I get Eric's point as it is amazing that people nearly unanimously think those ridiculous Pass and Ayre amps sound great. Why? From listening to them? BALDERDASH I say...it's all about esoteric measurements that, even if most music fans don't understand those things, matter so much!...You could waste hours or years enjoying something that's actually inferior in some way and has some form of distortion that fools you into thinking you're enjoying it, and do you get those years back? No you don't!..sure, Nelson Pass says a little even ordered distortion seems to make people like the sound of an amp, and even built little gizmos that generate that and gave them away to some DIY people! A CHEAP TRICK...I like tubes because they look cool and make me think I'm slightly hipper somehow, but although I enjoy the sound of 'em, I'm no dummy! Straight wire with gain is what I need man...I'm likely not worthy though, and I'll sadly continue to suffer along somehow...*sniff*...by the way...I have an eight thousand dollar acoustic guitar and if I pick it too hard it distorts! What a piece of junk...