Vox AD Series

[Tone2TheBone]

I'd like to start off by saying how fun the new Vox series of modeling amps are. I decided on the AD30VT for several reasons.

1. I liked how compact the amp is. I can put it anywhere in the livingroom, bedroom, porch etc...without it taking up so much room. Also is much easier to haul around.

2. It is LIGHT...as in...it doesn't need wheels underneath to lug it around. (see #1.)

3. The tones coming out from that little 10 inch speaker are incredible. It's NOT a 12 inch speaker amp though in terms of sound...BUT it is unique in it's own way. It has loads of low end which is a must for me.

4. The cleaner models on the amp are the reason I bought it. I love the Boutique CL model...however you can still get any clean tones with say the UK70s and the AC15 and AC30TB which are other personal favorites and still include some bite and growl. With a Stratocaster type guitar it's a very versatile rig.

The list goes on and on but I'd like to hear about other's reasons why you've chosen the model youd have as far as the Valvetronix series goes.

[Robert****]

Hey Tone2TheBone, I got mine because I tried in the store and was blown away buy the tones at "bedroom" level. I wanted an amp I could practice with and recording direct with. It doesn't record straight into my computer as nicely as I'd hoped, but it is wonderful for practice, jamming, gigging even. There is not one single amp model I can't make sound great! I mean it! The sounds are all in there. This amp kicks butt.

[Tone2TheBone]

In what way do you find it lacks in the recording department Robert?

[Tone2TheBone]

I think the noise reduction is kinda corky though. You have to mess with it in order to allow soft passages through before they are abruptly cut off. To me that's annoying. However when you do reduce the noise gate...the amp gets noisy I've noticed especially at higher volumes. With the gain up and with the volume knob and master and the power soak knob in the back of the amp, it's more critical to get that perfect signal to noise ratio I've found. I read somewhere on another thread that if you find your amp excessively noisy you should back off on the output knob in back to about 75%. Seems to help with the hiss of the gain...even on "clean" channels. To me this is normal behavior of SS circuitry though. -Rob

[Robert****]

The problem with recording is that the lineout is bypassing the valve. Hence, that nice, tuby tone isn't there when you record, or use headphones. It's a big difference.

How do you adjust that noise reduction feature?

[Tone2TheBone]

You don't mike your amp?

To adjust the noise gate you have to press the bypass button and hold down the tap button while turning the edit 1 knob...either clockwise for more reduction...or counter clockwise for less reduction. I find that the best place is in the area where the hold/shift lettering is on the amp chassis which would be about 7:00 on the dial position. You can hear the noise gate disengage (or reingage) when you turn the edit 1 knob.

I bet you miked the vox would sound good. I'm waiting to try it on an open PA system.

[Robert****]

I can do great tasting medium steaks.
The Hellhound actually likes to be played loud - it's a power house and at low volume it doesn't "bloom" at all. Tube amps are made to be played LOUD! Eh?

[Tone2TheBone]

You better believe it eh.

[Tone2TheBone]

New Vox AD30 setting for Les Paul rock and roll heaven...

UK80s...with compression...compression knob about 70 to 80%. Gain all the way up. Volume all the way up. Treble at 2:00. Mid at 1:00. Bass at 1:00.

This Vox is a really neat tone module in that the knobs actually WORK in terms of how a sound is reproduced. I've NEVER had my mid knob as high as I have had with this amp before...and it seems to almost WANT the mids up like that. Such a killer sound.

[marnold***]

Hey folks,

I was directed here after coming across the Dolphinstreet site by searching for Vox Valvetronix and Blues. I've got an AD30VT. I've come across a pretty nice blues tone using the Black 2x10, gain at noon, volume maxed, treble at 1:00, middle maxed, bass at 11:00, and master maxed with just a touch of reverb.

I'm looking for a good 80s-era metal tone. I had been using the NuMetal amp. While I like the gain, there's so much gain that the playing kind of gets lost in the fizz. I could tune in a decent Randy Rhoads tone using the UK '70s amp, but I wish it had a bit more gain. Suggestions?

