I wish I could guide you, but truth be told, what I or anyone else likes ,isn't necessarily going to be what you like. Your options are virtual auditions reading as many reviews as you can, Or listening to one trusted friend or knowledgble person Best of all listening for yourself.
It is tough when polling people. I found one person's opinion about a warm sound was very analytical and crisp to me. Go figure, the best way is to listen for yourself with your own gear in your room. That means buying and selling until you hit the right one for you. This can be very expensive and frustrating.
I ran into my favorite because I wanted a pre amp that used 6SN7s. It was cheap~ $350 and very responsive to tube rolling. That turned out to be near perfect for my needs and preferences. So you know, it was a used AES-AE3 made by Cary and still available from Upscale Audio but new and jazzed up a lot, making it $1200 min. I hope to buy an SLP-05 or whatever comes out using 6SN7s from Cary in the furure.
It was pure luck maybe that will happen to you. I spent a lot of money along the way, so it wasn't as cheap as it seems plus the tubes I use are really good and also expensive.
It is tough when polling people. I found one person's opinion about a warm sound was very analytical and crisp to me. Go figure, the best way is to listen for yourself with your own gear in your room. That means buying and selling until you hit the right one for you. This can be very expensive and frustrating.
I ran into my favorite because I wanted a pre amp that used 6SN7s. It was cheap~ $350 and very responsive to tube rolling. That turned out to be near perfect for my needs and preferences. So you know, it was a used AES-AE3 made by Cary and still available from Upscale Audio but new and jazzed up a lot, making it $1200 min. I hope to buy an SLP-05 or whatever comes out using 6SN7s from Cary in the furure.
It was pure luck maybe that will happen to you. I spent a lot of money along the way, so it wasn't as cheap as it seems plus the tubes I use are really good and also expensive.