Ok the part where you messed up is when you used popularity and went with the marshall. Hues & Kettener is the way to go, I have a Hues & Kettner Attax 100 it is a 3 channel, 120 watt tube driven head that i have pushing a cheap noname halfstack cabinet and a cheap 100 dollar KORG tone works Guitar AX1G effects processor and I have the best sound ive ever wanted. I have recently went in the market for a knew halfstack and the only ones that even competed were and Orange, A Hues & Kettener Warp7, and a Randal Warhead, Marshall is an alright brand but ive just never been satisfied by the JCM.