Tube in Preamp or Power amp?

Yes, an impossible question to ask without knowing what your speakers are. And an idea of your budget would help too. Tube watts are not cheap, a real concern with a hard to drive speaker.

But yes, it seems that consensus is that a tube amp tends to get you a greater amount of the tube sound.

And Zd542 is correct that many tube amps and preamps may sound very different from one another. However, there are some descriptors that you can look for in reviews that might help. Mainly, be on the look out for references to a "classic" vs "modern" tube sound. "Classic" sound may be more tubey, but often there are trade-offs with speed, and extensions at the ends of the frequency extremes (good transformers are key for a tube amp, for frequency extension among other reasons). "Modern" sound is usually describing a faster sound, often with less roll off at extreme frequencies. But you also get less tube bloom.

Most important if at all possible is to audition. In your own system preferably.

Wenn you want speed, drive, dynamics ,wide and deep stage and also a musical sound I would go for SS poweramp and tube preamp. I listened to many tube amps in my life. Wenn you owned and listen to brands like Pass Labs you understand the drive and speed it gives over tubes. But I understand why people love the tube sound. I think you can use a tube preamp without missing the power, drive and speed of SS togheter with a SS poweramp.

Bo is a misguided psuedo expert with limited experience and unsupported silly biases. Modern tube power amps are usually just as snappy as SS with NO loss of treble or "softening" of tone. This is a myth just as much as saying all SS amps are "sterile", and "drive and speed" are terms that are simply useless to describe sound. Most well designed tube amps kick butt, are very musical (accurate, wide frequency), and often simply sound better than comparable output SS amps...ask a musician.

Wolf just speak for yourself please. We compare all the time many different amps. You do it just for a hobby. Where are we talking about. |You are just a amature. Nothing more, nothing less. My own technician builds tube amps with the best parts there are regardeless price. So we can compare. You just talk about what is in your head. When you go on like this I will call you an amature all the time. You ask for it, because you started to provoke!!

Bo1972,
Wolf makes an astute point, you really can't generalize and fall back on
clichés. Speed(timing, pace, transients?) and drive ability are by no means
exclusive to transistor
amplifiers. Tube power amps can provide these qualities(and many others
as well) very successfully.
The "key" consideration is what speaker is being used
(unavoidable factor). Some speakers do require SS amps to get the best
match but there are speakers that sound better with tube amplifiers. I've
heard examples of both scenarios. I wouldn't call Wolf an amateur because
he doesn't agree with you on this topic. You can't form any conclusion
about an amplifier without considering the speaker, the converse is also
true.
Charles,