Just when I think the fervor over this debate has all but fizzled out, it comes rearing its ugly head every now and then.
I was in a forum where one person said, “Solid state amps are more like 2D, while tube amps are 3d.” Looking back on it now, I think that maybe he was just flame-baiting. But throughout that particular thread, people were making all sorts of claims as to why tube amps are so much better than solid state amps. Then on the other side, the solid state amp folks we extolling the virtues of solid state amps.
It’s all bullshit.
As Duke Ellington once said (I’m paraphrasing), “If it sounds good, then it is good.” With respect to an amp – or any gear for that matter – if it inspires you to be musical because of its sound and dynamics, who the hell cares whether or not its circuits are tube-based or solid state?
I have ten amps, 8 of which are tube amps; though one of my tube amps is actually a hybrid tube/solid-state amp. Each of my amps has a different character. But when I gig with a band, I invariably use either my hybrid (DV Mark Little 40), or as of late, my BOSS Katana 50. The Katana is a modeling amp, but it still has solid-state circuits. And guess what? It has a badass sound!
Don’t get me wrong. I love my tube amps, but the thing about a tube amp is that each different tube amp has a fairly unique sound and character. And for me, that uniqueness kind of boxes it into a particular style. When I’m playing in a band though, the styles of music we usually play are pretty diverse, so I need something that is a bit more versatile. My hybrid and the Katana provide that for me.
In any case, so sorry if this is a bit of a rant, but I find the whole debate a little annoying.
Guitar Gear 
I solved the issue for my own personal taste a decade ago. The older I got, the more I realized hauling less gear with minimal impact on sound was the way to keep my back from having issues later in life.
I went to a Class D amp and a compact cab with neo speakers. The difference to my ears in a band environment is so discreet it’s not even worth mentioning. Plus, practically everything is pushed through the mains these days, therefore my amp is just my personal monitor. The sound guy is my ticket to a great sound.
Getting old sucks. By downsizing my gear (including going to a lighter guitar) I’ve avoided the back issues many of my peers now are experiencing. Standing on a stage for 1-4 hours a night no doubt takes it’s toll after a few decades.
Yeah, if this were the 70’s, I’d still be screaming with my tube amp. Modern technology can’t totally reproduce that killer sound with the speakers pushing air power through your back, although it comes mighty close.
My 2/100’s.
I feel your pain. I’ve downsized my rig significantly over the years; especially my solo acoustic rig. My thought is if I can’t haul it in one trip, it’s too much gear. 🙂 But the same goes with my band rig. And I’m with you: The sound guy is definitely my ticket to great sound. I set my amp loud enough so I can hear it, and let the sound guy get my sound out there.
I wholeheartedly agree. There’s no way people who say “tubes are better than solid state 100% of the time” are comparing the same level of amp. Spring reverbs, on the other hand… I can think of maybe two digital ones up to standard.
Exactly. It’s like the claim that a more expensive guitar is better than a cheapo. I have had a bunch of guitars over the course of my career up and down the cost scale. I’ve kept the ones that simply work for me. One of them is a CV Tele that I got for $225. And that’s the point. You play with what works for YOU no matter what it costs or what it’s made of. 🙂
THAT IS TRUE……IF IT SOUNDS GOOD, THAT’S ALL THAT MATTERS…
Plus, if it sounds good to your audience, they won’t care one little bit!