The schematic design of an amp drastically changes the sound. I prefer the sound of single ended amps, although have also enjoyed triode & pentode designs. Also, even though (in some cases) the basic components appear to be the same, there are different levels of quality with them. For instance capacitors vary greatly in cost depending on brand, as do transformers, resistors, tubes, & wire. All of these can change the sound of the amp.
Tube Amp Pricing
I’ve been curious about the costs
of tube gear. As far as my layman eyes can see, the components in tube amps
look similar. And yet, the pricing is all over the place - $30,000 to $1,000.
Is it the amount of engineering that explains the wide differences in cost, the
components, or a combination of the two? Just curious