Higher power, lower power top consideration is the speakers you're driving. Plenty of posts from people talking about the synergy of X speakers with Y amp. You know that. I hear some say this or that SS amp sounds like a tube amp, but it's the old apples to oranges comparison. I loved my tube amps, I love my current SS amp. My current NCSE has been called tube-like, but so have some models of CJ, Luxman, Pass, older SS Mac's. I feel SS and tube amps are just different in subtle ways and there is no getting around it. I like to hop around every three-four years (well did until the economy tanked), so much more pleasant moving lighter SS amps than tube boat anchors, and moving to Arizona meant I didn't need another space heater. I really didn't mind chasing down old RCA Black plates and NOS British tubes (really interesting learning about tubes and the culture around it), but saving the cost of tubes for music is nice too.
