I totally agree with Onhwy61 on this one. In the right system, tubes can be a real treat and in the wrong set up it can be a real disappointment. The same can be said with solid state gear. I happen to own a tube pre amp but I purchased it because I fell in love with the way it presented the music in my audio system. Purchase the gear that is going to present music the way you want to hear it. If you have never owned any tube gear, perhaps now is a good time to listen to some. Gear hunting can be a daunting challenge. Enjoy the process and best of luck to you.
To tube or not to tube...
I'm interested in upgrading my preamp and have been considering going to a tubed preamp coupled with SS power amp. I hesitate because of the reliability factor. You see, I grew up in the era of tube television sets, so it was a periodic chore to unplug all the tubes from the TV and haul 'em down to the local drugstore's tube tester. We'd wind up replacing a handful of tubes, and then be amazed at how much better the picture and sound was. A year later the drill would repeat. What's the situation with tubed preamps? I see a lot of discussion about trying this brand of tube or the other... I'm wondering how much of that "improvement" is due simply to replacement of weak tubes with fresh ones. What kind of life can one expect from the tubes in a tubed preamp? How much does the sound deteriorate over time as the tubes wear out? Are tubed preamps intended only for those who want and like to fiddle with the innards of their equipment?