Vox AD60VTH Valvetronix Head

Price Paid: US $360

Features: 10
Feature have already been described. This amp does react to a tube change similar to a real tube amp. Quality and voicing of the tube is everything. I've tried a few different preamp tubes: vintage 12at7's and 12ax7's, but settled with a new GT 12ax7m Mullard. It's considerably rounder, sweeter and warmer than the stock sovtek 12ax7 that came with the amp. Another big upgrade is speakers for your cab. Not to knock the Neo's, but I just didn't like them at all. I'm currently running my head into 2 2x12's: Eminence Swamp Thang/Texas Heat and a pair of V30's in the other. The sound is very complex and awsome!

Sound Quality: 9
Very good tone, not perfect copies of the original amps modeled but close enough to make ANYONE happy. This amp does react to a tube change similar to a real tube amp. Quality and voicing of the tube is everything. I've tried several preamp tubes,but settled with a GT 12ax7m Mullard. It's considerably rounder, sweeter and warmer than the stock sovtek 12ax7 that came with the amp. Another big upgrade is speakers for your cab. I'm currently running my head into 2) 2x12's: Eminence Swamp Thang/Texas Heat and a pair of V30's in the other. The sound is very complex and sweet! It is loud! When A/b'd with the AD120VTX I couldn't hear a difference in volume.

Reliability: 10
She's still running! It's 2 years old and I'm the second owner.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
Been playing for fun for over 20 years. Guitars currently used: Strat-SD Antiquity Custom Bridge/Texas Hot/Texas Hot, Tele-Hybrid '59/C5 & Hybrid '59/Jazz, Tele-SD Broadcaster/Lindy Fralin Blues Special.

I compared this amp to a Tech 21 Trademark, Line 6 and the Fender Cyber series amps and won out. It replaced a '96 Marshall JCM 600. Would I get one again? Most likely, best bang for your buck out there right now!

Submitted by Ryan Ferguson at 12/19/2005 16:31

Price Paid: US $449

Features: 10
Vox discontinued the head version of this amp, but I found a new one in GC stock, the last one they had.

The models are very authentic - and I've played/heard in person many of the models. Here's the list of actual amps that the Valvetronix emulates:

Vox AC15 - Vox AC15 Vintage
Vox AC15TB - Vox AC15TBX 1990s
Vox AC30 - Vox AC30 Vintage
Vox AC30TB - Vox AC30 Top Boost Vintage
UK Blues - Marshall Bluesbreaker/JTM45
UK 70s - Marshall Plexi 100w
UK 80s - Marshall JCM800 100w
UK 90s - Marshall JCM900 100w
UK Modern - Marshall JCM2000 100w
Recto - Mesa Boogie Rectifier
US Higain - Soldano Super Lead Overdrive
Boutique OD - Dumble Overdrive Special
Boutique CL - Dumble Overdrive Special
Black 2x12 - Fender Twin Reverb 60s Blackface
Tweed 1x12 - Fender 1959 Tweed Deluxe
Tweed 4x10 - Fender 1959 Bassman

The preamp is a DSP processor based on the Korg Pandora, but the Valvetronix also includes a real tube power amp that changes its configuration to match the amp it is modeling. The tube power amp is where the TONE is - if you're auditioning a Valvetronix in a store, MAKE SURE the master volume is set AT LEAST halfway up, the factory presets sound WAY better.

You can set the power rating of the amp from 60-30-15-1 watt to handle anything from loud stages to 3am apartment jam sessions and STILL crank the master volume to get those sweet overdriven power tube tones.

There are enough effects here for a guitar player. There are pedal FX - compressor, acoustic emulator, wah-wah, auto-wah, Univox U-Vibe, treble boost, octave, and fuzz boxes (tube screamer, rat, and generic fuzz). There are two controls whic have different functions depending on the pedal box you have dialed up.

The pedal FX are before the preamp. Between the preamp and power amp are modulation effects, delay, and reverb. Modulation effects are chorus, flanger, phaser, tremolo, and rotary. Delays are digital, tape, and tape multi-head with tap delay button. Reverbs are spring, room, and plate. All of these have controls to vary the effect.

There is an optional VC-12 pedalboard for about $280 street. This is a must have for the stage, it opens up other options on the Valvetronix that are valuable to the gigging guitarist.

