so mtrycrafts, are you saying that given the same specs, a tube amp and a solid state amp would sound the same? That using crappola resistors and other parts wouldn't effect the sound coming out of the speakers? I'm very old school, did most of my hard core stereo listening in the 70's when I had a very different income. I tried many brands of amps, pre-amps, speakers, turntables-tonearms cartridges and interconnects...each change had an audible effect..but i guess that was all assuming the changes weren't real? how can one say that different amps sound that same? unless they're knockoffs using the same guts.
I almost missed your response as it is not linked to directly to my post.
Firstly, tube amps do not have the same specs as SS amps. Rarely do they have such low output impedences as an SS which has a great influence on the amps behavior. Secondly, I guess you just didn't follow Carvers career in such things and comparisons as when he added enough output impedance to an SS to equal the tube, and no one could differentiate them. Again, not your fault for not knowing and believing that your perceptions in the past and I am sure in the present are in fact infallible.
As to crapola resistors, I wouldn't know but resistors used in amps in past gear or today's and exotic audiophile resistors, or caps, well those too have been tested in the past 30 years. You won't like the answer so I will not upset you with reality. Again, you are free to believe. You really should dwell into human psychology, bias, testing of humans.
I just wonder how you compared any of the components you mentioned, how well it was controlled for bias and how well you really guessed.
In the end, not important as I doubt you are interested in expanding your knowledge base in facts, not fiction.