budget diy tube preamp beating many expensive preamps... problem with my system?

So a happy accident. You found after trying several other more expensive preamps that a simpler and less expensive DIY preamp brought out better sound. Enjoy your good fortune.

Wow so the problem was my power. I had a waudio power brick. My buddy let me borrow the puritan psm 156 and the system sounds incredible now! ET5 is far superior and the system sounds so transparent, tonally nuanced, dynamic and just beautiful. This was with the upgraded power cable.

My friend told me to optimize my power first before comparing gear.. he was right. Jeeez !!!

@carlsbad2 you called it

@dekay none just stock 

There is plenty of support for the Moreplay as a very worthwhile Pre'.

I have only used Build Your Own Pre's, my latest one being produced to a design that is not the standard seen on offer.

The Moreplay has been compared to my choice for a 'Build Your Own' Pre-Amp in its standard build guise and the assessor has preferred the Moreplay.

A version of a upgrade build guise, my choice for a Pre-Amp has been compared to Pre's up to £5K, with the outcome it has not been seen to be outperformed. 

There are upgrades for the Moreplay that can be considered, along with these, I would heartily recommend the Internal Signal Path Wire is exchanged for PC Triple C and the Chassis Mounted  RCA connectors are a Low Eddy - Pure Copper design. I can't see the additional costs for the upgrade and my suggestion extending beyond $300 

There is great value to be attained when selecting certain 'Build Your Own' Pre-Amp designs, the search can prove to be very long to discover a alternative and if a Branded Item, might require multiple $0000's to have it used in a system.