Most versatile small home recording amp

  • Thread starter Thread starter Clit Torres
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Most versatile home recording amp

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    128
Clit Torres said:
I've been looking for something small to record with in my small space, both for micing up and going direct, it's not going to be used for rehearsals or gigging. I'm obviously looking for something versatile cause I record various styles. It seems many here are into the Roland Cube as far as convenience and versatility goes, but I'm really torn between the Cube 30 and the AD30VT.
So any experience/comments on the models mentioned or any others I missed will be much appreciated.
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Ive gotten great recordings from my line 6...however its not a spider III 30W...its a half stack with better speakers than the ones in a line 6. But i do agree with everyone else, that the vox is a very good amp...but i thought(referring to someone elses post) that there was a tube in the pre, and the power element was solid state? Ive played Valvetronix amps...there very nice, and very very versatile...up there with line 6 versatility.
 
JPXTom said:
But i do agree with everyone else, that the vox is a very good amp...but i thought(referring to someone elses post) that there was a tube in the pre, and the power element was solid state? .
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yeah there's a tube in plain view on the back but not sure which, pre or power.


maybe they play with or without the tube. didn't see the same on the 15watt version.

here's how I read it..and it doesn't sound real clear still.

patented VOX Valve Reactor found on all Valvetronix products. The Valve Reactor circuit uses a 12AX7 triode vacuum tube together with an actual low-wattage tube power amp circuit, a virtual output transformer and a dummy speaker circuit that simulates the impedance changes of a real speaker. It also reconfigures itself so that its characteristics are the same as the amps it’s modeling (class A, class AB, negative feedback circuit, etc.). This means that all of the nuances of the original amp model including sound, feel, distortion and presence are reproduced accurately.
 
i still have this old roland cube 60 from 1983! it's dark orange, the reverb tho is only intermittant, the distortion ugly unless it's light - solid state, i remember once hearing one with a celestion in it, sounded way better, not sure what model i could put in it...
 
COOLCAT said:
yeah there's a tube in plain view on the back but not sure which, pre or power.


maybe they play with or without the tube. didn't see the same on the 15watt version.

here's how I read it..and it doesn't sound real clear still.

patented VOX Valve Reactor found on all Valvetronix products. The Valve Reactor circuit uses a 12AX7 triode vacuum tube together with an actual low-wattage tube power amp circuit, a virtual output transformer and a dummy speaker circuit that simulates the impedance changes of a real speaker. It also reconfigures itself so that its characteristics are the same as the amps it’s modeling (class A, class AB, negative feedback circuit, etc.). This means that all of the nuances of the original amp model including sound, feel, distortion and presence are reproduced accurately.
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Hmm yeah...well i'd assume pre, like in the marshall AVTs...only vox's valvetronix series is better than marshall's AVT series.
 
Man I love my Pignose GV40. 3 12ax7's and 2 6L6's. Mine is modded w/a 12" scorpion. Very versatile from sweet-n-clean to ultra-hi-gain shredder.


chazba
 
Any small and good tube amp will start (new) at $500 bucks. The BJ is good, but does one thing and does it really well. At $50 to $100 bucks a pop, adding on all the pedals you would need to be able to do what the Vox AD amp does you are looking at around $1000 bucks for everything (amp + pedals). Yeah change the tubes, but you also have to change the speaker. Hard to beat the sound of a real Jensen C12K or a 100 watt Weber Blue Dog inside a BJ amp. Better yet, stick an Emi Cannabis Rex in there!!

You wanna spend $1000 bucks?

