Separate Components

I agree with Docwarnock about the listening to as many things as you can. But not on the part about then buying them used. Do not go and take up your local high end dealers time with no intention of buying anything from him, if everyone did this he or she would no longer be around. As far as tubes go, if you stick with just a tubed pre-amp you only replace them maybe once a year. Going with Sugerbrie's suggestion of PV-10a this will run you around 60 bucks. Good luck hunting down something that makes you smile :)

I am fortunate enough to have a dealer that has a small room filled with used equipment. Some of it is crap, some of it is actually nice stuff. I picked up my ARC LS-15 out of that room, I could not have afforded it new. I still think it is wrong to demo with no intention of buying. If you buy it used and don't like it you can just re-sell it for little or no loss.