Sound Quality: 10
This is the first modeling that models not just the preamp, but the power amp. Few people realize that the POWER AMP is where the TONE is. When you crank a real tube amp the power tubes, the output transformer, and the feedback architecture are the REAL driving forces of your tone. And the Valetronix has a real TUBE power amp stage in it that changes its architecture based on the model - class A, class AB, no feedback, negative feedback, etc.

I haven't heard the Soldano or Dumble amps but man they are nice sounding models, especially the Dumble. Until I did the research, I thought the Soldano model was a Mesa Boogie Mark amp model.

This is the first modeling amp I heard that has nailed the chime/jangle of a Vox, the bark of a Marshall, and the snarl of a Mesa Boogie. And the reason they are good is because of the tube power amp. I played through these amps and the models are damn good, thanks to the tube power amp they BREATHE like a tube amp. The response in dynamics is uncanningly like a tube amp. The Fender models are very good, especially the Bassman model which is the predecessor of Marshall amps. The Fender Twin Reverb is especially good.

The incredible thing about this amp is the versatility of the sounds of the models. Most other modeling amps, the clean or high gain amps sound too similar. Not this one. The clean models in the Valvetronix all sound notably different, as do the dirty models. Not just the EQ, but in the way they respond to the touch of the strings.

You'd never know that the preamp was a derivative of the Korg Pandora DSP processors, I played with the amp before I was aware of this and the preamp sounds great. Many of the models have interactive tone controls and the modeling system emulates that behavior. Some have presence, some have tone cut controls. They all function different and the modeling system emulates that also.

I'm just using ONE guitar and am getting a world of tones out of this amp. It's a 1980 Epiphone Genesis - LP style with double cutaways, replacement pickups, built like a tank. I left the neck pickup stock because it has a single coil switch which is great for those clean tones in the Valvetronix. I wanted more variety of tones and was going to consider a Line 6 Variax or a modeling amp. After playing the Valvetronix, I decided I didn't need the Variax. That's how good the amp is.

Reliability: N/A
Brand new, been gigged, no problems yet.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
I have a Mesa Boogie MkIIa that I loved for a long time, and I also record songs. I got to the point where that Boogie sound wasn't always the sound that fit the song, so I started looking around. I'm partial to tube amps. One strong candidate was the Fender ProSonic. I hadn't heard a good modeling amp that could sound like a proper tube amp until a discriminating player I knew was raving about the Valvetronix. It wasn't until I talked to him that I was aware that the Valvetronix had a tube power amp that changed according to the model, and that caught my attention. I must say I'm impressed with this amp. It sounds better than modeling amps costing four time this one.

Guitar players will find the amp easy to use, just twist the knobs to get the sound you want. Storing sounds is easy. Settings FX is easy. No stupid menus to wade through, no cryptic displays to interpret.

I bought the head instead of the combo because I gig and record without a cabinet. Onstage I play keyboards through a Bose 802. The Valvetronix goes to a Hughes & Kettner Red Box, then to a passive eight ohm load. The Red Box is a cabinet emulator with a balanced output to a mixer. I can route both keyboards and guitar through the Bose. I've used this setup with great success with my Mesa Boogie for years, and it works equally well with the Valvetronix. It sounds like a miked guitar cabinet without having to cart around an extra cabinet, and I don't have the volume hassles to worry about.

If I had one beef, it is the lack of a backup system for your sounds over MIDI. Sure you can backup patches to the optional VC-12 pedalboard but you can't dump them to a PC and you have to shell out $280 for the optional VC-12. It isn't that hard though to write down your patches to the blank patchsheet that is supplied in the manual, so it's better than nothing.

Submitted by MC at 09/27/2005 20:30

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 10
New user, bought mine used, mint. I have experience with Korgs, the tonelab Se & Vox amps; liked this head idea, power settings / gain / volume / master individual controls this amp offers. I sold a bunch of these things and it more than paid for the head and cab. Too many features to list, but I wanted all of them.

Sound Quality: 10
I'm using this with the 212 neodog vox cab. Going from a AC30TB to Fender to Dumble to 70's Marshall is simply perfect for my needs. How does it sound? Pretty darn good. Not the genuine article, but close enough and generally pleasing. Assuming the sound is at all close, how can you deny the miracle of having 12 different rigs in one neat package - wow.

