Looking for Tube Pre Amp Advice

In the price range of the Evo 400 my first choice would be the Backert Labs Rhumba 1.4 for $900 less than the Evo 400. It has HT bypass also.  Take the time and call Andy at Backert Labs.  Good guy to talk to and a straight shooter. 

The Linear Tube Audio unit gets great reviews is the same price but less XLR inputs, no XLR outputs and not HT bypass. 

Like hilde45 I also prefer preamps with 6SN7 tubes but those options are getting more limited with Supratek shutting down production for health reason. Leaves you this LTA, Aric and the Spatial Raven for now and none of them have HT bypass.

Point of correction the LTA does have HT bypass.

The preamp is the heart of your system.   Buy the best one you can,  lots of otherwise decent systems out there that aren't delivering their full potential by using a mediocre preamp. 

Most important component in the chain in my experience.   I've always stretched my budget on preamps in my 45 years in this hobby and it always paid off.  

@oddiofyl 

+1

++1 oddiofyl

Spend to buy the best preamp you can afford, a preamp can make or break a system. As others have mentioned, it is the single most important component in my system. Tube preamps work really well with either tube or solid state amplifiers.

I personally would recommend a 6SN7 based preamp. I have tested 12 or 13 tube preamps, and 5 or 6 solid state. Here would be my recommendations at several price points (based on my experience, best options first:

(1) Aric Audio Motherlode XL - Best preamp I've ever heard, impeccably well built using only ultra premium components $6,875. For disclosure, I own this preamp.

(2) Don Sachs/Lynn Olson Raven preamp (sold by Spatial Audio) - Neck and neck with the Motherlode XL, but in my mind comes in second place. Here too, the design and components are top notch. Others would rate the Raven above the Motherlode XL. For disclosure, this will be the preamp in a second system I'll put together next year.

(3) Aric Audio Motherlode II - Similar to Motherlode XL, but without XLR connections and without some component upgrades $5,750

(4) Aric Audio Super 6SN7 Linestage $4,625 - Brilliant preamp for the money, still using high end components

(5) Supratek Cabernet DHT $4,500 (In stunning chrome finish) - Like the Aric Audio Super 6SN7 above, a brilliant preamp for the money

(6) Supratek Cabernet 6SN7 $4,000 (In chrome finish) - Budget king for a great preamp