Is a tube phono better than ss?

Easy answer: it all depends (on too many things to give a single answer conclusively in general).

Neither has the market cornered on delivering best results case by case. That's why both are still around and have substantial followings. Like Honda and Toyota....

YEs, getting quiet tubes needed for phono is a real consideration for tube phono.

My ARC sp16 has 3 tubes in phono stage. I learned from ARC when replacing that only one of the three must meet higher tolerance for low noise use in it. I appreciated ARC addressing this when ordering new tubes for me which saved me cost of three versus one very low noise replacement tube. So be aware of this issue for sure if you are into a tube phono in general.

"My experience is that it mainly speaker dependent."

I would tend to agree with that.

Its dependant on the overall system and the sound it delivers really, but I think teh speakers are the main thing that you build around and all the rest will fall into place around that based on personal preference more so than any inherent superiority of tube amplification versus SS.

No doubt many will disagree with me on this, especially tube amp lovers, who tend to almost always prefer tubes and the unique things that often only tubes can do.

Neither is better, any more than chocolate is better than vanilla or vice versa. IT all can be mighty tasty and appeal to the masses if done well. That's the key! Quality trumps technology when it comes to these things.

I will say that almost every reference system I have heard that I tend to prefer tends to have a tube or two in the mix somewhere, though not necessarily in the phono stage. The one I have heard that was truly reference quality with no tubes was a very high end and costly mbl system.

In fact, I think appeal of tubes is greater when used to add some needed flavoring to digital, though there is no basis to say the preferred results are quantifiably "better" than otherwise. The opposite is more likely the case.

I have no tubes currently in my second system which I think now sounds quite spot on and better than ever, even with tubes in prior. I do use an amp there though that is designed to be a reasonable SS alternative to a tube amp.

Pops and ticks as an indicator of NF Ringing?

Hadn't thought about that but would seem to make sense.

Also I think I understand Frogman's comment about how lp surface noise sounds with tube amplification versus otherwise in general. I have been running a tube phono pre-amp for several years now and have not done direct comparisons with prior SS units I've owned, but in general I there could be some validity to saying the noise inhernet with tube amplification is less apparent than with SS.

YEah, I'm still where I started at the beginning of this thread. Each is different each has +s/-s. Neither is inherently "better". Choose your poison....

Need/expense of maintaining low noise tubes for phono is the biggest downside in either case for most. Good SS phono is more care/maintenance free. Yes there are many very GOOD ones!

Audiophiles are a picky and opinionated bunch. There is not a lot that all agree on, but they do tend to like tubes and phono more so than most. SO I think there is a bias that way there as a group compared to the norm. Myself included.

Audiophiles are also more willing to drop a ton of cash on their gear. That's a big factor as well! The only thing cost effective about tubes and phonos these days is the abundance of cheap used vinyl out there and the need for those with large vinyl libraries already to protect their investment.

Cheap vinyl and protecting ones investment in a record library are both phono things. Tubes will almost always ADD cost, so one should be confident that the additional investment is a good one for them. THat's all that matters.