Tube or SS Pre Upgrade

With balanced io a requirement, Ayre, Luxman are SS models I'd suggest you listen to. 
I think it's more important to balance against your speakers than necessarily attempt a best of SS AND Tubes.

Sometimes, with very hard to drive speakers, a SS amp is mandatory, and then a Tube pre gets to be the place you inject color.

To your own ears be true. :)

@OP
I would offer this….

what is it about the present sound you wish to change? improve: delete?

BAT offers some fine fully balanced gear.

depending on budget, there are an immense number of options out there, Nagra, VAC, VTL, CJ, Atmas, etc.

I’d try to figure out what I wanted most and then figure on how deep into those waters I’d want to wade.

that said, Change just for the sake of change ain’t a bad idea either. now and then.

I love the idea of a tube line stage, or preamp. just because it allows me to alter the sound from time to time merely by rolling some glass.

tube type might be for some, a big consideration too. 6DJ8’s? 12AT’s? Russian 33s? 6SN7s? then too there’s NOS or brand & ERA. which is why I tend to cling to the first two families I mentioned here.

the one tip I’d suggest there is when you find a setup you enjoy via tubes being used, get out there and at least buy a complete secondary set of them!

Glass, like nearly everything else on this rock, ain’t forever.!

best of luck!

blindjim,

It seems to be more of a desire to make a change than the current set-up is not working. I still find a lot of pleasure in long listening session, but curious about newer gear and what it might additionally reveal. The ARC will not be going away, as it will go into second system that currently has a ARC LS17se and that will end up in my office system replacing a Quicksilver LS pre. If anything the Quicksilver will find its way to the classified along with a Classe DR7 I have had since new (yeah, I know...a bit of a packrat).

On all three systems I have mixed a tube pre with a ss amp and I am pleased with all the results. Just wondering what I can improve upon moving up...

Curiosity killed the cat, just hoping I do not kill the sound...