Mixing or matching component brands

Ultimately, absolutely.

One of the things it's most important is to audition and listen to the music not the system. Figure out if it's emotionally connecting to you or you're just hearing incredible quantities of detail. There was nothing wrong with detail and slam, buty ou want something that emotionally moves you .That's actually why most of us listen to music.

My current system has five different brands in it. 

@cb77 

Are you only asking preamp and amp, or are you including all other non-cabling components: turntable, phono stage, DAC, streamer, tuner, R2R…(most other seems not brand dependent unless it’s included in an integrated)?

@kennyc 

Amps and preamps primarily, but other components as well if made available.  For example, if the choice is between a company that offers a full range of components vs. mixing multiple brands, which approach would be preferred and why?

For my neutral transparent system, my preamp+amp preferences is generally the same brand or an integrated, whatever raises the Sonics within budget.

For my high efficiency system which I’ll use to investigate tube midrange magic including flea watt, likely a mix - tube amp with a neutral (TBD) preamp.  However, I am open to a tube integrated.