I got my TC Classic head a couple of weeks ago, but had only been able to use it at home. Compared to my Ashdown ABM through the same speaker, at first I thought I preferred the Ashdown's fatter bottom end (fnar fnar), but soon realised that the TC had much more clarity in the mids. I wouldn't have gone out of my way for compression and overdrive options, but used in moderation they really add to the sound. Overall the sound is quite 'produced', but not to the point of fakery. The big question was: Will it be loud enough?
Today I took the TC to a jam session held in a large room on the side of a pub. I plugged it into my Ashdown 1x15 8-ohm cab (my only option at present) and turned up the wick. The short answer is: YES. (The longer answer will have to wait on my BF Compact arriving.) Plugged in my P-bass, set the gain to avoid clipping, and set the master at 5. Too loud against a drummer, two guitarists, and PA'd vocals! Master down to 4 - still needed to back off the volume on the bass from time to time. Sound is tight, with plenty of punch when the strings are plucked hard. Also met the approval of another bass-player, who owns or has owned MarkBass, Eden, and OTB heads.
Result! Can't wait to hear what it sounds like through a Compact!