Rod Elliots stuff looks good to me, no airy fairy nonsense. It's been around a while now.
Some how I feel it would just look more "right" with a "toob" preamp, pinch a bit of HT from your offboard PSU if you have the slack in it.
here's a link and this guy has a fair bit of info as long as you don't mind his "old American Guy" opinions ha ha. But the bit on tone controls is informative.
http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/.../Amp-Tone.html
A.