question about ss or tubes

Thanks that's good to know. I briefly tried one (2 weeks) that was very good but there was something about it that I did not like but my system was much different then. Also I don't know if two weeks was enough time to properly let it settle in. I may try it again. What suggestions do you have?  Thanks 

Mark, thanks for sharing your experience. ill bet your analog is so very detailed. It's sounds very interesting. I wish I could hear it. The whest combined with the Delos. I had my eye on those whest's awhile back and wondered about them pretty seriously. I can tell your digging on it. Cool table to. I've only read about those pieces. Ive heard some Audio Research gear and I thought it was also pretty detailed. Are you by chance using any warmer tube brands? Again thanks and I'm still open to a ss pre, and I think which direction I end up going will depend on how the system sounds with new eml's and the flavor it gives. Those Tom Evans pre's sound like a possibility for the ss side of the fence. What I'm most worried about ss is it won't sound natural but that may just be a silly cliche. 

Atmasphere, the solid state phono pre never got shut off for the two weeks I had it. I had an ss amp once that took forever to break in, probably in the hundreds of hours. I've often wondered if the same can be expected from ss preamps. Thanks for the suggestion on sticking with triode signal tubes. I don't think throwing out the baby with the proverbial bath water would be right. Not to discount ss but a 180 about face is probably too extreme of an unknown. I see your point about closer to source upstream stuff. But, Isnt it just as likely downstream areas can mask things as well. It's gonna be interesting to hear what changing from the Shuguang's to the EML does. Thanks for your input. 

Nice coming home to read the above responses. Thanks guys. Smrex13 that was just the first hand experience between those units I was looking for. Very sweet. It seems and I'm just thinking out loud, that I see more chinooks on the used market than I do the Sutherlands and I would love to know why that is. 
Minori, I'm with ya I'm not in an either or frame of mind myself, yet. As I learn about what's important to me it seems those qualities come from tubes. But that could change to. I'm really attracted to quiet black backgrounds and great stereo separation with units that are dual mono like the whests and liberty's, et al., both of which seem to be great strengths on the solid state side. 
WolfG, cool job dude. I'll trade ya. 

Thank you for the compliment and I can't say I haven't thought about the cart myself. Out of curiosity I auditioned the Dyna 12d3 I think it was. It's the one that has the super short diamond cantilever. That went into one of Bobs devices. I had no expectations but I could not believe how badly it sounded. Like nails on a chalkboard, detailed yes, but noisy, brittle. I wasn't sure what to think. I set it up carefully. I'm a complete noob with mc. That was my first try. I was thinking that it might have been because my system is tuned around the Grado and maybe that's why.
 A 12au7 in the linestage went out recently and I'm currently running from the tape outs of the Quick and into a passive that has brought about a nice degree of refinement and detail. It is one of the reasons that has led me to really consider what a less long in the tooth more modern option might be able to wring out of the grooves without losing the essential character of what I love about the sound. If I did go for a cart change given some of the background, any ideas? The Grado is gonna need retipping or exchanging in the not too distant future. 

Atmasphere, no I haven't. I don't have access to that type of equipment personally. I am just waiting to take the pre in to get looked at for something. It does seem to be using 12au7's too quickly. Last 2 years I've put 2 in. I could probably have this person check the rest of the tubes at that time. Thanks for your prompt on that. 

Bombawalla, I know because I heard some material that I have at home played at an audio show that honestly kinda was like a bombshell.  I could only listen for a quick minute or two but it sure was something. It was not analog. The material was Madeline Peyroux-Careless Love. Ocean Way Audio was the room. I know the record well and there was no two ways about it, it was an honest to god revelation. 

im sorry I didnt mean to imply that about ss. My question was based more on idea to bring about a gestalt of different strengths Generally associated with each one. I entirely agree with what you said and btw I think the chinook sounds like the one. But it doesn't mean a used Pass Ono wouldn't be the cats meow, or is it pajamas, either with my set up or maybe it is the ticket for someone else's similar waypoint on their journey, right?  No dogma adhered to in my world, It's all good. Many paths to enlightenment might be the only absolute I subscribe to but Im not so sure I can commit to that either. I'm pretty much all in for the golden hued road to tubalishissness. 

Bombaywalla, the track I cannot recall. I do remember walking down the hall heading somewhere else when I heard what I recognized and know well enough so ducked in for a quickie. At first I thought is this a big band version but I quickly realized it was the same album but there was just more of everything. That's the only way I can even attempt to describe it without using banal audiophile vernacular. i looked around quick for the source and the only thing I saw was two pretty discrete small looking components on a left rear sidewall and that it is all I can tell ya. I thought to myself at the time that shite okay this must be some of the hirez digital stuff. The rooms rep was busy talking with the only other person in the room so I didn't get a run down. My friend was waiting to get to another room that for the life of me I cannot recall whatsoever. I should of went back and I regret that.