What do the different tube amp types mean?

Friend

To summarize the responses - it's all in how it handles the signal! I can tell you that the Triode will be the most honest, but you will have to look at Pentode if you want to wake the neighbors! What the vacuum tube does so well? Realism! You can have a great sounding stereo with transistors - but nothing does realism like a vacuumtube.

Studio 1

These are the choices we have in tube amplifier.
Topology in circuitry;
**single ended,
** tubes used,DHT/indirectly heated,,, like 300b,kt88,,211,,845.
*push-pull,
**tube used DHT or not DHT,,300b,,kt88
*OTL,
3 types of topology of tube OTL
** tube used,,,like 300b,211 0r 6as7,6c33c,7242 kt88,etc.
***different tubes used in one of these amps have different sound and over 1000 combinations/sounds.

Realdeal, there are no practical OTLs using 300bs, 211s or KT88s; just for the record.

Ralph,I think Realdeal is right,I also made an OTL using single KR52B,5R4GYB  tube rectified  with 600V on the plate.,no feedback and what a transparency.

@amfibius  Thank you so much for the nicely concise overview of how the tubes work.  This was simple, and to the point. I hadn't come across something like this until just now. :)