Quote Originally Posted by 02audionoob
I like poppa's suggestion of a used Bellari. In addition to that, I'd offer up the idea of a tube buffer. Grant sells one for $125. That would give you a bit of the tube experience.

The thing with tube gear, though, is it seems to me you have to be willing to spend some bucks on it. Perhaps it's different with vintage gear...poppachubby could comment more on that than I could. But with the new tube gear I've heard and/or researched it seems like the lower end of the price range sounds too tubey. It can be fun to listen to but it makes compromises that might not be acceptable.
Again, you could get a buffer but I think that a tubed pre is the best solution if you are craving a tube sound.

Right now my EICO HF85 is buffering my CDP. What a difference let me tell you.

noob is quite right about cost, HOWEVER once you spend the cash (which shouldn't be an uncomfortable amount) you'll be good to go for years to come. You will also have that high fidelity sound which noob is talking about.

At the mid to high level, tube gear is indeed warmer and smoother, particularily in the mid range. This is done with subtlety, and never abandons the integrity of the source. I think you hit it on the head ENO, better to do it right and get the real deal. If selected correctly, we are talking about pieces which will be with you for the rest of your life. Chances are you will be satisfied and not have that itch to change gear. Even if it does hit you, you won't part with your tube stuff.

The low end stuff, and buffers too, are a stepping stone and won't hold you for long.

Most important is pinpointing exactly where you see your system going. With this type of planning, you can select the right components. On that note, it's my opinion that you should stick with used gear until you beleive that you know exactly what you want.

This way, you can resell and get your money back out. Sometimes you can even make a bit of cash. Once you find those perfect pieces, perhaps you can consider their new counterparts, knowing that you will be staying with it.