Audphile1, your right, and at the same time I think it is possible to answer the general question. Assuming you can distinquish between the general sonic signature of tubes versus SS, does having a tube pre and amp get your more of the tube performance than what is generally possible by just using a tube pre amp with an SS amp. I'm not going to argue whether or not with some of the best equipment there is a convegence of the performance of tubes with SS and vice versa (I've not yet heard evidence of that, but some claim there is and perhaps it is so)- but as a general answer to a general question, I think Newbee's response at the start of thread is basically right, but of course with specific equipment and combinations the general "rule" might not apply - that is true. So yes, if you get a tube amp, there will generally be more "tubiness" than if you use a tube preamp with a SS amp IMHO. Now if the SS amp were a Pass Aleph, or Ayre VX1, perhaps less so.
