I believe every current Primare component professionally reviewed gets pure raves. You might think not to try ss, but I INSIST you try the Primare $2k preamp. I've heard most of the best preamps & have now what appears to be among the best analog pres in both pure performance & totally unique features. But I digress...I've owned & heard the Modwright 9.0 & the Mapletree & auditioned the $17k VTL 17.5 or whatever it's called & the brand new Modwright 36.5.
BTW, every Primare piece I've heard (most or all) are unbeatable at their prices (maybe equal or different, but not better if well-mated.) I may still get the moderately new Primare $4500 bufo power amp. The designer's a genius IMO.
I too have pre-conceived notions about what I like so I don't blame you. But I generally understand my biases are just biases, & that if you lock out other options permanently, you miss or may miss a lot of options. You can get the Primare used for great prices. I have no idea why anyone would sell except to move up to cost no object...
Even the Modwright, known as the best affordable tube preamp, has ss output buffers, as does the allegedly world class VTL 17.5 (so silicone must have some good uses...)
At 103 dB SENSITIVITY (not "efficiency", which is measured in percent of electrical power converted into acoustic power) your number one concern for good performance is S/N, all else is second because your speakers are generating about 15 dB more noise vs. an average audiophile box. You ain't going to overcome 15 dB of noise w/ performance improvements in any other parameter.
