Are tubes really “warm”?

Note that Kaitty's said his rig is a Sony Discman through Grado SR80s without earpads, so there's that. 

NO! And transistors don't sound cold!

Wolfie knows only what I want him to know. So there’s that.

Is it the tubes, or the circuit design, quality of the transformers... I have owned complete tube systems, as well as mixed systems (tube pre + SS amp)


For more then 15 years my systems have been 100% SS. My current system starts with the: Oppo 105 with power supply and incoming IEC replaced with Furutech Rhodium IEC with attached pure silver tail connecting to the new LPM and the 110/220 switch replaced with a silver jumper. The tray is loaded with New Dark Matter which helped tremendously with the digital nasties. One meter WireWorld series 8 XLRs direct to my Ric Schultz EVS 1200 amp; dual mono IceEdge class D modules with lots of tweaks. The tops have been removed from the 1200 and the 105. No preamp. WireWorld Series 8 speaker cables connect to Emerald Physics KCII open baffle ~ 96db efficient.

Everything, including the speakers, have Machina Dynamica springs under them


I only spin cds. Some sound dry and brittle (indeed on greatest hits discs some songs sound dry and brittle while others sound terrific), whether they are red book, DVD-A or SACD

hth

I always thought the warm sound associated with tubes came from distortion and HF roll off.