How Do I Start Playing With the Big Boys and Girls

The other replies are right. You need to narrow it down to a manageable list. So first, determine your absolute budget for all components (including cables). Then determine some basic requirements. What is the minimum power needed for optimal performance from your speakers? What features are important in each component? You may have to ask a lot of questions just to determine this. What are the predominant charcteristics of your speakers, and which brands or types of components will enhance this? Are looks important? Do you want to buy new, or is used acceptable? Does building all or part of your system appeal to you? I'd suggest you spend some time reading through the archives here and at AudioAsylum.com until you get a sense of what's important to you. Then you can start to narrow it down. Try not to buy anything you can't listen to in your own home first.

Good luck, and enjoy the ride!

jd

If you want to keep your sonic's pure as you say,forget the tubes,that is not what they are about. The tube sound that you will get is not pure in any way shape or form. Don't get me wrong,tubes can sound very good but if you want a clear and pure sound as you say then you will need to go with a passive volume control. I would get a good ss amp to keep things tight on the bottom end so their size stays big in sound for bookshelf's as you say and let the passive keep things pure. Some how this and a few other sites can get people thinking that if you just get some tubes you will be in hifi heaven,that is not the case at all.

Take a look at the Rogue Audio line up. The 99 pre amp and the M120's would make an incredible system. At a reasonable price.

I have to agree with Sogood51. I have always liked my Mistral integrated amp but thought that I was missing something since I didn't have tubes (After all, I much prefer tube guitar amps over ss). But then I bought a PS Audio P300 Powerplant and plugged my tt, tt preamp, and cdp, and even the amp into it, and I can now say that I don't need tubes anytime soon. Turns out, I had been missing the exceptional performance that my "budget" integrated amp can provide because I was drawing dirty, uneven power. That said, sounds like you are about to embark on a journey--have fun!

Why don't you tell us about everything you're running now, and maybe also some things you might have heard which got you thinking about upgrading in the first place. And despite what sogood51 would have you believe, the first rule is that there are no rules, and there most certainly do exist tube components which can give very high-purity sound - and others which cannot, and the same with solid-state. One thing I might say to you first though, would be not to necessarily rule out a speaker upgrade as well - I'm not familiar with your speakers, but speakers in general have come a long way since you bought yours.