[Musikmesse] VOX Ice 9

The Ice 9 has been created to provide a versatility of tone while meeting Satriani’s strict standards, the company says. With two overdrive modes, tone-shaping and the “More” switch, the Ice 9 is designed to deliver a range of inspiring tones, yet remain easy to use. The name is borrowed from the title of one of Satriani’s popular songs on his 1987 album Surfing with the Alien.

The Vintage / Modern mode switch is designed to provide access to two different overdrive voices; each is designed to Satriani’s specifications. The Vintage mode employs a special op amp and premium diodes to offer an overdrive that is warm and classic, with just the right amount of sparkle and sustain, according to VOX. In contrast, the Modern voice utilizes a Germanium diode to kick up a cutting-edge overdrive that is altogether new and aggressive.

The Ice 9 is voiced with both a custom Tone control and an extra Bass response knob. Although they both work together, each affects the tone at a different point in the signal chain, the company says. The Bass control adds extra bottom to the sound before it enters the drive stage, delivering dynamic low-end response. Satriani worked with VOX engineers to contour the tone controls to focus on the most desirable frequency ranges of classic overdrives, while eliminating unusable extreme settings of some of those units.

Availability
The Ice 9 will be available in June 2010 with pricing TBA.

Check out www.voxamps.co.uk for more info.