The guitar needs to be played in a certain way to bring out the
power tube tone. Heavily overdriven power chords probably wouldn't
reveal much difference between solid-state and tube amps.

The dynamic envelope of tube touch-sensitivity is included in the term "amp tone", whether the amp tone is heard on tape or directly through a loud guitar speaker cabinet. To claim there's a difference in dynamic attack is to claim there is a difference in Tone.

People often show a simple frequency response curve to "prove" that their simulator sounds real. But such a curve leaves out important audio aspects such as dynamic response.

>Which solid state amps have the most tube-like tone?
>
>There are ways to simulate cranked tube amp tone. But to have the
>best chance of getting realistic tube amp tone, use an actual tube
>amp.>>
>
>The feeling in your fingers of tube touch-sensitivity is important to the guitar player while playing. So power tubes are not just important for the final tone on tape. >I agree that there are solid-state rigs out there that can rival the tone of
>even a good tube amp.
>
>But the solid state rigs don't FEEL the same. They are not the same
>extension of your fingers that a tube amp is. They aren't reactive in the
>same way. For example, when you're playing a good tube amp at a moderate
>overdrive level and you dig in harder with your pick, the pick attacks
>jump out of the amp--the notes get louder, the way they would on an
>acoustic guitar. With a solid-state amp, the same playing technique
>produces more compression and sustain, but NOT the same increase in attack
>and volume as one would experience on, say, an acoustic guitar. You hit
>the 'glass ceiling'. Some solid-state rigs are worse that way than
>others, but all of them exhibit such a lack of response to a much greater
>degree than any decent tube power stage ever does.
>
>For me, this reactiveness has a great effect upon my playing, regardless
>of the fact that the solid-state rig might decently emulate the sustained
>sound of a note through the tube amp.
>
>And although you might not hear it in the "tone", you sure as hell hear
>the difference in the attacks.

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