Volume question for Spider V MKII

[clfnole123]

Sorry if this is a newbie question but if you’re playing at home and have to watch the volume what is best:

 

1) just set Master Volume at 3 or 4 or

2) crank Master Volume and lower Volume in the amp settings and lower Volume of guitar itself

 

Maybe it’s the same but wasn’t sure if one way is better than the other. 
 

Thanks in advance. 

[gtrman100]

#1 is the best way, even though this is a solid state amp. Set the Master at a desired level, and use the Amp volume to set the preset volume level with your other presets. With a tube amp, the master volume can be used in different ways to get power tube distortion, but obviously it doesn't apply to Spider amps.

[clfnole123]

2 hours ago, gtrman100 said:

#1 is the best way, even though this is a solid state amp. Set the Master at a desired level, and use the Amp volume to set the preset volume level with your other presets. With a tube amp, the master volume can be used in different ways to get power tube distortion, but obviously it doesn't apply to Spider amps.

So then only a tube amp with break up and distort with high volume? I was reading how a lot of guitarists get their sound by cranking their amps vs using a pedal just didn’t connect the dots that it only applies to tube amps. 

[gtrman100]

Tube amps distort more as you increase level incrementally. So there is a sweet spot on tube amps where the output tubes distort in a way we find pleasing. Solid state amps, though, don't behave this way. They produce power up to their rated watts, and louder than that they produce a very different kind of distortion that we usually hate. This is a simplification but it generally is how it works. Pedal create distortion using solid state components, but are designed to distort in a more pleasing (amp like) way.