Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

[JeffB]

This is why these things really cannot be beat for the $.

$230 amp:bowdown:

http://www.gearwire.com/vox-ad30-vt.html

And this is the 30W, which IME is the worst sounding one of the bunch :laugh2: The 15/50/100 sound better to my ears..fuller. Once you figure out how precisely the master volume/volume/gain knobs interact, it's a piece of cake to dial in great tones. All the knobs are much more sensitive than the amps they model, so if you are dialing it like you would a regular plexi or twin or 2203 or whatever, its gonna sound like crap.

I know that I've gone out and played a TON of amps lately in the $750 or so and under category from all the major players (modeller, tube, ss, hybrid), and I've yet to find anything for practice/bedroom/at home use that beats my little AD15VT. I keep coming home from the shops empty-handed.

Once that little 8" speaker broke in, it opened up and turned into a really nice sounding amp. It's plenty loud as well for home use. But it also sounds good at low volumes (though not AS good as when you get the master up to 8 oclock or more). $189.00 was the sticker at my local shop and I traded in some old pedals and stuff and ended up paying only $100 for it out the door :27:

And it seems VOX has been able to remedy the reliability problems. I've (knock on wood) had no issues with the 15.

:bigthumb:

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

Wait till you try the 100-watt head through a 2x12 cab with Celestion V30s! I got mine new at GC for $400, and it was an incredible bargain.

- Keith

 

[pedalinbob]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

Interesting.

I had an AD30VT for a few days, but returned it because it simply sounded muffled. I tweaked, and tweaked and tweaked, and only found a few decent tones. The "blanket over the amp" was terrible.

My J-Station had much better gain tones.

I wonder if they were changed? His amp sounds MUCH better than the one I had, and it isn't just in his fingers...

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

That guy was playing it in a big studio room. That may have added to the openness of the tone.

 

[Hoss]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

that was a GREAT demo of that amp!!! he was getting good stuff out of it for sure!

 

[JeffB]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

That guy was playing it in a big studio room. That may have added to the openness of the tone.

That helps, but its not just that. My AD15 sounds very "open" even in my bedroom. I wish I had a real recording setup, cos my clips just don't sound anything like the amp does "live" (i.e. they don't do the amp any justice)

One thing that I've found is you HAVE to get it off the floor. The Bass frequencies get very overwhelming when its on the ground and lead to that "muffled" tone.

Speaker break in (and in the 30, I think a DIFFERENT speaker) helps quite a bit too, and as I mentioned before the Gain/Vol/Master controls are VERY interactive. Generally for all my tones I run the vol wide open, gain wherever (never above 1 oclock and 10 oclockish for the high gain models), and then anywhere from 8 oclock to 11 oclock on the master , and it sounds fabulous. The little 8" Speaker starts to fart out at noon + . If you run the volume and master more "even" or master high and volume low, the amp doesn't open up nearly as well and is thinner sounding.

On the 30/50 the attentuator adds some more complexity to dialing it in.So you have to take that into account as well

 

[DankStar]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

I dig the sounds comin' out. His playing is off the hizzuk. I didn't expect him to be that good. Guy must practice. Then again, most people practice more than me these days....:yell:

 

[ErikH]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

Can't get the vid to play here, darnit. I'll have to watch it later.

After playing my AD50 at high volumes for a few weeks after first getting it, that thing really opened up. The speaker for sure is broken in now and it's sounding so sweet now.

No issues with mine either. :fing2:

 

[JeffB]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

Wait till you try the 100-watt head through a 2x12 cab with Celestion V30s! I got mine new at GC for $400, and it was an incredible bargain.

- Keith

I'm looking hard at doing just something like that...100W head..or 120w head and getting an 2x12 Avatar cab with some Emi or Hellatones.

Either that or a 50/60 combo and a Emi Wizard or somesuch.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

Y'all are making me want one bad!

Anybody have insight or experience with "I got a Valvetronix but I wish I got an all-tube amp instead"?

Just curious

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

I'm looking hard at doing just something like that...100W head..or 120w head and getting an 2x12 Avatar cab with some Emi or Hellatones.

Either that or a 50/60 combo and a Emi Wizard or somesuch.

By the way, I created a good patch for Jeff Beck's "You Know What I Mean" lead tone. Thought you might be interested.

 

[XSSIVE]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

come on now, does that thing actually sound as good as it did in that video in person for high gain stuff? heck if it really does i'll order either a 30w or 50w combo now.

-Mike

 

[ErikH]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

Mike, you've heard some of my clips. The 50 Watter is GREAT for high gain stuff. If you haven't heard the clips, hit the Tips and Clips forum and search for 'em. And listen to the Maiden Strat clips on my Soundclick page: Linky.

Edit: There's some clips of the Texas Specials in my midnight wine Strat too, cleaner settings.

