Which SS preamps will compete w/ tubes?

I was at one time convinced that SS amp and tubed pre-amp was the only way to go. After a few years of frustration in dealing with my counterpoint SA 5.1 I went to SS pre-amp too. I have avoided the interminable break-in period and the ultimate break-down period of tubes. How long do they really sound "Great?" To me this hobby is about listening to music not playing with tubes. I am on my second Krell pre-amp having recently upgraded to a newer model. I love the sound. All this writing is really meaningless though, you have to find the pre-amp you'll love to live with and whose shortcomings are the most tolerable.
This hobby is worth the frustration when you get to the point when you stop listening to the system and start listening to the music!!! Buy a Krell, buy a Counterpoint, or buy a Sim P-5, but get the one that makes/lets you listen to the music.

I agree with the others about tube preamp and amp. I have owned a tube preamp (CJ Premier 17 LS), tube amp (McIntosh MC2102 which use KT88s output) and SS Sim Audio W5. I spend average 1-2 hours to listen between tube and SS amp. The tube amp after 30 min it sounds much much better than SS amp if you listen 2 or more hours long it sounds almost the same. SS amp does not sound excited after hours long. Tube amp sounds not only incredible but also absolutely musical and transparent. What can you say more about tube amp?

Tubes are the way for me. they simply sound more musical! I love my CJ Premier 14 ! BTW Tubes in most preamps can last 5 years or more, depending on the design. Did you know that Many Marantz 10b Tuners still have original tubes that are almost 40 years old! There are lots of great SS preamps too. It's up to you enjoy!

I agree with Driver about the Pass Aleph P. I used to be a die hard tube fanatic. Why? Because they sounded so much smoother and were more revealing with my ribbon speakers than with any solid state component I had heard. Then a friend, who builds amps commercially, twisted my arm very hard, trying to get me to audition the solid state Pass X amp and a Pass pre amp. I tried his suggestion halfway. Following the common wisdom found in the posts above I chose to use a tube pre with the Pass X amp. It was pretty darn good, but not as transparent as I knew ribbons speakers can be. Swallowing hard, I bought a Pass Aleph P and completed the set like my friend had wanted. Now I can only describe my system as "reference," meaning the whole system gets out of the way of the music. I still think that the best cd player is a tubed cd player; Pass doesn't make a cd player.

Tennis pro. All good things take a little time. What if someone put two weeks into tennis and walked away because it was to complicated or difficult?

My God! Backhand, forehand, dropshots, volleys...haven't got it in two weeks...I quit! It is par for the course that you would be confused about tubes after two weeks. I've been at it for a few years and I'm still confused.

Actually, one of nice things about tubes is the variety. And for $2500 you can get a wonderful tube pre. Some foks choose not to go tubes and that is certainly valid too.

I remain,