Good tube preamp with Sony 5400


I am looking for a tube preamp for sony5400 running Focal 918s. I set my sights on the Doge 8 and looks like about a 2k investment with tube upgrades.
Is the Doge in the same coversation with the likes of Cary, Joule, or even Mcintosh C220?
I am looking to warm up a bit.
Would an extra $500 to $1000 investment make a big difference?
mcpherson

Showing 1 response by podeschi

+1 on Thor Audio preamp. I heard it in a friends system. Competes with 5-10k preamps. I would happily live with it in place of my VAC Ren III preamp if I had to.