The Great Debate
Tubes or solid state? They both have their advantages and disadvantages, so which one should you go with? And yes, there definitely is a difference.
Solid state is cheaper. That appeals to a lot of people, and for casual bedroom players, solid state is often enough. One of its advantages is that it actually responds better to being played at lower volumes. Tubes like being played loud, and by that I mean they break up at louder volumes and really add that warm tube overdrive to your distortion. Solid state sounds the same at any volume because it is digitally created by computer chips. This also means the solid state amps require less maintenance; no tubes to replace.
100-watt Tube amps will blow away 100-watt solid state amps in terms of perceived loudness. Solid state amps often come equipped with digital effects that can sound decent and save you money on effects. Tube amps typically don’t come with effects, but you can often buy pedal and rack effects that are much better than those that come with the solid state amps.
Basically, 1. how much money do you want to spend 2. what are you using it for; as in bedroom, local bar, etc. Keep in mind that you usually get what you pay for, and try lots of things before you make a decision. Happy shredding!!
