Lets make one thing perfectly clear: tube amps do not always cost more. I really don't know where that came from. Don't believe me? Check out the homepage for this amplifier manufacturer:
http://www.boulderamp.com/. The amplifier shown on their homepage is the Boulder 1050. 500 watts, monoblock. At $37,500 for the pair, there are obviously cheaper items to buy. This is an SS amp. Statements like "tube amps are more expensive" are just not true.
Nelson, I said earlier that "the first watt is the most important" and I'll stand by it. If you only knew how many watts you were really using when your stereo is cranking out 100dB, you would see what I mean. I have heard many demos of so-called underpowered amplifiers that would drive most sane people from the room.
Tubes do not sound best when driven to clipping. I'm not sure where you got that. The neat thing about tubes is that they clip far more gracefully than an SS circuit. This is not a golden ear thing, anyone can hear it. Classifying someone as a golden ear is like telling someone who loves fine art or photography that they are a "vision snob".
BTW - shakran - PERFECT! So many people just take some sale geek's word. Excellent suggestion!