Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

[STRATDELUXER97]

The Vox head was plugged inot my Cyber Twin's 2x12 Celestion cab with G12-100 speakers and the cabinet is open back...

The best tones I got from it tonight were the clean BF 2x12 and the Vox AC30 TBX....

One problem that I ran into tonight,and I didn't think it was going to be a problem,was an overall lack of mids,especially the low mids...I wasn't able to cut right with my Marshall settings even with the mids pegged...I felt pretty buried in the mix unless I brought my volume up and then my tone was bright and lacked the low end thump I'm used to with my Cyber Twin...

The overall feel and distortion character was great,but I wished I could get the mids right...

Maybe the open back cabinet is wrong for this amp? Getting highend was no problem however and it can get pretty shrill unless you can bring the low mids in with it...

I also noticed that my CT has an overall abundance of power and headroom..

An eq placed in the effects loop might solve my problems,but I must say I had some mixed emotions tonight...I was playing my Texas Hot/Surfer/Surfer strat through the amp all night...

If I can't get the head dialed in at our next practice,I may end up returning it and just sticking with my Cyber Twin that I've used for over 3 years? We'll see what happens...????

John

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

Try your Marshall cab with it.

You're also running into the limitations of modeling amps, whereas tube amps excell in that loud environment. I know it's just an opinion, but I think modeling amps belong at home and tube amps belong at rehearsal and gigs. They both have their strong points and weak points. SS just doesn't cut the mustard, turned up loud.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

hmmm,

'Modeling amp in not cutting through with band shocker!' -pictures at 8...

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

Try your Marshall cab with it.

You're also running into the limitations of modeling amps, whereas tube amps excell in that loud environment. I know it's just an opinion, but I think modeling amps belong at home and tube amps belong at rehearsal and gigs. They both have their strong points and weak points. SS just doesn't cut the mustard, turned up loud.

With the Vox I agree with you,but this isn't a problem with the Cyber Twin and I've been using my CT live and at practice since 2001..The Vox lacks the lowend balls and the mids I need to cut right at higher volumes...If anything the open back CT cabinet is the problem,as it wasn't designed for the Vox?

John

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

hmmm,

'Modeling amp in not cutting through with band shocker!' -pictures at 8...

Easy...It was the first time I tryed it with my band....LOL :smack:

 

[DeadSkinSlayer3]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

I think it's the cab, I can't stand open back cabinets for band applications...or any applications to think of it. But I play metal .

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

I think it's the cab, I can't stand open back cabinets for band applications...or any applications to think of it. But I play metal .

For all out punch,projection and crunch the closed cabinet is king,but for clean stuff,it's open cab...I was trying not to have to carry my 4x12 around...Guess I'll have to try it though...

John

 

[gOgIver]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

Damn, that sux. Two complaints heard often about modeling amps are "no balls" and "they don't clean up when I turn my volume knob down". Keep us posted bro.

 

[Artie]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

What I find interesting here, though, is that even though it uses modelling technology, at its heart is a true tube power section. Seems odd that its not working in "real life".

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

Easy...It was the first time I tryed it with my band....LOL :smack:

Were you appropriately gentle with it? :laugh2:

 

[JumpMarine]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

I have found the exact thing with open backs with my Marshall as well and since I got my closed back cab I have been able to cut through without a problem. Still waiting for my Vox head to come in to try my own experiments. Good luck John!

 

[sac]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

Playing my ad60vth thru my Vox ad 2 12 closed back cabinet, I have no problem cutting thru my boys double bass ferocity and believe me that little sucker can kick! This valvetronics stuff is the next best thing to an all valve rig with a lot more versatility and durability. And for those of us not graced with a crew of roadies, the benefit of weight savings. I can not say enough good about the valvetronics line.

 

[Undertone]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

I've learned one thing with my new Line 6. The tones you hear at low levels are nothing like the ones at gig volume. I've had to boost the bass and mid the louder I play. Once I took that into account, it really sounded good, convincingly good. Maybe the same applies to the Vox.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

Guess I'll have to breakdown and use my Marshall 4x12 cab with the V30s and se how she does..Some presets I CRANKED the mids up all the way and I still didn't sit in the mix right...This is the same reason I had trouble with my JCM 800 2x12 combo years ago...It snarled an had a great distortion tone,but I always felt it was anemic in the lows..Again an open cabinet...I get the feeling that the Vox 2x12 matching cab for this amp would be the way to go,but not until I pay completely for the head and FC I Just bought...The 4x12 should be fine(Loud but fine)..LOL

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

What I find interesting here, though, is that even though it uses modelling technology, at its heart is a true tube power section. Seems odd that its not working in "real life".

