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Vox AD50VT 112 Combo
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Price Paid: £194 (English)
Features: 9
I have only being playin guitar for a year but il try my best in this review.
The vox ad50vt features about 10 amp offerings, which include ac30 which is a very popular tube amp also by Vox. There is a main volume control, gain, treble, middle and bass and a master volume. Gain, middle and treble aswell as the volume itself control the volume which is quite inconvinient because that restricts the volume at times.There are 11 built in effects all of which are very good, especially the flanger and delay. The level of these effects is controlled by a knob (which is very gud for fine adjusting) and a tap button. My favourite feature is the wattage gate on the back, u can adjust the output wattage so u can practice at home on 25 watts and gig/jam at 50, very handy!
Sound Quality: 9
I play with a cheap aria strat but even so i can still get a very nice sound. The clean drive is extremely nice and very versitile thanks to the amp offerings and a responsive bass control. The overdrive isn't so versitile, it hardly respondes with the treble at all so if ur looking for sharp slash like overdrive u cant get it on this amp, but it still sounds very gud and that problem can be solved with additional fx. Also this problem is only really bad with the metal drive so don't be put off! This amp is well worth getting for its features and its awesome clean drive.
Reliability: N/A
Customer Support: N/A
Overall Rating: 9
Overall i love this amp! It has an amazing versitile clean tone, great blues tone and great features. The only thing i think should be changed is how the treble, middle and gain effect volume. Also this amp is very loud dispite what the other reviews say, And it handles the high volumes very well. Buy it!! It's well worth the money...
Submitted by rodz57 at 12/09/2005 13:01
Price Paid: US $350
Features: 9
I have a 2005 version with fan. All the features are listed in previous reviews.
Sound Quality: 9
I definitely had to read the manual to understand where I was starting from, but then it seemed to click in and really be user friendly. I have played single coil (Jackson Soloist w/EMG's), double coil (Schecter w/Duncan humbuckers), and piezo pickups through this thing and even the piezo sounds good. That never happens. It's amazing the subtlety of tones I can get and particularly so with single coils which sound really thin through just about anything else. I'm old school. I want the guitar to blow through the band when necessary. Those glassy Andy Summers tones don't work well for me unless there's some meat behind them. This amp can make it happen.
Reliability: 4
This is where it gets a bit sticky. I have a lean back cart on which I have loaded many amps. Just rolling it across a parking lot has loosened the large screws holding the chassis to the cabinet. I have had to tighten them on a couple of occasions when I heard rattling. The metal grill is great, but it's tougher than the cheap cabinet. I have used this amp sparingly over the past six months and the vinyl is bubbling up off the wood underneath. I also have some pretty large tears in the vinyl on the sides, and the cabinet is slowly crushing where the amp leans against my cart when rolling into a gig. Very nasty wood used. I would accept a few extra pounds to have a more solid cabinet. It kind of feels like a toy. PLease note that these comments are only in regard to the cabinet and not to the electronics which are stellar.
Customer Support: 8
Never contacted them, but I am interested in their response when I do contact them about the cheap cabinetry.
Overall Rating: 9
Love the amp. Someone wrote that you can only store two pre-sets. I beg to differ. You have the option of programming one of the two foot switches to effects on and off or to switch to manual mode. I programmed to the latter. I have pre-set one set to clean. When I kick the number one switch I have it set to go into overdrive. Switch number two, which I have prgrammed to manual mode, I have set with the same sound I have on the clean setting, but adding chorus. Works for me. You can set the three sounds to be anything you like, but you have to remember to program your footswitch accordingly to be able to do this.
Submitted by Mark at 11/29/2005 16:11
Price Paid: US $350.00
Features: 10
You all know the features. 2 channels, 11 amp models, I have the 2005 model.
Sound Quality: 10
I play a 1975 Fender Strat and a 2005 PRS Custom 22. My music styles are classic rock, pop, and blues. This amp has plenty of power although, I don't gig so I can't judge how much volume you could crank in a large hall. I own a Marshall TSL 122 all tube combo and a Line 6 flextone 2 modelling amp. The Vox sounds almost as good as my tube Marshall. It really blows away the line 6. The tone of the Vox is very warm and tube like on both clean and distorted settings. If I were to gig, I would take the Vox with me. The presets on the vox are just so so and need tweeking. The best part of this amp is the variable power output. Max output is 50 watts, and there is a knob on the back that controls the wattage output. This means you can turn up the master volume all the way, and cut down the volume using the wattage output knob. The result is great tone at low volume.
Reliability: N/A
Here is the great unknown. I have read reviews by those who have had trouble. There are stories of the input jack falling into the cabinet, and noisy fans inside, and the thing just dying. Some complain of not being able to get anyone over at Vox on the phone. Before my purchase, I called vox (distributed by Korg) at US Customer Service(631) 390-6500 US Product Support (631) 390-8737. After just a few minutes on hold, I got a Vox tech on the phone and expressed my fears. He had heard of these problems also but assured me that they get very few of them in for repair. I bought from a very reliable local shop just in case. To set the record straight, the first run of the Ad50vts did not have a cooling fan but had a heat sink. After that they built the amps with a computer type fan inside for cooling. This info was given to me by the Vox tech. I play in a very quiet room in my home and cannot hear any noise at all from the fan. My local music store also tells me they get very few Vox amps in for repair. Time will tell, but I would suggest buying from a very reputable music store that stands behind their products just in case problems arise. I have had mine for four months without a glitch.
Customer Support: N/A
Again, I never needed a repair. I did speak to customer support US Product Support (631) 390-8737. The product is distributed by korg and you can get them on the phone for help with Vox products http://www.korg.com/service/contactus.asp.
Overall Rating: 10
Been playing for 30 years rock, pop, blues. This amp is light, versatile, and loud. The best feature is the variable wattage output allowing you to crank the gain and master to full, and cut back the volume with the output wattage dial. This allows you to drive the amp hard at low volumes and still maintain great tone without making your ears bleed. The amp has a very rich warm tone almost (very very close) to that of my tube amp (but at half the weight). I liked the sound and features better than the Line 6 stuff and better than the Roland Cube. Too bad they only give you two programmable channels. I was afraid to buy this thing at first due to the reliablilty issue, but once I saw I could get vox on the phone I took the plunge. The sound is really better than any other non tube amp I have played on.
Submitted by Jay at 11/07/2005 18:33
Price Paid: US $287.00
Features: 10
Made in 2005. See the VoxUK site for all the bells and whistles.
My reviews for good or not always take in account the price of the piece and what the manufacturer claims it will do. So with that in mind, this little box is very versatile and (AFTER READING THE MANUAL, TRY IT SOME TIME) easy to dial in. I paid $287.00 delivered to my door. It was a MF scratch and dent. Could not find the scratch or dent.
Sound Quality: 10
This is the first non tube amp I have ever bought. I was definitely a tube snob. But after reading the reviews on this site by people that had tried the other modeling amps but also knew tube amps I decided to try the AD50-VT.
I use a '77 Strat, Historic ' 59 Les Paul and a Texas Tele. Mostly the Strat. Play Rock and Blues. My 2 pre-sets started with the Bassman and 70 Marshall settings. I am very impresssed with the clean
and the overdrive you can dial in. I have a '75 Twin Reverb and this amp gets extremely close.
I also have a Reisssue Bluesbreaker and I like the sound of the Vox better. The BB is now for sale. I did disconnect the fan, If I play out in a warm place I reconnect it. I traded the tube for a NOS <> Telefunken ECC83. I removed the BBQ grill. I think both of the mods helped a little bit. No doubt commetically! The amp is absolutely quiet with the settings I use. I have had Deluxe Reverb's, Vox Ac 30's, AC 15 reissue, Bassmans, JTM 45's, and at least 30 other amps familiar to all. Besides a '68 Vibro Champ I bought years ago for $100 this is by far the least expensive amp I have ever bought. I tried hard not to like it because it was so inexpensive and has only one tube. But because it does the Deluxe Reverb, The Vox, The Twin and the Marshall so well I just smile every time I crank it up. Like the 2nd James Gang album and the manual says, this amp was made loud to be played loud. Turn it up. Just remember, the amp models are just primary colors. Use them anyway you like to shape your OWN sound. I have several stomp boxes that cost more than this amp and so far only use the COT and a Fender Reverb occasionally. Using the Vox's gain control and the Strat's volume knob mostly I am just plugged straight in. Also has a good Celestion speaker but you can go into a cab for even more variety. For the $287.00 it's a 10.
Reliability: N/A
Customer Support: N/A
Overall Rating: 10
I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan and remember it, so I am old. Been playing a long time. I have a silver face twin, 58 bassman, reissue bluesbreaker, 68 vibro champ, reissue twin reverb. I am in the procees of downsizing and was looking for something that was not a one trick pony, inexpensive, light and could also be played by my 14 year old son when he plays out with his friends. (he now wants his own!) The fact that it sound so good was a very unexpected bonus. I keep thinking, the whole amp cost almost $100.00 less than my Klon pedal!
Submitted by steve at 11/07/2005 07:17
Price Paid: US $350
Features: 10
The features of this amp are listed here and all over the net, so I won't go into detail. 50 watts, 11 amp models, a few effects, all going thru a 12 inch speaker. Enough versatility for most musicians. It has plenty of power for the types of gigs I do. When it's not loud enough, I mic it. I do wish the extension speaker out didn't mute the internal speaker, though.
Sound Quality: 9
I use this amp with a couple Tele's and a Strat, all single coils, and mostly stock. I spend about 90% of the time in the AC30TB preset. I guess it makes sense that Vox would model a Vox the best, and they certainly have. It has the tonal character and chime that you'd expect from an AC30, but it's more versatile due to the addition of midrange and master volume controls. I start in the preset mode, then crank the gain and treble just a little bit. This gives me a great Brad Paisley-like tone when using a Tele. This may not be a Dr. Z, but with a little tweaking, I can get a pretty good approximation of most of Brad's sounds. Try the afore-mentioned settings and run thru "The Nervous Breakdown" to see how close it really is. The effects sound pretty good, but the only ones I use consistently are the delay and reverb. I run a Keeley-modified Ibanez TS-9, a Boss BD-2 and a DD-2 ahead of this amp, so using the 2 channels and bypass mode, I'm able to get a variety of drive and delay settings with minimal gadgets. Very cool.
As some other reviewers have noted, this amp does lack in bass response. This was especially noticable for me after playing thru a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, which is well-known for its bassy tone. This hasn't been a real problem for me, as a huge bass sound isn't really necessary for the sounds I like, but I do occasionally run this amp in tandem with the HRD to fill out the bottom end.
Reliability: 10
I bought the display model at a local guitar store, and haven't had a ny problems with it. I read some statistic that said if electronics are going to die (while still under warranty, anyway) it will be in the really early stages. This amp had lived a few months on the salesfloor of the Pickin' Palace, so it was broken-in pretty well for me. Haven't had any problems at all since I bought it 4 months ago.
Customer Support: N/A
Haven't dealt with VOX, but I'm good friends with the owner of the shop where I bought it, so I'm sure they'll take care of me
Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing almost 10 years, and as I said I also own a Hot Rod Deluxe I've had for about 6 years. I own a few Tele's and Strats, as well as an Epiphone "Lucille" and some acoustics. This amp has allowed me to get the tones I wanted at a dirt-cheap price, and I'm very happy with it. I'd definitely buy another if it were stolen. Actually I think I'd buy the 100 watter with 2 12's. Maybe it has a bigger bottom than it's little older brother. This one will do til I can afford a Dr. Z or BadCat.
