Distortion, it's an unexpected and terrific thing the "Most Useless Audio Adjectives" list is taking on a life of its own. A lot of fun for sure.
Now, does the solid state output of my Granite sound tubelike? That is the real question...
Paul, I think "smoother and richer" have to be qualified a bit. We are probably on the same page sonically, but our words are different. Sometimes, I think two audiophiles who seem to diverge in words would come together 100% if they were in the same room. As what they hear is the same, and often the statement is made, "Oh, that's what you meant by BLAH? Yes, I agree, but, I called it FOO."
"Smooth" is the opposite of that variation I previously discussed. While I called it (probably incorrectly, as I pointed out) dynamic range, it's the low - high variation I hear with tubes. Solid state, in most cases, has less of that. I hesitate to call it flat or dull, as that would be a piece with too much of this going on.
"Rich" is where things kind of slow down a bit in terms of pace. The increasingly infamous "Pipe and Slippers Sound" is rich taken up a notch or two. I hear this with electrostatic speakers, again, despite the "conventional wisdom" And, I hear it in a lot of solid state. I often have felt that what is described as "tubelike" by those who praise, and "mosfet haze" by those on the other side of the camp is the way many have tried to put what I'm saying about solid state into words.
Tubes, to me, seem more open and light on their feet.
Intersting thread you've started here, to say the least. Well done!
