Tube preamp with the best overall balance of sound on the slightly "warm" side of the divide, ~1k used,~2k new? Must be detailed, dynamic and excel in imaging and soundstage.
Van Alstine gives you two outstanding options there, he pretty much owns the market at that price level. The T8+ is pure tube, while the Avastar uses a tube input stage and an SS output stage.
I had the previous model of the Cary, the AE-3, and while it was nice, the Avastar is clearly better. The main difference between the AE-3 and the AES is that the newer model uses a tube rectifier, while the AE-3 used SS for that purpose.
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