Preamp $600-$1000

IMHO, try the Audio Experience Symphonies Plus line stage (~600). Lots of room to experiment with different tube brands for not a lot of money, well built, and a really good sounding unit. If you don't like it, you could always sell it for only a small loss. I think you'll probably love it, though.

I second the TAD-150 idea.

Audio Research is a good choice. In the past, I had used a
VTL 2.5, which sells used for around $750 used, with a Levinson 27. Worked out nicely!

Ahhh ~!

I own an older Levinson ML-3 amp. I was running Revel Gems with it, using a Quicksilver Remote Linestage preamp.
The Quicksilver is single-ended, uses 2 6922 tubes and has a remote. This is one of the nicest sounding short buck preamps I've heard. It's still in the system, however it's driving a pair of Levinson 33H's now on the same Gems.

It stands up to the 33H's fine. I am amazed at what I'm getting out of this.

You should be able to find used for $1K or a bit less.

Good luck,

Paul :-)

You're going to get plenty of suggestions. I made the same transition from a solid state preamp to a tubed unit and it definitely was the right move. I went with a VTL 2.5 and it paid off as I wanted.
More midrange magic and warmth with out sacrificing detail and resolution. But I don't know what other tubed preamps may have sounded like and I may have gotten the same or better results with another tubed preamp. Or it could have been worse. I don't know and would like to experience others just for the curiousity. I think the answer is to experiment and have fun.