Good tube preamp with Sony 5400


I am looking for a tube preamp for sony5400 running Focal 918s. I set my sights on the Doge 8 and looks like about a 2k investment with tube upgrades.
Is the Doge in the same coversation with the likes of Cary, Joule, or even Mcintosh C220?
I am looking to warm up a bit.
Would an extra $500 to $1000 investment make a big difference?
mcpherson
Thanks. I can hardly wait. I kinda stretched my budget, so for the sake of my marriage....it better be a keeper! This particular ta1000 has upgrades, the only drawback is they werent done by Thor.
One week into the Thor. By far the mosts progress I have made through a single component.
McPherson: Glad you having fun with your Thor Linestage..Its a pitty many people don't know how good these are with the new upgrades...
I would dump the Sony and go with the Doge6 CD player. CDs sound better on the D6 than SACDs on the Sony.