Re: Vox vtx vs blackstar ID tvp?
Well, I have the smalller versions.
I have a ID core 10,and a VT20x.
The blackstar has a weird strangled attack when you hit the strings..its a fun amp though. Its immediately usable and easy to dial in. It still prefers higher gain settings on the knobs..the effects are a pita to adjust..the controls are not very precise/granular. The software is a must. On the plus side, it takes pedals well in front, and thats what I do. Still, I really don't like Blackstar's voicings. All the crunch/gain channels sound like they are filtered with a wah pedal. The speakers cannot take more than 1/2 way on the volume dial before they start sounding horrendous.
The VT20x is new to me, but is my 6th or 7th Valvetronix. They are much warmer, and feel more like a tube amp under the fingers. They don't respond as ""digitally" as most inexpensive modellers but there is some digital squish at times. They take a bit of tweaking, but there is an element of "this thing sort of reacts and feels like a big cranked tube amp, but in miniature". They take pedals very well too, but the onboard effects are easier to dial and I think they are better than the Blackstar tonally. Probably because they are modelled after real effect boxes. But the interface on the Vox is a pita. You will need the manual alot so you can figure out all the parameters and which knobs they are assigned too. They respond well to tube changes too..
The big issue for me with the Valvetronix has been longevity/reliability. I've had 3 of them die on me within 2 years of purchase. They just start acting weird...effects turning off an on by themselves, models farting out, etc. Factory resets never helped. I think they are just cheaply made and things get too hot and burn up. Sadly, my new Vt20x has a massive problem with noise/buzzing to the point where I have to crank the reverb just to hear it over the buzzing. After going through the motions of trying to diagnose and sending them a soundclip of how drastic the buzzing is compared to my DSL at half volume, Sweetwater service department is going to send me a replacement. We shall see. Sucks because the speaker was finally breaking in and amp was not nearly as harsh out the box.
