Solid State Preamp to replace tube unit

Actually, the early solid-state CJ preamps had mucu of the 3-D quality that CJ is famous for.  In addition, from the old days, the Audionics BT-2 pramplifiers sound was modeled on the tube Audio Research SP-6 line of tube preamps and carries it off very well.  I don't know much about modern SS Preamps, but the Adcom 565II received a very fine recomendation from Anthony Cordesman, one of The Absolute Sound's original (and in my opinion, best) reviewers.

To my taste, it would be hard to find a solid state amplifier that fully substitutes  a tube amp features. McIntosh solid state amplifiers tend to sound quite warm. Just for fun, you can also try a class D amplifier, you may like the result. 

I'm using the same tubes for years, and it is strange to me that you need to change them each 3 months. Perhaps you set very high bias or there is something wrong with your (pre)amplifier (preamplifier tubes normally last too long). 

Sorry if I missed it but what does Jeff Fischel at C-J have to say about your noisy tube issues and does he have a recommended tube for you?

Since you are already in the rarefied heights of CJ, I would suggest McIntosh C55 as a starting point. It seems to have everything you want.

Less expensive, but not budget-level, would be Pro-Ject Pre-Box RS2, which is balanced I/O, has a dual channel DAC and a selectable tube output (for speakers) and a headphone amp (ss), all in a small form factor.

SPL