I'll say it doesn't suffer from the digital sound I hear with other mFx and modelers - like Boss for example. I think the key is if you generally like the Korg & Tonelabs sampling and sounds, then this amp is right on.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
Probably the last amp I'll ever need or own. You can search for your vintage this and that or send your bassman away for OD mods. I think I can get there with 10 seconds of tweaking, and the average listener can't tell the difference.

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/25/2005 18:02

Price Paid: £449 (Pounds sterling)

Features: 9
This is the 2004 AD60VTH. The amp does have versatility, and I found that played 'straight' (as a normal amp with my own settings and preferences, rather than pre-programmed)if tweaked you can get practically any basic sound you might need. It has a bank of 32 pre-programmed sounds, with different amp, cabinet and pedal options. All of them are passable and a few are very good - my favourite being the 1x12 Tweed.
The variable power setting (1,15,30 or 60 watts) is useful, and believe me at 60 watts this can take your head off. For small venues 30 is fine, and this amp likes to be cranked. For a 'hybrid' amp it really is quite warm and I have been pleasantly suprised by it. The one comment that I would make is that you can't use more than one built-in pedal at a time, so it gets a 9. I use a Boss ME50 plugged in before the amp and not in the effects loop, (because anything with a wah pedal in should be in front of the amp). That gives me the ability to add to or supplement the amp's effects so I can have any combintion I want. You absolutely will need the foot controller - personally I have the VC4 and that covers it all - I can't see the point in shelling out for the more expensive VC12. Once you've got a foot controller the thing becomes useable live and there are some useful things. I found it best to tweak all the Vox's amp patches and include modulations on all so that you can turn them off with the foot controller when you switch sound banks and then they are there instantly if you need them. The foot controllers are expensive and that is a nuisance, but like I said one or other of them is pretty essential unless you don't play live.
Pretty

Sound Quality: 9
Using this with a Fender standard tele, and Ibanez Ar300. I play jazz and blues, and this amp is good for that. It's got enough distortion on some settings to be fine for most style, but if you are thinking of this as a metal amp remember you have to be some distance from it at the higher gain settings, because some of the gain this amp is capable of is pretty crazy and you will get feedback. It also retains crystal clarity on notes even when distorted, so although good for for sheer dirt you have to be able to play. The amp has noise-reduction settings for the Tele, which are pretty effective. Some of the high-gain amp models will feedback if you are anywhere near it, and only crank up on those settings if you are completely in control of your guitar because with this amp there is nowhere to hide - everything is crystal clear.

The clean stays clean, but you can add either treble boost or tube overdrive to break it up a bit, or just select the right amp to make it snarl at volume on a clean setting.

I'm playing this through an AD2x12 cabinet with neodog speakers, and they do sound fine - but it sounds alright through all the cabinets I've tried, although in my opinion loses some subtlety with a 4x12: but I've always though 2 speakers sound better than 4!! (Is that just me?)

Reliability: 9
Seems very reliable, but there's still that tube and although I do gig this without a backup I'll make sure I change it every six months. I'll definitely experiment with different tubes - not that there's anything wrong with the one it came with, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Lots of big fairly open vents in the top, so not a good place to stand your ale, and I would say a dust cover is a must when not in use because of this. (I coudn't get a vox one so I use a Line 6 Vetta cover and it fits nicely).

Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with Vox but their website is good and they have plenty of dealers. They are also accessible by phone etc.

Overall Rating: 9
The price I paid included the neodog cabinet (in a one-off sale) - and at that price for the two of them it was a steal. I bought this because I wanted something that had some versatility but a good basic sound, enough power and some warmth. I could have had some decent amps for less money, but (being a cabinet and separate head) this is pretty portable without breaking my back, has all the power I need and although less effects than some other amps it does have a lovely warm sound.

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/02/2005 08:41

Price Paid: US $429

Features: 8
It has a ton of features. If you have patience to play with it, I'm sure you could find most amp sounds. You can program 32 amp settings or go manual. The catch with the features is this - to actually be able to use them while playing and switch back and forth you need the foot controller, which is an additional $170 for the cheap one, and from what I've heard and seen it's a cheap piece of plastic. The big foot controller is around $270, and seems way better, but come on, the amp was only $400, who wants to pay another $270 for the controller? Some of the effects are very nice as well, it's just a shame I don't have the foot control for them so I hardly use them. Especially the tap tempo delay feature. The distortion 'pedals' are nice too. You can also control the modulation effects' speed with the controller if you have it. If it came with the controller, I'd give this a 10 on features. The line out is actually pretty good for recording, but I still like a real speaker better. Blows the POD away in my opinion, unless you like heavy metal with real marshall crunch, although it has that too. I really was looking for an AC30 sound, and I think this does a pretty good job. You can also switch the watts as well between 60, 30, 15 & 10(I think it's 10).