 

[Top Jimmy]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

There are alot of things that come into play with this thing. Attenuator really does effect the sound. The louder you play it, the better it sounds. When i first got it it sounded nice just playing in the office. Once I got to go jam some with a buddy and cranked it up, the sound really opened up. The distortion cleaned up at higher levels.

I am still getting a tube at some point, but for an bedroom jammer I didn't hear any that sounded better. Plus I wouldn't want to use my tube amp for low volume ****ing around. Save the wear and tear for this baby.

I have heard the speaker replacement thing everywhere with the AD30VT. Anyone recommend a reasonably priced 10" speaker.

I'm thinking $40-60 max.

 

[XSSIVE]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

hmmmm this is true Erik you're stuff does sound good. i'm very tempted to pick one up since i'm getting a bit tired of my current bedroom setup of the atomic 1x12/podXT combo.

-Mike

 

[JeffB]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

By the way, I created a good patch for Jeff Beck's "You Know What I Mean" lead tone. Thought you might be interested.

Heh..I love Beck..but my forum gloss was actually a joke. Still..would like to hear the settings

come on now, does that thing actually sound as good as it did in that video in person for high gain stuff? heck if it really does i'll order either a 30w or 50w combo now.

-Mike

Order the 15 or 50, bro :bigthumb:



Yes. You can get it sound REALLY good. Tho IMO its best at low to mid volume levels. Once you learn the amp and the speaker is broken in, it sounds great.

I tried a different tube in it...Groove Tube GT12ax7C(hinese) and it tightened up the amp even more, unfortunately the voicings got whacked-out.

Its no MESA Stiletto, or 800 or Rectumfrier or whatnot, but taken in context they are EXCELLENT amps.

You're more than welcome to come up this way and play through my 15 or head over to the local shop and try the 30s/50s.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

. i'm very tempted to pick one up since i'm getting a bit tired of my current bedroom setup of the atomic 1x12/podXT combo.

-Mike

I had the exact same setup...well mine was the XT live...


The VTs are much more open, tube-like, and dynamic. Just not nearly as versatile/tweakable as the XTL/POD. I miss that versatility, but as far as sounding like a "cranked stack" at tolerable volumes, the VTs have it beat easily.

The 15 doesn't need as much volume to sound good as the 30/50 does. YOU HAVE TO GET THE SPEAKER MOVING...just like any other amp. With the 15, you just don't need to crank it up. It sounds better at lower volumes.

 

[XSSIVE]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

i hate you guys, i have a 50w in the cart and my finger hovering over the checkout button :smack:



Jeff, i have to be honest i'm sick of all the options on the pod. all i want is one killer high gain (with and without delay) and one killer clean (with and without delay) throw in a phaser and flanger and perhaps a wah once in a blue moon and i'm good to go!

-Mike

 

[ErikH]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

With the "silver" series, you have the two programmable presets and the manual mode. In a band setting while playing, that would give you 3 settings via the footswitch, as long as the footswitch is programmed to toggle the manual mode. By default button two engages/disengages the selected effect.

I find that I don't need much more than that anyway. It falls right in the "kiss" theory but with enough options to give me the sounds I want/need.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Vox Valvetronix Video & Appreciation Thread

i hate you guys, i have a 50w in the cart and my finger hovering over the checkout button :smack:

:laugh2:

DO IT DO IT DO IT

Jeff, i have to be honest i'm sick of all the options on the pod. all i want is one killer high gain (with and without delay) and one killer clean (with and without delay) throw in a phaser and flanger and perhaps a wah once in a blue moon and i'm good to go!

-Mike

Yup..sometimes all the vesatility sucks. The thing about the VT15/30/50 though is you only hvae 3 pre-sets...Channel 1 & 2 you can store...and you can use manual mode as #3. So with the footswitch (I have the vox one) you can cycle between those three OR cycle between 1/2 and effects on/off...but not all 3 AND effects on off. Still for home playing..not much of a big deal.

The Delay is good. The reverb..not bad with some tweaking. I dont think the phaser is all that great...not enough adjustment for my needs. Chorus is OK. The rotary is actually pretty cool. I dont use the flanger ever so I cannot say. But if you have some stompers you are good to go. It takes well to modulations in front (EDIT: NOT DELAYS..I mean chorus/flange/phaser, etc)...and *some* models sound good with a goose. Really depnds on the goose...my DS-1.. not so good. The Bad Monkey works MUCH better.

I think you'd like the MESA/TSL/Soldano and maybe the 800 since it actually has alot more gain than a real 2203 does. The Twin and Dumble cleans are brilliant.

Its fun to play with but not so overwhelming as the POD XT can be, and dials in much faster. I rarely do anything but use my 2 pre-sets these days, and just work the volume on the guitar and the pups.

For the intended purpose of these amps they are the best thing I've found :shrug:

Cant hurt to try, can always send it back to MF/GC/M123/WWBW etc. But I'd suggest yoou give the amp the full 30 days or whatever before you decide ya or nay. They have a learning curve like any other modeller.