Matchless, Bruno, Top Hat module unnecessary?

[chickenoolie]

I don't have a VX (yet)...
But, I'm wondering if the cleans are good enough to make a "Boutique el84/ef86-ish Clean" module unnecessary.
Matchless, Top Hat, Bruno... etc

Just looking at the cleans only. The main quality I'm looking for is the throaty compression that brings out the pick attack and string raking/popping much more than a blackface/piano type clean.

skip to :35 second to get past the introduction on this one

 

[chickenoolie]

56 Post views so far and nobody saying, "Heck Yes, the cleans are that good."
Perhaps a call to Jeff for some exploration of the concept is in order.

In case it ever does come to light, here's my take on module description:

VX-B
As the fluorescence of the 80's was fading into the earthtones that shaped the 90's - a new crop of amp designers began to do for early el84-Vox circuits what Dumble did for their 6L6-American counterparts. American "Boutique" was born.

For the VX-B (B for Boutique) we begin with our standard VX module. We then lower and refine the gain structure just enough to bring in a steamin' cup of modern boutique shimmer - without out the modern boutique price tag.

Channel A - Whether you like to Chickn' Pick or Rattle & Hum - this channel delivers cleans so haunting that "three chords and the truth" are all that's required.

Channel B - Grab your slide and have everybody wonder "Whose That Coming?" Raw crunch with beautifully refined edges - think Irish Tour rather than Night At The Opera.

 

[bscfo1]

That's a great description!

Based on the videos I think my VX module sounds very close to the Top Hat. It has a compressed feel to it, and a dipped midrange it seems. I think if you EQ'd it for the Strats neck pickup you could get The Wind Cries and Lenny sounds too without modification. The only drawback is the other pickup settings on your Strat will sound very ice picky to my ears.

All of these sounds could be found on the A channel of the VX. B channel gets very bassy with the same settings, so you compromise. I generally use the A as a nice shimmery clean, then the B as an edge of breakup sound that I can push with a Tube Screamer. You could use this one module on every song if needed.

 

[muudrock]

I will say this, after I got the VX module, I have not touched any other module for cleans. Put a couple 5751 tubes in it and it is as botique as you want. Warm, chimey, open and very sensitve to pick attack. Ch B is a great vintage sounding overdrive that can cover a lot of ground. Put a TS, OCD or BB in front of it and it can scream. For that matter, a BB preamp thru channel A is almost perfect.
Between the tone controls, the gain controls and the bright/bass switches, you can cover a lot of sonic territory.




Hope this helps.

 

[chickenoolie]

bscfo1 & muudrock - thanks for the replies.
Sounds like the stock VX could be the ticket.
I did some more searching on the 5751's and it looks like a lot
of guys are using them to for just what I'm looking for.

thanks guys.

Also, once you dive in to the world of Vox variants, you
realize another benefit of the Eggy stuff - universal controls.
You've got fender and marshall type amps with similar controls,
and then over on the Vox side you've got a two channel
non switchable amp with interactive bass/treble controls on
one side and a 6 way rotary tone switch and a cut control on
the other side???

My mind just works better if everythings going in the same direction.

 

[bscfo1]

bscfo1 & muudrock - thanks for the replies.
Sounds like the stock VX could be the ticket.
I did some more searching on the 5751's and it looks like a lot
of guys are using them to for just what I'm looking for.

thanks guys.

Also, once you dive in to the world of Vox variants, you
realize another benefit of the Eggy stuff - universal controls.
You've got fender and marshall type amps with similar controls,
and then over on the Vox side you've got a two channel
non switchable amp with interactive bass/treble controls on
one side and a 6 way rotary tone switch and a cut control on
the other side???

My mind just works better if everythings going in the same direction.

You're welcome.
I agree with muudrock, the VX is my primary clean module and I've had them all. I also have 5751 tube's in mine to bring the gain down a bit. But you'll like it stock too.

That's true about the simplicity of the Egnater control layout. He gets the sounds of those amps without all the push/pulls, rotarys, power scaling, attenuaters etc. It's great. Very easy and painless to chase tone with this amp.

 

[muudrock]

I'll add that the VX tone controls do work somewhat like a real AC30TB. Increase the treble past 12:00 and it starts to roll off the bass frequencies like the real deal. Of course, you also have the mid control which isn't on an AC30 to fine tune it even more.

 

[guitarslinger]

The VX really does sound awesome.

I also think there is room for a VX Lite in the line too, though. Do it like the VX, but make both channels cleaner.

 

[Klark]

..I also think there is room for a VX Lite in the line too, though. Do it like the VX, but make both channels cleaner.

That would cool. I just ordered a Randall Top Boost to try and get a cleaner Vox clean tone. I had a Super V but it's like the VX and doesn't get crystal clean.

I use the VX so much for my dirty tones that I bought two. One eq'd for my strats & teles, the other eq'd for Gibsons.

 

[guitarslinger]

I use the VX so much for my dirty tones that I bought two.

I've also seriously considered that.

 

[Klark]

I use the VX so much for my dirty tones that I bought two.

I've also seriously considered that.

I have a programmable TC EQ that I could do EQ changes with, but it's a bitch to program. Not too mention it's midi is pretty lame. Sometimes it loads, other times it sticks. When I find some time, I'll mess with the TC and try to get it working reliably. Doing so would allow me to sell the 2nd VX I bought..

 

[Resonant Alien]

That would cool. I just ordered a Randall Top Boost to try and get a cleaner Vox clean tone. I had a Super V but it's like the VX and doesn't get crystal clean.

Klark - How is the Super V compared to the VX? It's billed only as a clean module, but I was wondering if it can get more gainy / dirty if you crank the gain knob, or if it stays more on the clean / slight breakup side of things.

 

[Klark]

That would cool. I just ordered a Randall Top Boost to try and get a cleaner Vox clean tone. I had a Super V but it's like the VX and doesn't get crystal clean.

Klark - How is the Super V compared to the VX? It's billed only as a clean module, but I was wondering if it can get more gainy / dirty if you crank the gain knob, or if it stays more on the clean / slight breakup side of things.

The Super V is definitely NOT a clean module. I'd have to say the Super V is only slightly less gain than the VX. I was able to dial in the Super V to sound almost indistinguishable from my favorite VX settings. The gain on my VX is usually around 11 o'clock, and to match that the Super was at about 1 o'clock. Tone wise, it honestly was hard to tell the difference at times. But as usual with any Egnater module compared to it's Randall counterpart, the Egnater was a bit more refined and smoother. If you were recording the two, you'd notice the difference right away. But if you were switching back & forth between modules while playing live, I doubt even the guitar players in the crowd could tell the difference.

 

[guitarslinger]

I use the VX so much for my dirty tones that I bought two.

I've also seriously considered that.

I have a programmable TC EQ that I could do EQ changes with, but it's a bitch to program. Not too mention it's midi is pretty lame. Sometimes it loads, other times it sticks. When I find some time, I'll mess with the TC and try to get it working reliably. Doing so would allow me to sell the 2nd VX I bought..

1128?

I've never had any loading/midi problems with mine. Are you sure yours is okay?

I usually only cut or boost one band at a time, so I don't get too far from normal with my ears gradually getting used to it.