Sound Quality: 9
I listen to older indie rock (my bloody valentine,ride,spiritualized, etc) & post rock (mogwai, gybe)stuff I guess it's called. I play an Epiphone Sheraton Semi-Hollow, with the stock neck pup and a gibson bridge pup I decided to try. I really like it, but occasionally would like a twang in there that I just can't get with that guitar. I think it's just the guitar, which never sounds totally clean. I play more of a rhythm style, and I would say I never use the bridge pickup alone. I use a midiverb, big muff, dd-5, tr-2, and overdrive pedal with it. I use the Vox settings almost exclusively - mainly the AC30TB because of the bass-iness of my guitar. Noise seems moderately low - it has a noise gate. the distortion pedals modeled are - I think - a Rat, Tubescreamer, and some kind of fuzz. There's also a Top Boost pedal which adds some distortion. Some amp models are already hi gain models, so there's plenty of distortion to dial in. The clean channels are pretty clean, though like I said my guitar is suspect to dirtying it up some. Still not an AC30, but a great sounding amp in its own right.

Reliability: N/A
No problems yet.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
I've been playing for about 20 years. I also own a Vox Cambridge 15 that I love - it's just little. I play the head through either a 4x12 or 2x12 GK cab. If it were stolen, I may step up to the 120watt version, but if I only had $500, I'd buy it again. The only dislike is the whole foot controller situation. Other than that, it's great, especially for the price. The only modeling thing I can compare it to is the POD, which I really didn't care for. I also chose this over a Mesa Boogie 500Kaliber - which was very nice - for my style of playing. Overall, an extremely versatile amp that I'm very happy with.

Submitted by kevin at 01/25/2005 12:23

Price Paid: US $399$

Features: 9
This is an update to my previous review of the AD60VHT below, Now that I've had a few gig's on this amp I'd like to share some expieriences. First off, All the features are still a ten but could use some improvement, I would still love to see a low impendance line level out so I dont have to go to a balanced low direct out box. A big gripe with me now is the pedal board controller, I have both models I started with the cheap one and saved up for big one and the big one looks cool but is not that more usefull, Both suffer from an impossible to see LED display especially on a outdoor stage even under shading taxes your memory worse than an old simon memory game light orb!! I just shrug my shoulder's and hope I hit the right patch. This could use a dimmer switch to from BRIGHT! to dim as needed. A lot of this switching is due to the fact you can select and play only one product at a time from the boutique pedal selection problem is the treble booster sounds so good it is essential to my overdriven tone, But on that same tone I could use a wah or vibe, comp. ext. and this is not possible because you can only have the one, so that leave's you to create a similar sounding patch and make the change to the pedal you want. This sucks because you have to create more patches than you really should have to and again it might not sound the way you want. A possible solution is to make the volume pedal a dual function volume/dedicated wah independant from the pedal section and the other pedal(controller) could control the pedal section, This would work well with the treble boost and compressor also, These are bread and butter effects that a lot of guitarists need access to without limitation and hassle! Come on VOX! Line 6 has addressed these issues and there product sucks compared to the feel and tone of vox. Other than this this amp has everything I could ever wan't.

Sound Quality: 10
Still one of the best sounding amp's I've ever owned! I've responded to e-mail inquiry and I have to say I'm not as impressed By it's highgain sounds i.e. marshall and mesa but the fenders and vox's are out standing and like I said the treble boost is essential, I use the AC30TB with even more boost from the pedal section booster and this is the best distorted tone I,ve been able to achieve THROUGH ANY AMP!! I also love the fender cleans because unlike other amp modelling systems these sound warm full and punchy on stage and it's possible to get seemless changes from clean to dirt without loss of body character and dynamics. The flextone I used before this was very thin and Hairless going from dirty to clean, there was no bass response. this amp has great bottom end. I also should mention that I have the four twelve matching cab as a amp stand I dont even plug it in, the monitor mix is plenty enough, the sound is great and I'm not even using cabinet simulation!

