effect of tubes in cd players

There are some players that can be switched between solid state out and Tube stage out.. I know Cary makes a couple and there are some other ones as well, but I can't think of them. I have found solid state digital running thru a tube preamp the best overall balance..

Some of the Consonance also let you switch between tube and SS.

I have a Granite CDP with both a SS output and a tubed output played through the same DAC . I have also auditioned a Cary player set up the same way . Both can do an A/B on the fly , very easy to hear the differences . This type of dual output CDP is really the only way to discern the differences between the two types .
First , you need to have a fairly resolving system to be able to hear the difference .
Second , the difference is not night and day . The SS side is a little more extended and dynamic .
Of course that means that the tubed side will be a little rolled off and be just a tad warmer .
While I have the option of either way , I prefer the SS side .
Again the difference is not significant .
I hope that this helps .

I had the opamps changed in the Cayin 15 to wonderful effects. , the 15 which offers ss and tube outs. The bass is a tiny bit more pronouned through the ss, but the mids and highs are superior in the tube out. So thats how I listen.
My Cayin 17 offers only tube and am in the process of making my final tweak, changing the caps. I'll post a note on the results.
Makes sense to me that cahnging the cheap stock caps with mundork M series (not their best , not the cheapest) would affect the sound, as the caps is the very last stage that the sound passes before it exits the cdp.