A lot depends on the designer and what "sound" he/she is reaching for. The range on sound differences are many. It can go from very harsh and bright for some solid state to very soft and mushy and distorted for tube. But, I have found that well designed tube equipment is both realistic and accurate and the same is true for well designed solid state designs.
It also depends on what speakers you are driving.
The real test is you. What type of music do you appreciate? Are you familiar with how instruments are "suppose" to sound? Are you familiar with sound space, dimensionality?,etc. How loud you play your music matters also.
You are going to hear/read from many about harmonic distortion and how it is different in tubes vs solid state equipment. That is well and good. However, There are some pretty good solid state designers out there, just as there are some good tube designers.
To debate and discuss tube sound vs solid state sound, one first must test both on an apples to apples scale. Pick a price point, select equipment well designed within that price point and go at it. just like cars, most electronic equipment is designed within price points that have compromises to stay within that price range. So it will be very close to apples to apples in the comparison.
You can't A/B an Audio Research REF 2509 amp vs a lower end or mid fi Yamaha solid state amp and consider that a fair comparison.
If you are talking about high end, then you will then see that the equipment is pretty darn close with subtle differences. And now!!!! is when we can have a fair discussion about the differences. Until I hear a person's reference point about comparisons, the discussion is lost on me.
Tube sound is warmer and more detailed? In reference to what???
I can tell you that I really like the Audio Research REF 250 amps. They are clean, smooth, accurate and realistic to my ears. The best I've hear so far. I've heard the top of the line Boulder amps and wow! they are nice. I still prefer the AR amps. But it may not be solid state vs tube here, but just AR vs Boulder.
Remember, every designer is different. I haven't heard the TOL Pass amps, but I bet they are really nice.
So, read/listen to what others say about tube sound vs solid state, but, it all comes down to price point, apples to apples comparison and ultimately, what you prefer.
enjoy
It also depends on what speakers you are driving.
The real test is you. What type of music do you appreciate? Are you familiar with how instruments are "suppose" to sound? Are you familiar with sound space, dimensionality?,etc. How loud you play your music matters also.
You are going to hear/read from many about harmonic distortion and how it is different in tubes vs solid state equipment. That is well and good. However, There are some pretty good solid state designers out there, just as there are some good tube designers.
To debate and discuss tube sound vs solid state sound, one first must test both on an apples to apples scale. Pick a price point, select equipment well designed within that price point and go at it. just like cars, most electronic equipment is designed within price points that have compromises to stay within that price range. So it will be very close to apples to apples in the comparison.
You can't A/B an Audio Research REF 2509 amp vs a lower end or mid fi Yamaha solid state amp and consider that a fair comparison.
If you are talking about high end, then you will then see that the equipment is pretty darn close with subtle differences. And now!!!! is when we can have a fair discussion about the differences. Until I hear a person's reference point about comparisons, the discussion is lost on me.
Tube sound is warmer and more detailed? In reference to what???
I can tell you that I really like the Audio Research REF 250 amps. They are clean, smooth, accurate and realistic to my ears. The best I've hear so far. I've heard the top of the line Boulder amps and wow! they are nice. I still prefer the AR amps. But it may not be solid state vs tube here, but just AR vs Boulder.
Remember, every designer is different. I haven't heard the TOL Pass amps, but I bet they are really nice.
So, read/listen to what others say about tube sound vs solid state, but, it all comes down to price point, apples to apples comparison and ultimately, what you prefer.
enjoy