tonelab rant

[antichef]

Just came here to bitch - I got a Vox Tonelab SE when they first came out. It's a pretty cool thing, and my son and I have used it for some gigs. - Yes, I prefer real amps - but these are a lot easier to haul around than an amp and pedals, and when we were playing mere supporting roles, backing up other instrumentalists, it was fine. It sounded kind of clippy at first, but I used a lower power tube in the tube socket thing, and it cleaned up well.

Anyway, it uses a funky power supply - 9V AC (not so weird I guess) and a strange multi-pin connector (the weird part). Recently the connector broke off in the unit, leaving the stumpy bare wire by itself. No problem, I thought, I'll order another one. Found a local Vox supplier, waited... and now the word is that Vox doesn't make them anymore and I'm screwed.

So the unit is permanently bricked - trash, basically. I guess I'll try and fix the cable myself, but jeez - they marketed this as something you could rely on. The unit itself seems sturdy enough, and has always worked fine.

What can be learned? I guess when you're buying something, look for crappy little proprietary breaky stuff, and beware.

 

[ranjam]

You should be able to find the multi-pin connector somewhere else, and repair the cable. From the pictures I can find online (I don't own a Tone Lab), it looks like a 4-pin plug. Now, no matter the price point, most manufacturers use the same 'parts' in many other lines and models. And, some digging lead me to 'discover' that power supply is identical for the Korg SP500 keyboard. The adaptor is available from Korg for $40, or the male end of the adaptor cable (called a PDP-40) is available from any electronics supplier for maybe $3 retail. HOWEVER, if you don't know the wiring, I'd go the Korg route.

 

[antichef]

You should be able to find the multi-pin connector somewhere else, and repair the cable. From the pictures I can find online (I don't own a Tone Lab), it looks like a 4-pin plug. Now, no matter the price point, most manufacturers use the same 'parts' in many other lines and models. And, some digging lead me to 'discover' that power supply is identical for the Korg SP500 keyboard. The adaptor is available from Korg for $40, or the male end of the adaptor cable (called a PDP-40) is available from any electronics supplier for maybe $3 retail. HOWEVER, if you don't know the wiring, I'd go the Korg route.

thanks man - feeling a little better.

I've actually got the 4 pin connector thing in the palm of my hand, but yeah, I don't know the pin-out.

and... took a minute to sink in, but thanks! I'm seeing that SP500 adapter all over the place, but so far everywhere is out of stock. I'll talk to the Vox dealer tomorrow (they're prolly a Korg dealer too)

edit: found one, ordered it. Thanks!!! See, I need to talk about my feelings more often.

 

[ranjam]

I learned all this a long time ago. I believe Marshall 'owns' Vox and Korg, so they all get distributed together. However, for you, sometimes I'd talk to the guy who runs the keyboard department, and he may have an 'extra' adaptor around. But talk to the keyboard guy, and not the guitar department guys.
Once you have a new adaptor, measure the pins, and try and fix the old adaptor, just to have a spare.

 

[cakewalkKaKed]

Attached PDF power supply schematic below. Connector should be the same as what you have. If you want the full service manual PM me your email address. The service manual may not be the same model you have, but might give you an idea of what it's got under the hood.
It also looks similar to a power supply for an Alesis DataDisk I have.

You the man

you must spread some rep around before e.t.c

 

[ibleedburgundy]

I bought a tonelab SE a while back because I had always had good experiences with Vox - although never with any digital type of product. IMO the Tonelab is capable of producing some pretty decent sounds except the output has a hiss on it that is unacceptable. I've recorded with it and had OK results, but it could be so much better were it not for the hiss.

 

[antichef]

You the man

you must spread some rep around before e.t.c

same here -- awesome - thanks!

I bought a tonelab SE a while back because I had always had good experiences with Vox - although never with any digital type of product. IMO the Tonelab is capable of producing some pretty decent sounds except the output has a hiss on it that is unacceptable. I've recorded with it and had OK results, but it could be so much better were it not for the hiss.

believe it or not, the hiss could be the tube. If you replace with a lower power (e.g., 12AY7 or 12AU7) tube, preferably an old american or western european one, but in any event, one that's quiet, the hiss could go away. I think the lower power is better, because when I use 12AX7s, even nice-ish quiet ones, I sense some yucky clipping sometimes.

 

[Sky Blue Lou]

You have to remember that in those Vox units the 12A*7 tube is being used to emulate power tube distortion in many of the "models". Not really a natural function for that tube. For the most part they pulled it off fairly well. I have the original series Valvetronix amps (3 of 'em!) which is to a large degree a Tonelab with a power section. Probably the first modelling amp that was a step above the chipset algorithms of the PODs and the like. They actually use a tube to do tube stuff but it's not like a Marshall Plexi - except maybe the hiss, yeah?

 

[antichef]

Yeah - I'm still a long way from understanding what they do with the tube -- I have one of the amps as well - not that I really understand what's going on in actual tube (or solid state, etc.) amps, to begin with. But in my experience, a noisy tube can still make for a noisy amp (or modeler, as the case may be) just like the real thing.

Sometimes I wish they wouldn't have claimed to model real amps (even though they did probably have to look at real amps, just for points of reference), because it only invites comparisons - rather, when you take the models for what they are, a lot of them are totally usable and even good in their own right

 

[Sky Blue Lou]

Sometimes I wish they wouldn't have claimed to model real amps (even though they did probably have to look at real amps, just for points of reference), because it only invites comparisons - rather, when you take the models for what they are, a lot of them are totally usable and even good in their own right

Yeah. The original series was ahead of their time and too pricey to be called a modeller. They were soon discontinued and replaced with the cheaper metal grille-faced models. Those kinda suck IMO but the blue cloth originals were pretty damned good. I used mine for gigging and eliminated all my pedals except the wah. (I like my Crybaby.) I used about ten presets I set up myself and that had everything I was playing covered and room for lots more (32 total.)

Very good gigging amp. I haven't checked eBay lately but the original 60-watt heads were going for $400 or so when I bought my 2. (I also have a combo.) One of 'em I paid $450 and it came with the big foot controller so I have two of those as well.

 

[antichef]

The power supply just arrived, and it works!!! I love you all! I kiss you!