The ups and downs of tube vs. SS...

@passet02 With all due respect that sounds like an issue with your amp itself not tubes. In my opinion a well built, point to point wired tube amp is harder to break and easier to fix and more prone to long term reliability. Sure there is a certainly level of interaction with your gear you don't get with SS but to me that's the fun part.

My favorite is a Fisher 500C unrestored.

That won't last long if the filter capacitors don't get replaced. As they fail, they tend to take the power transformer with them. It can get pretty ugly as the transformer might leak nastiness when it gets really hot.

So get the caps replaced- and the amp will sound even better.

@atmasphere I was wondering about a tubed buffer stage between source and amp? 
If one was to go with either SS, or tubes, will it make a huge difference? Or, is it just a waste of money?
jtweed

I'm wondering this too. I've had tube preamplifiers but never just a buffer. Does having no gain give the sound of tubes?

There is a good interview by New Record Day of Dan Wright of Modwright. NRD asks, "Tubes or solid state?" Dan answers something to the effect of, he’d prefer not to choose so that he could run a combination. His preference is tubes for the preamp and source gear, and quality solid state for the amplification of that tube signal in the cleanest way possible. Makes sense. I am on day three or so of my new-to-me Modwright KWA-150 SE, which replaced a Rogue Stereo 100, and the overall effect is at least as smooth as the Rogue - maybe smoother. "As long as there are tubes SOMEWHERE in the chain," Dan responded. "But if you make me choose one or the other, I would choose tubes." I run a tubed phono pre (Rogue Ares) and a Modwright (tubed) LS100 Pre, and the combination with the TOTL KWA-150SE is fantastic.