Are there any budget tubed preamps that stand out

I auditioned one of the Dodd basic pre-amps and it was very good. At the time, they were $450 direct from Dodd Audio. I don't know if Gary is still building them, but you occassionally see one used here on the 'goN.

Enjoy,

TIC

Good call on the Dodd basic. I am going to order his battery preamp, but the basic should be an excellent value for a budget preamp. I'd also recommend AES and a used EE Minimax appears to go for under $700.

For $700, a first generation Blue Circle BC21 which uses 6SN7 tubes has a beautiful and distinctive midrange tone, and creates an expansive, dynamic soundfield.

Maple Tree Audio Design 4A or 6SE. Godspeed.

Dave Davenport's line stage kits available through K&K Audio. Transformer coupled front and back with Lundahl amorphous core transformers; differential parafeed topology; very linear operation of the dual triode by using MOSFET CCS for plate loads. When coupled with the low reactance PS kit makes for a very quiet line stage that isolates all your sources from amps. No ground currents on your interconnects. That may not seem important until you hear the difference in your own system! This line stage improved the sound of my Cary SLI-80 integrated when connected in front of it. How could adding another device and set of interconnects "improve" something? I think "isolation" probably has something to do with this. It's too bad Dave and Kevin withdrew the Mood Indigo kit due to lack of interest. It had a nicely finished chassis and 5 relay switched inputs and two outputs, RCA and balanced. A newer kit version of the basic boards and parts are available if you want to "roll your own".