What SQ characteristics do distinguish from the auditioned Class D Gan amps that cause you to still prefer tubes. I suspect I would agree with you and pick tubes but for my rooms allergy to heat.
Have you ever experienced a class AB amp that got you closer to your tube preference ("soul"?) than a Class D Gan? If so, which one(s)?
#1 on the list was 3D soundstage. Depth was more convincing using a 300B SET tube amp.
#2 was texture. The tube amp conveyed a bit more.
Regardless of what chip amp I’ve auditioned, they all sounded a bit sterile and artificial compared to the 300B tube amp. The AGD Audion GAN mosfet amp was the least so.
I have never experienced a Class AB solid state amp in my system that came close to a tube amp. I have heard Class A that approached a tube amp - Pass Labs XA-30 and XA-60.