Time-resolved optical measurements give information on the quasiparticle relaxation dynamics in YBCO, from which the evolution of the gap with doping and temperature can be systematically deduced. In this paper these optical charge-channel “pseudogap” data are compared with the “pseudogap” obtained from the NMR Knight shiftKs,spin polarized neutron scattering (SPNS) and single particle tunneling measurements. A simple energy level diagram is proposed to explain the different “gap” magnitudes observed by different spectroscopies inYBa2Cu3O7−&dgr;,whereby the spin gap&Dgr;sin NMR and SPNS corresponds to a triplet local pair state, while&Dgr;pin the charge excitation spectrum corresponds to the pair dissociation energy. At optimum doping and in the overdoped state, an additionalT-dependent gap becomes evident, which closes atTc,suggesting a cross-over to a more conventional BCS-like superconductivity scenario. ©1999 American Institute of Physics.