Got my 2011 Blueface VH4 in...+ my 01 VH4S shootout

[stdtheband]

Hey!

I got my 2011 VH4 Blueface in! So, I set it up with my 2001 VH4S and compared them. I got the new Blueface from the UK so I am using a step up transformer till my tech rewires the power transformer next week. They both sound awesome!! I can already hear the refinements to the design in the sound and response. Both are great amps!! They are definitely still closely related, but the newer one is more immediate. It has a more present upper midrange and top end, and the frequency knobs are more reactive. The clean channel is definitely better in the 2011 but the 2001 is warmer and more vintage amp sounding (because the upper-mids are less punchy it makes the lows pop). The newer amp is much more in-your-face. They are both great and will sound amazing with the guitar splitting to both. Awesome Tones!! More to come!

 

[brickford]

So on that basis would a silver faced 2011-12 be a margin more brighter than your blue faced Vh4 as i heard that the blues were slightly darker sounding?
or do i have that the wrong way round??

 

[stdtheband]

I have not played a silverface 2011. My silverface is a 2001 VH4S. My silverface has all vintage Mullard tubes in it.

Tonight, I took the 2011 Blueface to my tech to have the power transformer rewired for USA. My tech/good friend put an early 1960's mullard 12ax7 CV4004 in V1 and it made a massive difference. The 2011 Blueface now sounds unquestionably better then my 2001 Silverface VH4S. My tech thinks it is the best sounding amp ever. I agree.

 

[slyvren]

Thanks for the review. I'm going to check into getting one of those mullard pres. You've gotta love the blueface. It rips. I bet if you find an original one you'd probably like the new one better... but that's just me.

 

[zuel69]

I love my 2011 blueface, it's really something.