Valve phono or valve linestage?

It's really hard to answer your question. If there is a difference, it might be related to either (sub-)component or both together.

In making the call as to which component should be tubes, it would seem logical to test a number of different combinations. Component matching could make a considerable difference in performance of individual components. Some tube equipment requires a high input impedance of downstream components so it can drive them properly. Sometimes a slight brightness of one component works will with a darker sounding second component. Some phono stages just work better with some cartridges than others. Some tube preamps may have trouble driving particular solid state amps but work well with most tube amps.

It may take a while, but the only real way to know for sure is to listen to various combinations in your own system with YOUR source(s), YOUR amps and YOUR speakers.

I agree that once musical detail is lost, there is no way to recover it.

That may be. I know Keith Herron, Herron Audio, has at least one dealer in Australia. He makes a top drawer tube phono stage that seems to integrate pretty well with either solid state or tube pre-amps. Likewise, he makes an excellent tube pre-amp. They are enormously good together especially with his [solid state] amps.

Maybe you could find his dealer and ask for a home audition.

Disclosure: All of my electronics (including my CD player) are built by Herron Audio. I am a VERY SATISFIED Herron Audio user and customer. I have not heard better.