This amp allows for a lot of tweaking, which is both good and bad. There's a lot of different tones you can get out of this amp, but you can search for a long time to find just the right tone.

If anybody else has any other settings they really like with the AD series, post 'em!

[Robert****]

Hey Marnold, thanks for signing up. You might want to post an introduction in the Fret Players section too.

You could try using the Numetal with a low gain setting; I think that sounds pretty cool.

[marnold***]

I came across an even better blues sound by adapting the settings from the flash demo on Vox's site. Tweed 4x10, gain at 11:00, volume at 3:00, treble at noon, middle at 1:00, bass at 11:00, master at 1:00 with just a hint of reverb.

For now I'm using this for my 80s metal sound. As I mentioned, to me it sounds somewhat like Randy Rhoads. UK 70s, gain at max, volume at 11:00, treble at 2:00, middle at max, bass at noon, master at 1:00 with a little delay to spice things up.

I tried the NuMetal with less gain a bit. I'm going to have to mess around with it some more.

[Guitar-Chris]

If anybody else has any other settings they really like with the AD series, post 'em!

Ok here are some of my favourites:

For a blues-rock solo on my neck PU at the Telecaster:
UK '80s and all knobs at 1 o'clock

A nice marshall sound for solo, decrease guitar-volume for sparkeling clean tone: UK '70s Gain full, Volume 1 o'clock rest in middle position

A heavy solo for my Yamaha Pacifica with humbucker at bridge position:
UK modern Gain at 9 o'clock, Volume at 1 o'clock Treble at 11, rest middle.

At all, if i want more distortion, i don't crank up the gain, but instead I chose an amp model with more distortion and reduce gain. That gives more pressure than havin gain in full position.

Christian

[Tone2TheBone]

Here's my "Billy Gibbons" Marshall sound.

model = UK80s
gain = dimed
volume = anywhere past 12:00
treble = 1:00
middle = 1:00
bass = 1:00
master volume = anywhere past 12:00
variable volume on back of amp = at 75%
effects = compression with knob set at about 12:00 or 2:00

The compressor accentuates the pumping tone of the UK80s model. If you listen to Billy's sound it pumps out off the fret board like that. Not so much high gain preamp sound...but more air moving instead.

All my other amps settings are pretty much set up the same. Even when I'm playing the clean models and high gain models. All my tone knobs are set to 1:00 as I feel thats an optimum tone setting for almost all the models.

[Tone2TheBone]

I like the mid compression on the US Hi Gain model. I find that I need to turn up the treble just a tad when playing through that. Its pretty much reverse on the other high gain models (lowering the treble). Its got that sweet compressed Mesa Boogie sound perfect for lead work and tight rhythms with the volume pot on the guitar turned down. You may or may not be turning your volume pot down on your guitar but I know it helps when you're trying to dial in a certain tight metal rhythm using a hi gain model. Sounds like you're attempting it from a lesser gain model and going up from there. Try doing it the other way around. Go higher gain but maybe not maxed out...but turn down the pot on your guitar. 80s metal totally. Hot rodded Marshalls and stock Boogies. Also experiment with the compression on some of the amps. I love the compression setting on the UK80s like I mentioned before. I usually set my compression to about half way (12:00). Gives me a nice fat George Lynch type Marshall sound which is actually very similar to my own Marshall Jubilee amp sound. I've only used the compression on that UK 80s model only. The other hi gain models don't need it. The other day I played on the UK Modern and it was a very cool sounding Metallica (And Justice for All) sound. I practiced my off rhythm chops playing Blackened and The Frayed Ends of Sanity over and over. Keep experimenting you'll find what you're dying to hear.

Rob

[marnold***]

I love the compression setting on the UK80s like I mentioned before. I usually set my compression to about half way (12:00). Gives me a nice fat George Lynch type Marshall sound which is actually very similar to my own Marshall Jubilee amp sound. I've only used the compression on that UK 80s model only. The other hi gain models don't need it.

