vox tonelab?

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dyingserenity

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ok i know their is a similar post about this but its kinnda old i bleive so thought i would bring the topic back alive with a new thread...i just bought a Vox tonelab on ebay today..how does this compare to the Pod Pro and V-amp pro? and i seen a review on musiciansfriend.com that some guy tweaked it out to sound like a Mesa sound out of it? has anyone came pretty damn close to that Mesa sound?
 
I'm not sure about the Mesa thing, but I've heard some very good tones from the Tonelab. Good luck, ds!
 
Apparently they are much better :)

I want one to use instead of a backup amp - much less hassle to carry around.
 
Well, I don’t have one (yet) myself, but I have been doing a lot of research on them. They’re supposed to be the bomb, man! Supposed to be the best modeling amp out there, in fact. Korg provides the amplifier modeling technology. But, from what I understand, the really big deal is this “Valve Reactor” technology, developed by Vox. It seems that Vox has figured out how to take a single 12 AX7 preamp tube and use it as part of the power amp circuitry to simulate the behavior characteristics of actual tube power amps. Apparently, they are able to simulate the behavior of push-pull or Class A circuits, zero feedback or negative feedback, or whatever they want, using that single 12 AX7. I don't know how they do that, exactly, since I'm not an electrical engineer. But it certainly sounds impressive, especially when you consider that, if they are going to have a push-pull circuit (for example), then the 12 AX7 has to provide both halves of that push-pull circuit. Again, I don't understand how this is possible, but they have supposedly pulled it off. All I can say is, "Wow!"

The bottom line, though, is that it is supposed to be heads and shoulders above other modeling amplifiers in actually feeling like a real tube amp when it comes to things like breaking up properly when you dig in heavier on the strings or crank the volume knob on your guitar.

Don’t know about simulating a Mesa rig with one. I do seem to recall that it has an “American High Gain” model, which is modeled after a Bogner. I suppose that you would want to start with that if you were trying to go after a Mesa vibe.

But the thing that has me interested in them is that they are supposed to shine especially well on the Fender and the Vox models. (The latter of which would come as no surprise, of course.) I already have a SansAmp PSA-1, which is another one of the better modeling systems out there. I’ve noticed that the SansAmp does extremely well with high gain situations like Marshall and Mesa Boogie (the Marshall models are absolutely AMAZING). But I’ve been less than totally impressed with the Fender and other low gain sounds. I figure if I had both preamps, I’d have just about everything covered.

Anyway, congrats on your new preamp! ;) I have a feeling you're going to be very pleased with it.
 
I have had the Vox Tonelab since Christmas. I A/B'd back and forth between this unit and the POD a few times. I remember the POD having a few more distortion effects and was more programmable. On the Vox, for example, you can choose between a chorus, flanger, phaser, or tremolo effect, but not all at the same time. I think on the POD you can choose as many as you like.

However, I found the POD to sound a little sterile and processed to my ears, whereas the cleans (e.g., Vox and Fender) on the Vox blew me away. Definitely warmer. Plus, it's distortions are good enough for me...definitely not the NuMetal stuff, for which I think the POD would be better, but great nonetheless. Also, the Vox has Compressor and Noise Gate effects that are awesome.

I have recorded a few tunes on my computer with the Vox, and they sounded great (playing sucked, but the tone was great!)

Hope this helps.
 
huh...

Bassman Brad said:
It seems that Vox has figured out how to take a single 12 AX7 preamp tube and use it as part of the power amp circuitry to simulate the behavior characteristics of actual tube power amps. Apparently, they are able to simulate the behavior of push-pull or Class A circuits, zero feedback or negative feedback, or whatever they want, using that single 12 AX7. I don't know how they do that, exactly, since I'm not an electrical engineer. But it certainly sounds impressive, especially when you consider that, if they are going to have a push-pull circuit (for example), then the 12 AX7 has to provide both halves of that push-pull circuit. Again, I don't understand how this is possible, but they have supposedly pulled it off. All I can say is, "Wow!"
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Its not so "wow"... a 12AX7 is a dual triode tube. It has two sections - like two tubes in one. That's how is can provide both halves of the push-pull circuitry.

As far the Valve Reactor technology - I'm pretty skeptical. Preamp and Poweramp tubes behave VERY differently. I haven't looked into the tonelab series much. I turned one on an instantly recogniced that the "glow" in the tube was from an orange LED that they put in there. How am I supposed to know if the tube isn't just there for good looks?

There is a good chance that the single tube in the tonelab is being run in starved current or starved plate configuration - meaning its not getting enough voltage to operate like it is meant to. The tubes might make it cooler looking, but I am really not sure how much they are actually affecting the tone... expecially if you can't even see it glow!!
 
well as long as tonelab sounds good thats all that matters..i read nothing but good reviews on it..so if it was that bad im sure i would read about it lol
Is tonelab made for more blues/classrock sound? or can i fire it up and get a good Metallica rythm sound from it? or a peavy 5051 sound?
 
The Tonelab is more acclaimed for its clean/overdriven sounds apposed to the hi-gain stuff. Not to say that it can't do it..
 
thanks dude! im sick of my v-amp 2 sound.its cool and stuff messing around and stuff..i never played a vox tonelab but im sure looking into buying one of these babies real soon! after hearing the samples.
 
After reading some more stuff about the Tonelab on Harmony Central, I see that it does, indeed, have a Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier patch. That should satisfy the metal heads out there.

Here’s the Harmony Central Page for the Tonelab:
http://www.harmony-central.com/Effects/Data/Vox/ToneLab-1.html

One of the posters on the site listed all the amp models:
“It models the following amps; Vox AC15, Vox AC15TB, Vox AC30, Vox AC30TB, Marshall JTM-45, Marshall JCM800, Marshall JCM900, Marshall JCM2000, Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier, Soldano SLO-100, Dumble Overdrive Special, Fender Twin Reverb, Fender Tweed, and Fender Bassman.”

p.s. Thanks for sharing your song, Moonrider. The guitar tones on that track are really quite nice! :)
 
wheres the Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier patch? im not seeing it..all i see is reviews...
 
One of the reviewers on that first page listed all of the amplifier models that comes on the Tonelab. (Almost all the way down on the first page of reviews.) I listed them in my previous post. Mesa Boogie Triple Rectifier is one of the stock patches that is provided with the Tonelab.
 
I played one of these head to head with the line 6 using a standard strat, and I liked the tone lab better for overall sounds, and the 6 for all the features that it offers with the variax. If I was using an analog guitar, I would still like the tonelab.
 
nice! thanks! oh yeah by any chance does anyone know what seting or cab on the tonelab is the Mesa one? yes im obessed with Mesa :D
 
StudioMxpx said:
nice! thanks! oh yeah by any chance does anyone know what seting or cab on the tonelab is the Mesa one? yes im obessed with Mesa :D
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Well, my guess is that it's the setting that's marked "Recto." :D

And I assume that it's matched up from the factory with the cabinet marked "V30 - 4x12" (for Vintage 30 watt, presumably).
 
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