Is Solid State Preamp and Tube Amp A Good Combo?

I'm using a Rowland Capri linestage with Melody 300B SET amps and it works beautifully! I needed a pre that could be left on all the time, but couldn't give up the sound of tubes...result has been excellent! Not quite up to my Atma-Sphere / Atma-Sphere setup in a different room/house, but quite satisfying, nonetheless. Of course that setup was almost 8 times more expensive too!!

If your speakers are a decent match with the amp, it will work well!!

I've tried it both ways and so far the Rowland Capri preamp and VAC Auricle Musicbloc amps have been the best combination.

I cannot thank you all enough for all the feedback you have given so far. I just went ahead and paid for them. This would be an interesting quest for me. If they do not work for me, there is always the Audiogon market or might also give tube preamps a try. Hope to provide an update when the amps arrive.

I've been running the Accuphase C-200 with my McIntosh MC60s and A-116s and the sounds have been quite clear and accurate and crisp. That being said, when I swap out my C-200 for my McIntosh MX110, the difference is night and day in the sound, much fuller and rounder compared to the Accuphase. But they are really very different pieces to begin with.

When I've told people about that set up, it did raise a brow, but when asked to justify why it had to be the other way around, no one really had a straight answer.

Enjoy being "backwards" and just listen to some awesome music.