If I'm looking for "Tube Sound", why would I put a Tube Pre in front of a SS amp?

@mapman

I agree completely with your post with one exception, "expense". Personally, I believe it is expensive to make great sound at home these days

While I’m sure you would agree that whether or not something is expensive can be subjective, I think its fair to assume that everyone’s system is in one way or another dictated by the cost of their components. In my particular case all of my components were chosen wisely from the perspective of value (i.e. best sound for the money). If money were no object I would surely have a different setup, or an additional setup for that matter! :)

@atmasphere 

Hi Ralph. To your point " What tubes do better than transistors is not make higher ordered harmonic distortions to which the ear is very sensitive and also perceives as irritating. That's not a matter of opinion its a simple fact and not a matter of debate."

I recall reading a number of articles on the Internet that indicate that while audiophile grade equipment seeks to avoid the distortion you are speaking of, other audio equipment such as some guitar amps seek to embrace it. So for the lay person like myself, while what you have indicated is very likely if not completely true in most cases, it seems conceivable that it may not be true in all cases. Meaning, while most people may perceive those higher end harmonics as irritating, I'd venture to say there are those that welcome it to some degree or another.