Vox Valvetronix

bluesmiester · November 18th, 2008, 11:22 AM

Ok so i went to my local guitar shop, (shaped like a giant fender super champ - The Guitar Store - 02380 339668 - Southampton) and they recommended a fender blues junior. My old teacher said he just sold his fender amp for a vox AD30VT, which i had looked at prior to this, he also recommended the new VT30. These are a lot cheaper and also have effects built in so i wouldn't have to spend loads on stompboxes (as i don't like multi fx) freeing up some money for my aspiration to get a 72 tele deluxe.

I play a classic series 70's strat and play a lot of blues and rock, although i also somtimes play metal and heavier stuf and a bit of indie. Basically i play anything that takes my fancy.

What would you recommend?

gcconspiracy · November 18th, 2008, 01:03 PM

I like the AD30VT a lot. It is my only amp, and I play it daily. Having said that, there is something about those Fender tube amps; they just have a certain mojo, and seem to be paired well with strats (makes sense!). Anyways, if you go for the vox, you will get a ton of tonal variety (and, if you ask me, a ton of stinking good tones too!), and you'll get some of the best modeling effects I've ever heard (I highly recommend buying a generic footswitch for the amp); this makes for an easy grab-n-go situation, as all your presets and effects are already in the amp, no need to haul a pedal board around with you. If you go with the Fender (I would look into the Pro Junior), you'll get one great "real tube" sound, and likely be spending more on stomp-boxes. Basically you just have to decide which setup will suit you better at this stage in your playing (plus, both amps are reasonably priced, and you can always upgrade from one to the other)

-gcc

ps - the vox is also surprisingly loud (I've mic'd it and played auditoriums with no problem!), but can sound really nice at low volumes due to the power attenuator feature.

thaus · November 18th, 2008, 01:41 PM

I own a vox AD30VT and like it a lot. It is my practice amp and is plenty loud and soulful sounding. Don't know if I would gig with it........drummers are very loud and I'm not sure that this amp could compete! For that I have a 50watt tube combo that blows any drummer out of the water volume-wise. And that tube tone can't be beat!

gcconspiracy · November 18th, 2008, 02:33 PM

thaus,

could you give us an honest comparison of how the vox matches up tone-wise to your tube amp? I've tried tube amps out before, and loved them, but it's always different once you get an amp home and really tweak it and spend some quality time with it.

-gcc

ps - what exactly do you have for a tube amp?

johnreardon · November 18th, 2008, 03:20 PM

What to buy depends on what you want the amp for. Do you intend playing solely at home or do you what to gig with it.

If solely at home, then I would go for something low powered and wouldn't really care if it's valve or solid state. You are not going to be driving an amp to loud at home, so unless you have a low wattage valve amp, then buying a valve amp may not be the best way to go.

If you intend gigging, then you will need something with a bit more oomph. I use an Orange Tiny Terror 15w valve amp for nearly all my gigs, only have to use a 50w Mesa for big locations.

Don't discount the SS amps. Some of them can sound great. You really need to try as many as you can and see which one you like.

So I would suggest 15w-30w for Valve amps or at least a 30w for solid state if you intend to gig.

If just for home use, a low wattage (1-5watts) valve amp or 15-30w for SS amps.

Good luck

thaus · November 18th, 2008, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gcconspiracy

thaus,

could you give us an honest comparison of how the vox matches up tone-wise to your tube amp? I've tried tube amps out before, and loved them, but it's always different once you get an amp home and really tweak it and spend some quality time with it.

-gcc

ps - what exactly do you have for a tube amp?

The Vox has some very convincing tube-like tones...........I dislike the distorted presets but that isn't my style. I use an OCD overdrive on one of the clean presets and it sounds really really good; tube-like goodness!! What is missing to some extent is the full dynamics that you get with tubes. I have an old Peavey Blues Classic (from 1995) and it is an awesome amp. I always disliked anything Peavey until I got this amp. I remember sitting in an amp room in TO when I bought this and had 6 different combos lined up and was able to A/B them and the Peavey came out on top! It has a 15 inch driver which gives a totally unique tone.

Jefro · November 19th, 2008, 12:13 AM

I've got VOX AD15VT and think its a POS. My brother had a AD30 but got rid of it or Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and since than I dont even use the AD15 and plan on trading it in for a Blues Junior.

