Good tube pre amp for a mostly digital system

Thnaks fro your responses folks. Kurt, could you key me into what is a CDP. I am not sure what that does and how it connects directly to my amps?

Thanks everybody for the responses. NOS twelve step it is. It seems everyday I breath just a bit more of the audio nut concoction. Powerful stuff.

No I have not tried the marantz without the DAC. Fine suggestion, believe I will try that. In terms of the A A capitole, I did some research and everthing I read sounds great. I guess my concern would be limiting my options by not having a pre amp because, I would like a tuner and a turntable. Now I realize the A A capitole has a line stage built into it but unfortunately those are hard to find. The one on A'gon right now does not have the line stage.

So two questions, and other cd player with a line stage build into it that can hook directly to my Rowlands, or does anyone have opinions on how the A A capitole sounds plugged into a pre amp?

Also steuspeed, any suggestions of tubed pre's that are 400 ohn output impedence or less?

And of course any comments or opinions. This is great for me so I appreciate your time.

John,
Thanks for the info. So I checked out the BAT's. Some of them have a phono stage however, some have told me that they are too trnasparent and in mostly digital system like mine, the BAT's might not add that warmth.

Secondly, the Cary SL-05, which was my first choice, must now take the back seat due to the fact that it has no phono stage. so audio research except for front end gear, I really don't find it appealing asthetically.

So the janus possibly, what else is there? I'll try the marantz hooked directly to a pre once I get one. Any other suggestions for players that function well with tube pre's.

Also, is what I have heard of the BAT true, too transparent. Anyone with expreience with these.

Cheers

John, You gave me some great things to think about here. I now realize, witht he cost of tube replacement, that I do not want a built in phono stage. You are absolutely right, why waste away those tubes when not listening to vinyl.

So I am slowly honing in here on some components. It seems to me to be between the BAT, not sure which model yet, or the Aesthetix calypso. Also I want to pair either of those with either the A A capitole or some other good player, myabe the Ayre C-5xe or cary 306 and take my Bel canto Dac3 out of the equation. Any thoughts on matching those. Any one with direct expereince here? Any thoughts on taking the bel Canto out of the equation?

Cheers.

Thanks John, and Jim who qued me into the audio research ls-26 which from all I have read is fantastic. Jim mentioned that the calypso might have a noise problem and that scared him away from it.
So where does that live me? O.K., I must say that upon listening to my syatem, which only had about thirty hours on it which, I realize is definately not enough time to judge, it felt somewhat veiled, like that palpable feeling in the chest was not present, the air was not there. Then my new speaker broke and I had to send it back to the manufacture.

So my gear sits here and I wonder, do I make an adjustment right now, or do I wait for the speaker to return and give my system more time. Really, most of my gear is used from this site so breakin is mostly done, all except the spaekers and my Bel canto DAC3. When judging the sound of my system, it seemd that the fact that I was using the bel canto as a dac and preamp combo was the weak link. Could the bel canto effectively drive the 500 watt rowlands? Then began my search for a preamp, also because I want to add a tuner as I really enjoy radio. Then I thought, well my system is down for at least a month, why not see what opinions arise about players as well.
So here I am. Like John was saying, I have to know what direction i want to go in. I think I want richer tonality and musicality, I want to create that palpable air. Do those tow coincide?
Thinking about audio research ls-25, cary slp-05, aesthetix calypso, BAT...

Thanks for your help all.

John, you are right. I need to slow down a bit. I need to get my speaker back, let my system fully break in with a substantial period of break-in and then decide where to go. That's what reference is born of correct?
Still like you suggested, I coulf probably benefit from a pre amp some time in the future..yes?
Thnaks all for your help.
Cheers

Thanks john for your time and all on this thread. I'll let you know how things progress down the road.

Thanks again.