VHT/Fryette Pitbull UL vs Sig X

[bigangryguitar]

The information about a updated Sig X came from support (Dave) on a other forum about five years ago.It has only been mentioned a few times since then.

Other projects in the works include a updated Deliverance (effects loop and foot switchable More/Less switch), LXII poweramp, Power Load Variable Reactive Load Cab + Mic Emulation, Sound City amps, Steve Fryette is also very involved with the Synergy project and Fane speakers.

I'm probably forgetting a few...

I talked to Dave a few months ago and he said the Sig X II is still in the works. I would love to hear it with el34's personally, loved my KT88 loaded model of course (easily one of the best amps I've owned) but am really, really digging my el34 loaded cl50 I recently acquired. The Sig X can cover the vintage/classic rock/clean stuff but I like the feel of the cl50 a bit better and it just slays for all things hard rock and metal.

Awesome .....
Agree there is magic in the EL34. Steve said it took him a decade to develope the Sig X in 2008. Years more of experience and feedback should make for a interesting amp. If they voiced it so it covered more of that modern edge.... More bass / girth and raw I'm sure would be popular. Maybe make the Dynamic Sensing adjustable.

I doubt they will but it would be cool if they offered two versions. One like it is but with the slight changes and one with four power tubes so you can get that bulldozer sound if you want!

 

[CrazyNutz]

Agree there is magic in the EL34.

Yup. I don't even bother with other power tube types anymore. The mids, and the tight bottom end of the el34 cannot be matched.

I figured this out years ago when my other guitarist got a 50w bassman that was modded with el34's and it crushed my SLO.

 

[Red_Label]

The UL is VERY stiff and unforgiving. I had one for about twelve years. A lot of people find the UL under gained as well. Actually all the fryette stuff is that way. Ime. I play Engl now. Much better for me.

Owned a PB and played a Savage 120. Liked the VHT UL i tried better

I had a Powerball II and a VHT UL. If I was to choose which one I wanted back, it would be the UL. And I'm not even a high-gain player any more. The PB was great, but the UL is better IMO.

 

[fuzzyguitars]

man, if it took 10 years for the first version of the sig. how long will it take for an updated version?

i had one back when they first came out. i remeber wanting more. meanning like one more pair of kt88.

i have always loved amps with big power sections. love the extra girth and headroom

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

The UL is VERY stiff and unforgiving. I had one for about twelve years. A lot of people find the UL under gained as well. Actually all the fryette stuff is that way. Ime. I play Engl now. Much better for me.

Owned a PB and played a Savage 120. Liked the VHT UL i tried better

I had a Powerball II and a VHT UL. If I was to choose which one I wanted back, it would be the UL. And I'm not even a high-gain player any more. The PB was great, but the UL is better IMO.

For me... I'd take an Engl SE (and have) over the UL. Maybe not the PBII though. Definitely not the PBI.

I've owned 3 ULs and usually wind up selling them due to the dry, unsaturated tone. It sounds cool, new, and different at first (because it is)... but after playing my other amps back to back with the UL... I like the Mesa/Engl saturated tone/feel better. Still really cool well built amps I may revisit in the future.

 

[RedB4Black]

I love my UL. It's one of the best amps for metal and everything else you could imagine. I also like ENGL, Bogner, Diezel, et al, but none of these come close to the UL for the tones that I like...which would be super tight, percussive, clean/non-fizzy saturation and non-compressed

 

[Red_Label]

I love my UL. It's one of the best amps for metal and everything else you could imagine. I also like ENGL, Bogner, Diezel, et al, but none of these come close to the UL for the tones that I like...which would be super tight, percussive, clean/non-fizzy saturation and non-compressed

I kinda like tight, dry amps. And yeah, I think that the fizziness of the Engl is what makes the VHT come out on top for me. I hate fizz.

 

[fuzzyguitars]

when i owned the ul

a boost would saturate the amp great for solos.

bog er harlow boost comp works great to add some squish sag to make notes jump for solos

The UL is VERY stiff and unforgiving. I had one for about twelve years. A lot of people find the UL under gained as well. Actually all the fryette stuff is that way. Ime. I play Engl now. Much better for me.

Owned a PB and played a Savage 120. Liked the VHT UL i tried better

I had a Powerball II and a VHT UL. If I was to choose which one I wanted back, it would be the UL. And I'm not even a high-gain player any more. The PB was great, but the UL is better IMO.

For me... I'd take an Engl SE (and have) over the UL. Maybe not the PBII though. Definitely not the PBI.

I've owned 3 ULs and usually wind up selling them due to the dry, unsaturated tone. It sounds cool, new, and different at first (because it is)... but after playing my other amps back to back with the UL... I like the Mesa/Engl saturated tone/feel better. Still really cool well built amps I may revisit in the future.

 

[DragonCrestPC]

I love my UL. It's one of the best amps for metal and everything else you could imagine. I also like ENGL, Bogner, Diezel, et al, but none of these come close to the UL for the tones that I like...which would be super tight, percussive, clean/non-fizzy saturation and non-compressed

I agree 100%, just grabbed a mint 2002 VHT UL with EQ ( going to be doing a thread and video on it soon ) and i have to say it puts all my amps i own to shame. I'll post more about it later when i make a thread but i just cant get over how incredible it sounds!