Submitted by Adam Brister at 09/21/2005 16:18
Price Paid: US $350
Features: 8
This is 2005 Vox AD50VT. It has 2 channels that are easy to set up with multi effects and it uses a simple footswitch to change channels. It has a "power soak" type control on the back to attenuate the power. It has reverb, delays, flanging, chorusing, compressor, auto wah, (not the best effect but sometimes fun) but only one effect can be selected. The good news is there are multi effects as a selection. For instance delay and compression or reverb and chorus etc. Of course it has amp modeling but there are less choices that the big brother Vox Valvetronics series. It has an output for an external speaker but it kills the internal one when pluged in. I use this amp for recording, parties, clubs, concerts and practice. Because of it's flexible tone and volume structure and it's power it's able to cover a lot of ground. On the down side the amp is ugly. I love the look of Vox amps with the "X" stitched grill cloth and the gold trim. This amp is not like that. It has an ugly chrome metal grill that put me off so much that I almost did not buy it. It looks so gaudy I had to paint the metal grill black. I hate to do stuff like that but I could not look at it without gagging!
Sound Quality: 10
I use a Fender American Strat most of the time but also a Epi Les Paul and a Ibanez 335 copy. I can't say enough about the sounds in the little amp. I've had it now for about 6 months and I can't find anything that sounds better for any price. I mostly use the Fender Black Face with a little verb for clean and the UK 80's with compression for crank. I love the Vox AC30 sound but for live I don't really use it that much. When I record it's great to be able to have such a wide pallet of amp models to choose from. You can sonically experiment and find great combinations. It records great and you can even take the rear output for direct but I do perfer micing the speaker. I do use the direct for recording bass with the Bassman sound but I also mic that too. Lately I have been using a Hartkey 4-12 bottom with this amp as a head. This makes it sound even better. The internal speaker is 8 ohms so I imagine it is matched for 8 ohm output but my cab in mono is either 16 or 4 ohms. I run the cab at 4 ohms and man! What a Sound! The AD50VT is a 50 watt amp but this thing must be producing close to 100 at 4 ohms. I can get a clean sound as loud as I want and the crank can be deadly. The Hartkey 4-12 celestion loaded cab is a good combination because it is rather neutral sounding so it reproduces the amp models without coloring or added a different speaker character. I have A-B'ed this amp with the big brother Vox Valvetronic Combo and 120 watt head and the AD50VT sounds better. It does not have as many amp models, effects and features as the VXT series has but the a clearer, more defined, and believe or not it is louder than the 120 watt. I have also A-B'ed side by side with the new Vox AC30CC which is a great amp. The AD50VT is louder, cleaner, ballsier, and more virsatile with all the differenct amp models. The distortion is just as good as the real tube amps and the clean sound is crystal. I have also compared it side by side with my vintage Fender Twin and Bassman. Again the AD50VT stands up to the test and to my ears sounds even better on the "Black Face" setting than my Fender Black face! I know your getting tired of hearing all this but I am really convinced this amp could be the only thing I need. It out Voxes the real Vox, out Fenders the Fenders, and out Marshalls the Marshalls. On top of that is gets a great Boogie and Boutique sound. The channel programing could not be easier and unlike the big brother Voxes you don't need to spend $250 for a foot pedal. Granted, it's a much simpler set up and you only have 2 channels and for some that is not going to cut it. But for me 2 channels works fine.
Reliability: 9
So far I have had no problems in the 6 months I have had my amp. I play every day for at least 4 hours and play out at least 2 times a week at clubs, bars, etc.
The other guitarist in my band went out and bought the same amp after he heard mine.
The only problem he has had is the guitar jack fell in on a show. That was not good but easily fixed. The nut had worked loose and when he plugged in the jack fell inside the amp. The tolex type covering is very thin. Even thinner than the more expensive Vox amps and it will tear very easily.
Customer Support: 7
I have not had much luck contacting Vox. There website does not give you a phone number in the USA. Luckily I have not needed to contact them for any problems.
Overall Rating: 9
I have been playing since the 60's and have been through a lot of amps. Now I own a 60's Fender Twin, Bassman head, Vox AC30CC, Peavey Backstage, Peavey Bandit, Marshall Valvestate, and Crate Palamino. If stolen or lost I would run out the next day and buy another one. I might just run out and buy another one now just to be safe. I played the other night with this amp and a 4-12 bottom and I had the best time of my life on stage.
It's that good. We play originals and lots of classic and new rock covers. I don't need a ton of different sounds but I do need great tone. With the Black face on the clean and the UK 80 on the crank and a couple of more variation in there, I had a ball and it was a joy hearing the sound of my amp behind me on every tune. A funny aside...I also recently tried the AD100VT which is the same basic amp in a 2-12 100watt version. My AD50VT sounded more defined and centered sonically. I don't know why but I'm glad I have this amp.
Submitted by Brooks Reid at 09/15/2005 03:16
Price Paid: N/A
Features: N/A
Sound Quality: N/A
I am going to buy this amp today.
I took it for a trial and it sounded amazing.
The first thing I've noticed was that the sound is being 'cut off' all the time. After reading the manual I found out about the noise gate. Once I got that turned off the amp started sounding like it should.
I would suggest any of you who felt like the amp is killing the tone to turn it off. Just put the effects on bypass, and while pressing the tap button turn dial all the way to the left.
You should feel the improvement on the spot.
I will try to write a full review as soon as I have enough playing time on it.
Reliability: N/A
Customer Support: N/A
Overall Rating: N/A
Submitted by Ctzvi at 09/08/2005 02:50
Price Paid: US $347.00
Features: 7
2005
Yes Blues & Rock
2,Yes, Yes, Yes
That the Treble, Midrange and Bass woud work better.
Band, No for a 50 watts it's low in power.
Sound Quality: 7
Ric's 360 & 625 and re-issue 54 Fender Strat
Not very well, Rock Blues
Some sounds are good but some are very weak.
Yes, at about 3/4
It sounds like the speaker is crak and the sound drops off and vibs.
Reliability: 7
Not at this time would need to have it little longer.
No
Customer Support: 8
Customer Support Good
No I just sent the amp back
From where I bought the amp it was a year on parts and labor.
Overall Rating: 7
40 yrs, 5 guitars, mikes another Fender amp and Pathfinder Vox for home.
I hate the METAL FRONT
Had more power and keeping the vol. from dropping off.
Submitted by Bob at 09/06/2005 18:41
Price Paid: US $359.00
Features: 7
The amp has a wide palate of tones. It only has two savable channels, and that bothers many, but I only use one or two sounds anyway. I was worried that this digital amp would have a problem with stomp boxes. I was glad to find that the amp has no problems with my pedals. Running distortion into the amp works fine. The amp is compact and light weight. It's great for gigging in this regard. I opened up the back and found that the cabinet construction seems well braced and solid.
Sound Quality: 5
I especially like the Vox AC 15 and 30 simulations and the 80s British setting. There is a smooth breakup and natural tube like dynamics. The tone controls have a broad range, and the effects are good, just annoying to edit. Now here are the shortcomings. The amp really doesn’t have good bass response. At low volume its fine, but when you’re playing a show or a high volume practice, the bass becomes flabby and indistinct. I really like deep clean bass from an amp, and this guy can't cut it. In overall volume though, it has sufficient power for any small gig, minus beefy bass. My other complaint is the noise gate. This amp has a noise gate on at all times, and this can really screw with your dynamics. If you turn the volume down on your guitar, the quiet bits get cut out and you can really hear your playing suffer. Even at full guitar volume at some settings, the noise gate makes its presence known. In short, this amp has a limited dynamic range. Overall the sounds are good but not outstanding. It should be obvious that digital simulations can never mach the real tube amps, but most of us don't have the money for the classics.
Reliability: 5
On my first gig with the Amp, I used a relatively short cable, and the strain on the plastic input jack stripped the threading. The input jack fell into the inside of the amp, making it impossible to plug back in. The gig was effectively ended. Vox really needs to make a more durable, preferably metal part here, or design the jack so it has reinforcement from below. Other than this problem, the amp has been solid.
Customer Support: N/A
I repaired the problem I mentioned above. Therefore I have no opinion at this time.
Overall Rating: N/A
I bought the AD 50 VT last spring (2005) after my crate 2*12 blew out. Though I prefer the distortion sounds of the Vox, I really miss the clean low end power of the crate. Many people are championing this Vox AD series to exessive levels. Like anything, it has limitations. I'll use this amp gigging till it dies, but at home there is no substitute for my trusty Fender Champ.
Submitted by Jonathan Bovenmyer at 09/03/2005 13:10
Price Paid: US $330.00
Features: 8
i really liked the features of the amp. I could dial in a tone and it worked . It is simple to use and has alot of choices.
Sound Quality: 10
I think that for a digital amp it sounds good. I don't know if it is the tube in the preamp or the valve "tronix" the have on the power amp. i put this next to a ac30 tb and it was really close. I said for $600 difference it didn't sound that much different.
Reliability: 1
I have went to guitar center twice in 2 weeks because of problems with it. I don't think it will take much abuse. IF YOU are goijg to use it in a studio or just at home it is great. I would never take this amp giging without a back up. That is just because of the 2 i have run across.
Customer Support: N/A
I never delt with vox so i have no idea. Guitar center is a litle of a pain, but is seeming to come through.
Overall Rating: 5
I am thinking about fining something else different. I need an amp that is durable and that has great tone. just take into consideration what you are going to use it for befor you buy it.
Submitted by adam at 08/25/2005 18:48
Price Paid: US $369
Features: 3
I bought a new 2005 Vox & loved the sound. The effects were very useable. The main complaint was the 6 ft chord on the footswitch. The Volume of this amp had to be turned up every few min. as it would fade away when the amp got hot. (great sound - bad amp)
Sound Quality: 2
I played this amp with a les paul. I ouund myself constantly changing chords hoping to find the problem with my sound fading away. the amp has 11 amp simulations & great effects but it could need more power for a gigging musician.
Reliability: 1
I set this amp up in my basement and carried it to a paid gig with my band for the real test. The volume dissapeared on the third set. I changed some chords & put a fan in front of the amp. I was able to finish the night. The second time i used the amp was at rehersal. It made it for about 1 hour prior to a complete meltdown. I will never own another VOX
Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with them. Guitar Center took the amp back without question.
Overall Rating: 1
I have been playing for about 20 years now. I have played with the same band for almost 10 years. I have owned several different amps over the years, but the Vox is the only one that left me stranded on stage.
Submitted by David at 08/23/2005 13:11
Price Paid: US $288 woth coupon
Features: 8
Bought new 2005 model. Plenty of features already detailed here. I would like a footswitch included and the ability to select from 3 sounds - what's the point of 11 models when you can only access two? Power is an extemely weak 50 watts - it doesn't seem to be as loud as a 15-20 watt tube amp.
Sound Quality: 7
I play hard rock/old punk and a little power pop on occasion. I use gibson les pauls and explorers with humbuckers. I've played marshall heads my whole 20+years of playing, and some others along the way. I never use effects. This amp sounded great on the Vox and JCM800 settings. It sounded a lot like my JCM900 head and 2 x 12 cab with just it's one speaker! The higher gain models are a little noisy, but every high gain amp has that. The rectifier sound is horrible - I couldn't even hear it over my drummer at practice. Very good sounds, but not enough volume.
Reliability: 1
I played it for a long time at the store, then bought it and brought it home. After the first half hour of playing it in practice, notes started to tail off into a digital crackly sound. I'd read the manual and knew how to use/defeat the noise gate and all. The two other problems on that very first day: the "Power" knob (1 watt - 50 watt) on the back was unuseable in the full 50 watt position without making uncontollable squeal and noise. I don't have squeal with any other amp. So I'm paying for a 50 watt amp, but can only use less power. Then the amp was making crackling noises even when I had nothing input to the amp. At first I tried different cables and all, but it was certainly the amp. I'm pissed that these are unreliable and made like crap, especially since I was digging the sound. I could never play out with that.
Customer Support: 2
Customer support to me would include acknowleging that there is a problem with these amps and making them more reliable. There is no way there should be so many people reporting problems with a new product. I don't want to keep doing "trial by error" with a new amp purchase. I was luck it crapped out on day 1 so I could get a full refund from Sam Ash. I did have to drive a 2 hour plus round trip though...
