who wants tone controls on your next preamp?

Zydo, equating antiquated devices like those you mentioned with what can be accomplished today with modern tone controls and computer EQ is like comparing the performance of a Ford model T to a Ferrari.

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Given the choice, I'd choose to have them provided the circuit could be bypassed completely if desired.

My preamp allows me to have different sound levels for left and right speakers, does that qualify as a tone control?
My second system is based around a Yamaha CR-1000 receiver, with base, presence and treble controls plus some filters. It has more things to fiddle with than I care for but for the room and adaptability it is great.

It is a fact that at low volume our ears are less sensitive to low frequencies hence the loudness compensation. And early CDs transferred from LP mix were too bright. I'm not a purist. Sometimes they could be handy. Interesting and provocative question!

Old fashioned, cheap treble and bass tone controls were dropped because they added audible distortion and generally were of so little use that few protested their demise. (Quad preamps were perhaps an exception to the useless rule.) Useful, low distortion analog tone controls are very expensive to implement. The Cello Palette is a nice unit for a few thousand bucks. Digital tone controls are cheap and do not add distortion, so buy a digital preamp and have fun. In the mean time you can use the Itunes equalizer for free.