Do I want a vh4

[spguitar]

I mean you can highlight as many poorly recorded cell phone videos as you want but I still don't hear any articulation there.

This one is mic'd with a SM57 and Warm Audio WA-47.

 

[Jimty]

I recently bought a pre-owned VH4. Still getting to know it, but I really like that it offers something different to my 2204 and MCII inspired Headfirst build. I‘ve found myself coming up with new stuff / playing differently, which is what I was hoping for and what I like about the various bits of gear I have. As others have said, if you can get hold of one and try it before you buy it do that. If not and it’s at a price point that works for you, give it a go and see what you think. Re-sale should be fairly straightforward.

 

[Philhouse]

It's important to note that the portion of Adam Jones's tone that can be attributed to the VH4 is the resulting blend of two of them, purposely out of phase with each other. Running out of phase amps usually come across as thin, lacking low end, distant, etc. Since the VH4 is such a fat, dark, even dull kind of tone, these normally undesirable characteristics may surprisingly work really well in his blended, unusual, out of phase amp recipe. I can't imagine anyone else being able to manage such a complex, 3 amp rig (vintage Marshall SuperBass is the other one, of course) unless you have a team of world class engineers, soundmen, etc working for you. I'm pretty sure AJ has long said the Marshall is always the main core of his tone.

Exactly. The OOP aspect is an important factor in it. It sounds very different in the room this way than just a VH4 and a Marshall blended, let alone just a single VH4. It's always a sum of the parts. The VH4/Recto/Rivera is still the icing on the Marshall cake though.

These threads always seem end up in quite a lot of love/hate viewpoints. The bigger the target, the more expensive the gear, the more hype and expectations, then the more it polarises opinions. The SLO and Wizard threads come to mind also. Take it all with a few grains of subjective internet forum quality salt.

 

[ErikT]

He's a review where he compares with a 2203 and 5150.

 

[the other John Browne]

He's a review where he compares with a 2203 and 5150.

Euges demo is really good. I find his and Rezas demos of the VH4 represent best how it really sounds

 

[the other John Browne]

FWIW I think the Diezel sound and feel can be an acquired taste for some. Diezels are uniquely their own thing and this applies to the VH4 most in my opinion. Contrary to what a lot of people say, the VH4 is not super compressed. Out of the Diezels I have played (D-Moll, Herbert mk 1, Herbert mk 2 and Hagen) it is the least forgiving and makes you work hard but also really rewards you. It's less an amp you command but more an amp you dance with... if that makes any sense at all. Also the power amp presence frequency sits lower on the frequency band than the typical presence control does which can be weird at first and take the ears a bit to get used to.
It seems most people end up either loving or hating it. I would advise anyone to spend more than five minutes with it. It might not be love at first chug but there is treasure to be found in the VH4.

 

[hellzington]

I posted this on TGP a few weeks ago but I feel like it's equally at home in this convo.

I have owned:

1. 2006 Diezel VH4
2. 2022 Diezel VH4
3. 2021 Diezel VH2
4. 2010 Diezel Einstein
5. 2022 Diezel Big Max
6. 2016 Diezel Hagen

IMO, the best are the Big Max, Einstein, and VH2. Those are in order from most “vintage voiced” to most “modern voiced.” That said, they’re all high gain.

I like the more vintage voiced Diezels best and I’ll tell you why: Tool.

Now I know you’re probably like, “Hey wait Dr. Hellz, Adam Jones uses a VH4!” He does; mixed with a Marshall Super Lead. So what you’re hearing is not pure Diezel. It’s Diezel lows and low mids with Marshall upper mids and treble bite. THAT’S “the sound.”

The vintage voiced Diezels do this all in one package. The “vintage voice” is really code for “Marshall.” Less compressed, more open, more sag, less negative feedback. The Big Max is basically what it would sound like if Peter Diezel built a 2204. The Einstein is like a VH4 and a Marshall mixed. Those two can do that Adam Jones tone many are chasing far better than the VH4.

I’m telling you this so you don’t do what I did: spend a fortune buying and trying all the Diezels. Save yourself the money and the hassle. Get a Big Max, an Einstein, or maybe a VH2. Look at all the VH4’s for sale. They’re everywhere. That’s because they don’t do THAT sound without a Marshall alongside them. But the Big Max and Einstein do.

Again, just Dr. Hellz’ two cents.