I think you guys have missed the point of my post and forgotten what my concern was. Volume!
As for tube sound, perhaps its better to look at this like not so much sounding like a tube amp, but sounding better or closer to a tube amp than ordinary solid state. I don't care about getting authentic exact tube replication but I do want to enjoy an amp that might sound better than other s.s choices at 5kg.
I don't have this Koch amp to compare yet, but the difference between an ordinary S.S amp and Roctron Velocity is night and day. There is a more dynamic feel and that's great. A glassy element to the sound.
As for those name guitarists I mentioned, they were referenced on the basis that they have switched from 1000watts Matrix s.s amp to this Koch 90watt amp. So those guys would not have done so if there was not enough power. Therefore the Koch must do something better or more efficiently to not need the same amount of watts like the guy said. And, those guys are on a higher level than me, they'd not use the amp if they didn't like the sound over the other either.
Hey Gerry, I guess you answered some of your questions with this. I read up some on the Koch and thereĀ“s pretty good reviews on Rig-Talk, Sevenstring.org, FAS-Forum etc, also with regard to volume, sound and feel.
Everything now is purely hypothetical until you check one out for yourself.
I don't know (and I don't wanna know
) how much of a discount they're offering. Wok something out with a money back option in case it doesn't float your boat and have them send you one. Or take your GF on a nice weekend trip to the Netherlands and check the amp out at Koch directly.
...and since I always have a pocket full of them, some more of my 2cents:
I presently run (main rig) an AxeFX II with an old Rocktron Velocity 150 through an early 90s Boogie 2x12 Vertical Halfback and I have zero volume issues with loud drummer or tube stacks (and I don't get past 2 o'clock on the 150s Vol knobs)
Also, one of the best comments in this thread:
[...] Now on the other hand for live use you don't need a lot of watts when you're mic'd up.