I agree with mwc whole-heartedly. He, unlike the majority of people on the 'net, is able to see both sides of the debate and approach them impartially.
I think the best lines that basically sum up the feelings he got with the tube equipment are: "Music such as blues, rock and jazz sounded "polite" even if it wasn't meant to be by the artist and sound engineers." and "I must say that with the tube system I never got 'listener fatigue' even from bright recordings."
From what I have heard using both types of equipment, I couldn't agree more!
Now that being said, ultimately audio is about your own personal preferences. Who are you trying to please when you buy and listen to your audio components? I hope it is not some person who lives a few cities or states away from you and has no influence over the enjoyment of your system, but rather yourself. If you are able to audition the components that you want to purchase, it would be very wise to do so before buying. You definitely DO NOT want buyer's remorse. Also, make sure you listen to many types of music, as some may be more 'compatible' with the 'tube sound' than others.
That said, HAVE FUN with the hobby!
