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igorius007
Published on 03/17/06 at 08:19
Everything has been said below.
I put 7 because everything is there, but forget: two completely separate channels, a master and a general presence. After several weeks of use, which lack the most is the ability to save its settings, but the head is not made for it (the V-Ampire the same brand him for that).
In terms of connectivity, it is rather complete, with the ability to connect a CD or MP3 input for jamming to live with his idols. Headphone jack, line out for recording. The only weak point I think is the external effects loop that is not stereo (damage to an amp with 2 speaker outputs) and not assayable.
UTILIZATION
The grip is immediate, intuitive and easy.
What I think is most important here is that the settings are super thin and have a great interaction between them: just down the mediums such as on an overdrive sound and we move very quickly from rock to heavy rock. It's pretty subtle but very little we have for designers to not be afraid to Triffouille to find the right sound. We must therefore take some time to adapt, not to tame the beast but to understand all the nuances.
Section effects (99 presets in total) is very simple to use: we choose the preset and change it just a preset setting (the feedback of a delay for example). Using a MIDI foot controller it is possible according to the manual control several settings presets. Personal I have an old MIDI pedal Ada (very old, ten years I think) that was never recognized by the V-Tone. Anyway, for my personal use, provided the footswitch is enough: channel selection and effects on / off.
Note also that the two channels are strictly independent and identical, ie independent because it is possible to use a different effect on each channel (the effect remains in memory allocated during the channel change) because they have exactly identical the same settings (eq, type of simulation, drive, etc. ...). it is possible to have a standard config and a clear channel to channel saturation or a config set with two clean sounds or sounds saturated and 2 to switch from one to another with the footswitch.
On this last point, note that the passge from one channel to another or on / off effect is slow (1 / 2 second rule of thumb).
SOUNDS
This head is supposed to emulate the Fender, Marshall and Mesa does so perfectly. I'm not a fan of Fender and never played on a Mesa but I am quite familiar Marshall (the worst and the best). I have a combo 30th birthday and a JMP-1 plugged into a 8008 sent to all speakers 2, 1912.
I manage to reproduce the sound of 2 amps, after a lot of settings of course, but the result is stunning. I mean play, not imitate: we believe it.
When I compare the sound of this head with the sound of my first amp 100Watts transistors (this was 15 years ago), I seem to have changed in the meantime world.
The V-Tone is perfect for all-clear sounds-rock crunch and all its variants (country-punk-pop-etc. ..). To the extreme I am less distortion on, it looks a bit messy. I use a G & L asat special speakers and 2 and 1912 is that of happiness.
The effect module is a nice touch but it's not a true multi-effects. We must know how to use it sparingly otherwise the sound quickly becomes inaudible - original perhaps, but completely unusable. The chorus is good, the reverbs pretty good. I find the Flanger too aggressive (too much regen, especially with distortion).
Finally, power can play in groups without considering the problem and live in small rooms. Note that the sound and grain remain the same with high and low volume - very valuable to repeat at home.
OVERALL OPINION
A few years back, to justify the existence of transistor amplifiers, we spoke of the value: it sounds like a pot but it's worth the price of the tenth tube amps.
Then came the amp simulators, meant to reproduce the sound of the lamps, which were and are great for clean sounds or slight crunch, but completely to the west as soon as you send a little bit of distortion.
The technology today allows for an amp head that not only rings, but in addition has a sound pallette to cover virtually every style and every mood.
Do I recommend this head for beginners: no, I would advise everyone. I do not have perfect pitch but I still have some doubts when I read the comments of the likes of "I did not try but it may not sound as well as lamps" or "does no match for my Triaxis, my power amp 2x200Watts all lamps and two Marshall cabs fitted with Vintage 30 - the rest is the m *** e ".
Certainly there is much more rewarding for the ego to play a JCM800 3 bodies on a Behringer, but who really need any lamps 100Watts? With just one all-tube Marshall 100Watts I know I use it only rarely with the master more than 3 and at that volume level, the lamps do not reach their full potential and that the amp is on -used (not counting the ears begin to bleed).
This is an amp that I recommend without reservation to all, except perhaps for the die-hard neo-metal. It was enough that I try to be complètemet amazed by its capabilities. Its small defects (mono effects loop, latency when changing channels, setting limited effects) are fully compensated for the sounds it can produce. A real success.
