I drove myself nuts trying to find a tube preamp that I was happy with.
Ended up realizing that I had to do the listening in my own system. So in addition to my Atma-Sphere I borrowed another three similarly priced and well regarded preamps. One was SS.
My decision. I bought an absolutely amazing SS pre called the Line One from LKV Research. Finally got the lack of distortion and noise I required and a near tube like warmth. In fact the lack of noise on this preamp is like a black hole in space. And the preamp is extremely adjustable with jumpers. Look it up. And while I liked the Atma Sphere I never found a tube combination that worked for me and I went through a least a dozen tubes trying to find quiet ones and the best sound. In the end I gave up on tubes.
Ended up realizing that I had to do the listening in my own system. So in addition to my Atma-Sphere I borrowed another three similarly priced and well regarded preamps. One was SS.
My decision. I bought an absolutely amazing SS pre called the Line One from LKV Research. Finally got the lack of distortion and noise I required and a near tube like warmth. In fact the lack of noise on this preamp is like a black hole in space. And the preamp is extremely adjustable with jumpers. Look it up. And while I liked the Atma Sphere I never found a tube combination that worked for me and I went through a least a dozen tubes trying to find quiet ones and the best sound. In the end I gave up on tubes.