I still own my TOV. I bought it new when it came out. I had a 2 channel half stack for a few years and played them both live all the time. In short, I sold the half stack and just have the TOV now. They DO sound different. I cant quite put my finger on it. Maybe its that the TOV was an old one. (atatched power chord, pointer nobs etc) and the solo head was newer. I ended up liking them both and just tubed each differently to resolve the sound differences.
I put 6L6s in the TOV and EL34s in the solo head. I also ran the TOV wet (delay only) and ran the solo head completely dry. I A-B-ed them on stage. Just a monster chord going in and a speaker cable and thats it. It worked well for me.
I think guys here like the TOV so much because it isn't as scooped sounding sometimes as the solo heads...and that its different and not as well known of an amp. (I guess I should say MINE wasn't as scooped sounding)
If you don't like it, don't let peer pressure lure you into using it.
I will say this about the highs...they are a little annoying matched with the wrong guitar. If you have a bright guitar, forget it. I settled on a PRS McCarty and had to re-wire and replace all the pick ups on my other 2 PRS' to sound good through the amp.... it was WAY over bearing in the high end department.
Regarding what works for metal and what doesn't...lets get real...it's a high gain amp. It does metal beautifully. It just depends on your taste. I am tuned to C and dropped B with the TOV....works JUST FINE! There is not one the "does metal better then the other" just because one has three more features then the other does.
Just use what sounds good to you.
That said, give it a chance but don't hold on to it just cause guys here say its cool...LOL :lol: :wink: :wink: :wink: