Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

[JumpMarine]

Fed Ex dropped it off at lunchtime. It was packed well in the original double boxes and foam forms. I pulled it out and it looked like it was brand spanking new. Set it on my 8 ohm 2x12 cab, set the ohm switch to 8, power switch to 1 watt and turned it on. I stummed the guitar a couple of times and didn't like the presets so I performed a factory reset on the preamp. Turned it back on, reset it and began to play again. I switched the power to 15 watts and noticed a slight constant hum. Proceded to switch up to 30 and the hum got louder, but the guitar signal would still cut through. Swiched to 60 watts and the hum was so loud that it was almost unbearable, no guitar signal would come through. I turned the amp off and let it sit for a moment. I didn't smell anything burning so I turned it on again. Same thing happened. I did this a few more times after trouble shooting the other gear. Swapped out: Cabs, guitar, guitar cables, speaker cables, moved the amp to a different outlet, double and triple checked the settings for ohms and input power, changed the 12ax7 to a known good tube. I'm at a loss at this point.

 

[JumpMarine]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

Well, I rebooted one more time(About the 12th) and she took off! Everything came back and this amp is amazing!

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

Glad to hear it isn't a ****ter! Have fun with it, expecting a full review tomorrow!

 

[Youngpup]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

I am so glad he got it working, because I thought he was going to start crying on the phone earlier. I have to listen to it from my wife, but a grown ex-marine. I don't feel comfortable with that. :laugh2:

Tyler

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

Oh you had me scared there reading your first post....I'll be gone all this week,but it'll give you plenty of time to get the amp figured out....I'll want to read your reviews on it...Tell me your thoughts on the UK 70 and UK 80 tones also?

 

[JumpMarine]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

I am so glad he got it working, because I thought he was going to start crying on the phone earlier. I have to listen to it from my wife, but a grown ex-marine. I don't feel comfortable with that. :laugh2:

Tyler

You turd!!!!! I wasn't crying, I only got a little misty......:laugh2:

 

[JumpMarine]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

Oh you had me scared there reading your first post....I'll be gone all this week,but it'll give you plenty of time to get the amp figured out....I'll want to read your reviews on it...Tell me your thoughts on the UK 70 and UK 80 tones also?

I will do that John, so far the settings that stand out the most to me are of course all of the Vox, Fender and Dumble. I'll have to really sit down with the Marshall settings to tweak them. But all in all, I'm really impressed at what I am hearing.

 

[sac]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

Hey jumpmarine, what's your take on the 5 foot cable that came with your head? Is this a non shielded speaker cable? I looked at the manual, and it does'nt say. I have emailed vox, but have not yet heard back from them. Enjoy the new toy.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

I will do that John, so far the settings that stand out the most to me are of course all of the Vox, Fender and Dumble. I'll have to really sit down with the Marshall settings to tweak them. But all in all, I'm really impressed at what I am hearing.

That's exactly what happened with me until I cranked mine up really good with my band...The whole eq of the amp changed in the mids for me...The Marshall models didn't sound right and here we are....I'm hoping an eq might help?

 

[JeffB]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

As discussed previously the Marshall models for the most part just aren't right. At low volumes they sound...eh..OK. When I first got mine I hated the UK70;s and over time and with some tweaking I've found its the only Marshall model I somewhat like.

I've gone to the rectifier setting with the gain backed off (to around 10 or 11 oclock) and goose it with a Boss SOD to get my high gain 80's metal sounds.

Honestly I'm pretty sick of the durn thing. It's quite finnicky like some real tube amps...questionable reliability..little tube gremlins switching things around and making it sound diff from one day to the next :laugh2: Just not very inspiring over time...at first it's like "yeah..that sounds really good...jes like an "X"..."...and then after awhile it starts to sound sterile and cardboardlike.

LOL..sorry for my mini rant...it's jes been on my mind all this week that I'm not happy with the tones I'm getting for the most part.

 

[JumpMarine]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

Hey jumpmarine, what's your take on the 5 foot cable that came with your head? Is this a non shielded speaker cable? I looked at the manual, and it does'nt say. I have emailed vox, but have not yet heard back from them. Enjoy the new toy.

I think so, but I ended up using my original speaker cable just to be sure.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

As discussed previously the Marshall models for the most part just aren't right. At low volumes they sound...eh..OK. When I first got mine I hated the UK70;s and over time and with some tweaking I've found its the only Marshall model I somewhat like.

I've gone to the rectifier setting with the gain backed off (to around 10 or 11 oclock) and goose it with a Boss SOD to get my high gain 80's metal sounds.

