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The AD30VT-XL is part of the New VOX Valvetronix XL line, an exciting new range of tube-powered modelling amplifiers that delivers the power and punch that modern rock players require, with a selection of hi-gain sounds that span the entire range of heavy rock music. |
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| Features: | 7.8 |
| Sound: | 8 |
| Reliability: | 8.5 |
| Impression: | 7.8 |
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| Overall rating: |
7.7 |
| Reviewer rating: |
8 |
| Users rating: |
7.4 |
| Votes: |
36 |
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AD30VT-XL
Reviewed by:
Toolfan11, on september 15, 2008
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 300
Purchased from: Advance Music (VT)
Features: This is a very versatile amp from Vox's 'Valvetronix' modeling series. With 11 amp models that model the sounds of the AC series Vox amps and many others, you can get a lot of great tones from this amp. There are 11 preset channels, a "manual" and two custom channels to save your own preset sounds. You can purchase a foot switch, which runs about 25 USD. There's also a headphone jack, which I don't use. I use this amp in my bedroom and it's plenty loud enough for me. I've never really cranked it past 4.5, but I can only imagine. // 8
Sound: I'm currently playing with a Squire Strat, which pisses me off. But for the style that I play, which includes: rock, and metal, It is great. I use the "Modern" amp model around with the settings as follows: Gain-@5 Treble- 8 Mid-10 -Bass 2-3 I boost the signal with my EQ pedal to give it more punch.It is a little hissy when I play directly from my guitar to the amp. But that's most likely from my guitar. As I stated before, there are loads of great tones to be found in the Ad30, you just need to know how to tweak it. The clean channels are great, At 5 volume there is no distorted sound, Again I have not gone past 5 volume, but for my purposes it's great at 5. the distortion is a little lacking I think. You need an EQ or boosting pedal to really give it a good heavy distortion // 9
Reliability & Durability: I have had no problems with this amp at all, and this was the floor model at the store, so it had been played quite a bit. I would gig with this IF, and only IF I were playing solo or had a PA system, 30 watts SS would be a little lacking for a gig. // 7
Impression: As I said before, I play rock and metal, This amp is great for the styles. I've been playing just over 2 years, and use a squire strat, which will be replaced soon, and a Behringer EQ700. If I lost this amp I probably would not but another, because I'm looking to go all tube. Absolutely love the effects in this amp. But, I wish I were able to use more than one effect per channel. When I got this amp, I also played a Roland Cube 30 and Line 6 Spider 3. Out of the three amps This one was definitely the best. the Spider, was what you can expect of a spider, and the Cube sounded a bit too bland to me. // 6
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AD30VT-XL
Reviewed by:
Sanctus, on june 19, 2008
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 300
Purchased from: MusiciansFriend
Features: Usual Valvetronix fair. 12" speaker on this one which made it more appealing than some of the others(and not 2x12 which is a bit large for my uses). // 9
Sound: Playing with a Samick Malibu(strat-type) and a Schecter Tempest Custom(stock HB102s). I thought it might suit my style well, but as it turns out I think the gain is a bit too brutal haha. Even the clean channels will distort at fairly low volume levels and the others are just really really metal. Some really wicked metal sounds though! They're awesome on their own, but don't really work for me doing covers of the stuff I tend to listen to. I'm sort of an alternative/hard rock fan so I thought this might fit me, but I'm finding that I overshot the mark a bit. Probably going to buy either the non-XL line or maybe look into a Blackheart or SuperChamp. // 7
Reliability & Durability: Haven't had any reliability problems with it. Seems built to last. // 9
Impression: Wasn't a good match for me. I thought I'd be able to coax some decent overdrive and cleans out of it, but I think I was better off with my pedal on my old practice amp--though this one is definitely great for metal! I really loved the crunch of the modern, damaged and black voices. I wish I'd had a bit more time with this at GC. I knew I'd love some of the voicings, but I didn't realize how distorted it would sound when playing my usual practice routines. I'm hoping to return it and get the Blackheart or Super Champ XD instead (really loved both the cleans and the crunch). Don't really hate it, just didn't think match me as well as I thought it would. // 8
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AD30VT-XL
Reviewed by:
ken112291, on september 15, 2007
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 300
Purchased from: Zzounds
Features: 30 watts, I don't know exactly when it was made but I know it's quite new, 11 models, (2 clean/9 distortion), it has 2 channels for saving your settings, a knob that allows you to go from 0 watts to 30 and anything inbetween, and it has 11 effects. Pretty much all of the effects but the reverb and chorus are useless. They just aren't tweakable enough. It also has one useless tube in it but don't take that the wrong way. It sounds better than most SS amps. This amp is versitile in the rock department thanks to the 9 different distortions ranging from a light overdrive to zomgbr00tal. However it only has 2 clean channels and you can't overdrive them without a pedal =(. Vox put some wierd "gain cap" on the clean channels and because of this the amp doesn't accept pedals very well. I tried using my DS-1 and it sounded like someone covered my amp with a blanket. // 5