Reliability: 9
One near failure! on about the fourth gig a solder on the high input gave way solution went to the low input for rest of show and had repaired later that week, but if it happens again I might also consider going to switchcraft jacks because I feel a lot of movement on the jack when I plug in and this may be stressing the solder contact.

Customer Support: N/A
I'm pretty self sufficient, have great local support, give a guitar lesson or swap an old pedal and be supprised at what local craftsmen can offer!

Overall Rating: 9
I still overall rate this amp a solid ten it sounds on stage better than any thing I've used ( Marshall, Fender's, Carvin, Line 6,)even old Bettsy(Roland JC120)But it could use some improvement ease of use, I spend to much time thinking of getting the patch change right and that takes brain energy away from gettin lost in the music!

Submitted by Craig Fornell at 07/03/2004 11:57

Price Paid: US $450.00

Features: 10
The two previous listings and the website do a fine job of explaining these so I'm going to try and tell you about the inherent features of this amp.

I've got a buddy who has swapped about a dozen sweet classic tube amps over this past year. Add a half dozen pedals to that mix and you have a lot of wasted hours and aggravation trying find something that probably doesn't exist , or will change from time to time anyway. (The Perfect Tone)

Point being: If you are a developing player trying to find his sound you probably cannot find a better tool than this amp, which by the way, also comes in at a very affordable price.

To me the best "feature" is the variable power switch on the back. We all no that tube amps sound best cranked. This amp is no exception. 1 watt is absolutely perfect for getting a nice Full sound at household levels. 15 and 30 will suffice 90 percent of the other time and 60 watts is really all I will ever need. For anyone who craves that rich full sound all the time, this feature is Priceless.

Perhaps the most VALUABLE feature of this amp is the fact that you can now have a tool that will efficiently allow you to replicate the sound of a song when you are learning it. For example, I find The Edge hard to emulate with a clean amp, because of his liberal use of delay. With this amp, I can now dial in a very close approximation of his sound which allows my ears to guide me for readily. If you have a good ear, this amp will accelerate the rate at which you learn.

I suppose this amps could use a few more appropriations for direct recording, but it will do everything I will ever need. I do wish it had the stereo outputs of the big brother but I can live without it, for now.

Sound Quality: 10
Bottom line-tubes work! No denying it, right? Well, that is what you get when you buy this amp. Actually, you only get one, but it is enough to make the difference IMHO. Nice on the wallet too.

Over the last year, I had been playing a 1983 JCM800 50 watt combo with a Celestion G12-65. Pretty standard Marshall, no? Problem was it was all balls and no bravado! And to be honest I never really felt that connected to the amp like tubes should. Not to mention the fact that I couldn't get my Tele near it! So this Vox arrives about a week ago and I am expecting a fairly standard hybrid sound and holy crap, out of nowhere comes this amp that sounds fantastic, AND gives you the user feedback I have been looking for to really connect with the guitar. I and I mean a hell of lot better than than my old JCM.

Right now I playing it mostly through a borrowed 1x12 with a Peavey Scorpian speaker (actually a very good speaker). I have no problems with the sound whatsoever, but I am looking forward to either a 2x12 or a 4x12 cab. I have hooked it up to my buddy's Greenback cab and the results were very pleasing. I'm not sure what speakers I'll go with yet, but I do like what I hear about Vox Neo-Dog cabs and may very well end up going that route. I'll probaly post another message at that time.

As stated earlier, the 4X10 Tweed is fantastic. A 59 Bassman was what I was going to get and now I know why this is such a revered amp. Great response and rumble, but cleans up nicely whith the guitar volume. Another sign of the quality. The Vox models are great and the various Marshall/Soldano/Mesa sounds are all there. Last night I found some great tones from the 1x12 Tweed at low volume, which really surprised me. I had the tube screamer going at a modest level and I'm talkin Texan. Yee haa!

Reliability: N/A
I've read 'em, you've read 'em. The reviews will make you nervous. What I can tell you is that mine arrived fine and the overall construction seems solid. What I can also tell you is that I will baby this amp like no other, and even then it is not a 20 year amp like the JCM. In a way, buying a modern amp like this is like buying a computer. You don't expect it to give you any trouble, but you can't expect it to last forever either. At this price, I can afford 2.

Customer Support: N/A
Again, I'm nervous due to a few horror stories. I'm over it though.