Overall Rating: 1
I wish it had worked. I liked the sounds. Effects were pretty bad, especially in the pairs, but I would use them much anyway. I may try one more in a couple of months. It's a shame that they can't put out a consitstenly working amp. I was looking for a nice portable practice amp/small (super small) gig combo that would save me from lugging a 1/4 stack and head around. This was almost it. Maybe I was just unlucky, but I just read another review the mentioned the same problem...
Submitted by Dan at 07/22/2005 17:24
Price Paid: US $350
Features: 10
I recently purchased a new Vox AD50VT, 1x12, 50 watt guitar amp. This is one of the new modelling type amps. It has 11 presets that model a variety of amps from Fender Twin Reverb, Fender Super Reverb, 2 older Vox models popular with the early Brit rockers right through modern, high powered, super distortion "metal" models. It has three channels; one for the preset models and two "programmable" channels. There is a (separately available) footswitch for remote channel switching.
The really cool thing about this amp is, while it is essentially a solid state amp, it has a real tube curcuit that is somehow "in line" with the power output, so it sounds and "feels" like a real tube amp! It is not simply a tube pre, like you might be thinking! I read, but don't really understand, the technology, but it is very cool!
Sound Quality: 10
I am an active musician, although I only perform in a duo with my wife currently. I play mostly folk, folk rock, country rock and classic rock, so I spend most of my time in the Fender and Vox models. I bought this to bring some "electric" sound to our performances. For example, The Beach Boys "In My Room" sounds way better on a solid body electric through a "Fender Twin" with tremelo, than it does through a Guild F-50 with a Fishman!! I play an old Peavey T-60 solid body, which is a very versatile guitar; more so than I can explain here. If you're unfamiliar, look it up!
I think the sound is fantastic! There is some noise in some settings, but there is also a noise supression feature! The Fender models, which I have owned over the years, are just wonderful! It is full and has plenty of power. The controls are extremely versatile. It has Master, Volume, Gain AND a little knob on the back that regulates the output wattage! That little knob allows you to can get all the "grit" and overdrive sound without peeling the paint off the walls! That said, you do lose some "bottom end", but the overall tone is there. Essentially, there are four ways to regulate the output (volume)!! It also has treble, mid and bass controls. I defy you to think of a sound this can't make! The "high powered" modern distortion models are just awesome! I don't play that kind of music in my act, but boy-oh-boy I love wailing the "Nu-Metal" setting at home!!!
According to H-C's instructions I'm supposed to say something "bad" about it because "nothing's perfect", and that's true. The effects may not be to everyones taste. Among the effects are: tremelo, delay, compression, phaser, phlanger, chorus, auto-wah(!), reverb, rotary speaker. The "weird" thing is that many of them are preset in pairs! This can be a problem if you were to want either, a combination that's not there, or wanted an effect "by itself" that is part of a pair. The only effects I care about are reverb, tremelo, delay and maybe some chorus and they are all very adequate. I'm sure top quality out-board devices would blow these effects away, but I was looking for a "one-piece package". Effects were something I was willing to give some ground on, as long as the ones I use a lot are okay.
Reliability: 10
I've only owned it about 3 months, but I have had it to several gigs and it seems very "road-worthy" so far. That said, I haven't dropped it or knocked it over yet either!
My "10" rating is a "so far" rating
Customer Support: N/A
I have no practical experience with this yet.
One year on everything, but the speaker.....90 days.
I did write tio ask about a cover (N/A) and I got a response, from a real guy, in one day!
Overall Rating: 10
I spent about two hours going back and forth between a Roland Cube 60, a Fender Blues Junior, a Fender FM 212R, a Marshall MG50DFX, and a Line 6 Spider II 112(first one cut!) I thought the Vox was way more versatile and sounded the best, for what I want. I'm an old "tube guy", so the Vox stole my heart compared to the all solid state guys. The Blues Junior is a great little tube amp, but it "is what it is"; no versatility at all.
The thing I'd like you to come away with is "curiousity". I don't think many Americans consider, or even know much about, Vox! I know I didn't. I stumbled across them while perusing a Musician's Friend catalog. All I knew before that was that The Beatles used them a million years ago! If you are shopping for a smallish, modestly priced ($350 =/-) combo amp with tons of features and more versatility than the average player will ever master, please go to your dealer and give the Vox AD50VT a test drive! I think you will be mightily impressed!
Submitted by Max at 07/20/2005 08:57
Price Paid: US $319.00
Features: 7
Made in 2005. Very Versatile with many sounds and models. I play rock, blues, country. It has two channels, but no footswitch. No effects loop, which I really wish it had. Power is ok on some models, but lacking on others, such as the Botique clean.
Sound Quality: 3
I use a strat with Fralins. I like the Vox models, but I wish the manual would give more info on top boost settings. I have been using it for about 3 months now and have found only three models I like. I have not heard all the real amps modeled, so I can't comment on how authentic they sound and I really don't care, I just want good tone. There seems to be a loud static-like noise comming from the amp even when the guitar is not plugged in, and all the controls are set to zero, fully counter-clockwise. I must reduce the volume control on the back to prevent this from happening. It reduces the volume by half, so I can't gig with it, just use it as a practice amp. At high volume (and high hiss) the cabinet makes a horrible distorted noise at certain frequencies which I understand is from the closed back concept. I don't use the effects, and I have the noise gate completely shut off. The compressor increases the volume substanially, even on normal moderate passages. I don't understand why. Every other compressor I have used increases sustain and low-volume passages, and decreases the volume of the high-volume passages. This one just increases volume, and totally distorts the original signal. I have adjusted all parameters according to the manual, but no luck. It's too bad, because it's really the only effect I would like to use on the Marshall amp models. The Botique clean sounds excellent.
Reliability: 2
I am also worried after reading the reviews here. I have owned several Marshalls, maybe 4 in my life. Three of them died. Korg makes this amp also. Hmm... I am worried now.. I can't gig with it becuase it is not loud enough.
Customer Support: 1
I have not dealt with them, but according to all the reviews here, they (Vox) is owned by Korg. This amp has a 90 day warrenty? My is over by now.. so all I can do is pray that the little plastic fan keeps working. Mine does not always switch the amp when I turn the switch, I have to power the amp down to get it to work. Yes, I have read the manual can emailed Korg, no response.
Overall Rating: 4
I have been playing 5 years. I like this amp for practice, but will stick with tube amps and pedals. I probably should have tested it more in the store. I have it in a gazillion pieces right now trying to figure out what is wrong with it and why it buzzes so much. Since it is all digital, it is unlikely I will be able to fix it.
Submitted by Joe Mama at 07/06/2005 21:09
Price Paid: US $359
Features: 7
For the money, I guess this is a great amp. Just barely big enough to gig with. But in my living room, it is the best I could have bought. Every effect and amp model is there, but the optional footswitch doesn't give me enough effects options. On gigs I just use my pedals and not the built in effects. The bigger valvetronix give you the option of the big footswitch.
Sound Quality: 10
This is where this amp shines. The 4x10 tweed setting is so sweet. Low end that will rattle the stage. boutique sounds are ok. US high gain is also awesome. And the AC30 Is great. very close to expensive tube amps, just not as loud. Best you can get for the money, and I have tried all of them.
Reliability: 6
Had a problem with mine. Volume knob stopped working. If I turned it past 20 o clock, I would get no sound at all. I gig a lot. This amp sees the stage at least 2 nights a week. Maybe it wasn't made for that, but at 50 watts, vox should expect it to be used by club guys, and we tend to dish out some abuse. I brought it back to the store, and they exchanged it without question. It was showing a little wear.
But I also have a Peavey clasiic vt and have NEVER had a problem, so I guess my reliability standards are high. If I have to carry 2 amps to make sure 1 works, that is not reliable.
Customer Support: 10
My unit was in warranty when it broke, I got a brand new one. Support seems to be good.
Overall Rating: 9
Overall, i love it. I get to leave my peavey in the trailer, and throw this one in the car for spot gigs. Grab one of my guitars, and my old RP3 AND GO!! I will own it as long as it works. I am waitng for the vt 100 to come out, and will buy one when it does. But I will keep the 50 to play in my room.
Submitted by lashowtime at 07/05/2005 20:40
Price Paid: US $313
Features: 9
I play a mixture of styles from reggae, funk, blues, rock, metal. I like Chili peppers, 311, Hendrix, Jack Johnson, 3eB. This amp is not the best looking amp out there, but if you care about sound and not looks then you are in for a great surprise. The only drawback that I can find as far as features is that it only has 3 programmable channels, ch1, ch2 and manual. You can switch through these with the optional foot pedal. So if you need more channels this could be a problem. 3 channels are enough for me so it is perfect. It doesn't have as many amp models as the high dollar Vox models but for the price this amp is awesome! It also has some pretty good effects. It has enough amp models for me and I will probably never use all of them. I have not used this amp in a live gig setting, but I would say that if you are planning on playing in a stadium get something else. It is only 1x12 after all. But with that said it is still pretty loud.
Sound Quality: 10
I use a Fender Mexican strat and a Gibson les paul studio. This thing sounds awesome! Let me just say this. I bought a 60w 1x12 line6 flextone plus combo, with the extra 1x12 extension cab when they first came out. I have always been disappointed with the sound from it. So I never really played the line6 it just sat there. That was about $800-900 wasted. I was looking to buy a Mesa Boogie 1x12 tremoverb combo and had written off the whole digital tubetone possibilities. Then I heard that korg had bought vox and had put their modeling technology into this amp. I already owned a Korg PX4 guitar processor and was highly impressed with their modeling sounds so I decided to look into it. Man I am glad that I did. Finally someone got this amp modeling right! They use a real tube in this amp to achieve this effect. This amp has a warm tube sound that my line 6 never had and every amp model on here is highly usable to me. The cleans and the distortions blow my line6 away. This amp can make any sound that you need. From clean and reggae funky, to rectified metal it is all there. I was more interested with the amp models than the effects, but the effects all sound great too. Of course you have to adjust your guitar for the type of sound that you want. You will get a thin sound from any amp if you only play the bridge pickup with the tone controls set to 10 and the treble on the amp turned all the way up. I can take my strat, crank up the Uk Modern setting, turn on the autowah effect, and go from Hendrix voodo chile intro with the neck pick up to the verse with no wah and the bridge pickup and it sounds great.
Reliability: N/A
I have never owned a vox before but it seems pretty sturdy and well made to me. Why does Vox only give a 90 day warranty on most of the parts?
Customer Support: N/A
N/A
Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing for over 20 years. I would definitely buy this amp again. I had given up on the amp modeling technology after my line6, but Korg and Vox have restored my faith! This amp sounds awesome, is highly versatile, has a real tube in it, and is way affordable. I got mine cheaper than the catalogs, at a local music store. A few hundred dollars for this thing are you kidding? I just found the deal of the century! If you are planning on touring the country and rocking out stadiums then you should obviously get something else. But for what this amp sets out to do it nails it perfectly in my opinion.
Submitted by NixHex at 07/04/2005 08:41
Price Paid: 460 (CAD)
Features: 10
Great features - but the last couple of reviewers here need to READ THE MANUAL and understand the amp!! It's a GREAT amp, but try to learn WHY it has 4 volume controls (there is a very good reason) and for the person who finds it cutting off his sound quickly and sounding fuzzy - that's what the built-in noise suppressor does (that's what ANY single-ended noise suppressor does in fact). So turn off the noise suppressor! It's simple - look it up in the manual. This amp IS a full tube amp as far as how it interacts with your guitar - but apparently many supposedly "pro" or otherwise experienced guitar players have never used a noise suppressor, and the person below me doesn't understand how a tube amp works.
