Are tubes really “warm”?

*are tubes warm?*, 
 depends on make of amp/design. in general , no , not muddy (=warm). 
but most ~~certainly~~ not sterile sounding,  that is not clinical as their nemesis, the *other* amp design,
(hint = ss amperage)
yeah i am  #1 basher. of ss design. 
The ss groupies just hate me so...

You can take top 3 ss amp designs in the world, hook em up to highly colored (crappy/high distortion/high fatigure, muddy/murky/not warm, but HOT as hell), and you'll end up with a  pile of _____
Now take 3 top tube designs in the world , with same highly colored speakers,,and you'll at lesat get some semblance of a  live stage experience. 
This is the point i am trying to emphasize.
World's very best ss designs can not match worlds finest tube designs. In all areas of  sonic fq resolution/sound stage/live experience. 

 I believe absolutes in this hobby are best avoided.

@ Nobel100, well sure, in general, ss amps display a  characteritic, which tube fans have no desire to ever go back to. 
Speaking of ARC, I've only heard a  ARC system with a  speaker that may have colored, in fact no doubt did color the sound. 
can't reacll the big tower speakers,, He had  a cary 303 cd player
I did not like the sound. 
As I say, i recently auditioned a  hefty tube pre (retails @ $3K+) , i do not want to call out the brand.  But just did not synergize in my system (lame excuse). Maybe one of the other models has superior sonics, i have no idea, Not willing to chance it.
But I do know fora  fact  there  does <<NOT>> exist any ss pre amp in the universe that would even comke close to meeting my expectations. 
I am not speaking in generalities here,,I am stanch dogmatic religious on that POV.
Now as for amps,, sure there are some tube amps, than  may lose in a  shootout with some ss amps, this is quite likely. 
But in general, a  well designed (that'll cost ya bud) tube amp will out perform  ss amps  costing 2X's+ more
THere is hype in both designs. But in general , you can find more snakeoil flowing through ss designs. 

Hello mozartfan,

     Apparently, you seem to have an absolute inclination and preference toward absolute thinking in this audio hobby. I've learned through personal experience that claims of audio absolutes are of little merit, are rarely reliable and cause the closure of an individual's mind to new ideas, discoveries along with a voluntary forfeiture of the very process of continued learning and growing itself. Well, good luck with that.

Tim



well i've been in and out hifi past 40 yrs,,so i have some limited experience,
I do research,, lost out on a  few decisions,,now i havea  tech guy for consultation, and suggest everyone should havea  tech geek for references on any decision. 
But yeah, as far as ss technology , not for me, My mind is closed..I'll take tubes for all its <<good and bad>>