Preamp Deal of the Century

I would like to get some better phono tubes for my Cortese. I am using Phillips 6922 that came with my pre when I bought it used.
The tubes I'm using now:
Zenith (sylvania) 6F6G's
Phillips metal GZ34
Rca Gray 6SN7
I have a nice pair of Tungsol round plates with mica tops that I bought a year ago. They test as new and when I put them in my Cortese the sound is a little dull with lean bass .I think it is because of my phono tubes.I have a rebuilt Lenco L75 and it sounds good , a little better then my cd player and again I think it is because of the Phono tubes.
I hate seeing the Tungsol's sitting on the shelf. So I want to get better phono tubes.
The really got nos tubes are $300-400. Do I have to spend this much ?
I was hoping for a recommendation for phono tubes that are 85-90% as good for less money .
Since adding the Lenco to my system I listen to 95% vinyl.I am very content with my Cortese.
I am also interested in getting a tube tester. I don't want to purchase it from ebay so if anyone has one that has instructions and manuals I am interested in it.

Thanks
Abill

No problem, SteveM. To get back to on subject. I read through most of this novel sized topic, and was warmly amazed. Most of the talk has been about seasoning Supratek preamps. Reading of rare tube swaps does have my mouth watering. Especially Asa's lectures on proper tube savoring. Alas, the truth is, I don't miss the anxiety I felt over tube rolling.

To be honest, the Fire preamp, as is, will be of no interest to Phono lovers. I bet there is a phono stage Fire in the offing. I hope so.

My non oversampling tubed DAC is great at bringing out faint place cues, and visually rounding out the players/singers. I have been wanting a preamp that lives up to my DAC's liveliness.

The fire excels in nuance preservation. Carrying the signal with gloved hands. players are properly portrayed. There is really a clear glass on the music scene. None of this detail is harsh. Everything presented sounds natural.

The pre, being solid state, has excellent bass handling. Important to drum gear reproduction, attack is forceful. The middle range, where most voice resides, is without noticeable artifact. Voices have that just right weight, timbre, and cohesiveness, that makes HiFi sound believable.

The place where the Fire excels is in emphasis of the leading edge. I am not talking about dynamics, or micro dynamics. The Fire is great at both, as are other great preamps. I am talking about the muscular jump of the player's hand to the instrument. I am made aware of the percussion quality of percussion instruments, like pianos, and guitars, as never before. It appears with every strum, hit, and pic. I feel and hear heightened immediacy.

The quality extends to strings too. I can see the bowing, the feeling of muscles, and sinew pulling and pushing. This feeling is bolstered by just the right rosin on the bow. There is no thin detailing here.

Listening to orchestra, every instrument appears to scale, including even the harp. I don't just hear the first violins, I hear the first violin and each seat. Their cohesiveness is not the amalgam that most systems pass orchestral passages as, but as the group of exquisitely trained musicians they are.

Well, I see this is turning into a full system review. I apologize for my long windiness. I just don't know how else to relate the amazing improvement all have witnessed to my system with the advent of the Henry's Fire preamp.

Muralman,

I think everyone here appreciates your opening salvo about the Fire preamp. No problem.

However, it would probably more appropriate to start a new thread specifically addressing the Fire preamp rather than hijacking the Supratek thread. You know the old saying, "there is a time and a place..."

Fiddler......my mistake. I honestly thought this was an open preamp discussion. I will erase, and save for a system review. Thank you.

Or... Is erasing an option at this forum?