NAD: Diezel VH4

  • Thread starter Thread starter Soundstorm
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I'll be honest, I want it for channel 3. But too many people have said the VH2 is not the same as the channels on the VH4. So I wonder.
Haven't played a VH2 but from the research I've done it sounds like it's significantly looser than the VH4 in feel and has a slightly different overall EQ. Maybe those who own one can chime in.

I hear ya.
Id love to compare a bunch of these amps live, like the top end KSR heads, etc.

I can't really afford to spendaybe $3000 on my next amp in which I'm currently saving. I struggle to justify spending more than that, but now I don't know. Ugh.
I had a latest spec Colossus for a few months. It was way too smooth and compressed sounding for me. I'm not into modern metal though. It's in the same ballpark as the Revv amps, which I heavily dislike. Make sure you play through one before you buy. I also wasn't impressed with KSR's customer service. Either way, the VH4 is in another league compared to the Colossus for my tastes.
 
I wasn't a fan initially when I got mine but it has grown on me tremendously. It helped to swap out the KT77s it came with to 6L6s and performing a negative feedback mod (moving NFB wire from 8 ohm to 4 ohm speaker jack) which helps open the amp up perfectly imo. The amp sounds incredible with G12T-75s I've found. Surprisingly the Bogner 4x12 I have doesn't sound that great with it.

What changes did you hear/feel by making that tube change?
 
Congrats.
I appreciate you actually having and playing the amp before creating a thread..
I hate clicking on a NAD to find some jackass creamed themselves before they actually have the damn thing.
 
Congrats. Never owned the VH4, but had the Herbert and a Hagen. Damn I miss the Hagen…
 
Just watched that video with PD in German.. This amp was out in 92?
He said they went with KT77's for reliability.
My limited experience in the same amp is that they have a nice compression and extended highend compared to EL34's
 
The KT77s to my ear congested the lower midrange of the amp. The 6L6s scooped out those unpleasant frequencies and added a bit of presence to the top end. I think the VH4 originally shipped with 6L6s when it was first designed.

Interesting, I had always thought they were el34 based amps - thanks!
 
The KT77s to my ear congested the lower midrange of the amp. The 6L6s scooped out those unpleasant frequencies and added a bit of presence to the top end. I think the VH4 originally shipped with 6L6s when it was first designed.
Interesting, I’ve admittedly not tube rolled at all yet in any Diezel I’ve owned other than swapping the KT77’s my Blueface it came with out for EL34’s and that was a big improvement. I’ve honestly hated those 77’s in every amp I had them in for the reasons you mentioned (bad low mid thing) other than just my Gjika & of course the the vintage Mullard & GEC KT77’s are different animals than the ones out now. I’ll have to try 6L6’s in it
 
This is one amp I'm curious to try again. I used to always plug into them when I'd visit a particular Guitar Center store by me and could never figure out the hype. Many years later, I've found that amps I didn't initially like at all are the ones I like the most now, so the VH4 is one I'd like to revisit. Unfortunately, the prices on them are likely out of range of what I'd be willing to spend just to try one again ☹️
 
So you got neither?

Einstein.

I hated that thing almost more than any amp I had previously. The plexi channel was great but everything else, no thanks. Again, I just didn't like it. Others like theirs so all good!

The retailer (who was great to deal with!) took it back in trade for a Herbert he had (VH-4 got sold of course!) which was awesome but at close to 65lbs (not the advertised 56lbs), it was not fun to carry to gigs. It was one of those times when getting hold of one of these nicer amps was a real challenge. People were snapping these things up like crazy. Tried to find a Bogner XTC at the time as well and there was nothing around, even used.

I wish I got the VH-4 in the first place, I would have probably really liked that a lot more. I've tried one years later and it was really nice.

Nothing stopping me now or then but really happy with what I have these days.
 
Congrats man, glad you're loving it.

I had run through pretty much the entire Diezel lineup and had come to the conclusion that they weren't for me (outside of the Big Max which I love as their take on a JCM800 style single channel amp).

I had never played through a VH4 though. Picked one up just to satisfy that last bit of Diezel curiosity thinking I wouldn't quite jive with it but I was blown away. Pure unadulterated presence, punch and grinding brutality. The character of the distortion is so damn unique, sounds like you're playing in an alien hellscape. Its legendary status is well deserved in my book.
 
Congrats man, glad you're loving it.

I had run through pretty much the entire Diezel lineup and had come to the conclusion that they weren't for me (outside of the Big Max which I love as their take on a JCM800 style single channel amp).

I had never played through a VH4 though. Picked one up just to satisfy that last bit of Diezel curiosity thinking I wouldn't quite jive with it but I was blown away. Pure unadulterated presence, punch and grinding brutality. The character of the distortion is so damn unique, sounds like you're playing in an alien hellscape. Its legendary status is well deserved in my book.
Y'all are making me want to buy a VH4 now. I had the Synergy module and I was pleasantly surprised, but it was the most "generic" sounding module I had, so I traded it for an SLO, which is maybe marginally better.
 
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