 

[MetalHeadMike]

I love my UL. It's one of the best amps for metal and everything else you could imagine. I also like ENGL, Bogner, Diezel, et al, but none of these come close to the UL for the tones that I like...which would be super tight, percussive, clean/non-fizzy saturation and non-compressed

I kinda like tight, dry amps. And yeah, I think that the fizziness of the Engl is what makes the VHT come out on top for me. I hate fizz.

I've owned a few ENGL models, played a few more, and still own a Savage 120, and fizzy is the last thing that comes to mind Maybe its because I suck out the 8 and 16 kHz freqs.

Just received a D60 today in a trade for one of my ENGLS and can't wait to give it hell. Plugged in to it for about 40 minutes total today and so far

 

[stephen sawall]

The information about a updated Sig X came from support (Dave) on a other forum about five years ago.It has only been mentioned a few times since then.

Other projects in the works include a updated Deliverance (effects loop and foot switchable More/Less switch), LXII poweramp, Power Load Variable Reactive Load Cab + Mic Emulation, Sound City amps, Steve Fryette is also very involved with the Synergy project and Fane speakers.

I'm probably forgetting a few...

I talked to Dave a few months ago and he said the Sig X II is still in the works. I would love to hear it with el34's personally, loved my KT88 loaded model of course (easily one of the best amps I've owned) but am really, really digging my el34 loaded cl50 I recently acquired. The Sig X can cover the vintage/classic rock/clean stuff but I like the feel of the cl50 a bit better and it just slays for all things hard rock and metal.

Awesome .....
Agree there is magic in the EL34. Steve said it took him a decade to develope the Sig X in 2008. Years more of experience and feedback should make for a interesting amp. If they voiced it so it covered more of that modern edge.... More bass / girth and raw I'm sure would be popular. Maybe make the Dynamic Sensing adjustable.

I doubt they will but it would be cool if they offered two versions. One like it is but with the slight changes and one with four power tubes so you can get that bulldozer sound if you want!

4,6...8 powertubes. You really can't have enough. Some kind of hybrid of the Deliverance and Sig X.

I have messed around with using the Sig X and Deliverance 120 together with a couple 4x12 and Fulltone ABY. It was a pretty big sound.

 

[stephen sawall]

I love my UL. It's one of the best amps for metal and everything else you could imagine. I also like ENGL, Bogner, Diezel, et al, but none of these come close to the UL for the tones that I like...which would be super tight, percussive, clean/non-fizzy saturation and non-compressed

I kinda like tight, dry amps. And yeah, I think that the fizziness of the Engl is what makes the VHT come out on top for me. I hate fizz.

I've owned a few ENGL models, played a few more, and still own a Savage 120, and fizzy is the last thing that comes to mind Maybe its because I suck out the 8 and 16 kHz freqs.

Just received a D60 today in a trade for one of my ENGLS and can't wait to give it hell. Plugged in to it for about 40 minutes total today and so far

I consider the Deliverance pretty much a perfect sound. It's completely balanced. With a boost or overdrive and the guitar volume pretty much any type sound can be done.

"On the contrary. Real musical and harmonically balanced power amp clipping is achieved by carefully matching driver stage, power tube and output transformer behavior. The D60 design goal is an amp that has the punch and clarity of a 100W amp combined with the distortion character and harmonic balance of a 50W amp. KT88s have the clean, dynamic quality of 6L6s and the transparent upper harmonic quality and smooth transition into clipping of EL34s. As a result, EL34 players get what they want and 6L6 players get they want without the compromises inherent in designs that offer tube switching which don't really produce an optimum version of either."
~ Steve Fryette

 

[stephen sawall]

Agree there is magic in the EL34.

Yup. I don't even bother with other power tube types anymore. The mids, and the tight bottom end of the el34 cannot be matched.

I figured this out years ago when my other guitarist got a 50w bassman that was modded with el34's and it crushed my SLO.

I run EL34 in my THD Series One Plexi (JMP). I also sometimes run them in my Tremoverb. Last several years I usually use 6L6 in the Tremoverb.

My taste varies too much to stay with one tube type. My favorite is probably the KT66.

KT66 do not sound good in all my amps that can use 6L6.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

I love my UL. It's one of the best amps for metal and everything else you could imagine. I also like ENGL, Bogner, Diezel, et al, but none of these come close to the UL for the tones that I like...which would be super tight, percussive, clean/non-fizzy saturation and non-compressed

I kinda like tight, dry amps. And yeah, I think that the fizziness of the Engl is what makes the VHT come out on top for me. I hate fizz.

I've owned a few ENGL models, played a few more, and still own a Savage 120, and fizzy is the last thing that comes to mind Maybe its because I suck out the 8 and 16 kHz freqs.

