All user reviews of 4/5 for the Vox DA5

I purchased this amp a little over 3 years ago as a beginner guitarist looking for as much diversity as possible when learning and practicing. My tastes in music vary and I wanted something highly versatile when it comes to sound and effects. I play blues, classic rock, hard rock, punk rock, some thrash metal and progressive metal as well, so I searched for a decently priced amp that could give me all the tones and special effects I needed, in one single box.

Features
The DA5 has a wide range of play styles due to the ‘style’ controller which can cycle through 11 different styles.
The styles are comprised of Clean 1, 2 and 3, Blues 1 - these 4 are excellent in tonality and sound, as the name says, they’re quite clean and out of all the available solid state amps the Vox wins without a doubt in this category;
Blues 2, 3 and Crunch 1 which try to emulate a slightly overdriven tube amplifier;
Crunch 2 and Higain 1, my two personal favorites which offer a rich overdriven distortion type of sound, perfect for hard rock. grunge and punk for example;
Then we have Higain 2 which is acceptable for metal in general;
Higain 3 which I find too fuzzy and exaggerated and last but not least we have Drive which is a slightly more distorted version of Crunch.

Not only does this amp have a rich range in styles, it also provides you with 11 effects which you can also fine tune as much as you want. The effects are not so great, you can’t compare them to actual effect pedals, however Reverb and Delay are actually more than decent and personally, being a fan of Tool I used these extensively during practice. There are other effects such as Chorus and Phaser which I didn’t use much or at all. All of these effects also come in combination of two in case you want to use more than one effect at the same time.

The amp also has knobs for adjusting Gain, Tone and Master volume. They all work well and are useful, I just wish the tone knob would offer me individual control over low, mid and high frequencies but at this price that is something I won’t complain about.
You would think that’s all that this bundle of joy comes with, but there is more. In the back it comes featured with a power switch so you can select if your amp’s wattage at 0,5 W, 1,5 W and 5W. It also has a line in for a microphone if you want to sing along, it has an auxiliary line in if you want to connect the amp to your computer so you can record, or play music through it while you play along and you can also connect a headphones to it if you want to play at night without disturbing anyone.
I also need to mention you can use the amp on batteries for a few hours if you want to play outside.

Sound
I have tried both a Stratocaster and a Les Paul through this amp, one of them with a Seymour Duncan pickup and I arrived to the conclusion that the difference in sound due to the actual guitar is minimum or even totally unnoticeable. That being said, for a solid state amp this little box can give out quite some decent quality sounds. The clean channels remain clean even at maximum volumes, without sounding distorted, as for the high gain channels you do need to adjust them a bit until you find the sweet spot. Other amps of this level are better when it comes to distortion, but the Vox can’t be beaten when it comes to the clean channel. Add a distortion pedal like the DS1 or anything you want on top of the clean channel and you will have a wonderful range of sounds.

Reliability
I’ve had this amp for 3 years now and I bought it used from someone who used it for another 2 years. That being said, I haven’t had 1 single problem with this amp…ever. Everything still works impeccably, not even a dent on the casing.

Overall impression
This little guy was everything I could’ve wanted at that time and even though it’s a solid state amp there is a lot of value for the money spent. It has all the styles and range of effects that you could need as a beginner; it is very reliable, decent sound in general though you might want to invest in a distortion pedal if you want better quality from it.
At today’s prices, however, you might want to save a little more money and buy a 5W tube amp instead. At that price it might not come with any effects and special gimmicks but nothing compares to the rich tone of a tube amp.

5W amp (true) or plug (supplied) or battery. Switch power of 0.5 W, 1 W and 5 W. Input Jack, no possibility of disconnecting the HP.
It sounds very good, actually really good. I stood for sound on guitars with Humbucker to bed on mixer because the color can be achieved with this little thing is great.
When traveling, it's prime, the ample power to meet the singer (it has a microphone input jack, but to avoid ...), even in switch 0.5 W!
A battery set takes a few hours (depends on the level), but it goes for an evening.
All transistor course, but blues and crunch cont top part. The clean is clean "basic" pass so ca seen use the rest Vox sounds so pretty for my taste.

UTILIZATION

One branch, it sounds. I have not seen a manual, but it doite exist not very useful though. For sound we Gain and Volume, and some pretty good effect.
Easier it is acoustic ...

SOUNDS

Style Crunch or rather Blues. For lead, it would be just a little power for the clean is also a fair bit in power and a little cold, but at this price it's not theft.
The settings are very well can adjust the sound to the guitar, I tried with Deluxe Stratocaster HSS is average, but with a Telecaster with humbucker is better.
The sound is really the strength of this little amp that really does his job very well.

