Good tube preamp with Sony 5400


I am looking for a tube preamp for sony5400 running Focal 918s. I set my sights on the Doge 8 and looks like about a 2k investment with tube upgrades.
Is the Doge in the same coversation with the likes of Cary, Joule, or even Mcintosh C220?
I am looking to warm up a bit.
Would an extra $500 to $1000 investment make a big difference?
mcpherson
I just read the response from Ted at Thor. He was very nice and prompt. Their new line stage will retail for around 17K. He suggested picking up a used one and upgrades can be done in stages if wanted.
He even offered to check out and clean the unit if I decide to go that route. A+ for Thor so far and I havent even heard one.haha
Well well...a used Thor has popped up but way over my budget for now.:( Not sure if it would be worth it to buy an entry level tube pre to tinker around with for a while or not. The "tube" curiosity is getting to me.haha
Jolida 5t, Dynaco Pas3, or Quicksilver linestage? All seem interesting for around 500. The Jolida only has 10db gain though...is that enough?