Originally Posted by: marty farcalI know I want a tube amp.[/quote]

Two questions. Do you? Why?

Originally Posted by: marty farcal Other then that I know next to nothing.[/quote]

No disrespect, but if you "know next to nothing", you don't "know" why you would want or need a tube amp. Understandably, something has impressed you with the belief you do.

I have several amps including a ball tearer of a tube amp which I love, but if I had to have only one all rounder for home studio use, it wouldn't be a tube amp.

Originally Posted by: marty farcalIs it a waste of money if I never get the volume past half?

A tube amp? Yes.

Well not a waste of money exactly, but tube amps really are at their best tonally when you are pushing them. The way around that if you want to play at reduced volumes, is to buy a small wattage tube amp. But, there's always a but isn't there, tube amps require maintenance, and are more expensive generally. Of course the latter is an individual budget and affordability thing.

[quote=marty farcal]Or are there benefits for having a little extra juice.

Of course. You can figure those out for yourself. But at home, you won't use that as often as the opposite. That's where digital amps offer superior versatility in the particular.

[quote=marty farcal]Will be purchasing pedals also. Any ideas for amps to go try. Thinking $350-$600.

In that price range you have heaps to choose from. First thing you need to consider is the dominant tone you want from your amp determined by your preferred music genre. Tube amps sound different depending upon the preamp and power tubes they use along with other aspects of the proprietary circuitary design.

Seriously [u]if it's your first amp intended for home use[/u], you really are better off buying something 'can't go wrong' versatile like a BOSS Katana 50 Mk II. Learn with it and spend the serious money on something different when you know more about amps and can better appreciate from hands on experience what you really want. I say that without being anti or pro digital or tube, a Katana fanboi, or even owning/wanting a Katana amp in particular. If I did I'd have one. I do currently own and use 7 amps excluding my 300W PA or amp sim pedals.