Fryette SigX vs. UL

midgod07

Active member
I’ve been considering a SigX vs. UL for some time now. Itll live in the basement whatever it is. The SigX looks cool for versatility but will I always wonder about the UL? I play mostly rock and metal - but nothing crazy downtuned or djenty. Help me decide!
 
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I’ve been considering a SigX vs. UL for some time now. Itll live in the basement whatever it is. The SigX looks cool for versatility but will I always wonder about the UL? Is the lack of MV an issue on that amp? I play mostly rock and metal - but nothing crazy downtuned or djenty. Help me decide!
Lack of MV? if you're referring to a Master Volume, they both definitely have a MV.
 
The UL sounds fine at lower volumes. The louder the better of course but it sounds good quiet. I'd take the UL over the sigx anyday.
 
The UL sounds fine at lower volumes. The louder the better of course but it sounds good quiet. I'd take the UL over the sigx anyday.
What kind of stuff do you play? I had a CL100 at one point early in my journey. I liked it, but I did all the usual complaining that everyone does over Fryette's signature tone. Then I heard someone playing Van Halen through a UL and I was floored.

What pushes you to the UL over the Sig?
 
back when I had an UL I was playing death metal mostly. I play all kinds of rock any more though. I prefer the UL to SIGX as I have a deliverance and feel like it does what the sig does but better. I like the UL as it's very unique sounding.

I know u didnt ask but I'll add: out of the VHT amps I've had I prefer the deliverance to all of em.
 
no i'm glad you told me. i play mostly hard rock and "old" metal, Mastodon and Gojira type stuff. i think the appeal of the Sig is that it appears to have a lot of options to dialing in tone. with that said, I had a BE100DLX and HATED all the switches and buttons. none of them got me where i wanted to go. worries me a bit about the Sig that it's got all that stuff. i like to turn a few knobs and be done.

i do like having multiple channels though. given all of that, if you could only have one of them and the Sig is 2k and the UL is 3k, what do you do?
 
I prefer the UL. But I'm not sure I would pay 3k for one. If I had 3k to throw down I could do better. I wont name a bunch of amps but I will say this: hold off for awhile and I think prices will come down a whole lot. I wouldnt buy now.

Also the UL will hold its value over the sig IMO.
 
i had the same feeling. Sigs are starting to come down in price for sure. I think the fact that noone is wanting to sell their UL drives that market. I'd be buying it from a buddy and it's about as close to new as you'll ever get, and that is worth something to me over someone who has no clue about their amp that's criss-crossed the country. I know there are "better" amps out there at 3k but honestly it's the last one on my list to try really.
 
i had the same feeling. Sigs are starting to come down in price for sure. I think the fact that noone is wanting to sell their UL drives that market. I'd be buying it from a buddy and it's about as close to new as you'll ever get, and that is worth something to me over someone who has no clue about their amp that's criss-crossed the country. I know there are "better" amps out there at 3k but honestly it's the last one on my list to try really.
Maybe see if you can borrow your friends for a week to see if you gel with it
 
well, sadly we don't live in the same state anymore. but he's a badass guy and is willing to let me come over and rip on it as much as i like. sadly i'm subject to the "i want it now!" phenomenon and whenever one comes up for sale (which is not TOO often for either amp) i feel like i have to make a decision and get one of them. which is stupid.
 
I had a UL and sold it after a year. I don't know if I just didn't have the right cab for it at the time, but I just remember it feeling anemic and ice-picky, even at rehearsal/stage volume. I really think it was the cab, though, because everyone else seems to have much better experience with it.

I've had a Sig:X for almost 10 years and have never regretted it. I also have a CLX. Both are incredible amps... but the Sig:X green ("Clean") channel is one of the best clean sounds out there... channel switcher or not. That channel alone is worthy of exploration, especially if you can crank it.

The UL's clean channel, IIRC, was super high headroom clean.

I also have owned a D60 and D120. Both were incredible amps. The D60 actually did the VH and cranked/modded Marshall thing really well IMO but with bigger balls. The D120 sounded massive. I ended up trading up from the D120 to a Sig:X and haven't looked back. At the time I was really in the market for a Bogner Ecstasy 101B. When I plugged into the Sig:X, it actually reminded me of the 101B... if you took a blanket off of the cab. It felt like the Sig:X did everything the 101B did, but better. YMMV obviously, but that was my takeaway.

I think the Sig:X is underrated among the Fryette offerings.
 
well, sadly we don't live in the same state anymore. but he's a badass guy and is willing to let me come over and rip on it as much as i like. sadly i'm subject to the "i want it now!" phenomenon and whenever one comes up for sale (which is not TOO often for either amp) i feel like i have to make a decision and get one of them. which is stupid.

keep posting... your'e up to 18. lol
 
The high gain channels preamp the amps are very similar. The clean channels as mentioned are very different. The Sig X clean channel does a pretty good Hiwatt. Might want a Power Station to check out it's full range.

The biggest difference is the poweramp. The Sig X is half a 2/90/2. The UL is half a 2150.

The results being the Sig X is more saturated and forgiving feel.

Most of the Fryette gear is based off of 2 high gain preamp architecture and 2 clean preamp types. Slight variations of these. The poweramp being the biggest difference in the various models.
 
I had a UL and sold it after a year. I don't know if I just didn't have the right cab for it at the time, but I just remember it feeling anemic and ice-picky, even at rehearsal/stage volume. I really think it was the cab, though, because everyone else seems to have much better experience with it.

I've had a Sig:X for almost 10 years and have never regretted it. I also have a CLX. Both are incredible amps... but the Sig:X green ("Clean") channel is one of the best clean sounds out there... channel switcher or not. That channel alone is worthy of exploration, especially if you can crank it.

The UL's clean channel, IIRC, was super high headroom clean.

I also have owned a D60 and D120. Both were incredible amps. The D60 actually did the VH and cranked/modded Marshall thing really well IMO but with bigger balls. The D120 sounded massive. I ended up trading up from the D120 to a Sig:X and haven't looked back. At the time I was really in the market for a Bogner Ecstasy 101B. When I plugged into the Sig:X, it actually reminded me of the 101B... if you took a blanket off of the cab. It felt like the Sig:X did everything the 101B did, but better. YMMV obviously, but that was my takeaway.

I think the Sig:X is underrated among the Fryette offerings.
Wound up with a Sigg. Can you share some of your settings, specifically for more metal type tones a la John Browne?
 
Wound up with a Sigg. Can you share some of your settings, specifically for more metal type tones a la John Browne?
Ya might wanna check ya preamp tubes... The earlier 2010 era VHT has China 12ax7a instead of Bs and the guys at VHT they like to put a sovtek 7025 on V1... If ya fine it's gotta have a slightly lesser gain... Just change to all 12ax7B China or the first V1 ya could put a Tungsol it works well for the Fryettes... Hope this help..
 
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