I can easily understand why someone would insist in tube only. Unless your budget is unlimited, you can not just sample phonos endlessly, you must have some idea of what you want.
SS makes sounds, Tubes make music; to some people, sounds sound better than music, plus they dote over the lack of sound, which they call "silence", and nothing is quieter than SS, it exceeds in making no sounds, but since it wasn't making music, the matter is moot.
Music lovers love tubes, and tubes are cheaper because you can double the quality of a tube phono with NOS tubes.