It was the first time I tryed it with my loud band...Next practice I'll roll the Marshall 4x12 slant cab into practice and I'll tell the guys in the band to look out! :laugh2:

 

[Mkf411]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

You may have thought of this already, but did you set your presets at practice volume? This seems to be a common theme -- people setting presets at bedroom volume and then being disappointed at practice/gig volume. I'm not sure the open back is a problem. I think the speakers made to work with the Valvetronix are specifically designed to work with the Valvetronix. But Gearjonser is running the head through some high--end cab's so the Fender Cab should work fine.

 

[Stratcat]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

Hey buddy,
How come you don't use your all tube Marshall amp for practice and gigs anymore? :question:

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

Tube Amps, Digital Modelling Amps, there is a third way - SS Analog Amps.

I am still totally digging my Tech 21 Trademark 60. It has the sounds I need at both home volumes and rehearsal volumes. I've yet to gig with it, but I'm looking forward to that. It's simple to use - no programming, just a twin-channel amp with the ability to volume-boost either channel. I am loving the tones I get from it. Been playing Marshall tube amps for years, this baby sounds better at pub-gig volumes than any Marshall I've owned (Silver Jubilee included).

Whatever amp you play you need to EQ it differently as the volume goes up. This is what puts me off programmable amps. If I store all my presets at home volume, it'll sound crap when I get to the gig. If I want to use the same amp for practicing and gigs I need two sets of patches. It all starts to get more complicated than I want it to be.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

Hey buddy,
How come you don't use your all tube Marshall amp for practice and gigs anymore? :question:

Well....I've been using my Fender Cyber Twin both live and for our practices and I learned to really love the versatility over the last 3 years...The CT lacked the Vox tones I wanted so I thought it would be cool to buy the Valvetronix head and the price was very reasonable...I again opted for the versatility that these amps provide,plus the tone I dialed up at home(At pretty high volumes)was great...When I got together with my band though,oddly enough is seemed I wasn't cutting right,plus I always put a 2x4 under my cabinet to pitch my speakers up a bit..In my drummer's place where we practice,my amp seemed bright and tinny...The only preset that sounded absolutely great,was the Fender BF 2X12 setting and it's funny because I own 2 actual 66 and 67 BF Fender amp combos,plus the CT does a great BF Fender tone...

Let's just say that I was a bit put off by the british Marshall tones and I thought they lacked both mids,low mids,and thumping lows...Something I guess the open back cabinet isn't going to give me...However,the Cyber Twin has an abuntence of lows and the most you can crank the lows up on that amp is to 5...Same cab that the Vox has been plugged into...This cab has Celestion G12-100s and they thump and rock for the CT,but not this Vox head....I'm thinkin an eq in the effects loop could be a quick fix,or just carrying that heavy 4x12 cab along and listen to the amp breathe?

My bass player said my Vox had great tone,but he felt it lacked the lowend balls I normally have in with my tone..He was standing about 8 to 10 feet in front of my amp all night..I was standing about 4 feet in front of my cab but off to the side a bit and maybe I just also couldn't hear myself all night? Lots of variables...Monday night I'll try it again and see what happens?

Thanks guys! I really want this amp to workout and I like the collection I have and the looks of the Vox..The AC30 tones are great alone also.. :wink:

 

[RiffRaff]

Re: Vox Valvetronix At Practice Night

Vox TonelabSE + Peavey Classic 50/50 tube power amp + avatar 2x12 open back cab (V30/G12H30) = tons of great tones and the ability to cut through in ANY band situation. I tried the total SS modeling amp but found even the high power set ups lacked in voume and dynamics, having a 100% tube power amp section was the remedy to that problem (at least for me). This is something the modeling manufacturers need to try - modeling amp technology plus tube amp power section, it's the perfect marriage.