Well, whaddya know - Vox didn't abandon Valvetronix after all

CBHScott

CBHScott

How did I get here?
New VTX series announced. Looks on the surface like new modelling technology if their copy is to be believed.

Some interesting options including class and bias selections. Looks? Hmmm...

http://www.voxamps.com/VTXSeries

Product-Page_Hero_IMG_1920x500-VT20X.jpg



The official demo is right up @Elias Graves ' alley :wink:

 
I had the AD15VT, and then sold that for the VT20+, and it's an awesome little amp. The AC15 setting with some reverb sounds killer. And it weighs like a pound.
 
So, were the originals fairly crappy-sounding? I never really got to play thru one except one time at Guitar Center, and that only for a couple of minutes. I seem to remember getting a pretty decent tone. But I've seen Valvetronix get slammed by people too, though that might've been the pedal thingie.
 
Jbird said:
So, were the originals fairly crappy-sounding? I never really got to play thru one except one time at Guitar Center, and that only for a couple of minutes. I seem to remember getting a pretty decent tone. But I've seen Valvetronix get slammed by people too, though that might've been the pedal thingie.
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The originals (ADxxVT) and the next series (VTXX) were considered pretty good - I think the consensus is that the original AD60VT was the sweet spot, but the VT series was pretty well-received because they introduced a separate reverb control away from the other effects, whereas you could not use reverb separately before. It was the VTxx Plus (+) series where it started going downhill - too many confusing presets and models buried within the on-board button frenzy, plus there were some QC issues.

Looks like the new series has scaled back the number of on-board models, but has added a Windows/Mac/iOS/Android(?) editor that adds a few more models.

I haz an intreeg.
 
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CBHScott said:
The originals (ADxxVT) and the next series (VTXX) were considered pretty good - I think the consensus is that the original AD60VT was the sweet spot, but the VT series was pretty well-received because they introduced a separate reverb control away from the other effects, whereas you could not use reverb separately before. It was the VTxx Plus (+) series where it started going downhill - too many confusing presets and models buried within the on-board button frenzy, plus there were some QC issues.
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This is interesting to know, I wondered why the Valvetronix line had nose dived in terms of ratings.

Years ago, I tried what I think was a ADxx(120?)VT 2 x 12" valvetronix combo when they came out and the sounds were good to excellent on the defaults iirc. It was too expensive for me at the time though, particularly as it was not exactly that flexible unless you shelled out for the big foot controller with the expression pedals which was a couple of hundred quid or more on top of what was already not a cheap amp.
 
I almost got the middle sized one (AD50? had a 12 inch speaker) as my first amp. They were well regarded at the time (about 2006 or so). I ended up with a used Peavey C-30 instead.
 
I sold the Valvetronix I had once I realized I was happy with just reverb those rare times I plug in an electric guitar. It was probably a fine amp, but wasn't for me. (Yes, Howie, you tried to warn me. :grin:)
 
I very, very seriously considered either their floor/desktop unit or one of the amps. Everything I heard about the sounds was positive and my limited time trying one had me thinking it would work.

The big turn-off for me, though, was THE CONSTRUCTION IS SO DARN "PLASTIC".

Seriously, just looking at it, I kept thinking, "That will break off. That's going to fail. That will crack." on and on.

I'd really prefer them to make it less of a computer and more of a robust, reliable amplifier.
 
jp_nyc said:
They sound good as long as you don't try to play metal. The high gain amp models have a can-of-bees sound.
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I had a Valvetronix 100 watt head, that to me, sounded like it had a blanket thrown over it. The guy who bought if from me was in a metal band. Go figure.
 
I had a VT30 that I really liked (with the footpedal, which to me is a necessity for these) but traded it off to get a Tech 21 Trademark 60, which I ended up not liking at all. I found that (to me) the Vox cleans were a bit weak, but there was a whole universe of decent crunch and distortion to be had.
 
I had a valvetronix amp briefly, very briefly. It felt very flat, like I was pushing the sound out of it. Terrible amp, IMO, I returned it.
 
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