Valveking 112 (Review)

[Christopher Caruana]

So, my parents left the house for a little while and I decided to crank my VK up REALY loud, to get the tubes cooking. I put in my settings and turned the volume up to 9. I must say, this amp sounds better at 3 than it does at 9. I dont know if it was the fact that I was playing in my room, but I found the treble to be too harsh, the bass to be too boomy and the mids to be not strong enough. I did everything I could think of to the EQ to make the sound more clear. But as you back off the treble, they dont get smoother, ur clearity just goes out the window. With turning the bass down, The sound still stayed boomy and just thinned out A LOT. There are almost no upper mids in this amp, just tons of LOW mids, so that just adds to the muddy-ness. Over all, at high volumes, this amp is very muddy sounding. And yes i took the gain from 1, all the way to 7, and back again........still very muddy. I was using a 2003 Gibson LP classic, with an Alnico II Pro set. The 1x12 model does not come with any presence or resonance controls.

 

[SlowGroove]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

The guy i jam w has the head version, and this amp impressed me as a very solid Stoner Rock amp !

He uses a Vox wah, VoodooLab SuperFuzz, and MXR 10Band EQ and it sounds good in tandem w my cranked Bassman. Now if the girl drummer will just hit harder.



James

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

The guy i jam w has the head version, and this amp impressed me as a very solid Stoner Rock amp !

He uses a Vox wah, VoodooLab SuperFuzz, and MXR 10Band EQ and it sounds good in tandem w my cranked Bassman. Now if the girl drummer will just hit harder.



James

Well, i have not tried playing at through a 4x12 cab. That might help with the sound since ur pushing it through 4 speakers instead of just 1. Also, I want to try it cranked up outside because another problem might be that in my room, the sound might just be bouncing off the walls and making it sound muddy. Outside might be a different story.

 

[GoDrex]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

I want to try it cranked up outside because another problem might be that in my room, the sound might just be bouncing off the walls and making it sound muddy. Outside might be a different story.

I've done this with my amp and it's a huge improvement. The sound is bouncing of the walls and it can make it sound harsh. I've played out on my deck and the difference is amazing. Of course your neighbors may not appreciate it.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

i used to play in the garage with my half stack, and it was all kinds of harsh and trashy sounding. moved it upstairs where there's some carpet and the problem was fixed it sounds like your amp has a definite deficiency in mids though. i've heard good things from replacing the speaker with something more middy.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

i used to play in the garage with my half stack, and it was all kinds of harsh and trashy sounding. moved it upstairs where there's some carpet and the problem was fixed it sounds like your amp has a definite deficiency in mids though. i've heard good things from replacing the speaker with something more middy.

Ya i was thinking of doing a speaker swap, but i dont know if i dont know if it's worth it to do such a big mod on a cheap amp?

 

[greatbob6]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

Ya i was thinking of doing a speaker swap, but i dont know if i dont know if it's worth it to do such a big mod on a cheap amp?

I don't think its that big of a mod...its easy enough to take it back out again later if you want to use it somewhere else.

 

[thespricket]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

Ya i was thinking of doing a speaker swap, but i dont know if i dont know if it's worth it to do such a big mod on a cheap amp?

I remember hearing that a speaker change is almost necessary in a VK. I've heard of a lot of guys doing it with great results.

 

[rashayritto]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

or he could sell it and get something better on the used market

 

[SlowGroove]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

Ya i was thinking of doing a speaker swap, but i dont know if i dont know if it's worth it to do such a big mod on a cheap amp?

IF you have a 1x12 ValveKing, i'd say it is the best/cheapest/most cost effective mod out there !
I say, GO FOR IT !!!

Emi Swamp Thang get's my vote !

http://www.eminence.com/guitar_speaker_detail.asp?model=SWAMPTHANG&speaker_size=12&SUB_CAT_ID=4

Res. Freq - 97 Hz



My 2cents
James

 

[rashayritto]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

wait guys we are forgetting the less expensive/easier to do TUBE SWAP! it could be that the power tubes he's using dont compliment the amp's tone when they're cranked. also, preamp tubes are always fun to swap out. who knows this could be his dream amp but he doesnt know it yet

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

wait guys we are forgetting the less expensive/easier to do TUBE SWAP! it could be that the power tubes he's using dont compliment the amp's tone when they're cranked. also, preamp tubes are always fun to swap out. who knows this could be his dream amp but he doesnt know it yet

I thought amps are only compatible with the tubes they come with. The VK comes stok with 2 6v6's and 3 12ax7's. Would I be able to swap the 6v6's for like EL34's or something?

 

[rashayritto]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

I thought amps are only compatible with the tubes they come with. The VK comes stok with 2 6v6's and 3 12ax7's. Would I be able to swap the 6v6's for like EL34's or something?

no but there are many brands who make various models of each kind of tube. each individual model sounds different. For example my amp uses 6L6 tubes but sounds completely different depending on the brand and model i use. TAD 6L6GC's bring it to life and make it a dream to play. you can shop around online and read tube reviews and see what 6v6 sounds most like what you want. www.thetubestore.com is where i go

edit: it could also be a biasing issue. but i have no experience with biasing amps as all mine are self-bias. hopefully someone else will chime in to clarify

 

[Reload in 5]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

I would vote for a cheaper speaker, like a WGS
Or find something used. I think that would be the best first step. Then the tubes.

 

[greatbob6]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

I agree with Reload...I seem to remember seeing some VK clips on youtube doing a comparison between the stock speakers and some Vintage 30's and there was a huge difference. Seems to me that a speaker swap would be probably the best upgrade you could do. Of course there are no guarantees that the amp is going to be what you want even after a speaker upgrade, so probably trying to find one used would be good.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

no but there are many brands who make various models of each kind of tube. each individual model sounds different. For example my amp uses 6L6 tubes but sounds completely different depending on the brand and model i use. TAD 6L6GC's bring it to life and make it a dream to play. you can shop around online and read tube reviews and see what 6v6 sounds most like what you want. www.thetubestore.com is where i go

edit: it could also be a biasing issue. but i have no experience with biasing amps as all mine are self-bias. hopefully someone else will chime in to clarify

what is the "biasing" of an amp anyways? No one has ever explained it to me.

 

[rashayritto]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

what is the "biasing" of an amp anyways? No one has ever explained it to me.

well essentially its how you set how hot or cold the tubes run. if you run them roo hot or too cold you end up with sterile tone or a blown amp. again i dont know any specifics really. generally people take their amps to a certified tech to get them biased after putting in new power tubes. someone could probably walk you through doing it yourself though

 

[rashayritto]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

do a forum search and you'll find pretty good discussions on the topic by much more knowledgable forum bros than myself

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

which will have a greater effect on the sound? new tubes? or a new speaker?

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Valveking 112 (Review)

your amp has 6L6 tubes, not 6v6. from what i understand, biasing the amp colder could allow you to use el34 tubes, but i'm not totally sure.