What tube pre amp match up with a solid state amp

Rrog, you have just described a common myth. What if a preamp has only 3 gain stages from LOMC input to the main output? Is that less signal circuitry or more?

If the preamp is fully differential, one advantage is that there is less noise (up to 6db) per gain stage. Overall this can mean that you can use less stages of gain.

Additionally, the cost of the interconnect cable should be considered as part of the cost of the preamp. It is not that weird these days for a single-ended set of interconnects to cost a significant fraction of the cost of the preamp. But what if you got a pair of 40 foot interconnects for only $200-$300 and they sounded as good as the best single-ended cables you ever heard? You would think audiophiles would jump on that...

As Ralph was perhaps too modest to directly recommend his own Atmasphere pre(s) I will, as well as the used Sonic Frontiers Line 3 for consideration. Both are truly balanced and have an appropriately low output impedance for this application.

I've been using balanced cables in various pro audio situations (and my hifi wherever possible) since the end of the last ice age, and I can say without a doubt there are HUGE differences among these cables. Better mic cables are better. I was recently shocked when an otherwise respected brand of balanced IC completely BLEW GIGANTIC VIRTUAL CHUNKS of treble hash in my hifi, and was quickly returned to the seller...replaced with some inexpensive AQ Diamondbacks that sound fine. Note that another single ended version of the offending (Mogami Neglex...there I said it) cable works fine for my turntable Akito din plug rig, so it has made ammends somewhat.

Atmasphere, I believe you. The whole point of true balanced should be to eliminate IC wire/wire length influences. I have a hybrid preamp with both SE and BAL outputs. I used high quality BAL cables for many years; but occasionally I would put some SE ICs between the amp and preamp and that arrangement would sound a touch better. Eventually, I moved my amp closer to the preamp and went with high quality SE ICs. I think it sounds better with SE ICs because on paper my preamp wants 20k Ohms min impedance and my amp is 22k ohms BAL looking into it. I think the SE has slightly higher impedance. My ICs also have switchable impedance settings. Is my thinking correct? My system today sounds very good with satisfying low end.

Tonywinsc, your thinking is correct. Single ended cables and preamps have no termination standard and tend to be high impedance. Under these circumstances the cable cannot be very long and how it is built has a huge effect on its sound.

Wolf_garcia, it is evident from your post that what ever balanced equipment you were using does not support the balanced standard. Your results are typical in that regard. I use Mogami Neglex all that time and have no troubles with it at all, but I am careful to use generic balanced cables onlly when I have confidence that the equipment supports its use.