The gain control (which is a late 1970s or 80s invention) simply increases the input level - it sort of simulates overdrive, but has a slightly different sound from OD. The Volume control controls the pre-amp's volume limiting circuitry, allowing it to be wide open (10) or cut down all the way to no volume. The Master control controls the Pre-amp's output level (or power-amp's gain level depending on the design), and with this unique Vox amp the fourth control is for the final solid state amplifier's power level (which is purely a PA-like clean amplifier designed to make the final sound louder, it doesn't offer any distortion or overdrive and doesn't affect the tone at all except for how the speaker is driven). So you can get full Master volume hard-driven tube amp sounds plus hard driven main volume tube amp sounds without cranking the gain, which is how original fenders and many other amps (voxes?) worked. Then you can overdrive it with a real overdrive pedal of your choice (I use a chandler tube driver but anything will work as long as you understand that you keep the gain LOW on an OD pedal when using it with a tube amp and only crank the output level of the pedal). That way you get any real tube sound you want. Roll off the guitar's volume pedal for cleaner sounds, and as long as the noise killing circuit in the vox amp is turned OFF you'll get great response.
This review is just to let people know how to use this unusual and amazing guitar amp - and to make sure nobody is persuaded away from it because of reviewers who haven't taken the time to read the manual and ask their local guitar shop what to do. And if any guitar shops don't know these basic answers then, well, I'm pretty disappointed in the world of musical instrument retail...
Sound Quality: 10
simply perfect. amazing versatility. All sound great, including the fenders (but you should really plug into a fender open back speaker cab for that 100% perfect fender sound).
Don't forget this amp doesn't do cab modelling, so use a real cab from an original amp you're trying to emulate if you want 100% perfection. I'm quite happy with the sound of the fender blackface amp - it sounds incredible as is.
Reliability: 10
I've had no problems and a 1 year warranty in canada.
Customer Support: N/A
haven't needed them yet.
Overall Rating: 10
very fun and satisfying amp.
Submitted by Don Kelley at 07/04/2005 07:30
Price Paid: US $359.00
Features: 7
Very versatile. I play jazz, rock, blues. One channel. Two presets, but they dissappear every time I shut the amp off. Presets sound horrible, none of them are usable. Effects are in weird combinations that I don't normally use. Why can't I use the compressor with reverb or delay? Something is wrong here... No footswitch.
Sound Quality: 1
I use an American strat and Les Paul. Sound is extremely thin with strat. 2x12 Fender emulation is a joke. The only good sounding amp model id the bassman and the Modern Marshall JCM 2000 amp, the rest suck except for the Dumble Overdrive clean model. Sounds great, but here is the problem with this amp: It produces a great deal of white noise-like static which causes me to lower the speaker attenuator on back to about 30 watts without hissing. Now I am trying to emulate a 100 watt stack with a 30 watt solid state amp? It simply does not work. None of the clean models sound like a tube amp, and only one hi-gain sounds decent. I tried taking the back off to reduce the resonant frequency lower-mid boom, but I lost about 50% of what little bass there was. I tried changing the tube with a Mullard, no noticable differnce. It is overly bright and mid-rangy. Tone controls have almost no effect on most models. Here's another oddity: You have a master volume control, a gain control, and volume control, and a speaker attenuator. Why? Four volume controls? I only need two: gain and volume. This amp does not make any sense at all. Sounds cheap, plastciky, and lifeless. There is a HUGE volume difference between models, which can be expected between the Vox AC-15 and the Marshall JCM 800, but why is the Dumble so quiet? I can barely hear it when volume is half way up.. The Vox models sound muddy. Amazing. Who made this amp?
Reliability: 3
The channel settings can not be saved. It is made in the same factory (Korg) as Marshall. Nuff said. My Marshall just died. Third one in three years. Sometimes this amp forgets the effects and stays locked in the previous bizzare effects combination. Allready showing why I hate compuer-based amps. Memory errors!
Customer Support: N/A
I won't need them, it's going back.
Overall Rating: 5
Been playing 25 years now. Buy a decent tube amp and some pedals for the best sound. But this if you never plan on buying another amp and hate pedals. Technology changes rapidly. Tube amps are cheap on ebay. This wou be best suited for punks who like metal.
Submitted by Tune Dawg at 06/29/2005 18:38
Price Paid: US $350
Features: 10
Please refer to other reviews for features. All in all, it is an extremely versatile amp. And light weight!
Sound Quality: 6
I play through my faithful G&L Legacy into this little combo. Initially, I was quite pleased with the wide range of tones I could emulate. My passion remains in the Blues, so if you can imagine, I highly value the ability to overdrive a tube amp at certain times, and still fall back on clean tones by rolling back on the volume of my guitar. Nevertheless, during live settings, (though a lot of our original works are Blues orientated) we do a variety of covers, ranging from Beatles, U2, to Foofighters and Bon Jovi.
I must say, the distortion tones of the UK Modern and so on are very satisfactory. However, having this as my main amp for the last 7 months, I found that the cleans were less than impressive.
First and foremost, in my experience, This amp does not behave like a tube amp. But hey, it's a transtube, so perhaps I shouldn't have expected that. On settings such as the Tweed 4x10 or AC30TB, I can get decently light overdrive tones (which is what I am aiming for), however, when I roll off on my guitar's volume to clean up the signal, the tone responds very strangely.
It drops in volume, but it also gets fuzzy. Furthermore, and this is my biggest gripe, is that when I pick or strum, this fuzzy tone peaks in volume, and levels off instantly. Thus revealing the artificial nature of this otherwise very convincing amp. It is extremely annoying, and in my considered opinion, for this scenario alone, it sounds like garbage.
The other tones, when I don't fiddle with my volume, are decent.
As for the effects, there are a lot of them, but I limit myself to the reverb, as I still rely on my pedals. I find some of them to be a little cold and digital, however, still usable. (except the flanger, or phaser. However, if that's your thing, it's there for your disposal).
One last thing, there have been some complaints about the cooling fan being too loud. There IS a fan in my amp, however, it doesn't bother. Perhaps I got lucky, but I don't even notice it unless I try to. In any case, I figure I'm simply trading that tubewarmth hum for a cold-digi fan.
Reliability: N/A
I mainly use this at restaurant bars, however, I do use it for my worship team at church on occasion (but I mainly play my acoustic with them).
This little one has never failed me yet, in my 7 months.
Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with them.
Overall Rating: 6
Practically speaking, the audience won't be able to tell the difference between analogue and digital, and considering the variety of styles that my band and I play, this little one has served me quite well. It's small and lightweight, and is A LOT more convenient to lug around as opposed to a 90lb Bluesbreaker... But... that as it may be, it is my only amp for the time being, and I truly miss having a tube amp.
I like to name my guitars and amps, but I have trouble for this guy, even after 7 months. Despite it's versatility, it lacks personality. It is very practical, but I would not buy it again.
Submitted by Jonathan Wong at 06/29/2005 11:38
Price Paid: US $359
Features: 10
I bought my VoX Ad50vt from a local guitar shop in my town, I was originally looking for a tube amp, but didnt know prices were so high and had wanted a Vox amp anyway-since The Beatles used them....I played it in the shop and fell in love with the different effects, at first I thought the front shiny grill looked cheap, but after awhile i realized the genius of it, because its tough and why not make all amps with a caged front? I always keep my wattage knob at its highest so dont know if this is really a great feature or not but I really love the power supply cable jack, how it plugs in or out of the amp and also love the input jack at the top of the amp.
Sound Quality: 10
I play anything from Distortion to clean and this amp covers everything for me, I mostly use the UK 80's for clean and UK modern for distortion (best distortion on amp) and the delay sounds especially bad ass for me and chorus and the reverb are the next best features. The amp does get noisy when your guitar is around stuff for some reason, like my mic stand or getting close to the amp, but i guess this is normal and cant hear it when you play anyway. (I also plug my 'Shure' mic into this amp and the effects work great for voice as well.) Ive never turned the amp to its highest settings cause ive never had to but keep everything turned to 12:00 or lower
Reliability: 10
Ive owned my amp for about a month now and have bumped it a few times in and out of my car but thats about it and I wont bump it anymore but it still sounds like a fat lady singing...
Customer Support: 10
I want the foot switch they make for it but havent gotten back with the shop I bought it from but the name VoX just sounds cool and it looks bad as well. Ive seen kids who dont even play guitar use the name 'VoX' on the internet. So if the customer support sucks then they have a right to, cause there VoX. But give me a name brand company that is known for having bad customer service.
Overall Rating: 10
Ive been playing for 9 years now and have owned small amps like peavey and fender and this amp compliments my fender telecaster like peanut and jelly, so dont think this amp holds back on anything. I got lucky that my local guitar shop had this amp in my opinion cause I could have bought another one and not known about this one. The biggest concern for me was price and I really feel I got my moneys worth on buying this amplifer cause I still got money left in my wallet and plus a kick ass practice amp. To me this amp is heaven sent and at night I sleep next to it and hold it like a teddy bear in my arms....
Submitted by PoisonChef at 06/20/2005 19:00
Price Paid: US $359
Features: 9
I went to buy a Fender modeling amp but came home with the Vox instead. The Vox sounded richer,was cheaper(less expensive) and I just liked the set-up with the chicken head knobs instead of push buttons and menus.It obviously has the same features as everyone else's so I won't repeat it.
Sound Quality: 9
I use a 70's Strat with 3 singles and a Valley Arts with HSS configuration. I play classic rock and blues at home and praise and worship music in church. I needed something that can play clean to slightly fuzzy,nothing heavy. I like the Clean Botique and the AC15 and AC30tb. The effects work well and are simple to use. I would like a stand alone chorus. The amp is very quiet,no hissing.
Reliability: 2
Now, here is why I submitted this review, as I am not much of an expert on tones. After2 weeks the wattage selector (attenuator?)started to occasionally short out, giving shrieks from the amp at the worst possible times.At least that is what it seemed like to me. Whatever was at fault,the repair shop couldn't get a replacement part.All parts were going on new amps, and new amps were backordered. So I was stuck without an amp and without funds to buy a different amp. After a few weeks the store gave me a loaner amp and eventually Vox replaced my amp with a new one. The process took about 6 to 8 weeks.It was inconvenient for me , but for a working musican it would have been dire. I guess this happens sometimes with a new product that is in high demand and to their credit they did make it right.I can't say their products are unrelaible in general but this particular amp was. No problems at all with the new amp yet.
Customer Support: 8
The customer support was fine. Their hands were basically tied until an amp came available.The repair shop mainly delt with Vox or Korg. In my correspondence with them they seemed concerned and willing to do whatever thay could. If they had gotten a replacement for me sooner I would have given them a 10.
Overall Rating: N/A
I've been playing off and on for 25+ years and am very happy with this amp. Portable and versitle you can crank it or play softly. I think it would satisfy all but the most discriminating purists.If it were stolen(how could you lose something this big) I would buy another, or a 30 watt model if it was significantly lighter.
Submitted by mark at 06/05/2005 22:08
Price Paid: 330 (Euro)
Features: 9
2005 - Ireland
I think the features of this amp have already been well-covered by other contributors here. I play in a lot of different types of bands ranging from Jazz to rock to country and I love this amp. Have had the amp 3 weeks now and it has done a lot of sessions since including a tv show last night. To be honest I always bypass the effects section, for 2 reasons. Firstly I find it quite limiting as I like to mix and switch effects at my feet, but for the price of the amp they're a great feature. Secondly I've been using Boss pedals for years along with a Tubescreamer and I'm so used to them. Some people have commented that their effects didn't work well with this amp but that hasn't been my experience.
Sound Quality: 9
My main guitar is a Gibson Les Paul although I use several others depending on the situation. My favourite sound on this amp has got to be the AC30TB. I use this most of the time with the gain back so that the sound is clean but almost starting to break up. Then when I need to rock out I kick on the Tubescreamer and 'Tone Heaven'. I love it. My main worry buying the amp was that it mightn't be loud enough in a live band situation, my previous amp was a Peavey 160w Special 112. But so far it has had no problem being heard and I only mic it in situations where I would have miced the Peavey also.
Of the other sounds available I like the 70's and 80's Marshall but I would never use Numetal sounds for instance, so I can't really comment on these as I don't like that particular sound.
Reliability: 6
Haven't had it long enough to give a fair comment. Seems sturdy enough though a lot lighter in weight than my Peavey (thank God!). I do a lot of work and this thing seems to be taking all in it's stride.
Customer Support: N/A
Don't know and hopefully never will.
