Agree- it is personal taste. If you want great tube sound go OTL, but it will use a lot of energy and put off a lot of heat. I use Nuforce digital switching amps, Monarchy class A solid state, and Transcendent SET OTL tube amps with horns/super tweeters. I have tri-amped front end and the rest are for a surround system. David Shulte has modded most everything of mine ( Upgrade Company) and almost all of the system is XLR balanced. My phono preamp and my preamps are also tube. Tubes are fun to learn about and roll, but can be pricey. To get the really fine detail out of a full tube system is a long journey, but in the end blows everything else out to my ears. Use solid state and or digital switching technology for lows and mids, but class A tubes is the best for the highs.