[Wayner]

I've been listening to some really old stuff thru my AVA U70 amp and started to notice that the older tunes recorded with tubes really sound good, like Roy Oribison, and Tommy James and the Schondells. When I've heard these same recordings on an SS amp, it's not quite the same. Anyone else feel the same?

[Niteshade]

I think it depends on how much processing is done if the recording was remastered. Sometimes they go too far with the noise reduction. If it wasn't remastered,  I like the idea of listening to songs on the same technology they were recorded in, if the original equipment was tube. Same goes for old movies.

[zybar]

I've been listening to some really old stuff thru my AVA U70 amp and started to notice that the older tunes recorded with tubes really sound good, like Roy Oribison, and Tommy James and the Schondells. When I've heard these same recordings on an SS amp, it's not quite the same. Anyone else feel the same?

I find the same thing with pretty much ALL recordings...not just older ones.

41 tubes and counting in my system.   

George

[Browntrout]

Certainly, the best recordings were done forty or fifty years ago. From listening alone I have found we have gone backwards in realism of sound. The removal of valves in the recording equipment can be charted over the years by listening to records with solid state and digital making music less and less enjoyable to listen to.
   If you hear a good modern recording it's most likely done with either vintage recording gear (Tacet) or modern valve gear such as Tim De Paravincinis' stuff.
  I think (but might be wrong) that the prefered cutting lathes were Numan models from the early seventies.