The Cubes are ok, but all solid state cant match the tone of any tube, even if it is just a 12AX7 in a power amp section that gets boosted later by a SS power stage to feed the speaker. The Vox will hold up under the conditions you describe (recording at home, no gigs, no rehearsals). Change the tube, but - again - you have to change the speaker. That budget custom Celestion C50 (I think) that they put in there sucks. Put a 100 watt 10 inch Weber Blue Pup in there and it will sing. Better yet, mount a shorting jack on the back (careful - voids the warranty) so you can plug it into a 100 watt Weber Blue Dog or a Michigan and you will be glad you paid $239 for the AD30. For $500 bucks, the same cost of a BJ, you can have the AD30, the Weber Blue Pup, a new cord and a new leather strap and have plenty of variety to fill your needs. And if it's too loud at 2am, it has a power soak on the back to set the speaker volume without changing your knobs settings. Crank the gains full and scream away.....

I got an AD30 just for taking to church, so I dont have to lug around a box full of pedals. I put a Emi Delta Demon in it, and a shorting jack to connect to any 8 ohm cab. Sounds great thru a 2x12. Since you emphasized variety at home, the AD30 (or the AD50 for another $120 bucks!) beats any of the other choices you list.

But for recording?? Fire up the Twin or the Mesa!! If I had money to burn?? I would have a THD BiValve sitting here!!
 
I use a Vox AC30CCX2 for home recording - it's got great tones for everything from clean to crunchy to full tube saturation (given a hot enough pickup in the guitar). It won't go all the way into scooped metal tones, but a pedal could do that for you.
 
I built a HiOctane version 4 w/EL34
A Renegade without the clean channel
And a modified 18Watt that is going to be remodified
 
All of its really based on preference and how much u want it to do for x amount of dollars. If you need a ton of different tones without spending cash on pedals..vox valvetronix or line 6 hands down. If your going tone w/ some minor crunch and clean maybe with some pedals...go orange tiny terror, peavey valveking, any other tube amp around those ranges. I'd go one of those 4, depending...and if u have the money, go vox ac30..things a beauty.
 
On the cheap, I would look for an American made Peavey Classic 20, which will get you into a clean or overdriven sound. For more money, I would look into a vintage Fender Champ or Princeton, both of which can be overdriven and excellent for home recording applications.
 
i thought a micro cube at full vol was better for some things than larger amps at say half volume....

i acctually bought one as a mess around amp but the ac30 emulation is acctually quite good and i think the smaller speaker acctually helps its sit in the mix better.....

worth investigating ..cheap as hell but dont be put off by the price...
 
the new Fender Super Champ XD (SCXD) - a modeling amp with real tube Class A/B dual 6V6 power section, easily upgradeable 10" speaker. Classic Fender tones (only beatable by actual fender all-tube amps).

Has a "line out" - people say it's really good, but you'll still probably WANT to mic it.

IMHO neither Valvetronix (VOX) nor the Tech 21 trademarks measure up (for tone).
 
I own the Vox ad30vt, and while it is quite a versatile amp, i cant seem to get tones that i really like from it. usually they are lacking warmth and often times the sound i get bothers me. for i small amp i usually go with my marshall AVT 20, which is somewhat small, and can get good tones. the problem with that amp is it has very few knobs and only one of them is for gain, so you have to readjust the whole amp when a channel is switched.
 
I've been using the VOX ToneLab for the past few years and love it - it sits on the computer desk, has a windows interface, so I can save all settings into playlists on the pc and I get killer tones out of it. Wouldn't trade it for anything when it comes to home recording.
 
Gear_Junky said:
the new Fender Super Champ XD (SCXD) - a modeling amp with real tube Class A/B dual 6V6 power section, easily upgradeable 10" speaker. Classic Fender tones (only beatable by actual fender all-tube amps).

Has a "line out" - people say it's really good, but you'll still probably WANT to mic it.

IMHO neither Valvetronix (VOX) nor the Tech 21 trademarks measure up (for tone).
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Agreed.
I LOVE my Super Champ.
 
Since someone just voted and ressurructed this, I'll add the Fender Deluxe Vintage Modified to the list. It's hot out of the factory, look it up, I can personally attest that every claim the ads make are on par. Excellent and tasteful effects use, and tones ranging from that coveted Fender Clean to an excellent dirty (first fender distortion I've liked). Will try to post a full review in the future.
James
 
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