They are different, some players prefer tub amps and some prefer SS amps. The key is they are
different. I can see by this and the numerous other threads on the topic that the manufacturers have done a great job convincing a bunch of players that a hybrid amp is the best of both worlds.
Well, while some prefer transistor amps, some prefer tube amps, and some may even prefer a hybrid amp; the fact is they sound different. I would lump hybrids and transistor amps in the same category, and I am specifically referring to commercially produced integrated MI amplifiers and preamps, but
Regardless of how many glowing bottles the marketing department of a manufacturer convinces the designers to incorporate into the preamp, what pabulum the ad copy writers spew or what kind of pedal you use it wont sound like an all tube amp.
As antagonistic and trollish as the
title of this thread is though; the above statement shouldnt matter.
Its simply a matter of personal preference. Although I personally prefer it, I dont think tube is inherently
better, its a preference, and its a preference that often comes with a lot of baggage.
I like to use the significant other analogy; lets say there is a person you find wildly attractive, love being around, and feels like a true soul mate, but this person has 3 children, no job/money, a psychotic stalking ex, flirts openly in public and has six figures of daily compounding tax liability. But
smokin hot and super sexy, and unbelievably willing and creative in the rack. A
natural beauty.
On the other side, you have an attractive but not movie star person, who you get along with great. Loyal, hard working with a professional job, money in the bank, never married, no kids and whose ex was killed in an accident. As I said attractive, in good shape, young, vivacious, easy going, but not a head turning show stopper; zero baggage liabilities, and with a little grooming and the right clothes quite appealing indeed.
Im sure you have figured out which choice represents the tube amp and which is transistor.
While the merits and detriments of both could be (and often are) argued ad nauseam, both your amp and your better half are simply a choice; it depends on the individual and their personal motivations.
But; no matter how much grooming or what clothes the second one chooses they will never have the animal magnetism of the first, and regardless of how drop dead appealing and soul stirring the first one is, the baggage is always in your face and needs to be dealt with.
With amps, and specifically on forums like this, the majority of players are amateur at best and the high cost, weight and bulk of dealing with all tube amps is impractical almost to the point of being ridiculous.
However, for the last several years tube amps have been enjoying a resurgence in popularity, and the mass manufacturers have certainly noticed.
Several marketing departments have quite convincingly promoted hybrids as the holy grail, exploiting the lower budget, space and cartage limited occasional player into thinking (and obviously posting) that hybrids emulate (interesting choice of word by these marketing types; look up the actual definition
) all tube amps without the weight, cost or bulk hassles of an all tube rig.
Great concept, regretfully its far more hyperbole than fact. A concept generally propagated on internet forums (much to these aforementioned marketing departments delight; any marketing types here ever used the term "sheeping"?) by players who really havent actually spent much quality time with
both types, and simply parrot the marketing "hooks" that caused them to purchase the amp in the first place.
That said; I personally dont think either type of amp is inherently better or worse, and in fact the compromise of a hybrid, pedals Emulators(
) , etc. probably makes more sense for the casual player with limited resources to use for tube tone than a full out all tube rig.
As I have posted before, it generally boils down to how seriously you take your tone, and what percentage of your overall time, fiscal resources and effort you feel is necessary to devote to chasing that tone. Your choice of whether that tone is derived from vacuum tubes or transistors is a personal preference, not something to get your panties all wadded up about!
