Hola Sleepysurf, your ears are working very good!, and you are right with your finding. Warming is not enough, the design of C-J and most tube gears, had taken in consideration the temperature of all components at the PC board. Tube likes to be a little bit hotter than warmer. You can turn your preamp on, and feed a signal to it, go and do some computer working , and them come back and listen. The sound when it is at the right temperature, the stage and the size of the instruments is stunning. Richer harmonic texture and more been there is the experience. Also, the sweet spot opens up. The sense of the fingering and plucking the strings at the guitar is palpable, and the deepness of the bass improves. It is easier to understand what the surrounded musicians are doing with the main artist, and if you are listening only one instrument, the feeling of the musician playing is breathless. The harmonica played by Toots Thielemans is alwasya wow! The Paquitlo D´Rivera clarinet is warm with the right touch. Michel Camilo plays the piano with an outstanding clarity, Salvatore Accardo, old violin recording of Paganini Concertos is something that must be listened with the tubes warmed one hour after. Yes, my dear friend, your ears are right!. Happy listening!
