Vox VT series amps

[RUSSET]

I have an itch to try a new amp, & have set my eyes on either the new Roland 'Blues Cube' range, or the Vox 'Valve Reactor VR' series.
I already have a couple of real valve amp combos, so I don't need to go there, & as many of us know, valve amps although sounding great when you wind them up produce a lot of heat & high voltages & can be subject to disabling breakdowns a lot more frequently than the solid state models.
Has anyone tried the Vox VR series models ? They seem to have good reports on Youtube, the net etc., but of course many demos are produced by folks with an interest in selling them. Anyone actually tried one ?
The Roland amps already have a great reputation for quality, but this new series is not on the market until March, so I is not available yet.

Tony.

[dave robinson]

I have an itch to try a new amp, & have set my eyes on either the new Roland 'Blues Cube' range, or the Vox 'Valve Reactor VR' series.
I already have a couple of real valve amp combos, so I don't need to go there, & as many of us know, valve amps although sounding great when you wind them up produce a lot of heat & high voltages & can be subject to disabling breakdowns a lot more frequently than the solid state models.
Has anyone tried the Vox VR series models ? They seem to have good reports on Youtube, the net etc., but of course many demos are produced by folks with an interest in selling them. Anyone actually tried one ?
The Roland amps already have a great reputation for quality, but this new series is not on the market until March, so I is not available yet.

Tony.

I bought a Vox AC30VR second hand last year for back up because it looks like the real deal and it does the business no problem. It isn't quite as powerful as our real AC30s, but we used it extensively on theatre shows last year when we were doing the Cliff/Shads celebration with Alan Jones and it was great. It has a clean channel and an overdrive channel, a bit of reverb, cut control, volume and gain, no fancy FX or amp sims like the VT range, but it's a keeper for me.

[Stratpicker]

After buying one of the joyo ac tone pedals, plugged into a neutral'ish power amp speaker combo.....add an echo/reverb unit, well thats it.

Not to shanghai this thread but I just bought one too. First impressions are that it pretty good for the money. What would be cool are Users settings for that "early" Shads sound. I'm OK for that later, fatter HBM Sound - its the early Vox tone I cant nail
Ian

[dave robinson]

The Joyo does the Top Boost sound no problem. It won't do the old sound in the way the old AC-30 does it because it isn't the same circuit.

[Gary Allen]

[RUSSET]

I have an itch to try a new amp, & have set my eyes on either the new Roland 'Blues Cube' range, or the Vox 'Valve Reactor VR' series.
I already have a couple of real valve amp combos, so I don't need to go there, & as many of us know, valve amps although sounding great when you wind them up produce a lot of heat & high voltages & can be subject to disabling breakdowns a lot more frequently than the solid state models.
Has anyone tried the Vox VR series models ? They seem to have good reports on Youtube, the net etc., but of course many demos are produced by folks with an interest in selling them. Anyone actually tried one ?
The Roland amps already have a great reputation for quality, but this new series is not on the market until March, so I is not available yet.

Tony.

I bought a Vox AC30VR second hand last year for back up because it looks like the real deal and it does the business no problem. It isn't quite as powerful as our real AC30s, but we used it extensively on theatre shows last year when we were doing the Cliff/Shads celebration with Alan Jones and it was great. It has a clean channel and an overdrive channel, a bit of reverb, cut control, volume and gain, no fancy FX or amp sims like the VT range, but it's a keeper for me.

Thanks for that opinion, Dave. I appreciate what you say about the AC30VR not being quite as powerful as a proper AC30, & I did not expect it to be. After all, you don't get the 'real thing' for the price you pay for this solid-state model (less than £400). I guess part of what gives the real AC30 its punch & power is the Celestion Blue speaker which is incredibly efficient, in comparison. I have the Heritage series AC15 in the cream tolex, & that has the Blue in it, & it can cut your ears off at 10 paces. Sounds like the VR could be a good buy, & very reliable with it's solid-state circuits.
I think I'll see how the Roland Blues Cube compares, too, before I make up my mind.

Cheers, Tony.

[Stratpicker]

The Joyo does the Top Boost sound no problem. It won't do the old sound in the way the old AC-30 does it because it isn't the same circuit.

Thanks Dave - yes, thats what I'm finding. However, for £25 as a replacement for my Korg Ampworks its a snip.
Hope you are getting fighting fit again.
cheers
Ian

[sausage fingers]

Ian
Would a graphic or parametric pedal not help?
Rob

[5tratocaster]

I'm interested in this topic because I have one of the older Vox AD30VT models and although there is plenty of power there, if I turn the gain control past 3 o'clock it overdrives very quickly, so it doesn't go loud enough to play clean.
I've wondered about an AC30VR, but don't know if that would be any better. Do these new models have the ability to play near full volume without distortion, which in the case of my amp at least seems to be a deliberate design feature?
Geoff

[dave robinson]

I'm interested in this topic because I have one of the older Vox AD30VT models and although there is plenty of power there, if I turn the gain control past 3 o'clock it overdrives very quickly, so it doesn't go loud enough to play clean.
I've wondered about an AC30VR, but don't know if that would be any better. Do these new models have the ability to play near full volume without distortion, which in the case of my amp at least seems to be a deliberate design feature?
Geoff

I have the same amp Geoff and on the Vox models you cannot get the gain above about 40% on mine before you lose the clean sound, but that's how it works. I have the volume next to the gain full on and use the master volume at around 70% for a small gig with the band, but for anything bigger a mike up is required. The gain works cleaner and the amp is louder at the Fender Twin setting .
The VT-80 does have more headroom. Also, I have a Vox AC-30VR and that too is OK for gigging, though not quite as powerful as the real deal.