Hybrids and Valves and.... ???

I know what a tube amp is.

I know what a solid state amp is. (It has transistors instead of vacuum tubes.)

But what is a "hybrid" or a "valve"? I've seen these words pop up again and again when perusing the guitar amp sections of music store catalogs.

I don't know what they mean. When it comes to guitar amplifiers, I mean.

:confused:

"valve" is another way of saying tube.

"hybrid" is, i'm assuming, an amp that has either a tube power OR pre-amp and a solid state of the opposite. OR another possibility is something like the Marshall Valvestate. According to Marshall this amp sounds like a tube amp.

Generally, (and I think the valvestate is also made this way) hybrid amps have 1 or 2 12ax7's in as pre-amp tubes, and then a solid state power amp...it gets you closer to tube sound...but still leaves a lot to be desired.

So a hyrbid is roughly about "halfway" in the "oomph" department between tube and solidstate....

Question: Can the volume be turned down to acceptable household levels like on a solid state? Or do you have your choice between AIIIIEEEEEEEENGGGGGG!!!!! :eek: on the one hand and...

..."hisssssssss... cracklecrackle eeeeeevvvvp*pooft*" on the other, like with a tube?