The problem with the preamp is no remote.
Your system should be revealing enough to discern the significant differences between even tracks on various recordings. To do the source material justice it is important to set the playback level to 'live' for each individual track. At least for critical listening.
I believe it will improve the listening experience more than the specific sonics characterists of any well made top end component, tubes or not.
BTW for tested and recommended sonically superior well engineered reference quality CD's see www.linkwitzlab.com MUSIC link. There is a variety of generes listed, of which I have several. Though it is surely possible, I have yet to find recordings otherwise that come close. That is everything else in my collection remains on the B list, at best.
