Single input tube preamp

There was a posting on Canuck Audio Mart a few months ago showing the insides of one of his amps - it looked like a bowl of spaghetti with less than amateurish solder work and poor parts quality - a number of tech's weighed in and said it was worse than a boy scout project - globs of solder everywhere, resistors just twisted onto capacitor leads instead of a turret board or terminal strip, household romex used as B+ rails, etc.   The owner then responded with a condescending statement basically saying "if you want it built properly, it wont sound as good".  The CAM moderators removed the post presumably in support of one of their advertisers. I visited his garage in BC where he builds his amps a few years back......lets just say I was less than impressed. 

Linear Tube Audio MZ2 would seem to fit the bill, but you really need to add their linear power supply to get the best from it.

https://www.lineartubeaudio.com/products/mz2mz2-s

@soix 

Very interesting. I'm currently using a Schiit Valhalla 2, another OTL headphone amp/preamp in a similar setup. It gets input from my Bitfrost 2/64 and I run it wide open into a Schiit Kara preamp in passive mode. So, there's no attenuation to the tubes and the only volume control in the circuit is the Kara RL volume control. Sounds pretty nice for the cost and is what prompted me to look for something similar.

This look like the perfect upgrade but a new MZ2 is above my budget. Maybe used ones come along. I'll keep an eye out. 

Well executed, high performing simple designs. Add enclosure and attenuator. VTA Roy Mottram's SP14 is based on the same Akido circuit.

https://glass-ware.store.turbify.net/listheam.html

@blueeagle79 is referring to this 

https://glass-ware.store.turbify.net/paraikocster.html