New hybrid amp: Tube preamp, low-watt power tube, solid-state power amp

This packaging approach makes a lot of sense. There are several approaches to the hybrid amp.

Preamp tubes, solid-state power amp. Examples: almost all contemporary "hybrid amps" such as Marshall's.
Solid-state preamp, tube power amp. Examples: Music Man, Marshall 2060 Mercury.
Amp simulator amps -- using preamp tubes, digital amp modelling, and solid state power amp. Examples: Line 6, DigiTech/Johnson Millennium.
Preamp tubes, low-watt power tube such as EL84, possibly a load, then high-wattage solid-state power amp. Examples: Warwick ProTube IV, Warwick ProTube IX (see my Warwick Quadruplet page).

For amp-emulating amps, such as Flextone and Johnson Millennium: The real solution these companies should do is, add one more saturation stage: they should add an EL84 power tube and another level control, yielding:
o Preamp distortion and its gain control
o Power tube distortion and its saturation control
o Linear power amp and its level control

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