I compared the McIntosh C2200 tube-preamp, which by all accounts is a very fine preamp, to McIntosh's C42 and C200 preamp. The C200 was in all regards better than the tube-C2200, including dynamics, imaging and bass control. I do not think it makes sense any longer to say that this or that kind of amp by definition is or does sth better. It depends on the design, and in fact there probably never were so many excellent SS preamps and amps you could take for tube-preamps - and never so many tube amps that offer dynamic sound, as well