Just received a D60 today in a trade for one of my ENGLS and can't wait to give it hell. Plugged in to it for about 40 minutes total today and so far

I consider the Deliverance pretty much a perfect sound. It's completely balanced. With a boost or overdrive and the guitar volume pretty much any type sound can be done.

"On the contrary. Real musical and harmonically balanced power amp clipping is achieved by carefully matching driver stage, power tube and output transformer behavior. The D60 design goal is an amp that has the punch and clarity of a 100W amp combined with the distortion character and harmonic balance of a 50W amp. KT88s have the clean, dynamic quality of 6L6s and the transparent upper harmonic quality and smooth transition into clipping of EL34s. As a result, EL34 players get what they want and 6L6 players get they want without the compromises inherent in designs that offer tube switching which don't really produce an optimum version of either."
~ Steve Fryette

I don't have much time on the D60 considering it just arrived, but I can agree with your point about the amp being balanced.

I've been wanting to try a Fryette for the last 5-6 years now, and I think I picked the right model to start with. Can't wait to really dig into this amp at volume. It'll be a few weeks before I can as were in the process of relocating right now, and I'm currently still in an apartment. But we've purchased a single family home with no direct neighbors so in about two weeks volume concerns will be a thing of the past

 

[JerEvil]

I love my UL. It's one of the best amps for metal and everything else you could imagine. I also like ENGL, Bogner, Diezel, et al, but none of these come close to the UL for the tones that I like...which would be super tight, percussive, clean/non-fizzy saturation and non-compressed

I kinda like tight, dry amps. And yeah, I think that the fizziness of the Engl is what makes the VHT come out on top for me. I hate fizz.

I've owned a few ENGL models, played a few more, and still own a Savage 120, and fizzy is the last thing that comes to mind Maybe its because I suck out the 8 and 16 kHz freqs.

Just received a D60 today in a trade for one of my ENGLS and can't wait to give it hell. Plugged in to it for about 40 minutes total today and so far

I consider the Deliverance pretty much a perfect sound. It's completely balanced. With a boost or overdrive and the guitar volume pretty much any type sound can be done.

"On the contrary. Real musical and harmonically balanced power amp clipping is achieved by carefully matching driver stage, power tube and output transformer behavior. The D60 design goal is an amp that has the punch and clarity of a 100W amp combined with the distortion character and harmonic balance of a 50W amp. KT88s have the clean, dynamic quality of 6L6s and the transparent upper harmonic quality and smooth transition into clipping of EL34s. As a result, EL34 players get what they want and 6L6 players get they want without the compromises inherent in designs that offer tube switching which don't really produce an optimum version of either."
~ Steve Fryette

I don't have much time on the D60 considering it just arrived, but I can agree with your point about the amp being balanced.

I've been wanting to try a Fryette for the last 5-6 years now, and I think I picked the right model to start with. Can't wait to really dig into this amp at volume. It'll be a few weeks before I can as were in the process of relocating right now, and I'm currently still in an apartment. But we've purchased a single family home with no direct neighbors so in about two weeks volume concerns will be a thing of the past

The Deliverance line is seriously something special.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

Well considering I'm moving out of this apartment next Thursday anyway, I said fuck it all to hell and cranked the master on this D60 up a bit and let her rip.

I just finished a 3 hour session and have to say a few things:

I'm stunned.
I was inspired.
I was grinning from ear to ear; still am.
I'm completely in awe.
I love this amp.

 

[DragonCrestPC]

My next piece of gear was going to be a butterslax but i may have to grab a D120 instead. Played and bought a UL a few days ago and i have to say its the most brutal amp i've ever played but the D60 i played the same day was also quite amazing!

 

[MetalHeadMike]

My next piece of gear was going to be a butterslax but i may have to grab a D120 instead. Played and bought a UL a few days ago and i have to say its the most brutal amp i've ever played but the D60 i played the same day was also quite amazing!

I've heard MANY describe the UL as the most most brutal amp they've ever played. I'll definitely be checking out that amp at some point. Now that I've played on a Fryette/VHT, I can understand the hype regarding these amps exposing your playing and giving back everything you put in. I've also heard people say you can play them with the gain dimed and the tone remains intact with full articulation; I found this to be accurate as well (with this particular amp at least).

The KSR ARES I have is very similar in that it will not hide sloppy playing when you have the gain at low to moderate settings, but the difference with the KSR is that as you increase the gain to its higher range, it compresses & saturates more and then covers your playing up a bit if you so choose. Its like having the best of both worlds; another absolutely AMAZING amp! Set the gain between noon and 1 o' clock and its a similar "dry" ultra articulate gain structure; take the gain past 1 o' clock and its still ultra articulate but more compressed/saturated.

 

[stephen sawall]

It's easy to add compression and saturation with pedals. You can not remove compression and saturation with pedals.

There is lots of great amps .... Taste is always subjective. I don't think any of us only use one amp builder. I use amps by several builders. Fryette just happens to be my preference for highgain usually. I see all these amps as different tools. Using the right tool for the job. I would have a difficult time picking a single amp to do everything.

 

[MetalHeadMike]

^^^

I agree