Vox NT2H Lil' Night Train Head

All-tube amp: 2 lamps preamp 12AX7, 12AU7 power a lamp.
4 controls: gain, bass, treble and volume.

And a switch that allows you to switch from one mode to another:
- Bright: vox typed, clear sound very Chimmy
- Thick more typical English / marshall quickly saturates

The power is between 1.5 and 2 W impedance according to which you connect.

Finally, note the presence of an output line out, supposedly made to play with headphones.

No effects loop, it's a shame because without reverb, it would have been nice to be able to insert one. But good for the price, I guess you can not have it all

UTILIZATION

Very simple, even simplistic configuration!

Do not hesitate to let the very low gain in order to have a clean sound, which is also excellent, whether in bright mode where it will be rather typical fender / vox course or thick where it will be more a clean nice round marshall.

The race of the gain is rather well measured, except in thick mode where it quickly share in molasses messy past 12 hours

As against the volume knob is just <3 <3 to play at home, it's magic! The race is suuuuper well measured, allowing play to very small volumes, while having a really cool sound! For me it is great to play at home, we have a reasonable volume and hyper enough to play in an apartment.

SOUNDS

The sound is really good, we feel the lamps and the breakup we have with some gain is really great for blues, rock.
There are way to get a lot of different sound with 2 positions bright and thick, but be aware moderate level gain because the sound can become messy.
It is easy for a clean sound to the dire straits to rock a little ballsy style ZZ Top.

Anyway this amp does not blush to his level of other much more expensive but useless at home, or using a dynamic loss so huge that we prefer to play on the vox!

The sound is still a bit dry, but with a little reverb (in front of the shot ) we already greatly improves things, and we have a great sound.

It takes pedals very well, and on 2 channels. I have a lot of fun using it as a platform pedal. Ideal for home or even repeat!

Besides, I'm used extensively in rehearsal, transplanted in a sound (do not expect a battery with cover!), As a platform pedal set to clean the thick channel. The sound bright lacked a little depth. As such, I got very convincing sounds really cool and coupled to various pedals delay, boost and overdrive.

To be perfect, it just lacks a setting of mediums.

So now attack the big downside of this amp: the output line out.
It sounds absolutely disgusting. In bright mode, screaming, dry, awful. The thick is a little better, but it's always very garish. The output has no speaker emulation, and it shows! In addition, the output is mini jack format, so unusable in a sound (unless you tweak like me, but then, hello crackling! Better a beast in front SM57)

Final recommendation: attention to speaker! Apparently the speaker is paired with medium because only 10 inches (already we lack a little bass and roundness). Go on a 12inch, the sound is much better. I played on a rotten cab and a mesa thiele, the sound was pretty good in 2 cases. (A little better with the thiele course, but good)

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for ... well oula 4 years!

I've always found it perfect for use at home, in an apartment. I never found other amps in the same price range with such a compelling and dynamic sound than other amps much more powerful lamps.

Yet, I have tried a lot of what is supposed to be the cream at home (at least in the same price range): yamaha THR5, THR10, Blackstar HT1, Vox AC4 (too noisy), fender champion 600 (too noisy), Gretsch 5222 ... I do not denigrate these amps, it's just that every time the vox seemed better for various reasons (master volume, EQ, dynamics etc ...)

On occase it is growing at a ridiculous price, so if you need a little amp for you, go for it!

2 watts lamp head while giving a volume as a lamp or 15 watt 5watt Transistor, 1 input, 1 output 8Ohms,
Power switch, knobs, volume, bass, trebble, gain
switch Bright / Thick: equalizer does not act Thick mode that gives its boosted and warmer

there is no standby or reverb

UTILIZATION

super easy to use, no need of manual.

the gain setting provides a wide range of sounds from very clean to very saturated with a nice progressive
EQ knobs are operational,
the volume is not too much on his

SOUNDS

I have a Ibanez head TSA15 for blues that gives rather muffled sounds,
I took this head to Vox rock that gives more slap and crystal clear sound with my strat,
in Bright mode, the gain setting is really effective: the first quarter crystalline, clean up a little before the half, he began blueser just before the half, gradually cruncher up a rock saturation.
in Thick mode, crunch it goes much faster and farther to the distortion of the Hard Rock.
I do not metal, but I think this head will not go that far?

no effects loop, but the head accepts a good reverb pedal input,
I do not use much effect

OVERALL OPINION

I use it at home, alternately with the Ibanez head in the cabinet Ibanez 12 "Celestion, for 6 months;
I hesitated with the Blackstar HT5R head for the sound quality equivalent but with an integrated reverb, I chose the Vox head to the sound of my Strat, and the desirability of balance.

I love the clean sound, especially with the Strat, and the gain setting that is integrated with the Tube Screamer Ibanez TSA15 my head.
I find close to an AC30 sound (better than AC15) for an acceptable volume house.

I highly recommend this head, try it and you should adopt.
I paid 190euros on sale, I found the excellent quality / price ratio, even without integrated reverb ', so yes I would do this choice without hesitation.

