Alleviate brightness by using tube pre?

Components will never cure room anomalies, only deceive you into thinking that's what you're doing. GET SOME ASC TRAPS AND FRESCOES. Whenever you do get around to doing this, you'll realize that all the time you spent evaluating your system and trying to improve it BEFORE YOU GOT THEM WAS WASTED. They're plenty stylish, but if you can't put them in the room you listen in, then move to another room, or listen with headphones.

YOU'RE WELCOME. And talk to Ty Moyer when you deal with ASC. He's a very cool guy. The Frescoes are free standing, and should be used at the "first reflection points" on the side walls and the wall behind the speakers. Use 16 inch or larger "full rounds" in the corners behind the speakers. IF YOUR LISTENING SEAT IS CLOSER TO THE WALL BEHIND IT THAN THE WALL BEHIND THE SPEAKERS, put something like a small (portable) chair about 2 or 3 feet behind your listening seat, and balance a large, stiff pillow on top of that. THIS WAY, YOU WON'T HAVE TO TREAT THE WALL BEHIND YOU AT ALL. Also, don't listen in the nearfield (closer than 7 feet from each speaker in a large room), OR YOU'LL BE SEDUCED BY THE LACK OF ROOM ANOMALIES, and GIVE UP trying to fix your room...heh heh. AND YOU CAN BUY YOUR TUBE PREAMP AFTER YOU GET YOUR ROOM DIALED IN...cause you'll need the room COMPLETELY dialed in before you evaluate high end preamps.