Overall Rating: 10
Modeling amps have a rep for being complicated gizmos for the techno crowd. You know, I spend plenty of time at computer myself and when I pick up my guitar and hit the power, I don't want to navigate software. While the Vox has plenty of options, it has a very logical layout and you almost forget that this is in fact a very sophisticated piece of equipment, that will lead to endless hours of serious Fun and Satisfaction!

My original plan was to use this amp to help me find the sound I was looking for and decide which "tube orignal" I would go with as a primary. I would not be surprised if that primary ends up being the 120 watt version of this amp. There are no good reasons to pass it up.

Submitted by Fred at 03/07/2004 22:44

Price Paid: US $399.

Features: 9
almost to many to list! If you play with modeling amps then you'll be familiar with all the features as this has them all, but I'll point out some differences on this amp say as opposed to Line 6 or some others. 1st the Amp has a tube in the power amp section not the preamp so as to give the amp the feeling/response of tubes,preamp is solid state designed with Korg and effects are set up like pedals and in series like you would set them up in your pedal board, Controls for tone/volume and effects parameters on this amp are all the old familiar twisty knobs and everyone has great range! it's a nice change from most other modeling amps where you turn the knobs and they don't seem to do enough. In other words this modeling amp feels sounds and operates just like the amp you have selected on the dial with a bunch of really cool pedals hooked up in front of it! Versitile? duh,yeah. I really like the output selecter 1-15-30-60 watts, I use 15 for practice 30 for stage it's loud is that a feature? the only features I wish it had were a microphone style output for the direct out instead of the quarterout it has this is because of cable length options mainly related to stage sizes sometimes the snake is far away from me but I have a VHT valvulator to drive the line if there is any signal lose to the mixer using GUITAR CORDS. also maybe I'm not reading the manual right but the thirtytwo presets is where you store your sound patches so your writing over the factory presets I would prefer a user memory bank for storage of my sounds because if a preset dosent sound good today it might tomorrow and if you wrote over it you have to default the amp to get the preset back loosing you're patch in the process!

Sound Quality: 10
If you love Vox the lovefest continues here I'm Forty and have been playing for fun since I was Sixteen, The song remains the same was my calling! been in and out of cover bands my whole life with styles in pop classic rock blues reggae some country and yeah I'll admit to some metal hear and there. This will cover it all! The Vox models did'nt suprise me after all they should have that trick down in a nut shell the AC30TB with some treble boost from the pedal section starts the Brittish invasion in my garage (YEAH BABY) I think I'll buy a mimi cooper to haul this to gigs! What shocked me was the Fenders! other modelers claim to have large tweed ala 59 bassman, Vox made it there bitch! the 4/10 tweed rocks period. clean or dirty SRV and Clapton are in there. 2/12 blackface another winner and here's the kicker when you turn this up the models sound better they retain ther caracteristics and bloom unlike other modeling amps I've tried that thin out and loose there tone! it's like I own a real bassman and twin! This amp is dead quiet when standing by and is extremely loud for a Sixty watt head that I only turn up to thirty watts! Louder than my old flextone two head and that was two hundred watts! must be the tube output stage. The clean is clean dirt is dirt overkill is overkill the amp does all that is advertised to do.

Reliability: 10
Scared me for a second once had some stange ghosting sound? when I fired it up out of the box but that went away after a few minutes and never returned. I've owned voxes over the years tube and solidstate never a problem. but this is not a AC15 this is a much more complicated amp and I'm not going to fly of the handle if it breaks someday.

Customer Support: N/A
never delt with them but would'nt it be cool if John Cleese was who you had to deal with on the phone with costomer service! right then off you go.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing twetyfive years or so, in addition to this amp which I'm playing through a peavey 4/12 cab I use a JC120 for keyboards sometimes guitar, Vox Brian May, Fender blues Jr. Carvin AG100 for acustic and mini gigs. the usual line up of suspects Fender strats a Tele, and a couple of Les Pauls and a Ric.610. If stolen or lost I would probably get another, hopefully a scratch and dent like mine hence the low guitar center price. I love the old super beetle looks, Vox always looked classy to me but so does Marshall for that matter. a nother thing I like is the ease of balancing out channel volumes compared to some others out there. All and all a great amp!

