Give this Sonic Flare article a read and see if it doesn't help you better understand what kind of sound you are after. Tubes and solid state have naturally different qualities, but there is wide variety and even crossover between them.
Start with the overall sound you are after, then dig in from there. It's a lot easier to create a shortlist when you know if the component works with or against your preferred sonic qualities.
Start with the overall sound you are after, then dig in from there. It's a lot easier to create a shortlist when you know if the component works with or against your preferred sonic qualities.