But let's think for a second outside the box (geez, I hate that phrase, but what the heck.) At equal volume levels (we all compare at equal levels, right?) what is the difference? I turn the volume knob up. Is there something going on in the gain stage that is being attribued to the amp itself? Does the preamp section sound different at higher gain than lower?

Even if all things are not equal, at equal volume levels, the SE is working MUCH harder, in relative terms, to push out the same loudness level. Is the SE being pushed into a more non-linear response, thus producing a differnt (better or worse) sound....Colin