Submitted by Craig Fornell at 12/09/2003 09:14

Price Paid: US $449

Features: 10
This is the Vox Valvetronix AD60VTH. This is their new line of amplifiers...which are the new modeling amps. I think they're great amps for the price. I think they're the best modeling amps available. They feature the new Valve Reactor power amp that has a tube power amp using 12AX7's..and switches automatically between Class A and Class A/B. There are 16 Amp models. They Are: UK Blues, UK 70s, UK 80s, UK 90s, UK Modern, Recto, US Highgain, Boutique OD, Boutique Cln, Black 212, Tweed 1x12, Tweed 4x10, AC15, AC15TB, AC30, AC30TB.
There are are 10 stomp box settings: Compressor, Acoustic Sim, Vox Wah, AutoWah, U-Vibe, Octave, Treble Boost, Tube OD, Fat OD, and Fuzz. All these pedals sound really good. I like the Octave and the Vox wah. But they all sound great. You can control the Drive and Level of these afore mentioned effects too. Now, you have 5 Modulation effects. They are: Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Tremolo, and Rotary. These are great MOD effects. I use the Flanger a lot, and the Tremolo. They are quality sounding effects too..not cheesy. You can control the Depth and Speed and Feedback for these effects as well. Now, you have 3 types of Delay: Delay, Tape Echo and Multi-Head. You can control the Feedback and Depth, and has a TAP TEMPO BUTTON. Now, you have 3 types of Reverb: Spring, Room, and Plate. All are good sounding effects, but I tend to use the Spring more often. This amp has a built in Silent Tuning system as well. It also features 32 Programs, which all are re-writable and Tweakable. This also has the Vari-Amp power switch (or something like that) which you can break down the power amp to 1, 15, 30 or 60 watts. 60 watts is plenty loud enough for anyone. And they make a 120 watt version! Wow! This thing is great for any guitarist. It's a lot better than hauling a huge rack around with all these effects in it when you can just get this head. This thing is definetely worth the money. You can't go wrong.

Sound Quality: 10
Well..This section I'm supposed to tell you about the sounds. Well, I play a Gibson Les Paul, and Jag Stang, Telecaster, Stratocaster. They all sound great through the head. I play this head through a mid 90's Marshall 1922 2x12" cabinet. It sounds great. I really like the tones, but I'm going to get a 4x12" Marshall, which will make the sound much fuller and deeper. The amp isn't noisy, unless the Flanger is completely turned all the way up, which has tons of feedback, but its actually a great effect...kinda Hendrix-y. But ya know. Other than that theres really no noise. The Amp models on the amp are great. The amps modeled sound just like the real thing. I own a couple of Marshalls (and have over the years) and its darn close to the real thing, I'm tellin' ya! The Recto setting sounds great. It gets the great Boogie tone. Sounds just like the new Mesa Road King. For my blues playing, I like to use the Tweed 4x10 (59 Bassman) and the Tweed 1x12 (Tweed Deluxe). The UK blues setting is great too. If you just boost the amp setting with the Tube OD in the stomp box section, you get a vareity of great bluesy tones. I really think this amp is a Tone Monster. The UK Modern is probably the best New rock sound, although the Boutique OD is great too, and the US Highgain. But The UK Modern is equivalent to the JCM 2000's made by Marshall. The UK 80's gets the JCM 800 2203 model Brown Sound. For more of a crunch sound, I prefer the AC30 setting. That's pretty much it, but I really can tell you all the Amps are great sounding on this thing. They really are.

Reliability: 9
My friend has had one of these for a little while now, and only had a little problem with it, there was a cold solder after playing it really loud, but that can happen to any amp. I really trust the quality of this amp and the quality of the VOX company. I know some of their old 70s and 60s amps weren't as efficient but they have come a long way. This is a really great amp.

Customer Support: N/A
I've never dealt with the company, and I probably won't need to, but I'm sure the VOX people are quite friendly.

Overall Rating: 10
I recommend this amp to anyone looking for good effects and great amp sounds, and I think this amp would be great for a beginner and professionals. It is definetely in a reasonable price range, and its much better than the Line 6 amps, and all those other crappy modeling amps. This is a REAL amp. If this thing were stolen, I would definetely get another one. I mean, its my main amp now, and I love it. I've always had good tube Marshalls, and many effects, and just decided to give this thing a try...and its a LOT easier to move around than big heavy Marshall heads and rack effects, and pedal effects and all that crap. There's just no point in that anymore, unless you really need to. I really think this is a great amp, and everyone should at least try it.

Submitted by Thomas Longe at 08/06/2003 19:35