I put 7 because everything is there, but forget: two completely separate channels, a master and a general presence. After several weeks of use, which lack the most is the ability to save its settings, but the head is not made for it (the V-Ampire the same brand him for that).
In terms of connectivity, it is rather complete, with the ability to connect a CD or MP3 input for jamming to live with his idols. Headphone jack, line out for recording. The only weak point I think is the external effects loop that is not stereo (damage to an amp with 2 speaker outputs) and not assayable.
UTILIZATION
The grip is immediate, intuitive and easy.
What I think is most important here is that the settings are super thin and have a great interaction between them: just down the mediums such as on an overdrive sound and we move very quickly from rock to heavy rock. It's pretty subtle but very little we have for designers to not be afraid to Triffouille to find the right sound. We must therefore take some time to adapt, not to tame the beast but to understand all the nuances.
Section effects (99 presets in total) is very simple to use: we choose the preset and change it just a preset setting (the feedback of a delay for example). Using a MIDI foot controller it is possible according to the manual control several settings presets. Personal I have an old MIDI pedal Ada (very old, ten years I think) that was never recognized by the V-Tone. Anyway, for my personal use, provided the footswitch is enough: channel selection and effects on / off.
Note also that the two channels are strictly independent and identical, ie independent because it is possible to use a different effect on each channel (the effect remains in memory allocated during the channel change) because they have exactly identical the same settings (eq, type of simulation, drive, etc. ...). it is possible to have a standard config and a clear channel to channel saturation or a config set with two clean sounds or sounds saturated and 2 to switch from one to another with the footswitch.
On this last point, note that the passge from one channel to another or on / off effect is slow (1 / 2 second rule of thumb).
SOUNDS
This head is supposed to emulate the Fender, Marshall and Mesa does so perfectly. I'm not a fan of Fender and never played on a Mesa but I am quite familiar Marshall (the worst and the best). I have a combo 30th birthday and a JMP-1 plugged into a 8008 sent to all speakers 2, 1912.
I manage to reproduce the sound of 2 amps, after a lot of settings of course, but the result is stunning. I mean play, not imitate: we believe it.
When I compare the sound of this head with the sound of my first amp 100Watts transistors (this was 15 years ago), I seem to have changed in the meantime world.
The V-Tone is perfect for all-clear sounds-rock crunch and all its variants (country-punk-pop-etc. ..). To the extreme I am less distortion on, it looks a bit messy. I use a G & L asat special speakers and 2 and 1912 is that of happiness.
The effect module is a nice touch but it's not a true multi-effects. We must know how to use it sparingly otherwise the sound quickly becomes inaudible - original perhaps, but completely unusable. The chorus is good, the reverbs pretty good. I find the Flanger too aggressive (too much regen, especially with distortion).
Finally, power can play in groups without considering the problem and live in small rooms. Note that the sound and grain remain the same with high and low volume - very valuable to repeat at home.
OVERALL OPINION
A few years back, to justify the existence of transistor amplifiers, we spoke of the value: it sounds like a pot but it's worth the price of the tenth tube amps.
Then came the amp simulators, meant to reproduce the sound of the lamps, which were and are great for clean sounds or slight crunch, but completely to the west as soon as you send a little bit of distortion.
The technology today allows for an amp head that not only rings, but in addition has a sound pallette to cover virtually every style and every mood.
Do I recommend this head for beginners: no, I would advise everyone. I do not have perfect pitch but I still have some doubts when I read the comments of the likes of "I did not try but it may not sound as well as lamps" or "does no match for my Triaxis, my power amp 2x200Watts all lamps and two Marshall cabs fitted with Vintage 30 - the rest is the m *** e ".
Certainly there is much more rewarding for the ego to play a JCM800 3 bodies on a Behringer, but who really need any lamps 100Watts? With just one all-tube Marshall 100Watts I know I use it only rarely with the master more than 3 and at that volume level, the lamps do not reach their full potential and that the amp is on -used (not counting the ears begin to bleed).
This is an amp that I recommend without reservation to all, except perhaps for the die-hard neo-metal. It was enough that I try to be complètemet amazed by its capabilities. Its small defects (mono effects loop, latency when changing channels, setting limited effects) are fully compensated for the sounds it can produce. A real success.