Tube Amp,Solid State Preamp.

FWIW, think of a tube amp with a passive line stage ahead of it. That would (optimally) be the same as a tube amp with solid state pre-amp, except for with the solid state pre-amp you would have gain. In a perfect world. The real magic of tubes is in the amp.

If I could only choose one combo it would be ss pre - tube amp. And that combo is a lot less problematic to set up. Impedence matching is not a real issue, and everything that goes with it.

But, what I don't understand, if you are already buying into the use of a tube amp, which most beginners want to avoid because using tube amps is a bit more demanding, both maintenance and speaker matching, why would you not want a tube pre-amp. It is a great addition tonally, allows much more tonal possibilities, and maintenance/matching is relatively simple.

I use tubes everywhere so I'm prejudiced. :-)

I agree with Newbee in that a tube power amplifier is the way to go. Solid state preamplifiers are fine in this combination, and can sometimes, even be preferable to a tube preamplifier.

If I'm putting tubes anywhere, it's the power amplifier.

I run tube amps with a SS preamp....I love it. Of course 16 300B's and 8 6sn7's is more than enough tubes to deal with. The plusses are I leave the preamp on continualy and I think the SS preamp balances with the 300B tubes nicely. look for a nicely tranparent SS preamp....just one less headache...

I use a tube amp with solid state preamp as well. As Newbee said I actually prefer a passive preamp in front of the tube amp. Right now I alternate a LightSpeed passive attenuator and JRDG Capri with my VAC Auricle Musicblocs. Both are great combinations and preferable to the tube preamp and solid state amp set ups I've had.