What is a very nice sounding tube preamp?

Comments to what I've owned or heard -

* Counterpoint - SA-1000 modded by Alta Vista - warm, musical, great for $600 used. Very average unmodded but modded it's transformed to another level

* TAD 150 Signature - just sounds nice all the way around. Can't go wrong for around $750 if you find one. Although the phono stage section is not that good. Has remote

* VTL 2.5 - not as good as the TAD in my opinion. Seems to have a serious following here. Has remote

* Audible Illusions 3 - very detailed, open but not as warm as the other preamps mentioned. Cooked a quad set of NOS National 6922 tubes in < 200 hours. Tube life is better with Russian tubes. You'll be limited in tube rolling options given how hard it runs the tubes. Cost me $675 about 7 years ago. No remote

* Ming Da MC-7r - (my current preamp). This preamp cost less than any of the above mentioned preamps and betters all of them. Mine is extensively modded by Response Audio with V-caps.... Mods alone cost $900. Most folks will simply dismiss it since it's Chinese. No remote or phono stage though. This cost me just $550.

** Never tried Juicy Music Peach or Blueberry but have read they are warm, very musical

** Never tried Manley Shrimp but have read solid reviews

**** Doge 8 Clarity - friend has one running NOS Radio Technique tubes. The best preamp I've heard but at $2k too pricey for me. Has very nice phono stage, and remote. I've read reviews from owners claiming it easily competes with preamps costing thousands more.

Have to put my two cents in here forte joule la 100. I have the cardas version.

I agree with Audiojan. The Eastern Electric Avant is a sensational preamp at it's price point, it really is. It has a very big soundstage, which I really like. For the money you can't go wrong.

Why do you want a tube preamp to go with that equipment? I have tried some tube preamps and have to say I am a bit disappointed after reading about all the hype. I've tried some recent (only a few years old) Audio Research and Cary models, which are highly respected among tube-o-philes. After having experimented with these 2 tube models, I am still debating, but I think I may be coming to the conclusion that I prefer the higher level of transparency and better bass control that my old Forte solid state provides....

A variety of thoughts --

You can go cheap and pick up a Little Dot MkIII headphone amp, which also has a set of preamp outputs. Sam Tellig in Stereophile laughed his evil laugh as he challenged people to try this little $200 gem as a preamp. I tried it -- and I'll be darned, it's warm, lively, and full of old-fashioned tube presence and midrange magic. Definitely not the last word in accuracy or transparency, but it's enjoyable and fun. (The Little Dot is not recommended for use with direct-coupled amps due to lack of capacitors blocking potential DC output.) Often sold used on head-fi, and available new on eBay (use the official seller, davidzhezhe).

Years ago I used Conrad-Johnson PV12L or CJ-PV10AL. They still show up used every now and then. Spearit Sound is offering the current evolution of the model, called the Classic. The PV-12 and 10 line stages use only two 12AU7 tubes. They add a nice touch of warmth, and, as I recall, roll off the highs a bit.

I also tried Audio Research LS-7. Quite a contrast to the C-J. The ARC sound (with a factory-supplied set of new Sovtek 6922 tubes) was brightly lit, highly energized, almost in your face. Exciting, but over time a bit fatiguing. Which is NOT to say that this description applies to other ARC preamps, new or old.

Finally, I've been reading a lot about the deHavilland UltraVerve 3. Google for many enthusiastic reviews. I wish I could hear this in my own system. I can't speak from firsthand experience, but I am tempted...