Re: non master volume amps, or master volume amps
On non master volumes, your gain is dependent on the design of the amp, overall.
You're just pushing tubes to the point of saturation, and it's preamp is working against full volume, not a secondary volume. Considering this, you've got to really choose an amp that has it's operating volume exactly at the volume you'll use it at, or it'll always sound too loud and clean. That's one reason you see a lot of Marshall 100W non mastervolume heads being sold. Very few people need a 100 watter turned past 3. They don't start to sound killer till they're on 5, and that's a volume suited to Madison Square Gardens. Even 50 watters are too much amp if you have no commercial rehearsal space. The problem is the jump down to EL-84's or 6V6.....you may not have the tight bass response you're used to having with 6L6's and EL-34s.
Notice all the boutique Marshall clones coming out that are 1-12 combos with EL-84's.
They're finally starting to make some that simulate a Marshall stack non mastervolume, only in a small quieter combo.
Or, you can choose to use a mastervolume amp, which I tend to prefer, only because I need to have full control over levels without sacrificing tone. You just have to get a really good mastervolume amp, to equal the sound of a typical non mastervolume.
It's all about the power tubes. If they aren't at their optimum operating level, the amp's tone won't thrill you......at least that's the case with me.
