Best tube preamp ever

First Sound .

I own personally and I am a huge fan of the Aesthetix Io phono stage and the Callisto line stage.  

First Sound .

The Schiit Freya I own is an amazingly great sounding preamp, has features no other preamp has (switching between passive, FET, and tubes even remotely, and a sophisticated and accurate attenuator), includes plenty of balanced and single ended inputs and outputs, and is embarrassingly (to other gear manufacturers) inexpensive for a USA made product. The best? Of course! Does it belong in the "speaker" category? Of course not.

If you are looking for best pre amp with no cost barrier.

I recommend this

http://www.silbatoneacoustics.com/refpre.html

It use exquisite NOS tube hard to get.

The sound is transparent and mesmerizing with Jazz Vocal.

If you visit Munich Audio show, then you can listen to it.