Getting started w/ tube equipment

I would absolutely encourage you to explore chinese brands. Make sure you buy from an established and reliable us dealer(assuming your in us). Also dont rule out used equipment there are many great bargains right here on the gon.
Start with the power requirement of your speakers this will help you determine the best topology to persue for your power amp. read read read. A good resource is upscale audio for new equipment,they can give you good guidance for getting started and can accommodate a variety of budgets as well as reasonable prices on tubes for equipment you have bought from them.

frankly I would start with tube friendly (high impedance easy to drive) speakers

then look for the proper amp

So, what is it about the date 12/27 that gets you going about tubes?

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1261926156

A U.S. built integrated - Rogue Audio Cronus - base model using EL34s 55wpc, or Magnum model ($400 more) 90wpc - using KT 90s - easy to bias, musical, well built, excellent customer service. Also, with socket savers you can use KT 88s or KT120s
Set for 8 ohm speakers but you can switch a wire to convert to 4ohm.

not sure. i remembered embarking on this journey once before, thinking then that i'd be able to narrow it down based on suggestion but learned that it's not that easy, which is why this thread, I hope, will teach me how to fish instead of tell me which fish to buy. I'd like to do the research I just need to know what the right place is to gain an understanding of equipment requirements/relationships so I can get started. Or... it could be the post Christmas time off... either way, I am already being educated.