Overall Rating: 9
Been playing about 20 years. If it was stolen or lost I would buy another one, or possibly upgrade to another Valvetronix model, though this one is doing all I need. What I love most is the valve sound at such an incredible price. My biggest gripe is that you can't add an extension cab, which would be ideal for real spread on stage. I think they should have included the footswitch, even if it meant adding a few quid to the overall price as the amp is great value for money.
Submitted by mickeyfrets at 05/24/2005 15:35
Price Paid: US $359.00
Features: 9
It has everything ill need and more for features, i jam in a live jam situation, and im a tube amp freak, but as far as the amount of time i use it jamming, the peavey, laney, and marshall halfstacks i had werent practical for me to use 2 times a month jamming and then practicing in the bedroom with! Effects by korg the same who make my favorite pedals, Boss. Its solid state with a one tube preamp, i immediately stuck my favorite JJ ecc83s in the tube socket and ditched the electro harmonix 12ax7. I had it specially set up for my AD50VT. Wish it wouldnt cut the internal speaker out when a cab is hooked up to it, wish i could just add a 112 cab to it.
Sound Quality: 9
My current set up is an Agile 2500 LP copy, A seymour duncan sh-1 vintage'59 pickup in the neck, and an sh-11 custom custom in the bridge. Run it through a modified Vox v-847 wah pedal all insides are area51's vintage italian wah kit. It suits my styles just fine, i play rock, hard rock, Blues,metal. For the people who dont read the directions it does sound muffled and unable to project, i know because im one of them! Im a tube amp guy and when i had it for the first week i was like man it would sound so much better if it was so muffled, and it sounded too electronicky, like a line 6 anything. All though line 6 has redeemed them selves with the hd-147 head, If i had the cake id be writing a review on that right now! Im used to the tube feel and until i learned how to turn off the stinkin noise gate i was dissapointed. The sustain and background sssssssssss was there as i would expect from a tube amp at high volume and i was really diggin it after that, the ac30 70's and 80's UK settings is/are what i use the most, and ive recently started slaving it with a VOX Brian May special! It really increases the tonal range from blues to god awful distortion.HOwever you can hear every chord and note. Ive jammed in live situations plenty of times unmiked and it cuts right through, RDFD! Read Da Fucking Directions! Play with it and twist the chicken head knobs for all they are worth! i wouldnt play stadiums with it but for a club jam or garage style its perfect. this is what i have found, and my buddy jeff plays loud!"motorhead loud" and he has the new hd 147, and he was amazed at how it projected its sound.
Reliability: 9
Well i havent spilled a beer on it yet or dropped down a flight of stairs like my poor Classic 50. but it seems to be pretty decent, i d gig with a backup anyway, if i regular gigged id have a half stack and probably a Vox Valvetronix head. Besides for the price, if it malfunctioned, specially repeatedly, id Pete Townsend its electronic ass! Stage show antics!
Customer Support: 10
I emailed them to ask them how to slave it with the Brian May special, the next night i got a reply! WOW! They seem really enthusiastic about customers there questions and the new gear they are putting out, friendly and curtious.
Overall Rating: 9
Ive been a playing Amature for bout seven years now. I am always looking for new things, especially how different amp companys take is on a tube emulation amp. I went through a lot of them including the big boys, i picked this over an Hughes&Kettner Matrix. Hmmm i wanna try the H&K again. I currently own nothing else i used to have every thing but a set of drums but my past situation led to where i am with this little Vox Ripper! The only amp i want back is A Laney lc-30, i had one and regret to this day giving it up to pay a bill, i hear people say marshalls are loud, sheer childsplay next to a Laney! I know..... im a trouble maker....
Submitted by Mark J at 05/17/2005 19:05
Price Paid: US $357
Features: 10
Lots of choices. Eleven amp models, some you will like immediately some will require tweaking. Some amp models are more sensitive to modification than others, but I think that criticism of subtleties isn't productive nor is it mature. Any "classic" tube amp is going to sound like, well, itself, and nothing will nail it on the head. This amp comes closer to an AC30TB, a Fender Blackface 2x12, a Marshall 70's and 80's model than you're going to find without a lot of work or money, and it does a good enough job at a Vox AC 15, a Fender tweed 2x12, and a Mesa amp to get you into a no-excuse territory as to your craftsmanship on the guitar. Versitility is a major strong point here.
Sound Quality: 9
I use a Telecaster. Stock pickups. The people I like either play the same or started their careers on them. It's noisy unless your cord is brand new, never stepped on or bent. I can't say I like all of the effects as well as the best of them, I can say that they are all, without exception, useful and well-executed. I don't like the excessive noise I get with a well-used cord. I do like the flexibility they built into the amp, both with the controls and with the wattage selection. Great idea, an electronics tech dream in a world of pure tube bullshit. Not enough noise suppression for me, but that is a common complaint for me with all kinds of gear. I play slide a lot, I play Brit Invasion, I play serious and not-so-serious rock and roll, I play whatever I feel like at the moment in front of anybody. I play a Telecaster for its flexibility, got this amp for its flexibility, haven't been disappointed yet with either.
Reliability: 10
Don't know for sure because it hasn't broken yet. I have a Marshall Valvestate, made by Korg like this one, have had it for years, sounds great live and has NEVER given me a bad note I didn't ask for. I spent the 1960's and '70s playing Vox, loved the sound, never had a problem, not one. This is Korg. Played the 1980's and 1990's with Korg effects, never had a problem. Korea? England? Who cares? What I know is that the nameplates Vox and Korg and Marshall have yet to cause me a problem, and other makes have. I might have just been lucky, but I've played out a lot for a lot of years and I'm happy with these brands.
Customer Support: N/A
Dealt with other companys, not with Vox/Marshall/Korg except to buy the stuff.
Overall Rating: 10
I've played since 1964. I play a Tele and this Vox. Hope it doesn't break, but all gear does now and then. It sounds good. It does an AC 30 as good as an AC 30. It does a Fender Blackface just as good. It is surprisingly good at the 70's and 80's Marshall, will make you stop and play those settings as they are that good. Can't say I hear a lot in other settings, AC 15 leaves me cold as does boutique clean, but I have to say the amp gives a lot to work with and I'm not a Korg rep and could probably gain some insight as a rep who knew the amp better. I play a lot, demand a lot, and this, short of a gozillion dollars worth of overpriced "classic" gear, does a fine job. I played the classic amps when they were new and cheap. This amp does a fine job. Don't listen to the finicky rich mofo wannabees, old or young. Screw em. Listen to the amp. You'll like this one.
Submitted by Bill at 04/29/2005 21:59
Price Paid: 200 (UK £)
Features: 9
Bought 2005 , 50w (variable) combo amp from Vox.
11 Amp models, range of effects (some work in tandem, but you cant pick and choose) 2 preset channels for storing your favourites, together with Preset (the settings Vox in their wisdom claim you need to hear!), and manual so you can mess around to your hearts content. Effects section is bypassable, and has a noise gate. (I need this for my Tele, but not my Strat)
If I am correct, this has a tube on the pre-amp stage.
Standard EQ controls, Gain, Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble, and Master Volume.
Also has a hot output for connecting to another cab, jack for external footswitch (VFS2) for changing channels and bypassing the effects section. Shared Line and Headphone jack on the back.
Cool feature is the variable power output - some people on here are suggesting that this is just another volume - they are missing the point. The tube section really comes into its own when you drive it hard, and for many, this aint an option in a bedroom or house. By turning wattage down, you can crank the volume and gain right up and play at full tilt without the loud sound, but still flooding the tube to full and getting the sweetest tones out of it.
Things I miss - sperate jack socket, or maybe even XLR jack, but thats all.
Sound Quality: 7
Still new to it, and it clearly needs breaking in, but very impressed so far. With AC-30 setting I was getting a sound very similar to the Small Faces on Afterglow or All or Nothing with my Tele.
Lots of other models as detailed in other reports below. The modern amp sounds very 1990's and cool distorted. The Boutique Clear is really sweet, and Fender models are lovely.
Cant say the same about the effects section, which in my view sounds very digital and weak. The compressor for example when on high volume gives a notable digital fade to the end of the note. AutoWah is useless (get a pedal!). But I suppost thats my point, I have a pedal board with Boss Compressor, Delay, Big Muff Fuzz, Small Clone Chorus, so didnt buy this amp for effects. You will have fun with them, but I cant really class them as serious effects. Only one I would suggest is worth using is the Reverb.
Otherwise, sound is so so sweet when you get the right setting. Can occasionally sound a bit muddy, and volume differences between models are a bit extreme (try changing from a loud Boutique CL setting to Nu Metal, and you will shake the windows) Still, sounds lovely though.
Got to mark this down for the effects section being superflous, but would give it a 10 otherwise
Reliability: N/A
Obviously put together cheaply at this price, but it doesnt really show. Plastic corners, cheap covering material (but lovely metal grille that is solid!!)
Chickenhead switches seem to turn too easily between models, but they are firmly stuck on.
Not broken yet, but then it's brand new!
Customer Support: N/A
Not tried
Overall Rating: 10
Been playing a few years, but still only class myself as a beginner to intermediate. Terrible with theory, but think my technique aint bad.
I play MIM Tele and Am Std Strat through it and it is a huge improvement on my Marshall 30 DFX rubbish. It sounds so sweet and warm, and has massive variety. Still new to it, so got lots to play with before I've explored it all. Value for money though, cant go wrong.
Submitted by PJM at 04/19/2005 04:49
Price Paid: US $259
Features: 9
2005 model.. 11 amp models, 11 effects, two channels, line out, head phone jack, no effects loop, foot switch jack but foot switch is not included. I had a two button switch from a peavey amp and it worked fine providing channel switching, and effects bypass. Uses a tube in the power amp and the ability to overdrive the tube while turning down a power potentiometer in the back to keep the volume down. Great in theory, but it still generally sounds better at louder volumes.
Built in noise gate - a great feature!
Outstanding bang for the buck! Effect combinations are pre-defined, but each has two or three parameter adjustments. Very cleverly set up. Outstanding as a studio/practice amp. For the stage, it would be difficult to use unless you assigned just two main sounds, one for each channel, and were very quick with the controls for any other sounds you wanted to use. I have a digitech RP2000 modeling foot controlled processor, and it is more versatile and practical for the stage than this amp would be. Also, the RP2000 sounds better at low volumes and WAY better with headphones. Tried using the RP2000 through this amp, but there is no real neutral clean sound, and it the two units just didn't get along well.
Amp seems plenty loud for a 50W 1-12 combo.
Sound Quality: 8
I play a variety of rock styles. The clean sounds are great, and the effects are generally very good. I was able to compare it side by side with a Marshall AVT50 which uses a tube preamp instead of the power amp as on this amp. Generally the Marshall had the warmer more tube like sound, but it costs about $200 more, and is much less versatile.
This amp totally nails the Nu-Metal - scooped mids sound! Quite impressive! The speaker has much better bass response than my Marshall AVT 50 stock speaker, and the Marshall could not produce a comparable nu-metal sound, nor could my digitech RP2000.
It also does a pretty convincing Marshall JCM 800. The high gain model sound is alright, but none of the overdrive sounds were really tube-like IMO. However, for the price, they are all pretty good with endless variety. If you like tinkering with controls, this amp will keep you plenty busy. If not, it has presets which are well set up, and easily modified.
You definitely want to read the manual to get the most out of the amp.
The noise gate is great, but when you back off the volume control on the guitar, its hard to find a setting where the notes don't fade out too fast while still gating all the noise at full guitar volume.
Some have mentioned a loud fan. On this one, it was very quiet (unlike my Marshall AVT50).
I'm using Carvin guitars with humbuckers and coil taps, and also a Fender HM strat.
Reliability: N/A
Seems reliable. I only had it for two weeks and took it back, but not because of any problems. It was just too redundant with things I already had. Still, I would recommend it to anyone looking for very versatile amp at a reasonable price.
