recommend full featured preamps?

That's a good pre-amp to start with.

Any idea why the tone controls are needed?

Can't you do some tube rolling with that model to tweak the sound?

Tandberg, from the early to mid-80s. As sweet a sound as you'll ever hear and very well-built...Great phono sections, too!

-RW-

I GAVE AWAY a NAD1700 tuner/preamp.
It had too many features to list, but the tone controls
were triple turnover for bass+treble.
Decent phono section, too.

I bought it in about '87 and I think it had a few more years in it.

Lloydc,

What are the speakers in your system?

Often, the problem you describe with bass at low levels can be due to a mismatch between amp and speakers, especially with tube amps and lower efficiency speakers that have a more complex load to handle.

For example, I'd love to have your amplification but I have yet to discover a tube amp that could drive my fussy Ohm 5's properly (believe me, I'm still looking but am not hopeful).

I replaced a 360w/ch SS Carver m4.0t with a 100 w/ch Musical Fidelity A3CR for exactly the same reason, poor bass at lower to moderate volumes. The Carver actually went louder and sounded great doing it.

If this is the case with you, then tone controls might help compensate but better matching of amp and speakers could correct the problem and negate the need. It did in my case. I don't think I've touched the tone controls on my Carver preamp since.

Have you considered 'tuning' your room?
I know what it is like to be space/layout constrained, but just maybe, a few small adjustments would help.
Something for first reflection....a dense wool tapestry like I use or some carpet directly in front of the speakers.
Extra points scored for good imagination here.

Just may help!