Boosting mid-gain amps vs. Mega-High Gain amps

[skunkyfunk]

DISCLAIMER:  This is no PEDALS vs. AMPS post.  Read on.

I just wonder sometimes, why did all these high gain amps appear just so recently?  Way before the nu-metal scene there was so much demand for high gain.  Of course, the '70s metal folks were very much deprived of the chuggah-chuggah chunk because all the amps then were somewhat low-gain.  Came the '80s and early '90s you already have the mid gain amps - think Marshall 2203.  But now, we already have amps that deliver insanely too much gain.  

But thinking about killer metal tones, I seemed to like the boosted mid-gain tones in early '90s and late '80s metal.  They would usually run a DS1, SD1, TS9, etc in front of some Marshall JCM800 or similar.  Sepultura did this extensively.  So now, what do you think is the advantage of depending on your amp mainly for high gain sounds versus sticking a boost pedal in front of a mid-gain amp?

[stratman1]

IMHO, sticking a boost/od pedal in front of a mid gain amp to obtain hi-gain sound is good and easily obtainable. The problem is I get a lot more noise doing this rather than just using the hi-gain sound of an amp itself. Yes, you get noise with hi-gain amp as well, but it's not as loud and anoying as a with a pedal boosting an already distorted amp.

[SDMF]

one of the advantages of going straight to the amp is sa noise on hi gain settings, IMO...the disadvantage is that one would easily sound like anybody else when using straignt towards the amp..

One reason why people cant live without dirt boxes (despite having these mega amps) is the "tonal character" it adds to their sound...they want to sound different...

[CYANIDE BOMB]

Well in my opinion i have a high gain amp and a non high gain amp my conclusion is that the key to it is instead of dialing the gain to 10 just turn your gain to like 8 and just crank the volume cause increasing the volume would generate gain also and it doesnt create that much noise and for boosting an amp that's very subjective but it works also for me i use a ts808 and yes it does add character to your tone.