Customer Support: N/A
Overall Rating: 8
Been playing >25 years. I was shopping for a backup for my other amp, and was willing to consider any combo under $1000. Spent a whole morning at Guitar Center trying all sorts of amps, and finally kept going back and forth between this and a $900 Mesa Boogie FE30. Sure the Boogie sounded better but (being cheap) it just wasn't $550 better IMO. Also, the Vox did the NU-metal sound much better, and had so many more toys! However, once the novelty wore off, I had to admit that my RP2000 could do almost everything this amp could do, and in most cases better and more easily (except that NU-Metal sound!). So I took it back and ordered the new Traynor 50blue all-tube amp. Still, I would highly recommend this amp to the non-professional on a budget.
Submitted by pgsulli at 04/18/2005 21:31
Price Paid: US $359.00
Features: 8
2004 Model Vox AD50VT. I play anything from blues to pop/electronica to 'Van Halen' tone rock. This amp covers all the bases for the types of tones needed. This is a solid-state modeling amp with a 12AX7/ECC83 tube in the preamp stage. I wanted to rave about this amp until the demons set in..... First off, I've had it back to the shop twice for cold solder joint. It kept cutting out completely while I was playing. Second of all, don't let the other reviews fool you. When I first got this amp, I was excited about it. I really thought it felt/sounded like a tube amp until I put it to some 'real world' tests (open mic night) where I was literally asked to leave the stage after playing half a song. I crumbled.
The built in effects are nice. Has all the basics. Flange, chourus, reverb, echo/delay and a nice built in noise gate, which I wasn't even aware of until I realized my Strat was making no noise at all! Cool!
Sound Quality: 8
I play an American Std. Tele w/a Danny Gatton (Joe Barden) pickup in bridge and a beat up old Strat using Duncan Antiquities all throughout. This amp does cover all the tone selections needed for most styles of music because of the amp modeling, but HEED MY WARNING. When playing out and needing the 'drive' and openness of a real tube amplifier, this amp completely pukes out. Very over compressed and over-processed. I was playing next to a Peavey Classic 30 and could not keep up at ANY volume. It sounds like there's a blanket over this amp at any high volume levels, and it sounds like it's 'choked' or 'straining'. So, as far as sounds are concerned, I have to give it high marks for some nice modeled tones. From a Vox AC30TB to a Mesa rectifier tone, it does a great job at low/moderate volume, but DON'T BUY THIS AMP IF YOU'RE EXPECTING TO PLAY OUT AND NOT BE MIKED UP! It's a nice amp for recording, but it's basically a 50w practice amp.
Reliability: 4
Had it in twice in a week for cold solder joint repairs.
Customer Support: 7
emailed tech support, and actually got a 'non canned' email within a day, but they basically said 'bring it to where you bought it for repair'. Duh.
Overall Rating: 5
Been playing for 25+ years. I would NOT but another one of these amps if it was lost/stolen. I 'undid' the deal I made for this amp to get my Vintage Club 60 back (Crate). This amp is not the tone-modeling panacea all guitar players search for. It is still a transistor amplifier, and cheaply built to boot. (Mine was made in Korea) Take my advice, if you're looking for multiple tones, get yourself a 30-50w ALL TUBE AMP and a few pedals. This amp had no volume overhead and falls apart in real-world applications. Trust me.
Submitted by Jim at 04/15/2005 07:42
Price Paid: US $359
Features: 9
2004. The features have been listed below already, but if you're too lazy to scroll:
*11 amp models and 11 built in effects
*Power adjuster (allows user to dial in desired wattage from less than 0.15W - 50W)
*External Speaker Out jack (8 ohms)
*Line/Phone jack
*Foot Switch jack (Vox VFS2 footswitch sold separately)
*2 channels to store settings
*Preset and Manual modes
*Dimensions: 22.76" x 10.43" x 19.95"
*Weight: 44.09 lbs.
I've prolly forgotten some stuff, but you get the picture.
This amp meets every one of my musical needs, but I'll talk about that more in depth under sounds.
Would get a 10, but i need to go out and buy the footswitch?!
Sound Quality: 9
I use a Gibson Pete Townshend Signature SG with two P-90 single coil pickups. This is the perfect guitar for me because I'm a Classic Rock guy in a teenage classic rock cover band. We mainly cover Who, Beatles, and beginning to add some songs by 'The Band'. I can get just about any sound I need from my PT SG. Pete used a Gibson SG Special that had P-90s, which is partially responsible for creating his defining live sound between late '68 and '71. The Beatles are very closely associated with Epiphone Casinos which also have P-90s. They also used Strats (and George later used a Telecaster) which also have single coils. The Who and The Beatles being my two favorite bands, i felt it was safe to get P-90 single coils (I also liked the clean sound i got from them :) )
With the Vox AD50VT's 11 amp models i can dial in just about every sound i need:
*Mid 60's Beatles / Early Who - British Invasion sound (though you'd need a RIC too) can be found on AC30TB. This is THE sound for "Day Tripper" and other songs from this era for the Beatles, and lucky me, that's on our set list.
*Late 60's Beatles sound can be found on Tweed 4x10 (Fender Bassman) In the Late 60's when the Beatles were getting more and more psychadelic, they switched their amps from Vox to Fender. You can also get the sounds from most Fender users out of this amp setting.
*The Who's live sound from '69 to '71 (think Woodstock, Live at Leeds, Isle of Wight festivals, Live at The Young Vic), can be found using UK '70s. Cranking the gain on this amp will give you decent distortion, at least for my taste. I plan to get a fuzz pedal for the perfect fuzz sound i seek tho.
*John Entwistle songs ("My Wife" - live) i use UK '80s. When The Who would play John's songs live in the late 70s, theyd play it fairly distorted, so I use this setting. This is the closest I get to playing anything remotely metal or modern. I have no use for the heavily distorted amp models and am not someone to consult if a metal player's amp is what you're looking for. But I do know that if you got money, and are looking for a metal players amp, Mesa Boogie is the way to go. The fact that this amp has amp models for classic rock, modern rock, and metal, you know its versatile. The distortion can get pretty brutal, but at a certain point, distortion loses definition, where distortion is gonna sound like the same mangled piece of shit no matter what you do. I'm definitely not talking about just this amp, but amps in general. But to state it simply, the distortion on this amp can be just about whatever you want in this price range and without a distortion pedal.
* The Band - I turn it to Black 2x12 and turn the Compressor on and I'm able to achieve Robbie Robertson tone. If you're not familiar with his sound, he uses mostly Strats and Teles. In the 60s, the middle pickup of his Strat kept getting in the way of his playing, so he just moved it down towards the bridge. The finished product gave him lots of "twang" and "quack" which defined his sound. He also plays with pinch harmonics almost non-stop to get him even more "quack". It can be heard on the songs "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)" and "Just Another Whistle Stop" especially.
Effects:
The effects on this baby will suit anyone who isn't too picky about their effects or can't afford top notch effects. I'm no Tom Morrello, so I have no intention of having a pedal board with a dozen stomp boxes. However, there are two effects that I am specific about and plan to upgrade to: Fuzz and wah. Being the huge PT fan i am, i intend on getting a Black Cat Univox Superfuzz to mimic the unique distortion heard when Pete plays live. And me also being a sucker for classic rock, a Crybaby Classic. There are some effects i'll use very rarely (i.e. flanger, phaser, tremelo), rarely enough, that i can survive the quality of the effects. They're A-OK in my book.
Overall - the sound is fantastic but
Reliability: 10
This thing is a TANK!!!!!! It's solid. Its hard for me to explain the amp's strength with words, so if you're at a guitar store anytime soon and they got a ADD50VT on hand, give it a good inspection. I cringe at the thought, but I bet that if it ever fell down the stairs, it could survive. I would definitely gig with this without a backup on hand, cause i trust it. Hasnt failed me yet, I've owned it since late December of '04 and I've been playing it almost non stop.
Customer Support: 10
I've dealt with Vox once asking for the specs of this amp, because for some reason their sites and other sites hadnt posted that yet. I emailed them and they answered me promptly within 11 hours or so.
I think the warranty was 90 days or something, which isnt much...but I don't think I'm gonna need one.
Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing guitar for about 3 years (I'm 15), bass for about a year and a half, can barely play keyboard or drums, better at twirling drum sticks than actual drumming. Lead guitarist for a teenage classic rock cover band, backup guitar/organ in my Dad's group (if they need me), which is also a classic rock/ folk cover band. I own a 2001 Gibson Pete Townshend Signature SG and a 2003 Yamaha F-35 acoustic that i started on, along with my trusty Vox AD50VT. I also use/ have access to my Dad's 1997 Epiphone Sheraton II, 1987 Fender F270SCE acoustic-electric, and Epiphone EP-1000 amp. I also use/ have access to his lead guitarist's Squier Strat, 1974 Gibson SG Standard Limited Edition I, Fender Fretless Jazz Bass, Peavey Audition 20 amp, and Fender BXR 25 bass amp and am currently using my guitar mentor's friend's Ibanez-like bass.
When shopping for this amp i considered many things: Wattage, weight, versatility, sound and price. I compared it to many other 50, 65, and even 100 watt amps. It was a clear winner because of it's Vox quality, features, sound, and versatility. Other amps i compared to lacked certain qualities (like staying clean past a certain volume)
I love just about everything this amp has to offer other than its weight, but small price to pay for the greatest amp money can buy in this price range. If someone stole this amp, I'd be pissed, but be glad that they didnt steal my beloved PT SG instead. I'd definitely look for the culprit, who prolly couldnt have run far with this 50lb beauty. IF i couldn't find them, then of course i would definitely buy a replacement cause it's Vox, under $400, with just about every sound i've ever needed right here. Did I mention it's beautiful as well?
Submitted by PinballWizard77 at 04/14/2005 15:57
Price Paid: US $350
Features: 9
Brand-new 2005 model. For the record, there is no fan. You can read the other reviews or go to Vox's website for the complete feature list, but here are the ones I'm most impressed with:
Power knob - genius! Imagine getting that power-amp saturation with a bedroom volume. Works like a built-in attenuator.
11 amp models - the models actually get really close to the tube amps they try to replicate. The AC15 is dead on, and even the Recto is pretty close to my Dual Rec. The only thing missing is that tube response, but hey, if you want that, buy a tube amp.
Effects - I'm not a huge effects user, so this amp suits my needs perfectly. It's a little complex to change some of the effect options (basically you hold down a button while you turn the knob), which could have been avoided by simply adding some more knobs.
A feature that I'm a little disappointed with is that you can only save two channels. Three would have been perfect, or at least a solo boost.
Sound Quality: 9
I've played through this amp with an Ibanez S470, an Ibanez GSA60, and a Yamaha 120SD. All guitars sound great through it, and maintain their own respective sounds. I play mostly old-school thrash, with some blues mixed in. The models on the amp give more than enough choices for getting the tone I'm after for a particular band or song. The amp gets a little noisy on the high-gain channels with the volume cranked, but there is a built-in noisegate that takes care of it well enough for me. The sounds that this amp can make have made me wonder why I spent $2000 on my Dual Rec. While it doesn't hit the sound exactly, it gets pretty darn close. The Marshall sound in here is dead on, whether it's for the 70s, 80s, or Modern setting. It brings back memories of the JCM900 I used to have. For players looking for a more laid-back sound, the AD50VT delivers. The AC15 and AC30 settings are perfect for that late Beatles overdrive, and the Marshall 70s or Tweed are perfect for that heart-wrenching smooth blues tone. It's a little hard to get a clean clean sound from this amp, but with the Boutique clean and backing off the gain it is possible.
Overall, this is a very good sounding amp for $350.
Reliability: 10
I've only had it for about 2 weeks, but being a solid-state amp there's not much in it that can break. Regardless, it seems very well-built and solid enough to withstand some abuse.
Customer Support: N/A
Haven't dealt with Vox. The warranty is pretty much a waste, since it's only 90 days. I've always said, an electronic item will either break out of the box, or never break. Given the high build quality I don't anticipate having to deal with Vox support.
