Diezel VH-4

The Diezel VH4 is an all-tube monster amplifier that can deliver between 90 and 160 watts of power, depending on what tubes are in it. Over the years the amp has come stock with different tube complements as owner/designer Peter Diezel worked through reliability issues with tube manufacturers and tone requests. It's my understanding the amp used to come with 6550s, then was switched to EL34s for quite a while, and now ships with KT77s. The thing is, it doesn't matter. Any tube in this amp works equally well, it's just all about the tone you're looking for.

The VH4 has four channels that go from spanking clean to brutally-saturated over-the-top gain madness. Each channel has an independent Volume, Gain, Bass, Middle, and Treble control, and are also global "Deep" and "Presence" controls. The VH4 has both a serial and parallel effects loop, as well as a channel insert for each channel. All of these are controllable via on-board MIDI, including a global Mute function. Both channel 1 and channel 2 have a "bright" switch to further shape your tone.

UTILIZATION

It's actually hard to get a bad sound out of this amp. Go ahead, try. Once you get used to the diagonal layout of the knobs per channel, the amp is fairly straightforward. Set your channels where you want the sound, program the MIDI if you want, and go play 'till your heart's content. The Manual is clear and simple, and Diezel customer service is second to none. Peter Diezel himself will personally answer customer service questions and help people, even those who have purchased second-hand, get the best tone possible out of their Diezel amps. The manual goes into fairly deep detail, for example, going so far as to point out in what frequency ranges the "Deep" and "Presence" controls work and affect (80Hz and 4Khz, respectively).

SOUNDS

I mainly play Dimarzio equipped Neal Moser guitars, Ibanez guitars, and George Riszanyi custom guitars through all of my amps. This amp is simply a monster. Channel one is the "clean" channel and can get you warm jazz tones to country spank, all based on how YOU decide to set the amp, and with the gain cranked starts to get you into the dirt. Channel 2 can overlap with the lower region of channel one but as you increase the gain you run the gamut from gritty blues to 70's rock to 80's metal. Once you hit channel three you've entered the signature "Diezel" sound and the amount of gain on tap is staggering. With the gain lowered, you can keep the 70's/80's vibe and have the signature Diezel sound, or you can push the gain up and have saturated bliss. Channel four is simply over the top. Fluid high-gain is what's on the menu here--punishing rhythms and singing leads are nearly effortless. Whatever sounds you want, the VH4 can serve them up, including everything you want to hook up.

OVERALL OPINION

This is one of the most well-made and sturdy heads I've ever owned. It also weighs a ton. Make no mistake--this is a serious piece of hardware and the price tag reflects it, but if you're looking for that "all-in-one" amp the Diezel VH4 just may be the last amp you'll ever have to buy. If something were to happen to mine, I would without a doubt have another. This is definitely an amp you don't want to be without.

The diezel VH4 is a magnificent amplifier. Featuring 4 channels and 100 watts of 6l6 power, it can cover a lot of sounds. Each channel consists of a basic tone stack and it's own gain and master controls. Channel 1 and 2 also have bright toggle accessible on the front panel. Global master, presence, deep control, as well as mix control for the effects loop. Each channel was designed as an independent preamp with it's own separate loop. I enjoyed the aesthetics of the amp greatly. The Diezel cutout grill and the choice to angle the controls diagonally lend the Vh4 an unmistakable image.

UTILIZATION

The 4 independent channels allow for dedicated tones for just about any occasion. You could dial in a clean tone, two rhythm tones of varying gain, and still have a dedicated lead sound. The build quality is top notch, I couldn't imagine the Diezel becoming damaged all that easily on the road. Having the button's to select each channel on the front panel is a great, convenient detail.

SOUNDS

I played through the VH4 with a PRS McCarty Soap bar and a Gibson SG standard. Mesa 4x12 rectifier cab. No pedals.

Channel 1 sounded very much like a fender. The bright switch was too bright though, making single notes sound harsh and sometimes brittle. Channel 2 however, took the bright switch well. I could get a great Classic rock rhythm from this channel a la The Darkness. Channel 3 was great for high gain rhythms, but I preferred to setup the channel for leads, using channel 4 as my heavy rhythm tone. Channel 4 was capable of copious amounts of controlled feedback. I got the best results setting the gain on this channel at a comparably tame level and using it for driving chord progressions.

OVERALL OPINION

The Diezel Vh4 is a brilliant design. Never have I experienced an amplifier with so much natural ambience in the room. No reverb necessary. If you do not have a need for a 4th channel, you may find better value in the Bogner Ecstasy. While both are indeed world class channel switchers, the Bogner offers a much stronger feature set allowing you to fine tune your tone and playing feel precisely. It is also a $1000 less at the going rate of $3599 new. You can't really go wrong with either.

After a few hours with this amp, here are my initial impressions:

The Diezel VH-4 is a versatile rock music beast. The VH-4 has 4 completely independent channels, 100W of power with 4 power tubes, lots of effects loop routing options, and it is midi controlled. Did I mention beast? This thing is large and heavy! It barely fits on top of my speaker cabinet, and sitting next to my Mesa Rectifier, it makes the Mesa look like a child's toy.