Sound: I use an Ibanez RGT342FX and I play mostly metal and various other genres of rock. It suits my style perfectly and no it is not noisy at all. I play in front of a computer and I barely get any feedback. There's also a noisegate but I don't like using it because it kills your sustain. The distortion on this amp is great. However the super high gain setting won't get you that Master of Puppets sound. Instead you get this very slightly fizzy high gain sound that has a lot of clarity. I could describe all the other distortion channels but that'd take me forever so I'll just talk about the clean channels. Funked has a twangy saturated tone and glass has this silky... glassy sound. And I've mention this before but you can't distort the clean channels no matter how high you crank it witch is dumb as hell if you ask me. // 7
Reliability & Durability: This amp is very reliable and it's built like a tank (cliche I know). I'd be careful with it anyway since it has a tube in it. This amp has never broken down. However it did sound wierd for a bit after I used my pedal but I just unplugged it and left it alone for a while and it was back to it's usual self. // 9
Impression: Overall this is a pretty nice budget amp that's great for metal. If this was lost or stolen I probably wouldn't buy it again. Instead I'd save up for a REAL tube amp. I love how simple and easy it is to use and how many different distortion models it has but I hate how that knob in the back for adjusting the wattage is practically useless since you can't overdrive the clean channels. It also really doesn't really change your tone very much so to me it's just another volume knob. I compared it to the Cube and if you ask me this amp is better in both the clean and metal department. So yeah, overall great amp for it's price. Buy it if your looking for a deal. // 8
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AD30VT-XL
Reviewed by:
ramstormrage, on december 13, 2011
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Price paid: $ 300
Purchased from: Audiophile, Philippines
Features: The Vox AD30VT-XL amp boasts some of the dirtiest yet crispiest and most rocking sounds that I've ever heard. The amp is suited for a lot of styles - hard rock, classic rock, metal etc. The amp has 2 channels which you can program and control using a separate footswitch. The amp has 1 clean channel (GLASS) which is very clean and another one (FUNKED) that has a snarly cleanliness. Then there are 9 more amp models that gives me a lot of different tones to choose from. // 9
Sound: I used to have a Strat copy that had very weak single coil pickups but was able to sound decent because of this amp. I now have an Ibanez S420 which really benefits from the different amp settings. I mostly play classic rock and shred and this baby fits those styles. Now, with my old guitar you can hear lots of hum so I used to turn up the noise gate at around 2-3 and voila, the hum disappears without really affecting my sustain. With my Ibanez, the noise gate is at 1 but I barely hear any hum.
Don't be fooled by its small size, it's a loud amp by itself and I never usually had to turn it to the full 30 watt (you can tweak this with a knob on the back). I mostly play this on 10-15 watts and crank the master volume up to 4-5. It's loud enough for it to rattle my photo frames. My favorite settings are: the clean channel (GLASS) which sounds very clean, TRASHED which somehow sounds like a Marshall and is suited for 80's style rock, FLUID which is very good for shredding as well as nice heavy riffing and BLACK for a metal "chugfest" and very juicy lead lines. The distortion is very brutal but not brutal enough that you'll lose clarity of the notes and definition of the chords. If you love aggressive music like me, this amp will please you unless of course you want to tour with it then you'll probably need a bigger beast. // 9
Reliability & Durability: The amp is very sturdy and built to last. The panels are easily scratched though but with proper care (I use a cloth to cover the panel and another one for the entire amp) it'll last you years. I bought this in 2008 and so far, I had no issues with it at all. I think there was this one incident (just this October) when I turned it up to 25 watts and cranked master volume to like 8 and there was this very loud feedback from the amp. I've unplugged the guitar and the cord but the feedback was still there, I thought it'll explode on me but when I did a power cycle, it went back to normal operation. // 9
Impression: Usually, you get what you pay for but with a budget amp like this, you get what you pay for AND MORE. I tried several similar priced amps (Laney, Marshall, Behringer, Peavey) but nothing compared to the AD30VT-XL. I'm very happy with it. If it gets stolen or lost, I'd probably buy it again but that depends on if there's a higher level amp that costs a few hundred dollars more that's available from the shop. I'd probably save up to get a higher level amp. // 9
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