Maybe it's just my ear -- but I've never been happy with tube response. Every one of them that I've heard just gets muddy on really "punchy" notes. They seem fine if you want lots of vibe but a mistake if you want clean, punchy bass notes.

I guess if I had to characterize it I'd say that tubes sound fine for rap music but would make classical music sound horrible at high volumes.

-- Bleys

"If you would judge, understand." -- Seneca