OVERALL OPINION

Not bad, bought early for the trip only, I also placed upstream of the sound system and the table (as a pedal) to the sound of the rhythm guitars for the price it's really good, sound setting is like an amp and suddenly it's as practical as a multi-effects pedal with his book for use.

Amplifier transistor with simulation modeling.
5W.
Grafted a guitar, a microphone, a line input.

UTILIZATION

Very easy to use. The record is not necessarily required.
The parameterization of some effects is not very ergonomic (manipulation of a button + knob at the same time).

SOUNDS

A wide variety of sounds thanks we get the amp sims and effects.

OVERALL OPINION

I used it for about 2 years, especially for the snooze because it is light to move.
Despite 5W displayed, I used live outside in a group with a battery and we heard!

I sold it because I bought bigger and more powerful (Roland Cube 80XL) and because a friend was looking for a small amp, but sometimes I miss (due to its power / weight ratio).

The only drawback was the outside and too fragile PSU for its weight. I had to DIY repair the outlet had broken.

Very good quality / price ratio

8/10
Transistor with presets (light, crunch, blues etc) and effects (disabled) reverb types, chorus, delay etc ...
5W
jack input
headphone jack and microphone to the rear

UTILIZATION

8/10
fairly simple configuration without reading the manual
Sound is obtained good I do not know.

SOUNDS

tested with a telecaster and ibanez talman and also Lagrandcour
The amp is quite versatile and everyone can find the sound that pleases, I think
This is a template for beginners and slightly more in the amp kind transportatble.

OVERALL OPINION

8/10
My son now!
Least: the small HP 6 "I replace it with a 8" (20cm) by pushing the walls: ^)
even if it is not a bousse.
most: the opportunity when it's nice to stick the LR14 (I replace with LR20)
and play without limits or almost out! Very cool ... really!

Amp transistors and multi-effects, 0.5watts-1.5watts-5Watt
HP 6.5 "vox
Dimensions (WxDxH) 267x179x267 Weight 3.5 kg
This works surprisingly VOX AC via its transformer, 12-volt and 9 volt battery!
may be a bit expensive, 140!


VOX gives autonomy to use with batteries:
a 18 hours-5Watt
a-1.5watts 25heures
30 hours-a 0.5watts

you can connect more of the guitar such an mp3 player but only a microphone and guitar will be the effects

UTILIZATION

Simple enough for a novice, many possibilities, a notice in French and made quite nice!

SOUNDS

Good! Travel is an amp you will never get the sound of an AC30 or a Fender Blues Junior
It is very versatile surprisingly more power adjustable 0.5W, 1.5W and 5W very practical to play without waking anyone.
we just connect headphones too!
before buying the one I tried a Crate GTX15 (very good but no more powerful batteries)
a Roland cube (not a net draft!)
Fender G-DEC (his precise but cold, lack of energy and high price)
VOX perfectly meets my needs of beginner effects are really great with my G & L Tribute S500

OVERALL OPINION

I am beginner and this is my first amp does not have the budget to buy a guitar and a nice tube amp I thought comments with a small amp like travel Pignose

but when I listened to the one in a store just before leaving I had the favorite!

I'm trying a guitarist friend for 17 years and my teacher scratching, they both were amazed by the beast in power and effects!

my friend will buy one and my teacher is running, the disgust, toward one of his little amps from its beginnings, saying "but why we did not have when we start!? "
exellent ratio Q / P Ideal for beginners and have some fun, all the land of the Swiss army knife guitar amp

So it's a little transistor amp with 11 channels (2 clean, 3 Blues, 2 crunch, and a 3 Higain drive) and a small multi purpose (11 too) quite nice and quite configurable. It is just 5 watts and is not bulky ... it will replace a cushion on your couch. It has in addition to a headphone jack, a line input and a TRS microphone input.

UTILIZATION

Configuration is very simple, if you use this amp just for home, to not play hard without taking the lead. In all other cases, there is no bracket so a user requesting to change its non-stop play is impossible. That said, I do not use it like that at all, and it is not for that either I think. This is an amp to have fun, cheap and not noisy.
The manual is welcome to edit the effects, because sometimes you push a button and turn a knob at the same time to access a control ... Space saving!

There is a power switch, which serves little point in a transistor since the sound does not change much with the master, but to limit noise to a minimum there a headphone jack that automatically cuts the sound coming out of the cabinet .

SOUNDS

Well it's not a god of fire coming out of there either. The bowl is 5 ", so there is not serious at all, and are quite sharp as planed, but it is no worse or it will break very ears. The simulations are all good, but difficult to identify all playable cepandant I put a small flat on HiGain not tip top but goes anyway.
The effects are very good and sometimes carefully assembled with a reverb.

Using a headset on the output line is defined as severe does not pass the 5 "and is a pleasant surprise awaits us for clean and overdrive blues ... at least for HiGain that are very concise, a overrated. It can therefore be used as multi-purpose simulator and in optical recording.