Honestly I'm pretty sick of the durn thing. It's quite finnicky like some real tube amps...questionable reliability..little tube gremlins switching things around and making it sound diff from one day to the next :laugh2: Just not very inspiring over time...at first it's like "yeah..that sounds really good...jes like an "X"..."...and then after awhile it starts to sound sterile and cardboardlike.

LOL..sorry for my mini rant...it's jes been on my mind all this week

You like the dUAL rec setting huh? I sld my Tremoverb years ago because the preamp was too mosquito buzzy...The Recto in the Vox is the same way...

I find I Like the 4x10 Bassman tones with the treble boost or my DS1 or Jackhammer...The setting gives me the right lows and mids that sits right in my band..I can't say the tones of the amp sound sterile overall,except for about 3 of the UK models..The Vox tones and the boutique,and Soldano tones are very usable...Alot of this I guess depends on how well we're able to coax tones from the amp...For $600 I Like the amp alot though..

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

I use the Recto setting a lot for low volume highgain soloing, and because I think it's voiced better than the other gain models. By itself it's good, but with the OD models added to to it, you can really get some great heavy tones. I also like the blackface, tweed, and Vox models. I almost never touch the others.

 

[sac]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

I just got an email from vox, the supplied cable is indeed a non shielded speaker cable. I for one like the UK 80 tone. Oh well different strokes, or in this case tones.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

The intermittent problems like this that I had with two brand new ones is the reason I sent them back and haven't decided if I want another one.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

The intermittent problems like this that I had with two brand new ones is the reason I sent them back and haven't decided if I want another one.

I've not experienced any issues(At all so far) with mine....They can't all be bad? Maybe I'll be a lucky one...

Same thing with my Fender Cyber Twin....0 issues and I bought this new in 2001...

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

I had one of the early ones. Plus, the ones I bought were from MF and we all know what MF stands for.

I'm guessing I wasn't the first pimp to play with them. And they were early ones at that.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

I had one of the early ones. Plus, the ones I bought were from MF and we all know what MF stands for.

I'm guessing I wasn't the first pimp to play with them. And they were early ones at that.

I just have the 120 watt head and it's brand new...Got mine from Sam Ash Music and not the MF ers....LOL..

 

[JeffB]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

The intermittent problems like this that I had with two brand new ones is the reason I sent them back and haven't decided if I want another one.

I don't think it applies to just the early ones. The 50 watter I bought in late Nov/early Dec died in a month...a buddy of mine picked up a 30 watter and it died in days, and the 30 I bought for when I cannot crank the F-50 gives me trouble every so often...switches channels by itself..effects turn on or off by themselves, cuts out after an hour or so...then it'll be fine for a couple weeks.

HC reviews seem to indicate same thing...15/30/50's are kinda unreliable, the 60s/120s are a bit better.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Got my VOX AD60VTH and it's DOA!

You like the dUAL rec setting huh? I sld my Tremoverb years ago because the preamp was too mosquito buzzy...The Recto in the Vox is the same way...

I don't like Recto's normally... real, or modelled...at least the sounds most people dial into them (though they can get mark-like if ya tweak 'em). Using EL34s in them instead of 6L6's makes a big diff to my ears..I played a 6L6 back to back with the EL34 setup and the EL34's to my ears make the amp much more desireable. ON the Vox Recto setting by keeping the gain very low, and goosing it It smooths out most of the fizz and it makes for a really nice cutting lead sound.

I find I Like the 4x10 Bassman tones with the treble boost or my DS1 or Jackhammer...The setting gives me the right lows and mids that sits right in my band..I can't say the tones of the amp sound sterile overall,except for about 3 of the UK models..The Vox tones and the boutique,and Soldano tones are very usable...Alot of this I guess depends on how well we're able to coax tones from the amp...For $600 I Like the amp alot though..

The Fender tones I def like...however I jes don't use 'em much. Same with the Vox...once in awhile I'll switch on the TB and play some old Yardbirds stuff...but it's not often. The Boutique clean is spectacular, don't care much for the OD setting tho. Too thin for me personally.

The Soldano is also pretty good. But I find it has to be getting up in volume to sound it's best otherwise it's middy, too compressed and has a flabby low end (also since Soldano's are very middy as is, I run the mids almost all the way off). I found at least on the 30 and the 50 I had..the MV and reg V have to be cranked, and the variable power control up at least 1/2 way and 3/4 + is even better. Unfortunately for evening practice this is getting pretty durn loud.

I think where VOX really dropped the ball is on the Marshall models...The UK70's is OK. The 800 & TSL is jes not right: Sterile, "small", and artificial. Unfortunately those are the 3 models I need to use the most.

I'm contemplating jes gettin rid of the Vox..My MESA F50 sounds much better by itself at low volumes, even though it's mostly pre-amp gain.