I used to re-eq some of my ripped music with Audacity, and also trim outros if they seemed excessive. You could certainly tweak volume or normalise levels if you wanted max possible volume without distortion.
To me, it’s always been solid state watts. It’s been funny playing gigs with an 18watt 1x12 combo and having no trouble, but then the next guitarist struggles with a 50watt modelling amp.
It’s that even harmonic distortion that you get from glowing tubes, innit?
Cheers AM, I will take a look at Audacity.
The difference used to amaze me, though I suspect power outputs are subject to marketing. My first proper amp was a Vox AC30 - 4 EL84s operating in class AB for about 30 watts, 2 X 12" speakers. Dime it and you could feel the walls and floor shake. Early memories of a gig where I got it just over half volume by the end were of hearing loss for a few hours afterwards, and saying “WHAT?” a lot at a post-gig party. My current gigging amp is a mighty 5W single EL84 class A home build with a lot of negative feedback to help it stay clean for longer, though a single 10" Eminence speaker, and that often stays below half volume too.
Speakers do make a difference - cheap drivers often tend to be inefficient, giving around 95-96dB at 1 WM, whereas the better celestions and eminence units will give 99-101dB at 1WM - and this certainly accounts for some of the volume difference.
I use the deck several times each week. A basic system nowadays with an Audio Technica AT-LP 120 which does the job.
Mmmm very cool
I just gave away my Laney VC30 210 to a teenage friend who will do more with it (I hope) than I would have done. Same tinnitus result as with your AC30, Brian 
And replaced it with one of those HB 5/15W valve amps, which will be better for cafe gigs, should I get any 
We’d been without a record deck for some years so 2021 I bought myself a Christmas present ie a Rega Planar - no regrets it’s fantastic if not a tad expensive but hey ho I’d just received my UK state OAP!
Well, that’s the first couple of month’s funds spent 
[cheaper versions exist]
I didn’t spend that much…it was only a Rega Planar 1 Plus.
