Valvestate, Tube, solid-state etc. Need clearing up

Some of these terms are trade names (e.g. Valvestate) and not amplifier types, per se.
There are basically very few amp types:

Tube - all the electronics are conventional electronics components (resistors, capacitors, transformers and, of course, valves/tubes). Some will have a solid state rectifier (changes AC to DC), but others, like Mesa-Boogie, have tube rectifiers.

Hybrid - Has a tube pre-amp and solid-state power amp. The colour and tone come from the pre-amp (and speaker). The power amp is usually audially transparent.

"Modelling" amps - Solid-state amps that imitate tube amps.

Solid-state - Exactly that, no frills and no pretending to be something they're not.

I think (without looking) that Valvestate is a hybrid.

Greybeard is correct: Valvestate is Marshall's name for 'one tube in the pre-amp which does basically nothing whatsoever but we can fake people into believing it has seriously something to do with valves'.

To add to GB's story: Fender, Vox and a few others also have hybrid modelers where the tube is not in the pre-amp but after the digital pre-amp of the modeler unit. For example, the single tube in the Vox Valvetronix circuitry.

Oh, in case you were considering it: Marshall VS/AVT series are really mediocre. Don't bother with them. Either get a 'real' Marshall (Cheap JCM800 on ebay or something) or get a different non-tube amp.

Really? lol damn I saw a great deal on a ValveState 100 watt - 2nd hand for £175...But if theyr crap :cry:

What about the JTM series. Im thinking JTM30 (50 watt combo)...JCM800s seem to be way outta my budget. Im talking £200 max (thats y im looking at 2nd hand ones)

Well, crap is a bit too strong, and 175GBP is a nice price. But it really doesn;t compare to the real marshall sound, and IMHO there are far better sounding digital amps as well. So if you'd were considering buying one new I'd advice against it.

However, if you don't have much money and need a loud amp with a decent rocksound you'll be doing fine with the AVT. It won;t bring you a awesome clean or even a nice mildly overdriven sound, but it can give you a nice crunch and some decent rock-lead tones. So in short: the price of a new AVT is WAY too high, but for 175GBP you should just try it out yourself. Might be exactly what you need, if you're lucky.

As for that tube amp, ask Joe. I myself have never played on one of those so can't comment on it.

I don't know nada about Marshalls, but you MIGHT get some soft clipping, compression, or harmonics out of a preamp-only tube amp (IF the thing is designed properly). But you can hear the weakness of preamp-only tubes when you crank a tube amp's master control and get only preamp distortion.
"All-tube" is getting pretty loose these days, too. Few use tube rectifiers (which help to add that "squishiness" that makes some amps so flattering and organic), but many people actually prefer (?) this.

I have an all tube 120 watt Crate Blue vodoo head that I absoelutely love. really right and responsive eq, with the most gain capability i have ever heard on a all tube head outside of the mesa's, even though I don't use it (I have the gain around 4 and is a great metal tone.). It is also simple which I like. 2 channels, reverb controls, and presence, one input. Anway, I got mine for $250 used, and it rocks. I don't know the current conversion, but it might be in your price range. O yea, this amp is really, REALLY loud.