Any suggestions on Tube Buffers?

Viridian makes an excellent point! that is the primary reason for a 'buffer' - tubed or otherwise. In fact the BBA I alluded to stood for Buffer Booster Amplifier, and was made specifically for impedance compatibility. a common use for this is between a device of high output impedance to one of low input impedance, like a SS amp. You'll need to know specs to determine if this is the case for you.

The sound benefits in theory are fuller sound and non-rolled off extremes (characteristics of impedance mistmatch) but beyond that, there is an alteration in sound from the unit itself, impedance matching notwithstanding.

I must agree with the growing consensus on this thread. I would save for a tube preamp. I owned a Musical Fidelity X10v3 tube buffer, with the external power supply, and although I liked it for a period of time, I ultimately removed it from the system. It never wowed me like many tube preamps have.

I've been searching a little on Agon and found this thread with some people that have real experience with a buffer. It's all pretty positive.

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1202443614&openfrom&1&4#1

I've tried earlier tube buffers and they don't reflect true tube audio.These products just seem to dampen harsh or hard digital characteristics.A true tube preamp will give you a start of what tube audio is.Going with a tube power amp will really put you in tube heaven that tube purist mostly seek.

I just wanted to point out that I believe that there really is no difference of opinion here. Ryan has linked us to a thread where the OP is using a receiver and Denon CD player, probably the most appropriate use of this type of device as mass market CD players usually have OP amp output stages. I am sure that the buffer makes a good bit of difference in this application.

Later in the same thread a poster links us to his review on e-opinions and lists an inexpensive Sony CD player in his system.

Finally at the end of the thread, another poster reports good results with a Sherwood Newcastle receiver and a DVD player. This is the perfect application for a buffer, but whether the improvement comes from the fact that it is a buffer, which can be tube or solid state, or whether it is tube based is unknown.

I can report that in higher end, well balanced systems, the level of detail lost using my X-10D and X-PSU power supply is not worth any second harmonic glow added to the presentation IMHO.