As usual, Nrchy, most posters on this and similar sites, overstate their preferences such as loving tubes, and 'hating' solid state, condemning those who disagree with them--so your reluctance to be completely forthcoming with this 'admission' is understandable.
It seems that the dislike for solid state gear goes back to a time when most circuits were 'hard or harsh' sounding by comparison. Actually, solid state simply has harmonic distortions which are more objectionable to the human psyche than tube distortions, which when analyzed, have actually a 'pleasant'(comparatively) sound. There are even devices in recording studios which emulate, or reproduce tube-like distortons, which some performers have become 'hooked on'. Aphex Aural Exciter I think is the name, but that could be wrong it's been a long time since I heard that name--someone out there probably remembers this. For many years Barbara Streisand was known as an 'aphex junkie' because of her desire to have her voice, over processed with this sound.
I personally like tubes-yet find that a combination of both is almost ideal for my taste; for example during my years in the retail business, I would mate a good solid state amp with a really good tube preamp. That combination was almost always preferable to 'my ears' as being better.
Here we are now with some hybrid integrated amps doing well, so perhaps there's something to this combination. Or in the instance of truly great products like the Rowland or the Gryphon, in which the circuits crafted carefully, that 'harshness' is virtually non existant.
I hope this helps you to get a glimpse into the thinking of some of those who state such strong and emperical preferences.
Best,
Larry
