Tube CDP/DAC sound: too "refined"?

I have to agree with Bob and not just in terms of CD players, but amps as well - there is no one tube sound; their are many flavors of tube sound, and smooth and rolled off is just one of them. I haven't heard a lot of tube CD players, but my Atma-Sphere amps are definitely not too polite. I bet if Atma-Sphere made a CD player, it wouldn't be too polite, either.

Of course this was a "trick" question meant to arouse you people. Are there other audiophiles (with solid state based systems) who want to give a response?

Chris

Smooth would probably mean lacking texture.

Honest1: yes, texture can be heard in real life, that is some minute irregularities and "noise" in music because of bouncing of the sound against the performer, instrument, surrounding walls and acoustic structures. If this "texture" is smooth over then the music becomes a bit lifeless. Pretty, but not exactly as in real life. But I'm afraid this is a "trick" statement again... I know.

Chris

Chris, you are quite right, those " minute irregularities " and some dirt and noise belong to live music and neccessarily have to be reproduced if the facsimile of the thing is to be believable. Only, you find a lack of that both in SS as well as tube gear, as was quite rightly pointed out above. Look up the concept of PRAT in these pages if you like and you'll see that this is an old topic, which has been discussed many times.
Cheers,
Detlof