Seriously considering tube preamp…opinions?

+1, what tvad said. Agree.
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David,
Reading above you went for a nice dinner and got served an appetizer and the restaurant stopped serving, chef went home, servers started cleaning up and turned off the open sign. Missed the real Entree and the Desert. :)

Heads up on the "we’ll only tell you about the... "what we have in stock sales person". Of course they could only show you what they had, but did they make much reference to what they could order too, a clue.

The QS Linestage paired with QS Mid Monos or Mono 60s was the ticket for 86-92db speakers. Mono 120s for harder to drive speakers. The little QS Integrated is nice for lower power more efficient speakers at 20wpc. Unfair comparison other than to learn what a musical amp can sound like. I run the QS Mono 120s for my 93db speakers and it’s a great match. Your Salk Wow1s are 84db, right? (it always starts with the speakers...).

This is where QS Monos start to shine to compete with good SS amps with regard to dynamics, driver control. The Rogue recommendation is what they had in stock, different sound, in your budget. Might be your ticket for the $ excluding comparison to QS Linestage + Mid Monos (you did not hear it yet :), unfair to compare to the the little musical integrated (amazing btw), only when paired with the right efficiency speakers.  Same situation.

I find QS Monos are rarely in stock at dealers, usually sold before they get there. Gotta ask the dealer to order/hold them in all fairness. Back to square-1. :) Once you hear a really nice (power equivalent) tube amp to speaker match, you’ll gain much better insight. Patience and persistence can pay off in this instance until you get a chance to really "hear" it.  :) 

I would talk to Mike Sanders of QS. I have seen the non-remote version described that way on other threads. Much of it would likely be the value of the need for remote. In a small room maybe not so much. Either version represents value. Reasonable price, great company. I have only heard a earlier version lacking remote. I would likely had the QS pre in my system if not for a Friend that was a dealer for Jolida setting me up with mine at cost. Both represent value. 

@mesch 
 I would likely had the QS pre in my system if not for a Friend that was a dealer for Jolida setting me up with mine at cost. Both represent value.

Yes, and key question. Not sure which Jolida preamp you have, BUT, have you reached out to them for their I-V upgrades they do?  For example, five levels of upgrades to make the preamp sound notably better. My buddy just got all five upgrades (went from upgrade level 2 to level 5) on his Jolida 801 integrated amp, and with all new tubes. Big change.  Circuit boards or not, It went from $1000 tube amp sound to $5000 tube amp sound. Replacing low-cost low-grade caps, resistors, and upgraded wiring with really good NOS tubes can help a lot.  Again, this is what makes really good point-to-point preamps with really good designs and decent parts, and decent stock tubes, great bargain right out of the gate, in comparison, fwiw.  

To give you an idea, from the current Jolida Upgrades page (for fusion):
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Fusion Preamp Upgrade I: Replacement of 13 capacitors with Clarity Cap ESAs. Gold pin 12AX7 tubes.
Retail Price: $600                

Fusion Preamp Upgrade lI:
Cardas Input and output RCA Jacks and XLRs (reduces RF interference):
Retail Price: $ 450            

Fusion Preamp Upgrade  III: Addition of the ByBee Rail. Reduces the noise floor by 45dB.
Retail Price: $450                

Fusion Preamp Upgrade IV: Using extreme purity cast wire. All internal signal wire and power wire is installed. Involves 70 feet of ultra copper cast wire and rewiring the complete unit.
Retail Price: $4000            

Fusion Preamp Upgrade V: Combination of 8 pieces of Ultra premium copper foil paper in oil Ride or Audyn Capacitors combined with Clarity Poly caps.
Retail Price: $2000     

Thanks, all, for your reflections. From the get-go, I have not felt a lot of help from this person (nice enough, but young, late 20s or 30s); there’s a kind of impatience with the sales process that makes me feel that I’m over-staying my welcome. It’s a vibe I got. Emails, also, didn’t fully answer my questions — and I did not ask that many. Kept steering me toward what was in stock. Never mentioned other products in the line they actually carry.

@decooney Thanks for the explanation about the non-remote QS. Noted for future reference. Also, they DO have the Quicksilver Mid Mono Amp. Maybe I just suck it up and get QS separates? That would work with any speakers, right?

@tvad After finding myself really psyched about the tube experience, I’m now concerned that you are outlining a real, forced dilemma: give up the speakers or give up the tubes. Or at least give up all-tubes. Some tubes is still possible, if the match is right. Pass labs is beyond my price range and it almost seems silly to outmatch the speakers by so much, no?

Ok, so at this point, it is seeming all-tube QS separates or solid state or still investigating a pair up.

I wish this dealer was a bit better — or at least the salesperson. It’s hard to push away from someone who’s is working with you in the store, but I suppose I could reach out to the owner? Or, as Tvad said, just move on to another dealer or distributor for the QS stuff. (Any recommendations on QS dealers?)