Do I need a new amp?

d8m

I play at home and when I got back into playing after a few years out i picked up a Vox VT20+.

Honestly have never got on with it as it seems to have to many bells and whistles in terms of the controls!

When I played before I had a Fender amp that I just set my volume and tone on and left alone.

With the Vox every time I turn it on it seems to be a battle to get a good clean tone out of it that I can just set and leave.

I am considering purchasing a new amp but I really wonder whether its the amp or my lack of patience.

Anyone else used these VT+ models and care to chime in?

Phil_aka_Pip

I'd be surprised if you found it impossible to get a sound that you like, but I'm forced to agree there's less faff with eg an Epi VJ - so long as you like the sound and don't find any need to mess with it.

Do you use a pedalboard or multi-fx?

EDIT

As a fairly qualified GAS addict, perhaps I should add that you ALWYS need new gear

d8m

I run a small pedal board in front of the amp.

underdog

I like an Epi Valve Junior clean with whatever pedal to give you the gain. Nice and simple and once you're happy with the sound there's nothing to mess with.

Though I am keeping my eye out for something that will mean selling all my amps

ICBM

Are you using it in Manual mode? If not it will return to a preset every time you turn it on, which could be frustrating.

In Manual they're pretty simple to use.

d8m

I am using it in manual mode and to be fair the tone isn't that bad (I run it on the fender twin blackface setting)

This thread was largely inspired by me looking at amps on teh net all afternoon and igniting my GAS fire!

whoops!

Cirrus

Get a mesa MK 5 full stack, 2xac30 for cleans and a rack of effects/signal switchers controlled by a £700 midi floorboard.

Voxman

If you haven't already done so, pop into Valvetronix.net where there's a ton of info on the Valvetronix amps, including a detailed FAQ section where you'll find all sorts of help on how the amp works, history and differences of the Valvetronix range, and a specific discussion forum for the VT+ range. 

http://www.valvetronix.net/forums/

http://www.valvetronix.net/forums/faq-troubleshooting-tips-and-tricks-f33.html

It's a cracking little amp but its not immediately 'plug and play'.  You need to read the manual through to understand how its set up eg what the green, amber & red channels do, how to bypass all the effects built into these factory patches, and how to use the amp in manual mode which makes the amp 'WISYWIG' - What you see is what you get.  

I had the VT40+ on loan and its capable of some great tones - I did a demo of it on you-tube that you can see here:

crunchman

For those who are recommending a small valve amp, personally I'd go for VHT Special 6 over Valve Junior.  I've owned both in head format and I much prefer the VHT.  If you go combo it may be different because a lot will depend on the speaker and cabinet.

fretmeister

Yes, you do need a new amp.

The rest of the OP is irrelevant. 

Glad I could help.

TheMarlin

I had a Vox VT.  No manner of fiddling with it could get an convincing tone.  Get rid, and go valve.

Keep an eye out for a Kustom Coupe 36.  Fantastic amps, little understood.  All valve, killer Fender style, killer reverb, killer Marshall tones.

It may take a while, but keep an eye on ebay.  You'll get one for around £200, but you'll have to be patient.

Marlin

gusman2x

I think if I was looking for a home amp, I'd be looking at getting a nice silverface vibro champ. Not the cheapest, but they sound lovely. I guess it also depends what you're going to be playing too. I'm generally pretty happy with my Laney VC15 for home stuff.

meltedbuzzbox

go man style and get yourself a 100w Fender Twin for home 

GavRichList

...or a Princeton, obviously. Pretty much the pinnacle of "Littleampmakeslovelynoises".

Voxman

TheMarlin;417578" said:

I had a Vox VT.  No manner of fiddling with it could get an convincing tone.

I think what you mean is that you couldn't get convincing tones from it, which is fair enough. But its nonsense to suggest it can't deliver convincing tones. The Valvetronix range is a pretty decent sounding modelling amp at its price point and I think my youtube demo of the VT40+ shows the amp in a pretty good light. It isn't what I'd call plug n play in that you do need to spend a little time with it to understand how it works. Most of the presets are pretty 'meh' and you need to go into manual mode to get a fairer feel for what the amp can do.

Of course if all-valve is preferred that's a different and totally valid approach. Each has pros and cons and it depends on what each person wants to use it for and how sensitive they are to pure valve feel and tone. But for home use in particular, modelling amps like the Vox Valvetronix, Fender Mustang etc have a lot going for them and can be a lot more fun because of their tonal versatility, effects options, headphone, aux/mp3 outs, linking to computers etc. Its wrong to suggest that valve is always best for everyone in all circumstances just because thats your preference. Golden rule is that most folk in this position need to play both to discover which is the best fit for them.

All valve amps have a feel and tone all their own but often they are tonally less versatile and if you want more than the basic clean and gain tones from the amp, you'll need to invest in some external effects. So issues such as total cost inc effects, size, weight, valve replacement and maintenance costs, weight, size etc are all bona fide considerations.

Aside from offering pretty good tone in their own right, modelling amps can help less experienced players learn more about different types of amp tone, EQ, and effects from which they might be better armed to help springboard to a specific type of valve amp that they've learned they like.

Valve amps and modelling amps are simply tools and each has their place. And its important to try different amps in each genre. And they don't have to be mutually exclusive...you can have both all-valve and modelling (just as I do) for different jobs. Its not like you're an Arsenal supporter and have to hate Spurs or vice a versa!
>:D<

usedtobe

I like my little Vox.. Alwaays got an eye on the next thing, though...

ICBM

I was playing a VT60 (the first series, with the blue grille cloth) in the shop today.

If you can't get a decent tone out of one the problem is not in the amp. Seriously.

Wazmeister

@d8m to answer your initial question mate... "Yes, you ALWAYS need a new amp...!"

p90fool

ICBM;419598" said:

I was playing a VT60 (the first series, with the blue grille cloth) in the shop today.

If you can't get a decent tone out of one the problem is not in the amp. Seriously.

I can't, at least not for more than a few minutes. There's an inherent nasally digital compression which is there all the time, regardless of patch settings. Once you've noticed and tuned in to it it's inescapable and very fatiguing.

I like and use modellers all the time, but I can't and won't use Vox VT amps, they actually make me feel queasy.

ICBM

Interesting - I've never played one for more than a few minutes, at least not at higher volume. I might have sat and fiddled around with one for an hour or so - I agree some of the higher gain models are very odd-sounding, but the cleaner ones are really good, probably the most natural of any modeller I've tried.

I know what you you mean about 'sensitisation' to things like that though - I really don't like a lot of modelers for that reason, there's something I almost always pick up on and then find harder and harder not to hear - a sort of grating brittleness - but I didn't get that with the Vox. I also wouldn't say it sounds 'great' - but definitely good, to me.

I find find some other non-modelling amps very fatiguing to listen to as well, including some that other people seem to like. (eg Orange Micro Terror.)

Maybe it's the valve .

(Joking, but it would be funny if it was! Since it's what sets the Vox apart from the other modellers you like…)

p90fool

It's actually not just the Vox or even just digital modellers, some of the older Tech 21 stuff has a similar effect on me but for a different reason, in that case it's almost as if there's a sub-bass undertone which is just outside the capabilities of whatever speakers you're using, but it's trying to come through anyway.

It's probably a side effect of their particular cab emulation, but like a lot of these things, once you've noticed it you can't get rid of it.

I've likened it before to listening to Radio 1 - it's processed to sound good on a kitchen tranny, a factory Tannoy or in an average car where it'll punch through a lot of background noise, but on a good stereo in a quiet room it has a weird "pumped" quality which can get nauseating quite quickly.