For those outside the hobby, the majority of objective measurement/science-based audiophiles generally agree on a few things re: amplifiers. 1. In an average r

For those outside the hobby, the majority of objective measurement/science-based audiophiles generally agree on a few things re: amplifiers. 1. In an average room one solid-state amplifier (Class AB or Class D or other "switching" amps) will sound indistinguishable from another, assuming you're not driving them to distortion. (Less powerful amps will distort at lower levels of output) Long story short, these amps give you more of an objectively correct reproduction of the input signal. 2. All bets are off when it comes to vacuum tube amps. A lot of them add various distortions that may or may not sound pleasing to various folks. You can think of them as the aural equivalent of Instagram filters that make things more pleasing at the expense of absolute accuracy to the source material. 3. The subtle sonic differences between amplifiers are dwarfed by the distortions induced by speakers and the room itself. Which is "better"? Tube or solid-state? Well, there's nothing wrong playing with tubes and seasoning your listening experience with various euphonic distortions. Ultimately, it's all about enjoying your sound! As a practical matter, solid state amps are more economical generally going to give you the most enjoyable results through the widest variety of material. Imagine messing around with the color settings on your TV and putting them into a slightly bizarre state. Some things are going to look amazing... and a whole lot of stuff is just going to look weird. So in general you'll get the most enjoyment just by staying accurate.