@gbkirsch
I have a YS-Audio Symphonies tube pre, feeding my Adcom 555ii. It's has very simple architecture and good components. The audio signal path is point to point wired, and the power supply is tube rectified, which any good tube pre should be.
With some good tubes rolled in, (genalex gold lion supreme), it sounds very, very good, and one would have to spend a healthy chunk of green to better it, or even just equal it.
The series 2 version has a remote. Mine doesn't, but I'm having the Alps volume pot changed out to one with remote control.
I paid 400 cad used, but south of the 49th, y'know, like in a
real country, you could get a used one for 300 usd or less.
Large, detailed soundstage, and very realistic instruments/vocals.
Anyway, just my experience.
Cheers.
Dave