February 2022 – Old-school Metal-head

Which kind of amplifier is best for projecting your signature sound? Our expert comparison will help you decide..

For as long as both tube amps and solid state guitar amps have been around, players have weighed up the pros and cons of each to try to decide which option is better. Of course, the answer isn’t black and white, and what’s right for one guitarist might not be right for another.

Hybrid amps

There are hybrid amps out there that use a mixture of tube and solid state technology. Usually, there’s a single tube in the preamp section, along with a solid state power amp section. The idea is to give players tube-style overdrive as they turn up the volume or gain on their preamp, in a lighter and cheaper package.

Once upon a time, tube amps were the only proper means of amplifying a guitar’s signal. Transistor, or solid state, amps came about in the ’60s and really took off in the ’70s. For the most part, they were lighter and cheaper than their tube counterparts, and their sound remained cleaner at higher volumes. However, the natural overdrive and compression that you get with tube amps continued to hold an allure over many players, and still does today.

What are the key differences between tube amps and solid state amps? In this guide, we’ll cover areas such as tone, feel, cost and practicality, to help you figure out what might be best for you.

tBefore we compare tube amps vs solid state amps, though, a quick word about how each type works. In a tube amp, vacuum tubes are used in both the preamp and power amp sections to boost your signal. When more signal is sent to the amp via the gain or volume knobs, the tubes will be pushed harder and more electrons will flow through the tubes, resulting in harmonic distortion. Tube amps also require a transformer to help drive the speaker. In a solid state amp, these tubes are replaced with transistors that do not react in the same way to more signal being fed through them. In modeling amps, digital processors are used to emulate the function and response of tubes.

Tube amps vs. Solid state amps: Tone

Arguably the most important factor with any amplifier is its tone. The different components used in tube and solid state amps lead to different tonal characteristics that render them perfect for some players but not for others.

Tube amps tend to sound a little warmer. When pushed, tubes usually add even order harmonics that our ears generally deem musical and pleasing. As you increase the volume or gain on a tube amp, you get harmonic distortion and natural compression.

This is the case in both the preamp and the power amp sections, which means that as you increase the volume on a tube amp, you start to get some natural breakup. Different amps and tubes will break up at different points, as we’ll discuss later. Solid state amps usually have more clean headroom, so, unless you’re purposely dialing in gain, your tone will stay clean even when the volume is high. While some players claim that solid state amps can sound a little tinny or harsh, it’s important to note that a lot of modern examples have come a long way from what they once were.

The sound of most rock and blues records has been defined by the natural warmth, crunch and compression of cranked tube amps, and a lot of the time that’s what players want – it’s what a lot of us have fallen in love with over the past 60+. However, some guitarists want an amp that stays clean at any volume – many jazz players opt for solid state amps because it means they’ll be guaranteed a clear, clean tone even when they’re playing loudly in bigger venues. The Roland Jazz Chorus is a great example of this.

Different brands often utilize different tubes in their amps’ power sections, all of which yield slightly different characteristics. Usually – though not always – you’ll find 12AX7 or 12AT7 tubes in the preamp section. A lot of the associations we make with certain amp companies come from the different power tubes they use. For example, EL34s are often associated with British amps (i.e. those made by Marshall), while 6L6 tubes are associated with US amps (such as the models in Fender’s lineup).

Tube amps vs Solid state amps: Feel

It might seem odd to talk about the feel of an amp – that’s how it responds to your fingers on the guitar’s strings – but playing through a tube amp is slightly difTube amps add natural compression as you increase the signal flowing through them. This makes notes sound different as you play – they’ll compress more when you dig in with your picking hand, and they’ll clean up and sound more open as you use a softer attack.

The compression added naturally by a tube amp usually enables you to play more expressively, and with more dynamics. Most solid state amps don’t compress at all, regardless of how loud you have them. Neither is better, but often different players will have a preference.