What is your experience when deciding between the two technologies? Or do you own amps of both types and use them for different things? Are they really different?
For me they very sound different, and since the first time I heard a tube headphone amp I was enchanted by its rawness. I had been driving my Abyss AB1266 Phi TC with a solid state amp (off-brand with Chinese components) and it sounded great but I had read these headphones really need a good amp so I went to a store to see what can drive them better, and tried a tube amp from Germany. 10 seconds in I was able to tell this is what I needed. Might be a matter of taste? Yes, but to each his own, I have read people who hate the Abyss and also others like me who love them.
I’d like to know your opinions too.
That is a good suggestion. I am only afraid I will realize that to achieve this “tube nirvana” I will need to put some serious money on it ;). But hey, we are in this hobby for the journey and the fun of it all ;)