Soundstage vs background noise?

Just an addendum to Ralph's post. Not only may the tubes be shot, but if the tube gear is old, it may be time for a recap too. I am a card carrying tube-head. So yeah, tube gear requires a little more care and feeding, but it's kinda fun, gets me involves with the technology a little more and I think sounds nice. Just me.

Well designed tube amps with tubes running as they should have a very low noise floor, and spatial queues galore...also this post has one of my extremely rare uses of the word "galore."

OP -

tubes can be noisy. A tubed amp is only as good as the tubes installed. If a tube(s) becomes noisy, it is getting weak or running out of juice (no pun).

One of the major reasons that led me to move from SS toward tubes was an increased ability to present spatial, nuances and ambience information. The realism and natural sound characteristics were superior. It may be a question of what particular component and tubes are being used. Not every tube amp does this aspect as well as others.
Regards,

I appreciate all the comments. Ralph, my experience is that tubes are just noisier than solid state. Admittedly I do not listen to music with my ear 4 inches from the tweeter, but I have to tell you, at that close range I always heard a hiss through the speakers and now with SS (I'll give a plug- Pass Labs) it's dead silent. I have to think that has to make a difference.

10 years ago when I went to tubes, I found tubes a relief. SS was just too 'hard' but my impression is that the best of tube sound and the best of SS sound is truly converging.

Maybe this is going to be viewed, at some time in the future, as the golden age of audio. Truly mature vinyl at many price points, excellent digital, especially high res, excellent amplification even at modest costs and amazing speakers at price points unimaginable a generation ago.