Vox VT50 Honeymoon over. (tone tips)

[Mr. B]

I bought a Vox VT50 Valvetronix amp several months ago and was happy with it for a while. I sold my older AD30VT, since the newer version could do much more. I was initially impressed with how much low end the new VT50 had, but as time went on, the low end became annoying. It dominates every preset model. The high gain models had a lot of chunk, but they seemed one dimensional. The clean models seemed lifeless as well, nowhere near as realistic as my older Blue face AD60VTX. As a result, I haven't been playing the amp much, and spend most of my time playing my real tube amps.

I got on a speaker swapping kick a week ago and had nothing to do today so I decided to look in the back of the VT50 to see what it had (generic vox marked 50 watts btw). That was no big surprise. What was shocking was how much better the amp models sounds with the back OFF the cabinet! The high gain models sound like you have taken a wet blanket off the amp. The clean models have character and the differences in the models stand out in much more stark contrast to each other, where they all had the same character with the back panel on. I suppose if I was playing out somewhere, the sound coming from the speaker would not be as directional as it was with the back on the cabinet, but I am planning on leaving the back off from now on while playing at home. Only problem is that the back is really ugly looking with the cheap plywood showing, and will now gather dust which could not get in before.

While I was in there, I also did some tube swapping. Tried a Tungsol, a JJ, a Sovtek, an older Electro Harmonix 12AX7, an EH 12AU7, a Groove Tube, and an Ei. It surprised me that the Groove Tube was the best of the lot. Very organic warm clean tones, and clear high gain tones with no fizzy buzz. Tungsol was good too, but had a grainer sound. It added a bit more gain, it seemed. The JJ was the worst. Cleans were too spanky and the high gain became mushy and fizzy.

Anyone else found any tricks for these VT series amps?

 

[JeffB]

Re: Vox VT50 Honeymoon over. (tone tips)

The VTs are def less boomy than the ADs- and I find the VT models nearly as good as the blue grilles, but yeah still not *quite* there- then again VTs are quite a bit less expensive comparitively (and in production), so....

Best/easiest way to get rid of the boom is get it off the floor and on a amp stand or such. Mine is never on the floor. But if you lke the open back tone- by all means go for it! For speakers-I'd go with something fairly neutral like a Celestion CL80.

I tried several tubes in mine and have come back to the EH they come with stock- everything else I've tried (GT chinese, GT russian and a JJ) has made a couple models sound better, but made others sound awful. Usually dark and compressed is what happens. The EH seems to work best overall for the models I generally fool around with-more sparkle on the medium gain and lower stuff- but If I was using say the 5150 or JVM all of the time, I'd go with a different tube.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Vox VT50 Honeymoon over. (tone tips)

I've tube swapped several times in the old AD series too and I always ended back with the Electro Harmonix. That's why I was surprised that the Groove Tubes tube was better.

I'm not really unsatisfied with the speaker, now that I've taken the back panel off. I was just bored and curious. I am looking for a better speaker for my Marshall TSL combo.

I didn't have the 50 watt version of the ADxxVT series. I did play them in the store a few times. I don't remember them having as huge a bottom end as the new VT50.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Vox VT50 Honeymoon over. (tone tips)

I've tube swapped several times in the old AD series too and I always ended back with the Electro Harmonix. That's why I was surprised that the Groove Tubes tube was better.

Which GT tube?. I've tried my GT-C & R in my VT15, but not above trying something else.

I didn't have the 50 watt version of the ADxxVT series. I did play them in the store a few times. I don't remember them having as huge a bottom end as the new VT50.

I had the AD50 (as well as the 30 & 15). Vox had 2 different speakers in that model though it's life- the original Celestion like I had was not as bass heavy- the later Vox branded no name speaker was boomy like the current VT (and same speaker AFAIK). Maybe you played the Celestion equipped model. FWIW- my VT15 is also not as boomy as my AD15 (which I still have and A/B'ed quite a bit when I got the VT a year and a half ago).

 

[TSE]

Re: Vox VT50 Honeymoon over. (tone tips)

I have the AD30VT and it is bassy and undefined when it comes to the hi-gain models. To remedy this problem I swapped the stock speaker with an Eminence Ramrod and the tube to a Tung Sol. I use the hi-gain models 99% of the time so the Tung Sol works the best for me, but the EH 12AX7s were very close just a bit too smooth to my ears. What really did the trick though was putting a Digitech Screamin' Blues pedal in front. The reason it works so well is because you can dial down the bass, boost/cut gain and really manipulate the tones to something more usable. Any OD pedal that has a bass dial can do this. The Bad Monkey might work better for lower gain, warm, vintage tones because it's a Tube Screamer clone. The YJM308 works well too because it naturally cuts lows and boosts upper mids and trebble. Or an eq? All of these things can work. Try it out.

 

[TSE]

Re: Vox VT50 Honeymoon over. (tone tips)

Forgot to mention that I actually tried all those things and they all work very well. Would highly recommend the BM for these amps. The SB seems like a brighter version of the BM and works better for the hi-gain models. Cheers.

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Vox VT50 Honeymoon over. (tone tips)

I agree, if I wanted more gain and an overall "hotter" tone, I would have stuck with the Tungsol tubes. I would thing you'd need to be really careful to pick a speaker that didn't color the tone in any way. I really don't remember my AD30VT being bottom heavy at all. It was sort of dull and had very little gain, especially on the JCM800 model. I always thought the AD15VT sounded better. I think the 10" speaker in the 30 watt version sucked. I've never really played around much with pedals in front of those amps.

[for Jeffb: The groove tube just has the big red GT stamp on the front and is a 12ax7. I can't see any other markings on it, but I didn't take the chassis back out to get a real close look]

 

[DonP]

Re: Vox VT50 Honeymoon over. (tone tips)

I've only had the VT15 version, and it seemed bassy as others have mentioned (the AD15VT is worse??? Dang!)

I've thought of stuffing the cab with holofil. Open cab sounds like a good idea. Haven't messed with the tubes.

I got this amp when I was staying in an apartment in Nashville. Now that I'm in hotels, it stays at home (Cinci) and never gets used because I have the DSL100 1/2 stack.