Do you use the tone settings you mentioned before for that Lynch sound (treble 2:00, mid and bass at 1:00)? The Lynch sound is actually what I'm after. I'm a huge Dokken fan from back in the day. I've been trying to teach myself "In My Dreams." I really prefer a high-gain amp type because the pinch harmonics (a staple of Lynch's style) really scream with lots of gain. Then I giggle like a schoolgirl.

My only complaint with using compression on the AD30VT is that then I can't use delay. I like to use just a touch to give a bit more depth.

The UK 80s and US Higain amps are a lot "growlier" than the NuMetal one which is more fizzy. Unfortunately lots of growl or lots of fizz tends to contribute the same problem: loss of note clarity.

[Tone2TheBone]

My "Lynch" tone comes from the UK80s model with the gain all the way up on it. The volume is set at max...the treble at about 2:00...the middle at about 11:00...the bass at 1:00...the master set anywhere past 12:00 depending on the overall volume. On the back of the amp the variable output knob is at about 75%. Like I mentioned I use compression on that model because it hits the amp just a little harder in the preamp and it also smooths out the chunk and adds some real nice overdrive frequencies much like a moded Marshall cranked at very loud volumes! I too am a big George Lynch (Dokken) fan and have always liked his Marshall tone.

Yeah you pretty much give up any chance of using the other effects when you're only using the compression circuit on the Vox. But it sounds gooooooood and you might not even miss having any other effect. If you really wanted to have full versatility with the amp you could always supplement your rig with a digital delay pedal and reverb pedal since those 2 effects are widely used anyway. That way you can compress any model you like and still have your delays and reverbs. I thought about doing that also...even though it's more added expense. BUT in the long run it would be a cool idea since I'd rather spend my money on music stuff than something like crack! LOL

Yes I also agree that the Numetal setting is very fuzzy for most songs we're familiar with but I'll bet you you'll run into a tune on the radio and hear that particular sound and go..."oh yeah that sounds like the Numetal model". Be open minded with all the hi gain models too because you can get surprisingly different sounds by just adjusting the gain to lower settings like Robert suggested. The Valvetronix amps are really very versatile!

Also I use the same settings mentioned above but with lower compression and lower guitar knob volume (like at around 3) for AC/DC type sounds. I always set my mids on my own Marshalls at around 11:00 or even 10:00. It always seemed to mimick everyone else's Marshall sound too so I incorporated that idea over on the UK models on the Vox.

My "rock/metal" guitar is the Les Paul Studio. I'm playing through a Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates humbucker in the bridge. I've also put a "treble bleed" modification on the volume pot so that when I turn down the guitar volume I don't lose any treble frequencies. Les Pauls are notorious for that. This way when I turn the pot down to like 3 I still have nice crispy useable tones for rhythm stuff...then I just turn up for leads.

Rob

[Tone2TheBone]

I've been thinking about putting some creme colored chicken beak knobs (or coloured as Robert might say) on my Vox. I think it would look pretty cool like that....

http://pictures.kyozou.com/pictures/712000/711250.jpg

[marnold***]

I've been thinking about putting some creme colored chicken beak knobs (or coloured as Robert might say) on my Vox. I think it would look pretty cool like that....

It would definitely give it that "retro" look. I saw a cool mod someplace where someone made a vintage-looking cabinet for their AD50VT. Very slick.

Re: my metal tone. I spent some time yesterday really listening closely to some old Dokken records to get a better grip on Lynch's tone. I think my main problem is that a tone that sounds cool when I'm just playing by myself and a tone that would sound cool in the context of a band are two entirely different things.

Another thing I thought of is using the UK70s amp since I like the sound so much, but maybe putting a tube screamer or some similar pedal in front of it as a boost. I'll have to see if I can badger the local guitar shoppe guy into letting me try that next time that I'm around. Unfortunately, real tube screamers are frightfully expensive.