Generally speaking, the more a tubed preamp costs, the better the power supply. More often than not, the preamps' performance will depend more on the power supply and voltage regulation than the types of tubes it uses. Regulating voltage and providing clean power is costly in terms of components used and construction. This pretty much applies to all active audio components.
Tube pre-amps: what defines "better"
Long story short: trusted audiophile friends recommend I add a tube pre-amp to my audio system. As with all gear, pricing is a very large range, so the usual irritating question is on my mind! -- what do I look for in a tube pre-amp that would send me to, say, a $1500 product over a $350 product? Beyond the issues of fit and finish, country of origin (as usual, the Chinese products are relatively lower-priced)...what in your mind makes for a stand-out tube preamp? Thanks for any advice.
J.
J.