Solid State Pre-Amp: OK to Use With Tube Amp?

As an aside: I have a 60 watt Jolida (new) and it is interesting to hear how the thing sounds at that wattage, relative to SS amps I've owned (with high current power supplies). I really don't buy the "tube amp wattage sounds like a multiple of SS" line...watts are watts and clearly power supply reserve is what matters there...but the SOUND of a tube amp when played loudly (relatively) is so completely different from SS I can see why the power claims are made. SS odd vs. tube even harmonic distortion is often used as the explanation, but an analogy I can make is with guitar amps...I've tried plenty of modern low powered well designed SS guitar amps (so called "practice amps") at 10 to 20 watts and they're OK. But just OK. My current primary guitar amp is a 15 watt (!) all tube little monster that I use on its "5 watt" setting most of the time...even in small clubs, and it is SO much better than any low wattage modern SS amp I've tried that any comparison is laughable. The thing just "feels" heartier somehow, and the low wattage allows exploitation of the output tubes more than just overdriving the preamp, and that's magic.

I had an HCA 1000A for years...bought it new actually. Great sounding amp with tons of power...input level controls, built like a tank. Sort of all the amp one needs really.

I don't think tube amps are for everyone...fiddly things really, and they're actually dying before your eyes even when working properly...but if you're into the "amp participation" thing of swapping out tubes and looking at the electron transfer glow they can be fun and sound sweet.