Small head 2 or 1.5 watts according to imped to be connected (8 or 16 ohms).
Knobs treble, bass, gain and volumetric no medium but a bright switch / thick which acts on the mids and adds body. The knobs are gentle to use, it's a good point. The switches seem quality.
No bypass, but this power and saw the lamp power stage it was not much interest.
An output hp and therefore a ridiculous line out with emulation. Ridiculous because the format mini jack and as I say further, unfortunately poor. This point latch design that exudes a certain external quality.
Ultre head transportable to finish.

UTILIZATION

Relatively simple use in mind. The bright switch / thick can play on records and it is a good idea given the lack of mediums.
So the part preamp nothing wrong in terms of usability and ergonomics, it rolls.
on the other hand do not get something out of the output line. It emulates a hp output disconnects the actual output hp. on the other hand why a mini jack output to line level? This requires they put him eun adapter and so it will degrade the signal is only marginally usable at the base. It is a gadget to listen with headphones but not looking Sir quality. It is light years ahead of a team that redbox amps H & K. .. I even tried to regain its output line out via a torpedo to simulate a good sound microphone + speaker: nothing to get too of acute, it is screaming it lacks body andThe sound is generally broullion. Big disappointment on this point 'the note takes a hit because a small ampl, of modern design, should provide quality one on this type of service. Concurence did Vox so why not?

SOUNDS

The sound of taste so no debate on that.
12 hp on a Celestion v30 sounds not too bad and even rather well clean and crunch.
The clean vox wears footprint. Not clean and it is precisely his interest. On Set a slight natural compression nice. Mode turns it thick with double crunch even if the gain is not too advanced. It's also nice comprehensively except those screaming treble. Disto thrust is too rough, imprecise. The sound is not bad but being accustomed to playing on much more specific amps, more defined, we feel that something is missing from that side. After maybe it sounds better on the Greenback ...
The amp has personality and that's a good point. Vintage grain but again there too acute. On many forums it is recommended to change the lamps on and off a capacitor. I believe that we should not go through there on the new gear and stamped vox.
Short mixed record, clean and crunch rather nice but too brouillone distortion when you push the gain.

OVERALL OPINION

I was looking for a little head to avoid my roaring 50 watts at home.
Vox arrived at my default because Tubemeister that I coveted no longer available. Big disappointment, I who owned a AC15, and even if you do not play in the same league, I expected a little more precise head. In over 20 years of music, I got into the hands of amps and usually I always try to push them into a corner to make my judgment. I triturated the tone of my guitar to adjust the sound too, but there Roxane 1000 or nima my Telecaster not have felt comfortable. Big disappointment also for the line out completely unusable.
Short unconvinced despite the big promo above, returned to my gear vendor who finally dug me TubeMeister.

Amp 2W lamps.
See specifications on the manufacturer's website.
It really is super small, especially with his tiny cab 10 inches. It's pretty impressive.
The finish is upscale: it exudes quality, it is even more beautiful in person than on the internet ... It comes with a cable to connect the HP that looks top, too. on the other hand, it loses the case to carry his big brother shame!

UTILIZATION

First, it is (finally) a real amp apartment, we can do cruncher comfortable without rousing the neighborhood. Given the size and weight, we Triballe as you like, including cab, to make a little jam with friends. on the other hand, it's not enough to play in full rock formation, except to dub the sound.
It is very easy to use, and both subtle, because you can play on the gain on the bass and treble of the amp, but also on the volume and tone of the guitar, which allows the obtain the most diverse sounds, let alone touch (finger picks): any means, with a minimum of background noise.

SOUNDS

So the idea is that a Vox sound, the kind of the AC30 or AC15: you buy it for that. In Bright position, as its name suggests, you get a very bright sound, which quickly became (at 10am, with the humbuckers in my Gibson Les Paul Studio) crunchy, with tons of harmonics. In Thick mode, it is very sturdy and in good organic distortion, grave, which remains clear throughout the course of the gain knob. It can play everything ... especially what is usually played on a Vox pop, blues, rock.
He collects perfectly effects pedals. My Blues Driver is connected to this beautiful lil train.
Last thing: in forums, there are geeks who advise to make a simple modification - c19 mod - to decrease the brightness of the amp. For my part, I do not feel useful.

OVERALL OPINION

I for several weeks, and I'm not tired. I used before a Mustang Mini I still think the greatest good. I always put the AC15 simulation, very correct, but beside the Lil Night Train ... it's night and day!
I hesitated a lot with very good Blackstar HT1R I tried long. The latter has two advantages: mp3 input and good integrated reverb. In addition it is a small combo even easier to carry around. But: the sound, which is very beautiful, is much less distinctive, more modern. Say next to the LSA, it gives the impression of the type that is technically good but who lack ... character!
Eventually, maybe I'll buy the cab V112NT with its 12-inch HP greenback. The sound is necessarily better, but I will lose portability. We'll see ... on the other hand, there must be a reverb pedal, it's really a plus for this kind of small amp.

A real success, bravo Vox!