Thanks everyone for your input. The discussion went well beyond what I was looking for, but that's not a bad thing. My feeling right now is that these things are far too fussy for my liking. I am willing to work for my audio heaven, but I do not want it to rule my life. Changing tubes frequently, searching the ends of the earth for the proper speaker, blowing speakers, etc. is not my idea of nirvana. Thanks again, all, for the insights.
Dave
Dave