SS pre sounds like tubes

I think a great way to get that "tube" sound is to use tubes. Reviewers of amps and preamps use the "tube-like" description so often it's become a cliche', but I get it, and I use tubes. I am into hifi accuracy (!) although with recorded music you're at the mercy of the engineer's choice of mikes, mood swings, pan pot manipulation, and artist mollycoddling. When I bought my tube power amp a dude at the manufacturer's headquarters said they were going for a "modern" sound, meaning somehow less grease in the amp's output, which combined with a very clean preamp (note preamps for hifi should put out such a stress free low output signal to an amp that distortion of any kind from the preamp should be nearly undetectable) should be both less bad tubey, and more good tubey…so the question remains: Tubey or not tubey?

wolf ...

Tubes rule the day ... and night. The comments I get when friends are over during those late night listening sessions, when the power coming into the house is at it's most pure is ... "Now THAT'S what we love about tubes!" 

Typical audiogon fashion - ask a specific question and get a bunch of responses from people recommending the gear they own with little to no bearing on the inquiry.

Yes, they say the Tom Evans Vibe "sounds like tubes", but what they mean is it has all the good characteristics with none of the bad, and none of the bad qualities of solid state either.

I have had many many tube preamps some up to $20K US new.  The Vibe is more natural and more musical than those.  This piece does things no tubed preamp can do that I know.  There must be other solid state preamps like it in the world.

I bet not one person saying here "just buy tubes" as if no one thought of that has heard the Vibe.

As for the suggest to buy the Vibe, yes that is maybe not a bad idea, but they are very pricey new and service is maybe not easy to get, I don't know anymore.  Budget is lower now.

Thanks for replies that were on topic.

In case I wasn't clear in my post, there is a used Vibe/Pulse for sale here that may not be too far above your budget. I was not suggesting that you buy a new one.