Tube preamp reliability vs SS?

Tubes are warmer sounding it depends on the voltage the tube is running at on how long it will last and how much you use it.

I've been using MFA tube preamp and mono amps for many years and all components have been extremely reliable.  Having tube gear does not increase my "audio nervosa" in any way. Speaker placement is more likely to do that!  :)

 I have a decent tube tester which will confirm if a tube is indeed bad.  Other than that, I trust my ears.  Tube rolling can be fun, and for the most part, an economical way to experiment with how one's system can sound.

For me, tubes are appealing on a number of levels.  ONE: They glow. TWO: They offer sweet dimensional sound.  THREE: Once I "went tubes" there was no going back to SS.  Yes, I understand that SS can often offer more "punch" at the low end, but my tastes in music are not particularly oriented to amplified mid or lower bass punch.  I've listened to many jazz combos in clubs, with acoustic bass, and not once does that bass sound "punchy."  Likewise in concert halls with symphonic orchestras.

If I were more into hard rock/metal, I'd possibly be more inclined to choose SS amps, but I'd still want a tube preamp.

Tube components for me, makes for a more engaging way to participate in high-end audio. I love the history and "organic" quality of those glowing glass bottles.

Of course, many others disagree, and YMMV.

Still considering the Conrad Johnson classic 2 SE. 

I THINK THERE IS ONLY 1 Small tube in it????  Help me if I'm wrong. 

Would this his be ok for rock/metal, or would bass be too slushy with this preamp? 

Will be buying ing the nad 546 CD player. And some Grover Huffman cables for my amp to preamp connections, and possibly a pair for my cd to preamp connection, depends how good Santa is this year

Not sure what to expect with the classic 2SE, I'm not one to. Have a lot of cash, so if I dump 2k+ into this pre, and I don't lIke the tube being a pian in the butt, I will be so depressed , as I won't have any cash left for anything. 

Why do you think the tube would be a pain in the ass? There have been many members commenting on the reliability of tubes and the wonderful sonics.
The only effort on your part is finding the brand of tube which sounds best to you, since you'll eventually want to replace the stock tube with a better one. And tube rolling is fun; dealers and forum members can advise you.

But don't rush into this purchase for these reasons:
I don't see any output impedance specs listed for the Classic 2SE, can you find them?
Plus, Almarg has already alerted you to the high gain of 22 or 27 dB, 9.5 VRMS. You may have to use attenuators to have full range of the volume control.
Please list the input specs of your amp and the sensitivity of your speakers.

Don't make the common mistake of mis-matching components.