Class A preamp or Class A amp

It is the total design of the product. Some great products are actually Class A-B. Cello was an example of great A-B.

It is much easier for a company to make a preamp class A, than the amp.

Go by the sound, not the specs!

Richard
(I use only Krell class A.)

NOt exactly sure what your question is but the preamp will have the most effect on the sound.

"On the other hand" class "A" and class "B" may refer to two completely different things:
Class A class B refering to mode of operation IN class A (full signal always on) or class B 1/2 wave signal with switching)
OR.....
Class "A" as in Stereophile ratings: class A... class B etc.
The mode of operation is less important than how well it is implemented, so no real answer there...
As far as the rating sort of class...
A better pre or a better amp? that is open to debate, but I personally would opt for a better pre than amp. if I had to choose in that manner.

Thanks for your responses. As for Elizabeth, I was talking about the mode of operation. I have read that Class B or even AB has switching distortion in the transistor. In contrast, I have read that a well-built Class B can have two halves of the audio signal almost perfectly match just like it was operating in Class A.

The only class B stuff with "high end" aspirations I know of is Naim. Not my cup of tea.