Solid state to tube

Lastly:

I thought that this inexpensive/well reviewed ($1500 300B based DH/SET) amplifier might be a fun option, but  due to the size of your listening room I'm not certain if it would work.

I gathered that you would like to limit expenditures @ $3k or less.

In my opinion the difference between decent DH/SET and other designs (excluding a few OTL amps I've heard) is not subtle.

DeKay

Quicksilver all the way. I love my Quicksilver Mid monos, and phono stage. 

Thanks for all the great help.

Based on what I have read here I might hold off on going to a tube power amp. I will try a tube pre amp first and run it with my current YBA 1 solid state amp.

I will also try with my Meitner mono blocks to see which I prefer.

I currently use a older YBA signature pre amp with seperate power supply I think when I purchased it back in 2002 it was 10k so I wonder at what price point I will need to be at to get a comparable tube pre

Is your budget for the preamp (only) still around $3K?

I looked up the input impedance of what I believe to be your SS power amps and they were in the 20K-27K range.

Both should mate fine with contemporary tube preamps, but it wouldn't hurt to throw out the model number of the preamp(s) you are seriously considering.

Never heard Meitner and the only YBA was an integrated amp a long time ago.

I did have a CD player and an integrated from YBA's super budget line (forget the name), but they were just OK and nothing like the YBA branded amp.

DeKay

The YBA model is a YBA1 high current it was 1 step below their top of line which at that time was the signature line.

I have decided on any tube pre amps but that 3k mark would still be my budget.

I didn't really have any short list for tube preamps.

I only really use a dedicated streamer

And dedicated dac. Apparently I have just been informed that my DAC has a great volume control and can act as a pre amp.

My DAC is a French mfg called TotalDAC