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

I've been a pro musician for over 40 years. Played many tube & solid state amps and own both types of stereos. I've learned that everyone hears things a little different. One person thinks their gears sounds the best the other person says, hmmm I think it's too shrill on the top end. When I record in the studio I'm always amazed at how different my songs sound on different speakers or amps, etc. Every component makes a difference. If you find the right combination for your ears you've done something that is very satisfying. Often it's a journey not a destination! I love my all tube (preamp & power amp) but I also love my tube preamp & solid state amp. Both systems offer beautiful, pleasing audio. Experiment, go to audio stores and audition, purchase gear that can be returned within 30 days, after you've tried it. It's the same with guitar gear. You can just go on other's recommendations. You have to experience it to decide which you prefer. Happy hunting!

atmasphere & kosst_amojan   
Both make compelling and sensible contributions on this subject.

Excellent choices for solid state do exist. I know for certain that you would have to pry my Sutherland N1 preamp from my lifeless hands.  
Same goes for my EKSC Eagle 11' mono blocks.  Vanishingly low distortion including all harmonics.  Neither the preamp or mono blocks have any real personality or flavor.  Just unrestrained performance.
It just boils down to system matching in some cases and of course personality for which we all have abundant choices.   

My first phono preamplifier was a solid state Pro-Ject Phono Box RS MM/MC. I really liked the sound it putout and after reading interviews about the companion Pro-Ject battery powered Power Box RS power supply I purchased it and the Pro-Ject battery powered Power Box RS power supply made the sound of my albums even more dead quiet with an even larger soundstage than using the Pro-Ject Phono Box RS MM/MC alone by itself.

The list price for the Pro-Ject Phono Box RS MM/MC was $999 and the list price for the Pro-Ject battery powered Power Box RS power supply was $749 for a total of $1748 with free shipping.

While doing the research on phono preamplifiers I also was intrigued by the Parks Audio Budgie Tube Phono preamplifier. So after about 6 months of enjoying the Pro-Ject Phono Box RS MM/MC and the companion Pro-Ject battery powered Power Box RS power supply I got the 'upgrade' bug/itch and purchased the Parks Audio Budgie Tube Phono preamplifier with the stock pair of EH 6922 vacuum tubes for a total of $399 with free shipping.

Based on Shannon Park's, the owner and maker of the Parks Audio Budgie Tube Phono preamplifier Exacta loading system that provides 16 settings, I set the Exacta settings to 67.3K which is the MM setting to use for my Shure V15VxMR cartridge with the JICO (Shure) VN5xMR stylus. I was amazed at the transparency, depth, wide soundstage, and dynamic range. The Parks Audio Budgie Tube Phono preamplifier is a single ended Class A tube circuit.

Also while researching phono preamplifiers I found out about 'tube rolling'. However I thought that tube rolling is a expensive proposition even though the tubes you roll maybe not that expensive, after rolling 5 to 6 or 7 pairs of tubes, the money spent would add up pretty quickly. So I decide to go for the gusto and buy up. I bought a pair of NOS 6DJ8/ECC88 Telefunken West Germany with diamond mark matched pair for $195 plus Tektronix 576 curve tracer matching for $20, shipping $10 and $4 for insurance for a total of $229 from Brent Jessee Recording and Supply, Inc. Keep in mind it is very important that you buy vacuum tubes from reputable dealers. That being said Brent Jessee Recording and Supply, Inc. has a 30 day return policy with a 20% restocking fee. After less than 30 days I decide to return them.

After seeing Kevin Deal's of Upscale Audio NOS Telefunken E88CC/6922 youtube video I bought a Platinum Grade, Cryoed, matched pair of NOS Telefunken E88CC/6922's for $454. For a total of $853 I bought a Parks Audio Budgie Tube Phono preamplifier and pair of NOS Telefunken E88CC/6922's vacuum tubes with the transparency, depth, wide soundstage, and dynamic range as described above with an added 3 Dimensional sound quality I had never heard before that far surpassed the solid state Pro-Ject Phono Box RS MM/MC and Pro-Ject battery powered Power Box RS power supply in sound and price.

Why does it have to be one or the other? Why not both? My house, although small, has more than one room. Tubes in one, solid state in the other. Switch on whichever makes you happy on any given day. The best of both worlds!

Like others here I've owned some powerful, high quality SS amps.  The good ones always sounded terrific... until I compared them back to back with my conrad-johnson tube amps.  Owning both at the same time allowed switching out amplifiers as quickly as changing speaker leads.  Listening back to the same material, the music was always better with tube amplification.  Always more three dimensional and listenable.  Excitingly real.  Maybe it's c-j's philosophy of simple circuits with super high quality parts but it has worked for me over the years without exception.  My music preference is acoustic jazz and classical, not sure this effect works as much with rock music.  If you like music made by acoustic instruments, try a good tube system. It's heavenly.