I have the powered head and it's fine for pretty much any live use. I've used tube power and to me, it gives more of a feeling of "punch". I wouldn't go out and buy a tube power amp or even use my tube head instead of the kemper's power but at some gigs that give us a backline, I'll occasionally use the power from the tube head instead on a bigger stage. It just has a certain something extra...not so much in volume but in "punch" to me. Not sure if that makes sense but I do feel a slight difference. Now, that slight difference won't be noticeable to the audience and maybe not even your bandmates, and like I said, it's not that big of a difference to me, but if available I use it.