No not usually. Tubes tend to be superb image making devices, with outstanding sound staging. Some tube amps will roll off the uppermost treble giving the sound the syrupy "tubiness" people think of when recalling the sound of older tube amps. Modern tube amps can be very clear and clean sounding even crisp.
All that said I don't doubt your experience with tube amps, but you did ask the question. Try to listen to an Audio Research tube amp, it might give you pause. Were the Gold Lion tubes current production or old stock? Were the tubes really EL-34 or KT-77?
All that said I don't doubt your experience with tube amps, but you did ask the question. Try to listen to an Audio Research tube amp, it might give you pause. Were the Gold Lion tubes current production or old stock? Were the tubes really EL-34 or KT-77?