A hybrid optical fiber amplifying device is proposed that is based upon a concatenated combination of a section of Tm-doped fiber (TDF) followed by a section of Ho-doped fiber (HDF). The doped fiber sections are configured to be no more than a few meters in length. Using the sections of doped fiber in this order (i.e., TDF followed by HDF) has been found to provide amplification of input signals over a relatively wide wavelength band from about 1725 nm to about 2105 nm (thus exhibiting a useful wideband range of about 380 nm). The use of pump beams operating at several Watts of power have been found to yield multi-Watt output signals. The wideband hybrid device itself may take the form of an amplifier, laser (including a ring laser configuration), or a source of amplified stimulated emission (ASE).