Vox tonelab - opinions/experience?

[krankguitarist]

A local shop round here has a vox tonelab for about two bills. I've been considering picking it up...just wanted to know what ya'll thought about this little unit.

I've already got a PODxt that I use for pratice/direct-in recording on my computer. The POD's a cool enough unit, but its got a few flaws that are just...eh.

Any compare/contrast bettwen these two units would be appreciated as well.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Vox tonelab - opinions/experience?

I still think the Vox Valvetronix stuff has an element of touch sensitivity and organic-ness that sounds more 'real' to my ears. I have more experience with the amp head than the Tonelab, but it's one piece of gear that's a joy to use, because it's layed out like analog gear.

My advise is to buy it, and then either use both, or sell the lesser of the two.
I think you can also use it as a preamp into an amp with FX loop, so it's got more use than simply direct/headphones.

 

[GHOSTRIDER]

Re: Vox tonelab - opinions/experience?

A local shop round here has a vox tonelab for about two bills. I've been considering picking it up...just wanted to know what ya'll thought about this little unit.

I've already got a PODxt that I use for pratice/direct-in recording on my computer. The POD's a cool enough unit, but its got a few flaws that are just...eh.

Any compare/contrast bettwen these two units would be appreciated as well.

I've owned the Podxt with all the packs,Podxt Live, and too many modellers to name,however, the Valvetronix technology that's in the ADVT amps and Tonelab and SE modellers just frickin plain smokes!! One thing you'll want to do is take out that piece of sheeot EH-12AX7 preamp tube and replace it with a nice hi-gain JJ Tesla ECC83-S 12AX7 preamp tube and you'll have an eargasm It will set you back a whopping 10 buck$ for the JJ tube, but the tone is worth a million!!

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Vox tonelab - opinions/experience?

I still think the Vox Valvetronix stuff has an element of touch sensitivity and organic-ness that sounds more 'real' to my ears.
I think you can also use it as a preamp into an amp with FX loop, so it's got more use than simply direct/headphones.

I agree. I A/B'd it with the PODxt before getting the tonelab, and to my ears it sounded much better and more real.

You can run it through the effects loop (switch it to "line" when you do). The amp and cab models are pretty dead-on. I love it. For 2-bills, go for it.

 

[DankStar]

Re: Vox tonelab - opinions/experience?

i think i'm going to get one to goof with soon. but there's a shop here selling one for 200. i'd say it can be had for cheaper if we both have seen them at that price in CA and AZ.

 

[krankguitarist]

Re: Vox tonelab - opinions/experience?

I spent some of last night comparing the tonelab clips with the XT clips on musicians friend, and it seemed to me that the tonlab clips seemed a bit more "real" and "organic" than the XT clips. The leads especially seemed to have a bit more dynamic range to em. As well as the high-gain scooped to hell tones. Still sounds kinda cliche, but they didn't have that same artifical/digital edge to em.

The control layout looks appealing as well. I'm the kinda guy that gets frustrated with too many knobs and menus.

I think I may just end up picking it up. Two bills seems to be about the going rate on ebay.

May or may not be enough to replace my XT, cause the XT covers a lot of ground. It doesn't have to be a replacement though, just another tool for the studio .

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Vox tonelab - opinions/experience?

I really wish Vox would make a rackmountable Pro version of the Tonelab, and a Valvetronix II line would be great. I'd love to have more OD models, better Marshall models, and a few more highgain models. They need an amp that's their version of the Vetta. Right now, the Vox amps are more like L6's Flextone.

Even though I think the Vox stuff sounds a little better than Line 6 at the same price point, Line 6 still has way more options.

 

[Whistlepig]

Re: Vox tonelab - opinions/experience?

I bought one played it for about an hour then put it up on ebay.
I've had the gnx 3000, gt8, and others and the vox has that tube sound IMO.

I didn't keep it because I was looking for a particular sound and found it with the jsx combo.

But that vox pedal I wanted to keep because it beat all the amp modelers as far as sounding like a tube amp. It doesn't have that digital sound that turns me off.
I really liked it. But just not enough hours in the day to go two musical directions at once. For that price it sounds good to me.:banana:

 

[Whistlepig]

Re: Vox tonelab - opinions/experience?

I need to mention that some can take the gnx 3000 and Gt8 and do all sorts of stuff with different amp modelers that I can't .

Thought I should mention that.:flowers1:

 

[D-EJ915]

Re: Vox tonelab - opinions/experience?

One guy at my church who plays some kind of strat-style guitar has that and the 1x12" AD60 or whatever, he gets some really nice tones from it, smoothest tone ever, seriously. Like, the definition of that "violin" sustain and sound, it's pretty nice imo. I haven't used one personally though.