PART 2. Good Suggestions for Tube Pre/Amp for $6000

Carver RAM285.  See Axpona reviews.

Or just buy a 25,@$1995, 30 day in-home trial, then, if you want, you can use the guaranteed trade up value later to upgrade to a 285 or the 350.  (Though a pair of 350s is $9500 currently)

Be one of the first 50 to order a RAM285 and get $1000 off. They state shipping starting in May, though not a specific day in May, so up to 32 days from now.

Yeah, I’ve already requested a 285.  
and yes, I am a Carver guy.  All my amps and my preamp are all Carver. Vintage (rebuilds by Hi-tech and Nelion) and new. (Except the separate HT system, that’s onkyo 11.1)

Can you say more about what you mean by "a warmer more lively sound"?

Thanks for asking.

More depth, realism, elongated, soundstage sound (right or wrong) over a digital crisp sound?  Warm over bright?

Possibly of interest:

Preamps: https://aricaudio.com/tube_gear.php

Amp: https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/147639-anybody-use-first-watt-amps-with-klipschorns-or-lascalas/

This Leben would be a great match with your K-Horns. It's in your price range new. No phono preamp, but you can buy a matching MM preamp from Leben

https://lebenhifi.com/products/cs300xs.html