First tube preamp recommendations (under $5k)

I wish someone compared them though. Would make it easier to jump in.

Lots and lots of solid recommendations here. I don’t disagree with any of them.

However, I suggest you take your browser to the top the "amps-preamps" section and click on the "Popular all-time" tab. At the very top of that tab you’ll find the "Preamp deal of the century" thread. Over 26 million page views. It spans two decades. It is all about Supratek preamps, hand made in Australia. The "entry-level" Supratek preamp is well within your budget. These are very highly regarded preamps. Hand built. Point-to-point wiring. LIFETIME GUARANTEE.

Oh, one more thing. There are a few posts on this thread that are critical of the 6SN7 tube as being "iffy" in quality and reliability. I respectfully disagree. The Suprateks are supplied with readily available tubes that are very reliable and last, like, forever. There are a lot of good 6SN7 tubes out there and there's a reason they're used a lot in preamps. They sound great. And there are good ones currently in production. Psvane, Linlai, for instance.

As a tube lover I would advise you to avoid preamps with 12ax7 or 12au7. Too much gain on the 12ax7 for a preamp, and 12au7 isn’t a great sounding tube in any role (but tends to be used a LOT in audio, unfortunately). 6SN7, 6922/6DJ8, 6H30 - these can be great preamp tubes. Even 5687 can be cool. Also I’ve not been a fan of the hybrid tube/SS preamps so far. Choose one or the other!

5k trouble free happy listening hours on my REF5se but as others have said, at this level, they are all pretty fine…

Jump in, enjoy the journey and the music….

McIntosh C22 if you’re into the retro looks. C2700 if you want the last tube preamp you’d ever need.