an almost over-blown bass presentatino and aggressive sounding upper-mid glare.

The CAT and Lamm have a "HiFi" quality in my system. I know that the Lamm, in particular, is not known for that. I am looking into ways to decrease the Cary SLAM-100's input sensitivity so that I can use a wider range of low-impedance, high output pre-amps. The Lamm shows potential, but the FS completely outshines it in musical meaningful ways--in my system. Quite remarkable, the FS.

If I do figure out a way to decrease the Carys' input sensitivity, I will report the findings if anyone is interested.