3 channel tube amp for home theater?

Despite Butler's affinity for adjectives, their three and five channel amps look very interesting.

Setup:
If I used a five channel amp, does the Home Theater Receiver get replaced with something like a Home Theater Preamp/Processor? Does such a thing exist?

Mixing tube monoblocs and solid state:
Does anybody use a Home Theater Receiver to power the center, rear and subwoofer; and use tube monoblocs to power the front left and right channels? If so, how do you output the proper signal voltage to the monoblocs from the Home Theater Receiver if it too is an amplifier? In such a component, can you bypass the amplification stage and just make use of the preamplification stage for front left and right channels, thus getting the proper voltage to the tube monobloc inputs?

Thanks for your help. Good ideas so far. Jeff

ps. happy new year... daylight hours are now getting longer.

Great explanations and help. Thank you.

I actually kind of like the idea of sweetening home theater sound with tubes. But, I just like tubes. I'm going to CES and I look forward to checking this out. I'll also check that other website for more education on home theater basics.

I'll probably keep my audio system separate from my home theater system. But, I have friends who like my tube audio sonics and my turntable and would like to go in that direcion. There is no way they want to have two separate systems.

If I could point them to a pair of reasonably priced efficient monitors with WAF factor and a tube amp plus the pre/pro processor and center channel; or tube amp plus a receiver that they could use to power rear speakers too; I think it might provide a tube lover with both good sonics for music (cd, turntable) and for home theater in one system. That is the concept anyway.

Thanks for the ongoing input. I used to own a CJ MV-60 and an LS-16 and I liked both, although for 2 channel I have migrated toward a tube system that is more neutral. I'll check out the 5 channel CJ home theater solution. I'm liking the idea of using my existing tube amp to power left and right channels and using a less expensive solid state amp for center and rear channels.

For 2 channel, I have a pair of kharma 3.2 fe speakers. I'm inclined to not run home theater through them fearing that the dynamic transients may wear on the drivers. Am I being to conservative in my use of the kharmas? I ask because I had a pair of guarneri homage and the retailer specifically warned me not to put home theater transients through them. Is this good advice or audio kookiness?

Thanks again for all the help. Jeff

Hi Blindjim,
Checking with the maker of the Kharmas is a good idea. Why did I not think of that?

Clarification: The retailer's warning was about the foregoing Sonus Faber Guarneri Homage loudspeakers (a much older design) - not about the Kharmas.

Thanks again, Jeff