Sense of life? Tubes?

Pace - Rhythm - and - Timing (PRAT) is what I believe brings life to a recording, in one sense. Combine that with a sense of extension in the top and bottom ends and you'll have most of it. Now add good dynamics and you'll have it (at least all that a stereo is capable of). Of course this all presupposes tonal accuracy and a lack of distortion or grunge.

Enjoy,
Bob

Kt_88, I don't think that's correct. Tubes tend to produce even order distortion, including predominantly second order. Solid state produces primarily odd order distortion. The most annoying kinds of distortion are the 7th and 9th harmonics--both odd.

Calanctus,

Don't know what to tell you. I read it in a book, perhaps the book was not very specific.