Tube Preamp --> Solid State Amp

I’m using a McIntosh C2700 tube preamp with a MC462 solid-state power amp. A little bit of tube warmth from the pre without the hassle and cost of having to deal with power tubes. But like one of the previous posters said, I do feel it’s a little soft on the high end at times. But I could probably remedy that by doing some tube rolling. I’m still running the stock Mac tubes.

I was using Primaluna EVO 400 preamp with Pass XA30.5, to drive Focal 1028be and to "tame" that spicy beryllium top. Was quite happy with the combination. Before Pass I had Hypex NC500 based power amp, which was also good, dynamic, but maybe a bit too dry. 

Biggest problems i found were: preamp with low enough output impendence, gain will be too high (I have to use Rothwell XLR attenuators), matching speakers to pre/power combination. What worked well with Focals, maybe its not the best with some other brand (evaluating Q Acoustics Concept 500 and Scansonic mb2.5b now). 
So, in short, can result with really good sound but requires much more effort (read: money to buy/sell different amps/preamps:)

@charles7 As a fellow Aria owner (936), your end-game config caught my eye. I believe your FW-7 is a 25 watt SS amp, give or take. I’ve always been concerned about pairing my 936’s with an amp that can handle their minimum 2.7 ohm impedance…and I love tubes. I’m powering them with a PrimaLuna Dialogue HP Integrated with 8 KT150’s for output tubes (about 93 wpc) which drives them effortlessly. In fact, I’ve never heard better (in my home). 
 

It seems perhaps I’m overly concerned or that the Arias (at 92 db sensitivity) do not present the challenge I thought they did. Thoughts?

I have a McIntosh c2300 mated with an MC500, my digital is via a d150 thru the c2300. I couldn’t be more happier. It’s the best of both worlds, smooth midrange from the tubes and the slam of bass when needed from the ss amp. I have very efficient Tannoy Churchill’s so that’s part of the equation.  I highly recommend going this route. Good luck. Oh use good tubes. I use medical grade Amprex. 

Most integrated amps will let you use the preamp feature as a separate, but not the amplifier feature. For instance, my Hegel integrated always has the preamp in the circuit, even with the HT bypass on.

All the best.