OVERALL OPINION

We must see this amp as a booster amplifier, working behind the scenes of "on the couch during commercials" for itches ... but nothing else. You can not have the sounds one by one and editing of effects takes time. But in this context, it is really very good. Must find one to match your living room or bedroom and is nickel.

on the other hand, to be avoided as a first / single amp if you want to play more seriously. An amp with a pedal while winning.

Adjustable power amp modlisation
from CD, microphone
headphone

UTILIZATION

You must read the manual and is part
use is simple.

SOUNDS

The key word: versatility.
the case is a perfect amp for home work. because the effects and channels, we have everything we need to play everything.
The sounds are pretty good, but you have the guitar that goes with the style you want. to the powerful rock must prcis mics, if not drool. for clean sounds you need a good if not a ringing quelquonque grate.

OVERALL OPINION

It's for work, not to have the sound.
the price is right.

the amp is having the house to play in civilized conditions.

Said above ...

UTILIZATION

Super simple setup, I quickly found the sound that suited my style of play (70's Rock) ...
The manual is useless as clear as it's easy to see how the amp ...

SOUNDS

This is my home in amplime itches in public housing without having to connect the Marshall tube and pedalboard.
I also play well with electro-acoustic (on clean channel 2), with a Les Paul Junior crunch or distortion.

I chose my sound clean, crunch and my distortion from my panel available, and I am completely satisfied of these three sounds.
In effect, I mainly use reverb, and sometimes other effects to mumuse ...

Sounds right for me, as far as the power that is ideal for fun in the apartment.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for four months.
The guitar part for me 100%, for cons, I tried to connect a microphone singing it, and then I think it's zero, because of the lack of reverb ...

I owned a mini Vox AC-1, nothing to do at the sound. The AC-1 sounded very plastoc, and again, I had shielded sealed with bitumen to improve it, but with the DA-5, you get real sounds very well modeled.

I put 7 in part because of the vocal microphone ...

This is a VOX DA5 5W amp modeling. It has a selector (0.5, 1.5 and 5W) to measure the power. Not to make too much noise, we start at 0.5 with a volume loud enough to carry a little more dynamic amp.

It has 11 amp types (from clean to high gain) to cover a wide range of sounds.

A tone knob adjusts the tone. A gain knob plays on ... the gain of the amplifier and hence the distortion on some amps.

Side effects, there is a compressor, chorus, flanger, phaser, delay, reverb. Some may be put in chains (2 maximum), for example compressor + chorus. There is also a noise gate to reduce noise.

There is no strap for convenient wear (it would have been nice to have one before you can have it at the shoulder).

In terms of connectivity, of course the guitar input, but also a microphone input with volume control (sound will not be altered by the effects and amps), an auxiliary input jack large format (for an mp3 player for example) and an output headphone.

The all feeds with a 12V transformer (supplied) or batteries.

For 100 €, it is very correct.

UTILIZATION

Use "default" is simple: you select an amp, it adjusts the gain and tone and add an effect. on the other hand, if you want to modify the effect parameters, it gets complicated: we must both push a button and turn a knob edict. And when two effects are set simultaneously, it is not clear what influences what button. So we grope and it can be daunting for a beginner. Not very intuitive stuff. Why did not you put 3 buttons to shoot instead?

It is complicated even for the noise gate: you have to bypass the effects and touch a button by turning a Knob ... And then each amp's noise gate setting by default. So when you change your amp, it should again be the setting of noise gate does not fit.

It does not bother anyone who has ever touched multi-effects but for someone who has no experience, bof Bah, what ... It would therefore simply use the default settings at first.

And unfortunately, no footswitch ... Therefore impossible to change the guitar sounds without releasing

SOUNDS

The clean sounds are amazing! On the ass ... I borrowed from my son at times! The blues are nice crunch. For cons, the distos high gains are not really top (at least with the original HP, I have not tested on another outing with HPs larger). To hide it, you have to play on the pitch and put a little effect. It's playable but do not expect him to breathe fire.

The effects are good and can cover many types of music.

If I could find that the clean and crunch, I put 9 / 10. I put 7 / 10 for all.

OVERALL OPINION

I (well. .. my son a. ..) this amp for 3 weeks. I found the best clean sounds in the Roland Micro Cube. In distos is very close with perhaps a little more heat on the cube.

The value for money is very good and this amp can play alone at home. It is primarily an amp to play clean sounds or slightly crunch. That's why I bought it for my son who starts scratching. It is unfortunate that the edition of the effects is so heavy.

For a beginner wanting to touch the dissto, I would put 6 / 10. In my case, I put 8 / 10, mainly thanks to the clear sound quality.