OT(?) germanium transistors

[edanderson]

I hope this in some way relevant (seems possible).  I am wondering what gives germanium transistors their different sound.  Is it just that the more modern silicon designs have better linearity or is there something else?  All other things being equal, how would two transistors compare if one was silicon based and the other germanium?

I know that germanium 2n270 and 2n261x transistors showed up in several effects boxes- so are there many older synth designs that used germanium transistors?  

Thanks for contributing to what one of the most informative lists I've subscribed to thus far.

Ed Anderson