What makes more sense?

With lot's of homework and perhaps some trial and error, you may not have to worry too much whether it's tubed or solid state.

Hopefully the goal is that the resulting sonics will sound like neither.

Some tube equipment can sound like solid state and vice versa.

But tubed equipment generally requires more involvement and more maintenance than solid state equipment.

-IMO

I've gone from ss pre / ss amp to tube pre / ss amp to tube pre / tube amp to finally ss pre / tube amp. I am most happy with the ss pre / tube amp combination. Good tube amps and a very clear, detailed ss preamp fit my personality best. Of course, it all depends on the exact equipment and your listening tastes.

Good luck,

Michael

Personally, I did not like a tube pre with SS amp, hated it actually. I highly suggest picking up the Musical Fidelity A3.2 preamp, you'll love it. The Musical Fidelity A3 amp may not have enough power for your speakers (it didn't with mine, also 87dB sensitivity, but I play very loud, dynamic and bass heavy music), unless you can run with 2 of them, in which case I suggest you pick up the amps as well and prepare to be impressed. I would also highly suggest the Odyssey Stratos amp as well, 2ch or monoblocks.

While mating a tube pre with a solid state amp has the advantages previously mentioned, it should be noted that you will have a greater challange matching impedances with that combination. It can be done.

IMHO, the tube preamp with the SS power amp worked very well in my system. I needed the current of the SS amp to drive my B&W speakers. I own both the BAT VK-30SE tube preamp and the Pass Labs X-1 SS preamp into a Pass X-250 SS power amp. Each preamp does it own thing (and amp also), the BAT has a darker sound as reviewers have described and the Pass has a more upfront sound but slightly less warm than the BAT. Both matched up well (I also did my research on the matching before buying the stuff and did extensive in home auditions).

I am not a very big fan of the lower priced MF power amps, nice sounding but not enough details for me. The per was nice in its price range but it did not wow me either. If you like the MF stuff buy the Nu-Vista integrated combo. Not my cup of tea.