Fruff, i recently purch'd the metis on agon. I also have the Usher 6381's -- coincidence! the rest of my system consists of a Musical Fidelity a308cr cd player (wonderful and detailed) and Operetta SS amp (google Jaton Operetta. a relative newcomer to the game, this amp sounds almost tubey). The entire system is the best I've had. I've got tube warmth (I upgraded the stocks to GE GTA's - nice improvement in mid weight and less harsh).
I hear speaker hiss when I put my ear to the speaker, that's about it. It is a little noisier then other preamps I've had, but not noticeable from my listening position. Overall happy with it in this system. I recommend tube rolling and if you can, upgrading power cords and plugging into a decent power conditioner (i've got a PS Audio Quintet).