Probably not that. I upgraded from amps where the tubes are visible to amps where they are not. And the new gear sounds better.
Are tubes psychological?
This just occurred to me this morning as I listened in my rather dark listening room with the soft glow of tubed amps on the floor in front of me between the speakers: How much of my enjoyment of tubes gear is due to the relaxed state the glow puts my mind in?
Thoughts?