Overall Rating: 9
I've been playing guitar for about 9 years now, and this is the most satisified I've been with a guitar amp. In the past I've owned a DOD G6 practice amp, a Marshall JCM900 Dual Hi-Gain, and a Mesa-Boogie Dual Rectifier Road King. Think of this amp as the solid-state version of the Road King. Great sounds possible, just not the tube response. I compared it while shopping to the Line6 Spider II and the Flextone III, and the Tech21 Trademark 60. I also played a bunch of other amps in the store which I never considered buying (Behringer, Marshall AVT, Crate). The Vox blew the Line6 out of the water when it came to sounding like the amps it modeled. The Tech21 somehow managed to get a tube response with a solid-state amp, but it couldn't deliver on the gain, and it didn't model as many amps and had no built-in effects.
If Vox added either a third channel or a solo boost this amp would be perfect. As it is it's still quite a good amp for $350. Feel free to email me with any questions. paistss@hotmail.com
\m/
Submitted by Scott at 04/12/2005 22:52
Price Paid: £209 (british pounds sterling)
Features: 10
i wont list all the features as eveyone else has and as u may no they are all damn good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Mine is a 2005 model WITH A FAN!!!I could use this lve as well as in the sitting room its AWESOMME!!!!!!!!!,Like that u can turn down power on back so u can still get that warm distortion at volume levels that dont make my wife hit me!!!!
Sound Quality: 10
iam using this with a IBANEZ RG 321 and it is great uk 80,s is the marshall tone i have been longing for since my marshall avt150 was stolen but this amp is much better and a lot cheaper and thats sayin something since i was brought up on marshall amps!!!!
Reliability: N/A
dont now yet as only had it since friday 8th april,Anyone that winges about the fan must be on acid sure it vibrates on start up slightley but goes quit straight away,its no louder than marshal avt150,people stop winging and get rocking like maiden.CANT RATE THIS AS ONLY HAD COUPLE OF DAYS
Customer Support: N/A
1 year warranty from soundslive in newcastle upon tyne hopefully should be fine
Overall Rating: 10
Only been playin about 6 months but like i said earlier wish this amp had been out 6 months ago and i would have saved loads of cash and still had a belting classic marshall sound which everybody wants but not everyone can afford(stacks that is all valve not mg series they suck!!)if it was lost or stolen i would cry and annilate the people responsible for it and get another one I also have the VOX BRIAN MAY SPECIAL ,used to have line 6 pod v2 but got rid of it as this amp has everything i need so part exchanged it for the brian may amp,Line 6 salesman tried to compare his spider2 amp next to this one but he failed (i tried not to laugh at him)silly bloody man!!!
Submitted by dave "iron maiden"elliott at 04/11/2005 15:15
Price Paid: 219 (GBP)
Features: 8
Bought in 2005. Very versatile with a wide range of amp models and effects. I would give it a 10 except for 2 things - Only 2 user presets, and lack of ability to combine effects. Have used it regularly in practise and at one gig. More than loud enough for a gig. Guess it depends on where you gig/how loud the rest of your band is, but at the gig we did, I had no issues. We do alternative rock type stuff.
Sound Quality: 10
I play a 1990 MIM Strat, which I bought new and have been playing ever since... Haven't owned a decent amp myself before - mainly relying on practise studio equipment (at rehearsals) and borrowed equipment (at gigs). So clearly I've been 'going with the flow' with respect to amps. However, this means that over the years, I've tried several very nice , and several very poor amps and know the basic difference. To my ears this amp seems to be full of nice warm sounds, with no bad ones. It sounds good at low volume, but when you crank it up and start pushing the speaker, it sounds even better. Not prone to noise (except the minor fan noise which you can't hear once you start playing, even on the quietest settings). My favourite amp models are the bassman and dumble overdrive... I used to have a POD 2 (which I loved), and I sold it to buy this Vox... I don't regret it. I thought the POD was good, but people are correct to say it was certainly not as WARM as the Vox.
Reliability: 6
This is the 'not totally sure' rating. I have had it for about 3 months. I practise with the band once a week (at max power), and 2-3 times a week at home (on min power). It's never totally 'let me down' but I do worry about it. There have been a couple of incidents in that time where I turned it on and it made some 'wierd' noises. E.g. last practise, before I even had the guitar cable plugged into it, it was making a very loud 'farty digital squeal' when the rear power knob was turned DOWN below 1/3. Turned it off on, moved all the controls, changed channels, plugged things in and out of jacks, made no difference to the tone or volume of the noise. Turned the power knob up above 1/3 and the squeal went away and all was normal. Turned it down again, squeal came back. OK, so the 'workaround' was just to practise that time with the power knob above 1/3 but still, makes you wonder how reliable this thing is... I took it home, and have now used it 2 or 3 times since and never had the same or any other problem. So, I'm 'not sure'...
Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with them, but I get the vibe I might be soon, given the occasional weird noises...
Overall Rating: 8
I LOVE IT. I do worry about reliability, but that aside, at the price I think this thing is phenomenal. I tried it head to head against the Marshall AVT50 combo(esentially Marshall's 'Marshall' modelling amp). I found that I liked the 'warmth' of the Vox's 'Marshall' tones more, and it was a tad louder! Once I discovered it could out-marshall the marshall equivalent with still another 10 amp models to spare, it was no contest.
Submitted by The_Hexx at 04/10/2005 15:49
Price Paid: US $359.00
Features: 10
This is the 2005 model Vox AD50VT, and is quite possibly the most versatile amp I've ever played through. Much better than the Line 6 modeling amps out there, what with the tube power amp. I love the power switch feature, living in a tiny little apartment and being able to play a super-crunchy distortion in the dining room without bothering the folks in the living room. I haven't messed with the 30 watt version, but I understand that it is almost identical to the 50 with the number of amp models and effects. The only thing I wish it had is one more speaker, but then again, I've used it at gigs and recording sessions, and it soars through everything else that's going on...I play with a guy using a Fender Twin Reverb hooked in through a Vox 2x12 cabinet, and we match evenly when the volumes are pushed. Speaking of cabinets, it's a great feature to be able to plug it into a different cabinet.
Sound Quality: 10
I use a 3 pickup American Stratocaster, and play anywhere from jangly country-tinged music to hard, blasting rock. It switches with ease through varying styles. There is one problem with one of the effects, and apparently this is a common problem with Vox amps from the past ten years. If I turn the compression effect on, the low E tends to have digital rattle in the cabinet. But overall, it sounds perfect. The amp models...DAMN. The 70's UK mimics a Pete Townshend guitar sound perfectly with no effects. The Boutique CL is great for clean playing. And if you are light in the wallet when you get the amp, you have your effects built in. Make sure you check out the instruction manual to learn how to really utilize them. From what I understand, once you get the foot switch you can pretty much write off having to buy any effects pedals (but it does sound good through a distortion box, like the Classic Metal--yipes--or a tube delay). The comp effect has a little more oomph than the speaker tends to be able to handle, but it is very useful for recording.
It also has helped me as a newbie at guitar playing (been playing for about 9 mos.) to learn about how to control electronic effects and amp sounds.
Reliability: 10
I could have Ivan Drago from Rocky IV take a few whacks at it, and it probably would kick his Russian ass.
Customer Support: N/A
Probably not bad. You can register online.
Overall Rating: 10
I love it. I would buy four more of them at least. I love just about everything about it, including the price (CHEAP!). It reminded me of a more versatile Music Man 112 with the tube preamp.
Go buy one if you are new at guitar and are wanting to learn about amplifiers. It's a great deal for a true sound.
Submitted by Kris Langley at 03/21/2005 13:01
Price Paid: US $359
Features: 8
Im doing a review on a vox ad50vt 1X12 combo amp incase you didnt know already. This amp has many features that include amp modles from boutique clean to high-gain amp modles, there is 11 modles in all. There is also 11 digital effects and a noise gate built in. the level of each effect can be tweaked also which is a good feature. It has a preset mode ( stock presets) a manual mode ( manual, make your own sounds) and two channels for saving your sounds. it also has a headphone jack and speaker out. It has plenty of power but the internal speaker is muted when using headphones, this makes it sound very quiet and the amp's volume must be jacked to get a decent sound. Overall vox did a good job with putting alot of features into this amp that work good.
Sound Quality: 7
I use a epiphone les paul with a seymour duncan jb humbucking pickup in the bridge, and a schecter c1 plus with humbuckers. I play alot of metal, classic rock and some blues. This amp isnt exactly a great metal amp. the high gain modles seem like a blanket is over the speaker, they are kind of lifeless. This amp doesnt seem to really come alive like others when playing with alot of distortion ( the tones are amazing though) I found the cleans on this amp to be outstanding, i can get a great clapton or SRV tone with this. Great for blues and some classic rock.
Reliability: 2
Vox could have really had a great amp if they would have gone the extra mile to make it reliable. My ad50vt broke down 2 DAYS after getting it!!! i hadnt even turned the volume past a halfway. The knobs and input jack seemed flimsy and poorly built. I returned it for a different amp because it just doesnt seem like it would ever be reliable. I wouldnt recommend this for a back up amp at a gig, it could break up or have somehting go wrong. the bad reliability pulls this amp way down.
Customer Support: 5
The warranty is limited and is setup like this, speakers: 90 days. tubes: 90 days. and most other things are ninety days. when i emailed vox dissapointed with my amp i recieved an computer automatic response which doesnt really suit me ( it may help some people). Vox should have a more helpful customer support if they build amps that need alot of support.
Overall Rating: 6
Ive been playing for about 2 years, i own a crate glx30 amp and a rocktron replitone 2X12 amp. guitars: yamaha c40 classical guitar, epiphone les paul, schecter c1 plus. If it were stolen i would choose a different amp, possibly a roland cube 60. I love the effects, clean tones, classic rock tones, and effects. i hated the uk 80's mode and the high gain mode, both sounded poorly. If you like clean to classic rock stuff and dont mind possibly having reliability problems ( they all dont have problems, just some) then id give this amp a shot. if your into anything heavy at all go by a roland cube 60.
Submitted by Anonymous at 03/15/2005 20:33
Price Paid: 399 (Euro)
Features: 10
as listed here before. The features are nice, for the money called perfect.
Sound Quality: 4
Played with a IBZ AS200; Rockinger Mahagoni Strat; Fame Forum III; Kramer Focus; IBZ SA.
I play in a Cover Rock Band with 5 hours of program and giging once or twice a week.
The Fender and the Vox Modellings are good period. Clean and Drive they are very close to the originals! NICE!
The Marshall Moddelings are good, but only over the headphone out. over the speaker they are muddy. I had to take out the bass completeley and turn Mid and Treble to 8 or 9 to get somthing of good sound.
The Rektumfrier Modeling is ok.
The Soldano Simulation is again too muddy, you need to teke out the 200hz and add at 2khz with a separate EQ. Than it is usable (similar to the marshall sim.
The clean Dumble is good, the overdriven is acceptable.
The Efects-section is very good. I whish one could turn on and off the effects with a footsitch.
Reliability: 1
Well this the worst part of the story. I had to return the amp twice! The first had obviously some cold soldering joints, the second had what ever he had - he sounded complete like a garbage can. The third sounded as described above.
Customer Support: N/A
No comment but the dealer was great
Overall Rating: 3
Actually a good design. The smaller ones and the larger ones sounded good. Buth the AD50VT can only be used for Fender and Vox Modellings.
Submitted by ChrisCZ at 03/13/2005 05:54
Price Paid: US $359.00
Features: 10
This is my secound amp (replacement)and is new for 2005. I't provides more than enough amp models and effects to nail any style of music. Two or three channels depending on set up by user, headphone jack and built in effects.
