Sound quality impact - preamp vs power amp?

Regardless of the price point, it’s all about balance.  Like anything else, it’s all about the weakest link.   So strive to have all the links (relatively speaking) the same strength. Its also about minimal returns.   For a mid-price system, A+ cables don’t make sense.   And I’ve found that regardless of specs (and the risk of overanalyzing specs), having an amp that matches up (sonically) with the speakers need to be objective #1, then an electronic match between a preamp that has the features you like with the amp is objective #2.   Then let your ears decide past that.   I have a ARC ref 5 pre-amp on one system that is a match in heaven with my Ref 75s3 amp, but I would never match it up with a First Watt SIT-3 I have in another system...

@co93   Just curious....what do you match your SIT-3 with?

Love audio research line stage but leaving 8 tubes on all the time when watching tv sucks.  Tube life is 3000 hrs so not meant for a ht system.

good news possibly, have heard new arc models are planned to keep tubes off when in bypass mode.  Hope it happens soon.

For my First watt, i use a benchmark LA4.  I also have a boulder preamp matched up with a Pass Labs 258.8

Thanks @co93 I’ve been thinking about picking up a used SIT-3 as I work at home all day and listen to music. I realize I’ve been putting just a ton of mileage on the tubes in my SET tube amp in 2020 and perhaps drawing more power than justifiable throughout the day when it’s mainly background music.