Tone - Tone, they cannot compete with that pure tube sound.

thaus · November 19th, 2008, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jefro

I've got VOX AD15VT and think its a POS. My brother had a AD30 but got rid of it or Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and since than I dont even use the AD15 and plan on trading it in for a Blues Junior.

Tone - Tone, they cannot compete with that pure tube sound.

This is why the tone debate is so subjective. I actually got rid of a Blues Jr. to get the VOX!! I thought the Jr, even though a tube amp, had a shrill high-end that just wasn't cutting for me. I don't like every tone on the VOX but for practicing it fits the bill, and I do like it's tone!!

Jefro · November 19th, 2008, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thaus

This is why the tone debate is so subjective. I actually got rid of a Blues Jr. to get the VOX!! I thought the Jr, even though a tube amp, had a shrill high-end that just wasn't cutting for me. I don't like every tone on the VOX but for practicing it fits the bill, and I do like it's tone!!

I guess I'd have to agree and say the VOX is fine for practicing but even at that I dont like it because I find it way to bassy and lacking any kind of real sparkle. And an example of what I mean is if I use the VOX (with any of my guitars) I have the bass turned off or set @ 0 etc. But on the Hot Rod Deluxe I play with the bass around betwen 6 & 8.

The Vox just seems lifeless in comparison.

bluesmiester · November 19th, 2008, 11:20 AM

i plan on using it as a practice amp(although i can turn up really loud as im in the middle of nowhere) and hopefully a gigging amp

gcconspiracy · November 19th, 2008, 01:12 PM

thaus, thanks for the response... I know others will disagree, but I agree with you, although the vox will never be an all-tube amp (it's not intended to be!), it does get some pretty creamy tones!

still_fiddlin · November 19th, 2008, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jefro

I guess I'd have to agree and say the VOX is fine for practicing but even at that I dont like it because I find it way to bassy and lacking any kind of real sparkle. And an example of what I mean is if I use the VOX (with any of my guitars) I have the bass turned off or set @ 0 etc. But on the Hot Rod Deluxe I play with the bass around betwen 6 & 8.

The Vox just seems lifeless in comparison.

A speaker change could make a world of difference. My Epiphone was very bass-y, until I put a new speaker in it. Different amp now.

Jefro · November 20th, 2008, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by still_fiddlin

A speaker change could make a world of difference. My Epiphone was very bass-y, until I put a new speaker in it. Different amp now.

Yea I figured it would but I didnt want to get into modifying an amp that I didnt like in the first place so thats the main reason I've never bothered changing the Speaker.

gcconspiracy · November 20th, 2008, 11:07 AM

the ragin' cajun by Eminence is supposed to be a wicked fit for the AD30VT... I haven't done it myself (I don't mind the sound at this point), but the reviews are insanely positive on that particular amp/speaker swap; plus it's a pretty cheap speaker!

still_fiddlin · November 20th, 2008, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gcconspiracy

the ragin' cajun by Eminence is supposed to be a wicked fit for the AD30VT... I haven't done it myself (I don't mind the sound at this point), but the reviews are insanely positive on that particular amp/speaker swap; plus it's a pretty cheap speaker!

That's what I put in my Epiphone.

Speaker change is a good mod, and certainly simpler than swapping PUs. You have to figure the low-power amps are not going to have the best speakers. They've got to cut costs somewhere, and if you assume fixed costs for cabinet and labor are probably similar for $300 or $1000 amp, after transformer and tubes, where else are they going to cut corners?

thaus · December 2nd, 2008, 09:53 AM

Well, I just got a used Ragin Cajun from Eminence and I can attest to the fact that the VOX sounds a LOT better............hard to believe that a speaker change can change the tone. On the boutique clean setting with my OCD pedal, it sounds all tube with dynamics. Sweet mod and highly recommended.

uf_gators · January 1st, 2009, 09:25 PM

I have the new VoX VT30 , and I am really love mine.

dtfan4ever · January 2nd, 2009, 12:00 AM

My impression of these amps is pretty good. I will probably get one at some point.

aznrambo481 · Yesterday, 07:09 PM

They are the best SS amps I have ever played.

"tube emulation". whatever. Whatever's giving it that sound is doing a pretty good job. The 30watt is just loud enough to compete with a drummer. The effects are fun (slight chorus/delay for Gilmour leads, of course) and the amp models are decent. And for only $239 (or so they were when I got mine 2 years ago)... you can't do much better.

