tube magic with digital source?

Is the "magic" of tube amplification more pronounced when listening to an analog source as opposed to a digital source? 

Yes. It is. But probably not the way you think.

Almost everyone has bought into the story that SS is somehow more neutral and accurate, while tubes are somehow more distorted, but in a way we like. This story is nuts on its face. Because what this is really saying is we survived and evolved by a preference for distortion over reality. Cannot be. Absolutely cannot be.

I think it far more likely that at this stage of the game we have not yet figured out the proper relevant measurements. When we do we will find it is solid state and digital that are by far the most distorted. 

Whatever. Nobody gonna buy that one, it happens to be true and people these days are not in the market for truth. Just thought I would throw it out there.

Anyway, the goal of the system and every component in it is to do as little harm as possible. The goal is not to "sound good". It is not to "be magical". It is to do nothing. Components that do the least sound the best. 

Well think of it. Jennifer Warnes really is in your room singing. What could be better? How would you even begin to try and make it better? You'd have to be mad even to want to try. 

(I say this knowing full well there's like a hundred so-called audiophiles racing to the keyboard trying to be the first to say oh you need to fix your room, etc etc. Mad. Stark raving.)

So, you follow me? The tube amp does not put more magic into the signal when it comes from a record, and less when it comes from CD. It does the same in either case. It is simply that the signal coming from the record is coming in with a lot more of the original Warnes in the room sound. The CD is horribly stifled, and never can recover, since the job of every downstream component is to preserve and not modify.

What I am wondering is, is a high quality tube amp as likely to present as much of that subtle (or not so subtle) holographic magic if the source is digital?

Now you know the answer: No. It can't. Because the holographic magic was sacrificed and lost to digital before it ever got to the amp.

Thanks @millercarbon. So do I understand correctly that it is simply a waste of tubes if one only listens to digital sources?

Jenifer Warnes is a great case in point, BTW.

Digital sources are not created equal, so I would not be so sure. Internet digital is not the best digital. You just have to try if you really want to compare.

Millercarbon, are you saying that there is no difference in Tube vs SS if you're listening to digital source? Maybe I misunderstand your reply but
my experience is completely opposite. I routinely use a digital source in both SS and Tube amplification with several different speakers. I think tube amps definitely introduce warmth, holographic image and sweetness that's lacking in SS. I use a SET. It's day and night different. Even when I use a tube preamp with SS it still sounds SS. But a tube amp changes everything. Adding an analog source, of course, will make the sound even better and tubes will really shine. I also agree with you, I think tubes are more accurate in every way in music reproduction. Instruments and voices sound real.