UTILIZATION

Dialing in a great sound couldn't be easier. Each of the four channels has the same controls (Gain, Volume, Treble, Mid, Bass), and it is easily identifiable on the amp. The knob settings are easy to see from a distance, unlike Mesa Boogie amplifiers. There are also master presence and bass controls, which are located far from the individual channel controls, so it's easy to see what going on.

The VH-4 is midi programmable, which seems a bit odd, given that it's not like a Line 6 amp, where all of the tone controls can be programmed. Rather, you can program which channel to use, and which fx loops should be opened, and if the mute is on or not. If you already have a MIDI setup, this is convenient, but if you're simply switching between four channels, the additional MIDI flexibility and programming seems odd, especially with the "store" button on the front of the amp.

SOUNDS

The VH-4 produces some of the best heavy tones I have ever heard straight from a guitar amplifier and cabinet. Everyone raves about channel 3, the basic rhythm heavy channel. I love it as well: The tone is nice and full, and the clarity of the notes of thicker chords is remarkable. The gain can range from barely distorted to death metal. The mid and bass controls sound good no matter what they're set to, even at the extremes. I am particularly impressed with how musical the mid knob sweeps. The treble sounds a bit lacking when it is set to the extreme low, but at the high, it does not pierce my ears at all. The overall vibe of the tone is a tad harsher than my Mesa Rectifier, but it more than makes up for it with clarity, lack of fuzz, lack of mid-range mud, and brassy sounding tones. To me, nothing beats a heavy tone that has clarity, and it's hard to beat channel 3 on this thing.

The other main channel I would use is channel 1, the clean. It has great headroom, but it can be pushed when the gain is turned past halfway. Sometimes, the breakup of the tone when pushed sounds crackly, but when done correctly it sounds fine. There is also a bright switch, which sounds great with super cleans.

Channel 2 is just like a lighter gain channel 3, as it sounds more like classical rock and Marshall tones can be made here. But if the gain and tone knows are adjusted just so, it can sound identical to channel 3.

Channel 4 is just like channel 3, only a lot more gain and compression. This would be the lead or heavy metal channel, but I generally find it too heavy for my tastes. But it has the same distorted clarity, and the gain here can sound monstrous. If I needed to do leads, I would stick with channel 3 and just use a overdrive pedal in addition.

OVERALL OPINION

If you have a chance to try out this very expensive amplifier, don't pass it up. This amp is in a class of it's own, when it can leave an industry standard like Mesa in the dust, in terms of tone. I generally try not to get caught up with little details in guitar tone that regular people would not understand, as I would be the first to admit that guitarists sometimes take their "perfect" tones too far. But after playing through this amps for a few hours, and then playing through a Mesa, it seems like night and day. Just playing through the Diezel VH-4 to get inspired can be enough to justify its cost.

I have used in all conditions and level CHARACTERISTICS, has one of the very best, no doubt!
50w 160w power as lamps.
Compatibility with all the power tubes: EL34, KT77, KT88, 6L6, 6550 ...
7 Sterling effect, 6 programmable MIDI, and a parallle SERIES.
4 channel tudis superbly: a clean / beautiful light crunch, crunch trs dynamic overdrive typ his big lead and then compress well crmeux the "guitar hero"!
1 + air + EQ per channel gain
A deep and effective prsence trs trs!
a master, a mute.
Trs sending the big sound!

UTILIZATION

The manual is complete and trs gives lots of information, many competing brands should build!
The use is very simple and all rglages sound, so we obtain immediately a great sound. No decision-head!

SOUNDS

The light is beautiful and has surprised many, trs dynamic, it can go up to a light crunch dlicieux.
The Crunch is an extremely dynamic and can go far trs gain without missing a beat! Impressive. The grain is tight enough modern typ.
The Overdrive channel resumes Previous carrment but compress to send big riffs, the sound Diezel par excellence! The grain is slightly open, still very modern. It roars!
Lead is trs compress well pais, crmeux and smooth. A Reserved for solos so, but in a very effective for this purpose!
All the channels are hyper prcis Defines and it offers a naturally hollowed not lacking for both mediums if you want to push them. The bass is incredible, there is a quantity standard and very easy thanks to Assayable tonestack trs efficient and always music (whatever the rglages, a ring!). And despite what you might expect, they are always super clear and Dfine! Hard to believe!

I jou with all kinds of guitars and everything suits her! In addition it is comfortable in all styles.

Warning: I have in my cabinet in jou Greenback at beginners and was not as good mnage between HPs orients mid-bass and a little hollow ct of amp I lacked top mediums. But with a baffle in V30 is happiness! I feel he really does tudi for V30.

OVERALL OPINION

We make an amp trs typ. REFERENCE for a lot of people. You can even hear it on albums by Metallica, Smashing Pumpkins, Muse, Tool ...
The trs trs premium.
It is more hyper-reliable and a quality manufacturing any evidence, however, a BMOL on the finish: the Tolex was dcoll the rear of the mine. I found a limit for the price! Anyway, the guarantee offered to the first Owner 'life will rsolu this

What I personally regret, but this level of perfection, it's got a story: the ct too modern grain, the incompatibility with HP Greenback (lack of high mids) and a lack of transparency according to him guitar industry. Nothing serious, since this amp fills me with happiness for 2 years!