Jefro · Yesterday, 07:16 PM

Ending up selling min as I didn't care for the whole multiple amp/effect combo in one.

aznrambo481 · Yesterday, 07:32 PM

If you're an intermediate guitar player, though, it's a lot better as it lets you dabble in a lot of different styles etc... it's always nice to be able to get a lot of tones. But once you have a better grasp of what you want, I guess it becomes of a lesser use. I know that a lot of posters on the tele forum swear by the vox vt's though...as would I!

Jefro · Yesterday, 08:42 PM

Ending up selling my AD15VT... Just didnt click with the whole multiple Amp/Effect Combo in 1.

Currently using my brothers Hot Rod Deluxe which I love but do not require something so big and I'm unsure of what I'll purchase next.

Offshore Angler · Yesterday, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnreardon

What to buy depends on what you want the amp for. Do you intend playing solely at home or do you what to gig with it.

If solely at home, then I would go for something low powered and wouldn't really care if it's valve or solid state. You are not going to be driving an amp to loud at home, so unless you have a low wattage valve amp, then buying a valve amp may not be the best way to go.

If you intend gigging, then you will need something with a bit more oomph. I use an Orange Tiny Terror 15w valve amp for nearly all my gigs, only have to use a 50w Mesa for big locations.

Don't discount the SS amps. Some of them can sound great. You really need to try as many as you can and see which one you like.

So I would suggest 15w-30w for Valve amps or at least a 30w for solid state if you intend to gig.

If just for home use, a low wattage (1-5watts) valve amp or 15-30w for SS amps.

Good luck

I couldn't agree more. For the average volume a home/hobby player a solid-state amp or modeler is probably better.

The VOX stuff is pretty good. The sounds are nice.

I have an arsenal of amps - and part of my paycheck is to pick the right one for the job at hand. I also have a lot of modeling gear and power amps, power engines, etc.

The new modeling stuff sounds more authentic at lower volumes than the real deal sometimes. For example have a beautiful sounding Deluxe Reverb, but it's sweet spot is way too loud for home or even smaller clubs. So if I used it in those situations it wouldn't be operating where it sounds good. With even a simple PODxt and a Power Engine I can get a better DR tone for practicing then the DR would do at non-divorce inducing levels.

Modeling also helps a newb undestand that all amps different. You need to understand the sonic qualities of amps to help you select the voice you want. If you can hear say, the diffenence between a JTM 45, an AC30, a brownface Showman, tweed Bassman, silverface DR, or a blackface Super in your head, then you should know what amp you want.

A modeler will at least give you some insight because you can try out all the great amps.

While I will admit that modelers can now do extremely convincing amp sounds, especially the pro-level non-impulse based stuff, they do not respond the same as tube amp. You'll get the sound but not the feel. But that really only comes into play as you get up to performance volumes. At low settings, tube amps are actually quite linear and behave pretty much like solid-state.

You can usually tell when someone is using too big an amp with a Strat. They'll say "My bridge pickup is too thin and ice-picky."

dolphinstreet · Yesterday, 10:49 PM

It's subjective of course - we all have different ears. I've got dozens of video demos of the Vox AD50VT on my site www.dolphinstreet.com - maybe that could be useful.

I've gigged with it lots for years now, and it's incredibly versatile and great for practice too. It's not the same as a killer tube amp, but it can get quite close to sounding like a good tube amp. For home playing, it's killer since it's got so many great sounds in it. Sounds good at low volume too. The VT series I have not tried yet.

aznrambo481 · Today, 12:05 AM

Dolphinstreet! I have really dug your youtube videos... I used one to show my friend what a Bad Monkey sounds like (he bought it and loves it… it has done wonders for his sound!). I think your videos may have been one of the reasons why I bought the vox (Weren't you on the tele forum also?).

Carlsoti · Today, 10:18 AM

I've got a little Vox; the ad15vt, I think. While it will NEVER replace my mesa/boogie and pedals, it is a fantastic little amp. As someone previously stated, they do have a rather convincing tube amp sound, with just a hint of the "feel". The one 12ax7 in the amp is actually configured as a "power tube", in essence. I think for a gigging musician, especially if you play a lot of covers, one of the voxs would be great.