I had a chance last weekend to try out some tubey goodness, with a Cary SLI-80 Integrated Amp from Echo Audio in downtown Portland. It was nice to check out the world of tubes, having been in solid state most of my life. There was lots of warm and airy music that sounded just like real music. I think I would have liked some clearer detail and a little better sound stage, but it was nice to go to the other extreme. I think I may be a good candidate for some sort of hybrid scenario, or a combination of tube front side and solid state amp. In any case, it’s all about the music, and we do love our music here. No matter what technology it is played through! My wife commented on how ‘pretty’ the tubes were. I’ve never heard her refer to any hifi gear as ‘pretty’ before… always a good sign.