A tubes vs. Solid State question.

Tubes are simply superior to solid state; boy that should get them going.

I from tubes (CJ Premier 11a) to ss (MF2500) and felt I lost some inner detail but gained some bass. However, my tube amp was only 70 wpc and my ss is 250 which may explain the increase in bass. The amp is driving Thiel 3.6's thru a Conrad Johnson Premier 16ls II pre-amp.

Tom, I have always enjoyed it when you weighed in on any given subject because I usually learn something form your comments. I certainly did not have you in mind when I asked the question.
I know several people here for whom I have nothing but respect who are in the tube camp. I do not mind people having reasoned opinions regardless of the conclusion. I may be wrong about some of my opinions, and I have no problem with people absolutely loving tube equipment. I am certainly not suggesting I will never own another tube pre-amp, or that I will never audition a tube amp.
Maybe I never should have started this thread, but it was the few who act like SS people are tin-eared or have never heard tubes so they do not realize how much better tubes sound that caused me to do it.
Judit, I am using a Krell KRC-2 right now. This is my second Krell pre-amp and I really love the sound of it.
Anne, I agree with you and have no intention of running out and buying something because it glows in the dark. It is more the mindset I am asking about. I'm not sure if this is an inapropriate question but are you really a female audiophile??? That is a rare discovery!
Clueless, you have all together too much time on your hands, but you always make me laugh. There should be some kind of reward for that!
For the most part I ask questions like this to dialog with intelligent people about issues which concern me. Thanks for your responses.

Great thread! I suppose it's simply a matter of taste and what one finds to be appealing characteristics of sound. The "organic" feel/sound of tube components can be quite inviting as can some of the better designed SS components. Oh the beauty of expression, how grand it is!

peter jasz

Nrchy - I think that people just like to categorize and rank things it's not easy to. What are the three best Beatles songs? Who's better, the Who or Zeppelin? What was the best movie from Jan 2001 to Jan 2002? It's all good, I say, just different music for different moods and you can in a sense have it all.

I guess one difference with picking amps is that practically most people have to settle on putting their money into one for their stereo - so you ultimately do have to make a ranking, although maybe people take too big a step into "definitive ranking" territory.

There are aspects of SS that I prefer over tubes and vice versa. Certain things about tubes make the music sound more "right" to me, but other people's ears pick up on other cues and factors that make for "right" to them.

I think that SS or tube nazis tend to overlook that someone else may value the benefits of, or not be able to overlook the disadvantages of, one over the other in a way that's different from their way of listening. Think about Lord of the Rings fanatics who thought that it should sweep every award at last year's Oscars - I see why *you* like it, but that don't mean it's the best movie ever, period.

Nrchy, I am "the few who act like SS people are tin-eared or have never heard tubes so they do not realize how much better tube sound" the guy. SS are suck! LOL. Oops, ladies' around? Welcome to A'Gon Anne, can I get you some thing to drink? ;-)