I need help choosing my next tube preamp.

I'm pretty surprised no one has mentioned VAC yet, but I would strongly recommend their preamps to fit your system.

I have a McCormack DNA-500 and a VAC Phi preamp and the synergy is incredible. My system also sounded good with my prior preamp, a VAC Standard LE, altho obviously not as good as it does with the Phi. Great imaging, detail, layering, soundstage, musicality, etc., etc., etc.

I believe the VAC preamps also fit your requirements above - XLR, remote, etc.

I have Legacy Whispers and the McCormack/VAC sound is truly magical. There have been several other people here on Agon who have tried this combo upon my recommendation, and they are now happy VAC/McCormack owners as well. Just my $.02

Audphile1-

Glad VAC is at least on your list - tell Kevin "Harve says hi" if you talk to him. In answer to your questions - I tried both SE and balanced from my APL-modded Denon 3910 to the Preamp. SE sounded better in my system, which is not surprising since the APL was designed to sound the best single-ended (Alex Peychev, the designer, is not a big believer in balanced ICs from the source).

I also tried SE and balanced from the VAC to DNA-500, but there was a complication since there is a "Steridian"(a/k/a proprietary equalizer-type box) between the preamp and amp for my Whisper speakers (which really does work, most of the time.....)Anyway, what I discovered was that the Steridian processed a SE signal more cleanly and with more energy than it did a Balanced signal, in my system. I know that may not make much sense, because it didn't to me either, but it is/was a peculiarity of the Steridian design (among several others, which is off topic). Legacy has since replaced this problematically-engineered box with another much more expensive(Thousands $$) equalizer that supposedly doesn't have such problems.

Since SE worked the best in my system, as discussed above, those are the cables I invested in. I got a SE Virtual Dynamics Revelation Signature IC for the Denon-VAC conncetion and a combination of VD Revelation and Nirvana S-X Ltd, both SE, between the VAC Phi-Steridian-DNA-500. I tried easily 20 different IC combinations, mostly from John at the Cable Company, before arriving at my current set-up. Yes, cables DO INDEED make a difference in a resolving system!

I added bi-wired Revelation speaker cables and am now as close to my "that's it - I'm done" as I am going to get for the foreseeable future. As I said, the sound is just incredible, both to my ears and others who have listened. I am now simply, finally, ENJOYING THE MUSIC!!!

Hope this helps..........

Audphile1:
Glad to help.

The "balanced" answer is pretty well descibed above, I believe, but 2x check w/Kevin anyhow if you have questions. The volume control was smooth as silk, and if for some reason it is not to your liking, Kevin can probably make whatever adjustments you would like(within reason, of course).