iekobrid
New member
The good news is that changing the Vox's preamp model ~does~ affect its power amp stage, and thus the sound of the Line 6 plugged directly into the fx return. Switching from the AC15 model to the 'Black 2x12' model to the 'Tweed 1x12' really did make significant changes in how the POD's signal was amplified.
The bad news is that most of the Vox's amp settings had more or less identical sounding power amp modelling. From 'UK Blues' right around the dial to 'UK Modern' its 4xEL34 after 4xEL34 after 4xEL34, and even some of the 4xEL84 and 4x6L6 models seemed to have little or no distinct sonic identity. Also, when I switched from a high Valve Reactor output setting on the Vox to a lower one and turned the master up to get roughly the same volume (in theory, simulating cranking up a lower wattage tube amp), the tone just got fuzzier and unusable.
I can't say I was happy with the way the POD sounded through any of the Vox power amp models or output settings, but I think this is attributable to the fact that the PODxt is already modelling a power amp stage, even with cabinet modelling turned off, so I was listening to a modeller modelling the sound of a model through a model of a... you get the idea. All the 'artificiality' people dislike about digital modellers, but squared.
I think there may still be merit to the idea of using the Vox's power amp section by itself, though -- just not to drive another modelling device. I'd like to try out what the Vox PA does with a tube preamp or a decent od/disto pedal.
Tangent --
Of all the heads/combinations I tried this Saturday, here's how they ranked:
* semi-disabled VHT Hundred CLX into a Genz Benz 1x12
* Peavey XXX into the GB
* PODxt into a beat up TubeWorks rack power amp into the GB
* PODxt into the XXX's fx return into the GB
* Vox AD120VTH into a no-name 2x12 and a no-name 4x12
* PODxt into the Vox's fx return into the no-name cabs
The bad news is that most of the Vox's amp settings had more or less identical sounding power amp modelling. From 'UK Blues' right around the dial to 'UK Modern' its 4xEL34 after 4xEL34 after 4xEL34, and even some of the 4xEL84 and 4x6L6 models seemed to have little or no distinct sonic identity. Also, when I switched from a high Valve Reactor output setting on the Vox to a lower one and turned the master up to get roughly the same volume (in theory, simulating cranking up a lower wattage tube amp), the tone just got fuzzier and unusable.
I can't say I was happy with the way the POD sounded through any of the Vox power amp models or output settings, but I think this is attributable to the fact that the PODxt is already modelling a power amp stage, even with cabinet modelling turned off, so I was listening to a modeller modelling the sound of a model through a model of a... you get the idea. All the 'artificiality' people dislike about digital modellers, but squared.
I think there may still be merit to the idea of using the Vox's power amp section by itself, though -- just not to drive another modelling device. I'd like to try out what the Vox PA does with a tube preamp or a decent od/disto pedal.
Tangent --
Of all the heads/combinations I tried this Saturday, here's how they ranked:
* semi-disabled VHT Hundred CLX into a Genz Benz 1x12
* Peavey XXX into the GB
* PODxt into a beat up TubeWorks rack power amp into the GB
* PODxt into the XXX's fx return into the GB
* Vox AD120VTH into a no-name 2x12 and a no-name 4x12
* PODxt into the Vox's fx return into the no-name cabs
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