What tube pre amp match up with a solid state amp

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.

Atmasphere, I use balanced outs from my DAC to balanced ins on my preamp (Kavent S-33), and it was the balanced out from the preamp to the power amp where the Mogami sounded crappy, and the balanced Diamondbacks sound great. Even the weird (but seemingly decent) "green mystery" balanced cable supplied with the Kavent sounded better than those particular Mogamis (Guitar Center...maybe they were crap?). I was surprised really as Mogamis usually sound fine (like I said, the Akito's Mogami cable sounds great) and I've used 'em as mic cables in pro audio gear for years. Go figure. I might be the only person in audio history to have a bad Mogami experience.