Sound Quality: 10
Well my new amp arrived and wow! Vox definately addressed the fan issue. My new amp has a fan, but it is quiet as a whisper. Also cosmetically it is flawless, showing quality continues to climb the longer this amp is in production. Needless to say I am one happy camper and recommend this amp to anyone who wants tone that nails the original amps modelled for a fraction of the cost. Again , Bravo Vox!The amp just sounds great with my Affinity Squier Tele belting out some blues rifts. I say hands down this thing has more bang for the strumming buck than any amp close! Vox sucks unbelievable warmth out that 12AX7 tube and then they put it directly in your amps tone. Distortion doesn't sound harsh and ragged, you still hear your guitars tone. Volume is adjustable from a third volume controll on the back which allows your amp to rock with the same tone at all volume settings including 1 watt!I think that taking the plunge will only give you tone you dreamed about in the under $400 club and it will excell many amps costing considerable more! Vox, Korge and Celestion sound in a package ole Squire could afford! http://www.eagleenterprise.com/squierred
Reliability: 10
This is a rugged and well constructed amp. If you do have a problem, call Vox. One tube, not much to go wrong!
Customer Support: 10
I love my AD50VT and I might add that Vox stands by it's products. I have had a very good experience with Vox customer service who absolute took care of and addressed any concerns I had! I hate Vox bashing and that is the only reason I won't tell you how far they went in making a very pleased customer!!!!!!!!
Overall Rating: 10
I own a Squier Tele and Squier SP-10 amp modified, been playing one year, mostly Blues. I would definately by Vox again because of customer service and excellent tone for dollars ratio! I tried several amps at Guitar center including Fender Fm series, Peavey and other hybrid amps and they just didn't deliver the warmth and tone. If you need a great amp that transforms from bedroom to gigging, this amp deserves a serious look! http://www.eagleenterprise.com/squierred
Submitted by Squierred at 03/08/2005 06:22
Price Paid: US $359.97
Features: 10
This amp is new for 2005. I't provides more than enough amp models and effects to nail any style of music. Two or three channels depending on set up by user, headphone jack and built in effects.
Sound Quality: 10
The amp just sounds great with my Affinity Squier Tele belting out some blues rifts. I say hands down this thing has more bang for the strumming buck than any amp close! Vox sucks unbelievable warmth out that 12AX7 tube and then they put it directly in your amps tone. Distortion doesn't sound harsh and ragged, you still hear your guitars tone. Volume is adjustable from a third volume controll on the back which allows your amp to rock with the same tone at all volume settings including 1 watt!I think that taking the plunge will only give you tone you dreamed about in the under $400 club and it will excell many amps costing considerable more! Vox, Korge and Celestion sound in a package ole Squire could afford!
Reliability: 10
This is a rugged and well constructed amp. If you do have a problem, call Vox.
I love my AD50VT and I might add that Vox stands by it's products. I have had a very good experience with Vox customer service who absolute took care of and addressed any concerns I had! I hate Vox bashing and that is the only reason I won't tell you how far they went in making a very pleased customer!!!!!!!!
Customer Support: 10
I'll repeat this if you weren't listing!
I love my AD50VT and I might add that Vox stands by it's products. I have had a very good experience with Vox customer service who absolute took care of and addressed any concerns I had! I hate Vox bashing and that is the only reason I won't tell you how far they went in making a very pleased customer!!!!!!!!
Overall Rating: 10
I own a Squier Tele and Squier SP-10 amp modified, been playing one year, mostly Blues. I would definately by Vox again because of customer service and excellent tone for dollars ratio! I tried several amps at Guitar center including Fender Fm series, Peavey and other hybrid amps and they just didn't deliver the warmth and tone. If you need a great amp that transforms from bedroom to gigging, this amp deserves a serious look! http://www.eagleenterprise.com/squierred
Submitted by Squierred at 02/25/2005 11:43
Price Paid: US $350
Features: 7
This was a 2004 Model - relatively light weight and appeared to be solid. The switches were easily accessible not overly complicated. The touch tempo feature was especially creative. Each of the different Amp types were identified and easily to swith between. I should have purchased the footswitch it may have been easier then stop playing. I used the Amp in my 12 by 12 Home Music room and at my bands Jam session in the garage (open Door). Surprisingly not enough power to keep up with the Fender tube amp and the acoustic drums. NOTE: The Power Level Adjuster in the back of the amp cause much problems with cracking sounds and could not be adjusted to full strength. This may have contributed to the power issue.
Sound Quality: 5
I use a Fender Fat Strat. The Amp did not bring out the sounds I have experienced in other Amps (Fender Twin & Marshall AV2000). The pre-defined Amp sounds were marginal at best and difficult to get control over. I felt somewhat controlled by Vox's idea of what it should sound like. This was the greatest pitfall of this Amp. The Clear needed much improvement. I play Classic Rock, Blues and Country. Did not find it siuted my variety needed.
Reliability: 7
Returned it after a weeks use so can not say much, except Vox has a great reputation for reliability and it appeared to be made solid. The Power Adjuster is concerning; although it may have been an exception and not the rule, I would be concerned that this issue would arise at a critical time in a Gig. Have not read any other similar problems. Use yu own judgement.
Customer Support: N/A
Can not comment. Guitar Center offers 30 Day trial; in this instant I needed it.
Overall Rating: 6
I was excited to get this Amp and it fell short of my expectations. I am sure Vox would not have survived this long if they made poor quality products. here I think they tried to add more features then was worth the sacrfice over control. Sorry but it fail its maiden week of testing.
Submitted by Git-r at 02/08/2005 19:22
Price Paid: US $359.
Features: 10
BOUGHT THE AMP NEW FROM GUITAR CENTER IN DEC.2004. I USE A MESA BOOGIE NOMAD 45 3 CHANNEL COMBO FOR GIGGING. PLAY ANYTHING FROM SRV TO VELVET REVOLVER. THE BOOGIE NAILS JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR WHAT I GUESS IS CALLED NU METAL. CAN'T GET THE DARK NICKLE BACK SOUND WITH THE MESA NOMAD SO I WAS LOOKING TO REPLACE THE BOOGIE WITH A DUAL OR TRIPLE RECTIFIER. BY CHANCE, I TRIED THE AD50VT AND WAS BLOWN AWAY BY THE RECTO AND MARSHALL SOUNDS. ALSO THE PRICE! DECIDED TO BUY IT AND DO A/B SWITCHING WHEN NEEDED. MOST OF THE TIME I LEAVE IT ON WITH THE NOMAD(BOTH AMPS ARE MIKED)AND GET A GREAT SOUND. FUN TO MIX AND MATCH THE AMPS AND ALAYS HAVE A BACKUP AT THE READY. I OWN OR HAVE OWNED FENDER, MARSHALL, PEAVEY, BOOGIE,MUSICMAN, AND OTHER AMPS THAT I HAVE FORGOTTEN( BEEN PLAYING OVER 30 YEARS). TRIED MARSHALL AVT AMPS OF ALL TYPES. THIS IS MILES ABOVE THE MARSHALL AVT'S IN SOUND AND OPTIONS. MY ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT THE SPEAKER DEADENS THE INTERNAL SPEAKER. ASIDE FROM THAT IT GETS A 10 FOR SOUND AND FEATURES. THE AMP HAS PLENTY OF GIGGING POWER.
Sound Quality: 10
I USE A GIBSON NIGHTHAWK, FENDER AMER STRAT, PRS CUSTOM 22, PRS SANTANA, CARVIN, PEAVEY AMER.WOLFGANG, EPIPHONE LES PAUL. AMP COVERS ALL STYLES JUST FINE. NOT NOISY. GATE WORKS WELL. THE AMP CAN SOUND LIKE A MARSHALL HALF STACK OR A FENDER SUPER CLEAN. GREAT DISTORTION SOUNDS.
Reliability: 9
BUILT LIKE A TANK. NO PROBLEMS SO FAR.
Customer Support: 9
NO DEALINGS YET.
Overall Rating: 10
AS I STATED ABOVE, I HAVE BEEN PLAYING FOR OVER 30 YEARS. THIS AMP IS WELL WORTH THE MONEY. I WOULD BUY AGAIN. LIGHT TO CARRY AND EASY TO PROGRAM.
WISH IT HAD A SEPERATE SPEAKER OUT THAT DID NOT AFFECT THE INTERNAL SPEAKER. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT IT CAN BE USED RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX WITH NO ADJUSTING. THIS COMES IN HANDY AT GIGS WHEN LIGHT AND TIME IS AT A MINIMUM.
Submitted by Lance at 01/27/2005 11:51
Price Paid: (c dn)
Features: 9
all listed before....nothing new to add. Lots of features for the money.
Sound Quality: 10
I love this amp. I had purchased the 30 a couple of months back but liked the sound so much I thought I'd see if the 50 was gigable and it is. I use it with a fender strat, thinline tele and jay turser violin six string. I really like the boutique clean and bassman settings. I find that the 70's marshall sound is also great. I don't have a lot of use for heavily distorted metal sounds but they live in this amp too. The sounds is smooth and warm and makes all of my guitars sound better. It has a fan that a number of reviewers have complained about and I'm not sure why...my fan is just a whisper..you really have to get your ear on the top vent to hear it.
Reliability: 5
ohhhh....I've had trouble with korg products. I owned a cambridge 30 when they came out a few years back and the amp was a nightmare to own and Korg was a nightmare to deal with. Non stop problems, no help from the manufacturer...Vox england didn't even see fit to return my thoughtfully constructed correspondence. In any event, I swore that I would never own another Korg/Vox product again in my life so this purchase makes me a liar. I liked the sound so much and the price so much that I bought it anyway. Given my last go round, I'll give this a mid rating unti I'm proven wrong this time.
Customer Support: 1
Terrible customer support...the absolute worst I've ever dealt with. But I will say that the Korg USA marketing guy was nice to me even though they didn't offer to replace the dog of an amp that I had purchased. I have to give them a 1....it'd be a zero if possible.
Overall Rating: N/A
Been playing for about 25 years..just an average rhythm player but I enjoy a good quality piece of gear. I also own a Kustom Quad 100 DFX that I love but it is very very heavy for its size. The vox is not that heavy and a bit more compact. I've been looking for a gigable practice amp and this is the best one I've ever heard with a solid state circuit. Tried the Marshall valvestate, line 6 spyder, fender dyna touch 160....didn't like any of them as much as this vox. If it stays running, it was indeed a great purchase.
Submitted by George at 01/20/2005 11:16
Price Paid: US $399
Features: 8
This is a brand new "custom" amp from North Coast Music that's been modified with an original brown Vox tolex instead of the cheaper looking metallic grill that Korg designed these with. They charge about $50 more than market value for this customization, but they don't charge for shipping, so it works out to the same if you were going to order from Musician's Friend. Check out www.northcoastmusic.com to see a picture of this amp-- it's a very nice looking amplifier once they do the mod.
It's hard for a modelling amp not to chalk up points for features. I've docked a point or two because I was expecting compatibility with the Valvetronix VC-12 floorboard and was a little disappointed that's not a possibility. You can switch between two channels with the optional footswitch that also works for the Cambridge/Pathfinder series of amps. The variable power output is a great feature, but has been well documented.
Sound Quality: 10
I have a very elaborate pedalboard setup so I got this with the expectation of using the amp models only, not the effects. I've played this amp with several of my guitars, including an Italia Modena, an Epi Dot, and a Nashville Telecaster. Simply put, the tones on this are gorgeous. Last week I bought an early 60s vintage Fender Bassman 2 x 12 cab, refitted with Celestion 30s and I feel like I'm in possession of a boutique class amp. I can say that regardless its settings, the Valvetronix is completely noiseless.
There are 11 models to work with, though I stay to the left of the dial where the Vox emulates some vintage amps, including the Dumble, a Fender Twin, a Bassman, an AC15, and the AC30TB. All of these models are very usable and react differently to pick techniques and the volume controls on your guitar. There is plenty of volume when connected to the 2x12 cab to play mic'd at stage levels. I have no doubt this is my ideal stage setup.
Reliability: N/A
I would have liked to see a 1 or 2 year warranty, but these seem to be well constructed. North Coast Music bench tests each amp for 6 hours before selling, and were super to work with. I'm confident this should last awhile.
Customer Support: N/A
Overall Rating: 10
I've played for several years now and have run through a fair amount of equipment in that time. I was excited when the Valvetronix line was announced in smaller wattages, but think this 50W model is | 
