Test drove a VOX VT30

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Test drove a VOX VT30
Topic Started: Oct 13 2009, 02:59 PM (796 Views)
Rampant	Oct 13 2009, 02:59 PM Post #1
Immortal (well, ...so far!) Posts: 427 Group: Top Contributor! Member #8,896 Joined: October 7, 2008	A nice day out yesterday... Had planned for a while to take a day off to travel to nearby(ish) Nottingham (1 hour's drive) and have a look in a couple of guitar stores with my guitar sensei Johnny. Had a really good browse and handled a couple of guitars, but nothing much grabbed my temptation. I've been thinking about amplification for a while now. My Crate V5 has got decent tones, but no real control - the "Tone"control knob doesn't really do much except deaden the tone! I'm using a multi effects box to drive the type of sound. Very good at what it does, but you can't switch settings, in the middle of playing a song - it's hands and eyes off to cycle through settings. That's had me thinking that a footswitch is definitely the way forward. I've heard a lot of good things said about the VOX VT series. Looking at the VT30, it seems like it might serve just what I'm after. Built in effects, programmable settings and importantly, foot-switchable with a seperate 5 switch pedal. Has also got an output level control so those high gain tones can be listened to at lower (home) volumes. It's physical size is ideal for me, too. All sounds really good so far. The first thing I noticed when I plugged in for real was that it was packed full of goodies. It was quite difficult to self-navigate through the settings, so I had to ask for assistance. Reading the user manual would be essential, I guess, lol! The second thing that I noticed was the pleasing sound. All the amp models have lovely characterful tone. Nice. Next, playing with the effects was fun and still the tones sounded good. As good as my little Pandora, anyway. Like my Pandora, though, it's probably got too much versatility. Of the 100 Pandora presets I use maybe 6 or so settings. In the year that I've been learning guitar I haven't messed about with user-definable programs, either. And so it would be with the VOX, I imagine. Lastly, I wondered what the amp would sound like with absolutely no models or effects in the loop. The question here is - could I find a "clean" setting? I guess no is the answer. Sure the "effects" can be bypassed. However, the amp models can't be bypassed. Each of the 8 (IIRC) amp models cycle from boutique and each subsequent setting adds more bite or crunch to the sound, culminating in an 80s style metal amp sound. So that's the "cleanest" it will go! There are also 3 preset effects that can be cycled through for each amp model as well as the "clean" preset. Versatile! And now I'm really confused. It turns out that the VT probably has a bit too much versatility built in. And that builds in the confusion factor. Which settings shall I dial up today??? Kinda takes some of the emphasis away from just playing the guitar? I really thought the VT30 would be all the things I wanted. And it probably still is, at the price. What I really want is a valve amp and a couple of pedals. That's just too expensive for a hobby learner like me. Maybe the VT30 would slot into my life easily and on a pain free(ish) budget. It's certainly got me thinking on alternatives. How about a couple of budget pedals and keeping my V5 amp??? There's a thought. Apologies for the long post.....Over to you guys for some suggestions.....
	NEW - Scarlet red PRS Custom 24 (25th anniversary birds) Black/white Yamaha Pacifica 112V Translucent red Ibanez Artcore AFS-75T semi-acoustic Vox Valvetronix VT30 Roland Micro Cube travel amp Sensei called Johnny Oriental red sunburst Yamaha APX700 electro-acoustic


voodoorider	Oct 14 2009, 11:21 AM Post #2
Garry Posts: 673 Group: Members Member #8,964 Joined: November 3, 2008	Ha yeah i also always wondered why they never have a clean clean tone available! They kind of do, although you have to play around with the 2 volumes and back the gain off enough, and even then it loses a lot of volume to get a nice clean tone!
	Guitars: PRS CU 22 R/W neck \| Organic Classic \| Heritage H-150 \| Fender Eric Clapton Strat \| Fender Deluxe Ash strat, scalloped \| 2001 USA std Telecaster \| 2008 USA std Telecaster \| 1996 Gibson Les Paul standard \| PRS Santana SE \| Maverick X1 \| Epiphone SG \| Freshman FA400J Amps: Orange Rockerverb 50 \| Mesa Boogie Electradyne \| Traynor YCV40T \| VOX AD60VT \| Fender Pro 185 \| Zoom Fire 15


monwobobbo	Oct 14 2009, 03:08 PM Post #3
Posts: 1,032 Group: Moderator Member #8,625 Joined: June 23, 2008	once you've tasted the tone of tubes then there is no going back. Bugera just put out a 22 watt Class A amp that is only $350 here so i don't imagine it would be much if any more expensive there. 2 channels, you can cut the power and it sounds pretty decent for the price. you also might be able to find a used Peavey valveking for a reasonable price. skip the modeling, its ok for recording purposes but a real a will beat that live any day.
	and now for something completely different


Rampant	Oct 14 2009, 03:41 PM Post #4
Immortal (well, ...so far!) Posts: 427 Group: Top Contributor! Member #8,896 Joined: October 7, 2008	You're so right, Bob - Tubes kick @ss I 'cranked' the volume on my Jensen speaker modded Crate V5 up to 4 last night - much louder than I normally practice at. What a fantastic sound. The tone control also actually did something useful at this level. The Bugera V22 mentioned is available here at around �260 and sounds very very tasty indeed :). Sadly, it's way too big, physically, for my little practice room and wouldn't fit in the gap that my Crate now fills. Probably way too powerful for my current needs as well! But the Fender Blues Junior I've looked at on the web is just about small enough. confused Maybe I'll just stay with my Crate and invest in a pedal or 2!! How about a multi-effects pedal to replace my multi-effects gizmo???
	NEW - Scarlet red PRS Custom 24 (25th anniversary birds) Black/white Yamaha Pacifica 112V Translucent red Ibanez Artcore AFS-75T semi-acoustic Vox Valvetronix VT30 Roland Micro Cube travel amp Sensei called Johnny Oriental red sunburst Yamaha APX700 electro-acoustic


monwobobbo	Oct 15 2009, 02:02 AM Post #5
Posts: 1,032 Group: Moderator Member #8,625 Joined: June 23, 2008	make a bigger space . the bugera can be powered down so it shouldn't be to loud unless you get nutsy with it. think of it tis way you wouldn't have to upgrade for a really long time. being a fossil i'm kinda stuck in the pedal age so thats what i use. i do have a cheap multi-fx unit but can't say i use it much.
	and now for something completely different

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