what ever happened to vox? modeling wise...i mean its sad they just fizzled out
- Thread starter timbuck3
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GTR37
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The simple story is they did put the tech in a very high end amp w tube preamp as well ,but it was never released
Rumour is that it was able to replicate the tone and response of a Handwired AC30 so well , that the higher ups didn't want to release it ,IIRC correctly it was also about a $3000 head which back in the day was a lot , so rather than cannibalize their sales they left it alone , then the designers left and they basically just keep the tech in the lower level amps that where being built overseas
Blug guitar îs the Closest thing to the Valvetronix today
laxu
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The current digital Vox amps don't even use the tube in the same was as the Valvetronix amps did, which sucks because IMO the Valvetronix amps were great for their time. If you are going to have a single preamp tube, I think it's way better used as a poweramp simulation. The Vox VT/VTX series seems to move the 12AX7 tube into the preamp instead of using the Valve Reactor circuit.
BluGuitar manages to use completely analog components to do several channels of Fender and Marshall-based goodness and their poweramp circuit using the subminiature tube is where the rest of the magic happens so it responds like a tube amp even with a Class D power section.
You can even drive the subminiature tube into saturation and it works very much like cranking a tube amp into poweramp distortion. Personally I don't use this 99% of the time but it's a cool option.
I guess Vox doesn't see a huge reason to try to make their own "Tone Master" series. A Vox AC30 with 2x12 Greenbacks costs 1099 € which is about the same as a Fender Tone Master Twin. Way heavier and no IR/power scaling capabilities of course...
If you want the "proper" Alnico Blue speakers then the price is much higher, though I'm not quite sure how they end up at 1799 € just with a speaker change because that seems excessive. It would be cheaper to buy the Greenback model, then buy a pair of Alnico Blues and install them yourself and sell the GBs.
ragingplatypi
Roadie
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Vox released their equivalent of the Tonemaster years before Fender, the AC30VR and AC15VR. They were great and no one cared.
They also did some interesting things with speaker cabinet design to get a bigger sound out of a smaller speaker, but again nobody cared.
Then they released an AC30 in a new tolex color and there were big press releases and everyone oohed and ahhed.
They also did some interesting things with speaker cabinet design to get a bigger sound out of a smaller speaker, but again nobody cared.
Then they released an AC30 in a new tolex color and there were big press releases and everyone oohed and ahhed.
laxu
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If I remember correctly those were pretty underpowered. I totally forgot they exist.
I'd say there are a lot of products that would do better released today. In the past 5 years or so people have become much more open to using digital modeling, hybrids etc.
EOengineer
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The old blue valvetronix amps were WAY ahead of their time. I don’t want to make grand claims tonally because I’m going off decades long memories, but they really started something there that they failed to nurture.
Would love to see them revive that line with a new series that didn’t look like it was slapped together by a private equity firm trying to make a quick buck.
Would love to see them revive that line with a new series that didn’t look like it was slapped together by a private equity firm trying to make a quick buck.
I remember following Vox’s trajectory in the 2000s as a teen. The AD60VT and AD120VT were well regarded. But Vox went for a lower price point with the black AD30, AD50, and AD100 amps with the metal grille. I remember being much more happy with the clean sound of a Pathfinder than with that second series.
The blue Tonelabs seemed like a popular competitor to the PODxt bean and live. But the PODxt had all those model packs to expand the units. I think the high gain of the Tonelab was lacking compared to the POD. The Metal Shop pack added Big Bottom, Deity’s Son, Bomber Uber, Angel P-Ball, etc. All those boutique high gain amps had a lot of hype around that time.
All of the subsequent Tonelabs seem to repackage the same amps on that rotary selector. There wasn’t an answer to the POD HD series.
The blue Tonelabs seemed like a popular competitor to the PODxt bean and live. But the PODxt had all those model packs to expand the units. I think the high gain of the Tonelab was lacking compared to the POD. The Metal Shop pack added Big Bottom, Deity’s Son, Bomber Uber, Angel P-Ball, etc. All those boutique high gain amps had a lot of hype around that time.
All of the subsequent Tonelabs seem to repackage the same amps on that rotary selector. There wasn’t an answer to the POD HD series.
GTR37
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I thought the Tonelab hi gain was great the JCM 800 w screamer but the US HiGain
Which I think was a Soldano voicing , I loved that thing I did a ton of demos w it , at the time the POD just felt sterile and flat , but because of the valve reactor the Vox had that feel and push / pull thing obviously it was a trick as it was not a quartet of EL34s but man it was a different device for the time
Even the AC models chimed
Really was one product in the last 30 years that I thought was revolutionary at the time
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I think Vox's (Korg) biggest weakness or challenge is marketing. They've had innovative, great sounding products over the years and still do -- so I think a lot has to do with perception and visibility in the market space. One example would be the Valvenergy pedals. I've mentioned them multiple times. They are killer, I honestly can say I have no use for any other dirt/preamp pedals again. But as awesome as they are I really haven't seen much buzz going on about them?
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Actually the ad60/130 vtx and vtx300 amps did use the tube on the power amp circuit. I still use my vtx ad60/120/300 amps
http://www.voxshowroom.com/uk/amp/ad120vtx.html
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laxu
Rock Star
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I was talking about the current range where the model name starts with VT/VTX.
ragingplatypi
Roadie
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With the ValveEnergy pedals they could have benefited from some market research going into their actual product design. I don’t doubt that they sound good, but they’re not the amp in a box we are looking for.
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That's kind of my point -- you don't believe it's the AIAB you've always wanted or needed. Silly, but true.
Granted, Vox is not strictly a pedal company so their selection is limited, and some of their past designs were plain ugly. But I just think most other companies do a much better job of marketing gear.
madmarcus1960
Roadie
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I owned the ugly Gucci handbag known as the ADIO GT desk amp, at the same time as having an original Yamaha THR10 in 3 flavors Hi Gain(Green), Boutique(Black), and original(Beige).
I thought the Vox, while limited, was a better, bigger sounding beast than any of those. Alas they all moved out for the next big thing.
I remember trading in the ADIO and when it was being checked out for functionality the sales person being shocked at how good it sounded.
That might have been the VTX chip/modeling, I never kept up with Vox's product line
I thought the Vox, while limited, was a better, bigger sounding beast than any of those. Alas they all moved out for the next big thing.
I remember trading in the ADIO and when it was being checked out for functionality the sales person being shocked at how good it sounded.
That might have been the VTX chip/modeling, I never kept up with Vox's product line
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pipelineaudio
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Vox did a line 6 bozo move early on. Their Line out muted their speaker out and Fender really wiped the market with their mustang that didn't
