Looking for warm tube preamp (should pair well with Pass power amp), budget $6000

If your amp has a balanced input, I think you'll find that it will sound better if the preamp is balanced also. If you go with balanced, there is a standard for balanced operation (and there's no standard for single-ended, FWIW...). This standard is known as AES48 and defines how the grounding works and how the signal travels in the interconnect.

Most 'high end' audio preamp manufacturers seem to ignore this standard; I don't know if its thru ignorance or them knowing they can get away with it. But if the equipment supports the standard you will find that the interconnect cable (and how much you spent on it) will not affect the sound so much (if you've ever heard differences between single-ended cables you know what I'm talking about) and you'll have freedom from ground loops (which can increase distortion if they don't result in outright buzz).

When considering a balanced preamp, ask if it supports AES48. If you get 'what's that?' look elsewhere unless you don't mind flushing $$$$ down the loo.

@russbutton "What is it with people who think they have to drop $6000 on a tube preamp? That somehow anything less just isn’t good enough?"

>>It’s a "budget" limit set as a guideline<<. There is nothing preventing anyone from presenting something at lower cost and high value.

What do you have in mind for less cost to pair up well with the OP’s Pass amp?

@decooney

There are any number of truly excellent tube preamps at far lower cost. How low would you like to go? The OP has a 10 year old reference preamp from Audio Research, which you’d like to think was pretty good. Has he updated the tubes or done any tube rolling? That would make an enormous difference in his experience at the cost of no more than a couple hundred dollars, not many thousands. That should be his first go-to. That’s where the biggest difference is - not the tube circuit or even the builder. It’s in the damn tubes.

I’ve heard it said that ARC preamps can sound a lot like a solid state preamp. I wouldn’t know myself. I run a VTA aikido circuit preamp I’m quite happy with. New fully assembled ones can be had for $1600. Don Sachs builds the same preamp in a much prettier case for $1000 more, if appearances are important to you.

I’ve always liked the McIntosh C22 (selling for anywhere from $4500 - $6000), but feel they cost more than they sound. The benefit of a C22 is that they hold their resale value and actually appreciate. I very much like their phono section.

What’s much harder to come by, but is very cool, is the Fisher 400 CX (when found on the used market typically sell today for about $4000) . A friend has one fully restored and it’s a worthy competitor to the C22, and it’s GORGEOUS if appearances are important to you.

But the real joy in audio is when you get your hands "dirty". Build it! Build an aikido circuit preamp with the board from Glassware Audio. They are very well received and can probably built for about $600 in parts. There’s no greater joy in audio than being deeply involved in your system.

But if you buy your audio the way rich guys by their sports cars, then by all means go drop $6k or so on a Cary or Manley preamp.

The simple way is to find a pre based on 6H30 tubes.  Ayon and AR do this.  Others as well I am sure.

The 6H30 is a frame grid triode, and like all frame grid triodes (such as 6DJ8s) is prone to oscillation at some very high frequencies unless care is taken in the design. This opens them up to microphonics associated with the parasitics. Its a nice linear tube good for instrumentation but really isn't suited all that well for audio.