Is there a tube based 5.1 preamp on the market?

How about this Fosgate

FAP-V1 is one of its kind.......but it is very $$$$$.

Please be aware that the Fosgate only does Prologic decoding. It doesn't decode Dolby Digital or DTS.

Better to go mono block or three separate units, then your choice for tube amps expands greatly.

The Fosgate is discontinued (as is Fosgate). Conrad-Johnson makes a tube-based 5.1 preamp but it is out of the price-range, too.

Kal

For the money, nothing comes close to an EAD classic 5.1 preamp. No its not tube, but it has great features and sound. Pick up a very good used one for under 750. A/D converter, D/A, optical, toslink and rca inputs. RCA and bal out to main speakers. Burr Brown dacs, etc,etc. Call Bolen Electronics and see if they have one or know who does. Ten years ago these retailed for 6995. and are built like it. My two cents.

http://www.divertech.com/coplandcva306.html

The Copland CVA-306

I think used is ~$1900US