Tube Preamps under $10k with deep bass extension

I have put my AI M3A (w NOS Tungsram ECC88s) up against a conrad johnson LS16 and a very early version of the First Sound starter model, Presence (not Presence Deluxe or 4.0).
I preferred the M3A.
The cj is more than three time the M3A's price and the M3A has a phono section! Both the FS and cj did some things technically better, but the M3A simply allows more muscial life and drama to breathe. The cj was down-right boring--in two different systems. I have every confidence that a recent FS Presence Deluxe would sound very fine indeed.

The CAT Ultimate in my system is quick and has bass to die for. All four of these pre-amps have good bass. (I can get close to a 20Hz tone.) I would be surprised if anyone craving bass did not get all that a tubed pre-amp could offer in the way of bass from a CAT. (The CAT does not electrically mate with my pwr amps [Cary SLAM-100's] or I would probably be running with the CAT.)

I will receive a broken in Lamm LL2 in one week. If anyone is interested in the LL2 results, let me know. Supposed to have great bass....

Rackon, I believe you when you say the First Sound Presence Deluxe is in another league from the AI M3A. That is why I said the following in my original post: "I have every confidence that a recent FS Presence Deluxe would sound very fine indeed."

I actually plan on auditioning a FS Presence Deluxe in a week or two. The Lamm LL2, FS Presence Deluxe, and the M3A will (hopefully) be at my house at the same time.

I did hear a new, current version First Sound Presence Deluxe in my system just yesterday for several hours. In a word, Gorgeous. To add to that with more descriptors: neutral, natural, detailed but not etched or aggressive, deeply moving emotionally, and always just about the music--nothing more, nothing less.
Rackon was right, the FS Presence Deluxe is indeed in a whole other class than the AI M3A.

And as compared to the Lamm LL2 Deluxe, the FS also just brought me closer to the musical intent of the recordings. The FS Presence Deluxe has no glare or fatiguing artifacts. The Lamm does have these to a noticeable extent in my system.
I have to qualify this by saying the Lamm LL2 Dlx may suffer from some of the same electrical mis-match characteristics that the CAT Ultimate has when mated to the Cary SLAM-100's (sensitive inputs .75 V). The Lamm and the CAT both have more dynamic, exciting presentations with perhaps more defined bass characteristics, but at an unacceptable level of accompanying fatigue from an almost over-blown bass presentatino and aggressive sounding upper-mid glare.

The CAT and Lamm have a "HiFi" quality in my system. I know that the Lamm, in particular, is not known for that. I am looking into ways to decrease the Cary SLAM-100's input sensitivity so that I can use a wider range of low-impedance, high output pre-amps. The Lamm shows potential, but the FS completely outshines it in musical meaningful ways--in my system. Quite remarkable, the FS.

If I do figure out a way to decrease the Carys' input sensitivity, I will report the findings if anyone is interested.

Rayhall, What is the input sensitivity of your Pass amps?

The CAT has low output impedance: 100 Ohms (and high gain). The Lamm LL2 also has a low OP imp: 250 Ohms (and medium gain).

Both of these pre-amps are know for their smooth, detailed, liquid, natural sonics. Agreed. But in some match-ups--in which plenty of other pre-amps do just fine, there appears to be too much output to mate properly with the power-amps. It's a matter of balancing the right levels of signal strength among the components.

I have come to the conclusion that the Cary SLAM-100 power amps don't do well with pre-amps whose OP impedance is lower than about 400 Ohms. Such pre-amps seem to "over drive" their .75 V inputs. I know that engineers will dismiss me as ignorant and scream at me that it does not make any difference. The lower the impedance, the better. I know, I know.

At least one other user (Musicluvr) reported a similarly aggressive sound from the CAT when mated to his Plinius amps. Another A-gon poster (different thread) surmised that the CAT would sound "in your face" solely based on the SLAM-100's input rating. He was right. I have never said that CAT pre-amps categorically sound bright and aggressive. I have always qualified my comment with the mis-match issue. Also, the CAT I heard in my system may not have been broken in all the way (dealer demo).

The Lamm LL2, too, is known for its organic, life-like sound. I hear only some of this when paired with the SLAM-100s. I also hear an electronic glare that is reminiscent of the CAT's sound. Another LL2 user said that it sounded aggressive when paired up with the Joule Electra VZN-80 amp. Interesting to note that the Lamm ML 1.1 pwr amps have an input sensitivity of 1.3.

Both the First Sound and Audible Illusions pre's have an OP impedance of 1300 Ohms. The Cary SLAM-100's love to work with these pre's. Does this mean that the CAT and the Lamm are aggressive across the board? No. I hope no one assumes that I assert that. A friend of mine who has heard the CAT in a couple of installations was instrumental in me auditioning one. He swore up and down that it was smooth, musical, warm, etc. I am sure the CAT and LL2 sound that way in those systems; they just don't sound that way in mine.

I can't fault the Cary pwr amps out of hand either because they sound truly glorious with other pre-amps--better than a stock, unbroken-in pair of ASL Hurricanes (HP's five-star amps) that I tried for a week with two different pre-amps! A pattern has emerged: The Carys can only mate with certain pre's. It's a quirk I have to put up with, or I will have to sell them off. Likewise, the LL2 is probably wonderful with the right amps--probably Lamm's own.

Rayhall, Thanks for your info about the CAT/Plinius combo. Perhaps other factors are coming into play that I have no way of accounting for. For all I know, I have drawn an incorrect conclusion in my little theory. It would not be the first time that I labored under false assumptions.

As for "in your face" sound, I mean mainly an upper mid and higher frequency exaggeration, a forced presentation that gives me the impression that the signal is being slammed into the amps instead of just flowing. (I know that sounds really stupid and "new age.") The leading edges are fast and the effect is initially exciting, but the trailing elements of the first notes are clobbered by the attack of the subsequent notes. The natural arc of attack, further harmonic (and hall sound) propagation, decay, and trailing effects simply got lost in a hyper, super-charged onslaught of everything kind of stumbling over everything else.

The CAT I auditioned may not have broken in (advertised as "dealer demo") enough. How many hours would you estimate it takes for a CAT Ultimate to break in?

It is too bad the input sensitivity of the Pass amp was not given in its specs'. My pet theory hinges on this. You supply information that does not support my ideas because you say the CAT/Plinius combo worked (works) just fine. I am at a loss then....