Shall I add a preamp to my setup?

Interesting question.

In my exp. I wound up using a digital front end to drive all else with eventually, though I did not even think of that as a path to sonic entrapment, initially. however the DAC I can use as a preamp is not an all the time deal for me, as my tube preamp sounds just to good to me to leave it out for long.... different combinations of different items in the chain for me seems to provide me the variety I require now and then.

The magic I suspect you want to infuse into your system likely will require a tube preamp. other's will say differently perhaps, but the best way I've found to add that extra bit of intrigue to a fine system is by adding tubes.... somewhere. In fact I feel the preamp is as necessary as a very good front end... and again, that's just my two cents worth. it sure took me long enough to prove it to myself as well.

Cabling combinations also afford that which you seek, but the faster way due to all the cabling that is out there, is a nice to very, very nice preamp.

Good luck.

Thanks Blindjim, replying to my ever first post, good inspiration.

May I know why specific TUBE preamp but solid state? What specific sonic nature do they different to each other?

I find my system is pretty fast (almost too fast), refine, big soundstage, dynamic, I compared to Dynaudio new sapphire, Watt 7, but mine lack extensions of mids and highs and air. Hopefully you know what I describe.

I am pretty lean to add a preamp now after speaking to some friends today, any suggestion for a preamp may work well to my system? Say under $6k.

Just adding some possibly superficial comment...As regards "warmth of vocal and extension" and "high airly extensions" my first recommendation is go analog. The second is add a good tube pre. Three years ago, I found a used Aesthetix Io phono preamp w volume for ca 6k usd. Great value, not only for your turntable if you have one, but for your CD or whatever too (it has two inputs). I had Krell KAV preamps before, but have never looked back. Like going from forested hills to real mountains, to use a Norway analogy.
Oystein

I was facing the same situation and decided to go with a tube pre-amp. I found what I was looking for with the Modwright SWL 9.0 SE tube linestage. Of course it depends on the synergy with your other pieces, but for my system, it works.