Originally Posted by
WhyFi
Yeah, speaking in generalities, I'm a big fan of tube preamps paired with solid state amps - it gives you a lot of the lovely qualities of tubes, but doesn't sacrifice the control, which is often a shortcoming of tube amps that aren't uber-expensive.
My speakers - Magneplanar 2.5rs from 1987 - benefit from a solid state amps ability to swing volts. I got a really nice system put together in my late 20s, and then, once it was complete, I let my subscription to Stereophile lapse.