Talk to me about the JF Vox

[Kapo_Polenton]

Does it do the spanky and clean high end crunch like the real amp (or close enough to it?) I find a lot of MTS mods can sound the same or dialed in the same. I am looking for something to track along with my JCM800 and I can't obviously afford the real deal (or would want to seeing as I primarily play my 800). I would love if this could fill that sonic need. Plan is to run it light crunch and let the MArshall handle the grunt. Really fill out the sound I am hoping.

Another question I have, is whether any of you who have it, have noticed big differences in the power tubes you run with it. for example, would this be better suited to something like a 6L6?

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Just noticed another thread below mine already on this subject...sorry folks, i should spend more time reading!

 

[The Rossness]

FWIW- I had the Twox for a little bit. I thought it was the cleanest of all the modded mods. I thought it did better cleans than the matchvox.

 

[withmittens]

does it sound like an AC30? clean and dirty?

 

[The Rossness]

does it sound like an AC30? clean and dirty?

It doesn't do dirty. Clean is as close as MTS has gotten

 

[withmittens]

not sure what the purpose would be then, as the edge of breakup into light distortion IS the Vox sound after early Beatles.

 

[Jaded Faith]

Which Vox module are we talking about? The original Voxless was primarily a dirty module which was really a tweaked version of the stock Egnater/Randall stock takes on Vox with a few options added. The Twox used a completely different signal flow to get pristine cleans the Voxless couldn't do. The current VX30 is on of my favorite mods I have ever built and essentially behaves just like my personal AC30 with Mercury Haddon-style transformers. It's one of my favorite amps I have ever owned.

 

[withmittens]

Rob, of course I know nothing of your personal AC30. What I was saying is that THE Vox sound we all know and love from classic rock from the 60's to about the end of 90's, before the "modern" sound took over is the edge of breakup & Top Boost crunchy VOX sound on thousands of records.....excluding Queen...

I was just asking Rossness that if it doesn't do that and only clean then what it is purposed to do, specifically. If it's a crystal clean VOX sound I think many folks may not know how to put it to work since various cleans available and one doesn't seem to seek a pristine clean AC30 sound. Even early Beatles has a bit of gnarl on the guitars.

Maybe I don't understand

 

[Jaded Faith]

Rob, of course I know nothing of your personal AC30. What I was saying is that THE Vox sound we all know and love from classic rock from the 60's to about the end of 90's, before the "modern" sound took over is the edge of breakup & Top Boost crunchy VOX sound on thousands of records.....excluding Queen...

I was just asking Rossness that if it doesn't do that and only clean then what it is purposed to do, specifically. If it's a crystal clean VOX sound I think many folks may not know how to put it to work since various cleans available and one doesn't seem to seek a pristine clean AC30 sound. Even early Beatles has a bit of gnarl on the guitars.

Maybe I don't understand

My personal Vox is the same circuit-wise as any you would buy at a store. I upgraded the iron to Haddon-style (think the Beatles, The Edge, Tom Petty AC30's) and used a pair of Celestion Creamback M's. I tried Golds and Blues in there as well, but didn't like either once the gain was beyond slightly crunchy. It's just a great sounding AC30 in the vein of what you would expect of it.

Rossness was speaking about the Twox, which was it's own animal. It used some unique designs and was really more of a hybrid Fender/Vox than an AC30. It's been discontinued for at least two years now.

The current VX30 is very true to what you would expect of a real AC30. Hope that helps.

 

[withmittens]

that makes more sense. my confusion. thanks for clearing that up

the problem I've had with two variations of Vox mods Ive had is that the underlying woolly warmth and prominent lower mids lack the presence of the amp.. possibly because the highs are either diminished and get lost in the sound or the highs are shrill and thin out the entire signal This causes the warmth to overpower the snap and makes for a rather dull sound. The best I've come to getting the sound is almost entirely backing off the treble, dialing Cut to allow high end, and dialing the Bass nearly all the way up. This still doesn't do it

The AC30 amps that I've played have both going on simultaneously and allow for a large sound a lot of bite.

the real test for a VOX sound is the edge of breakup area where warmth, snap and power all come together to make that distinct sound

I know, I know...words do nothing. If anyone wants to lend me their VX30 I'd love to check it out. I know my current SuperVox is ok but not all that great. I've be interested in modding it further into something

 

[forensbro]

New to the forum. Great information. Thanks!

 

[ricky]

Just re-reading this thread. Withmittens, what is a SuperVox? I do not recall that one.....
And as far as Rob's AC30 mod, I swear by it...it rarely leaves my main rig. It has that nice Vox clean ring to it but also has a cool bit of grit if cranked.

 

[withmittens]

Just re-reading this thread. Withmittens, what is a SuperVox? I do not recall that one.....
And as far as Rob's AC30 mod, I swear by it...it rarely leaves my main rig. It has that nice Vox clean ring to it but also has a cool bit of grit if cranked.

The Supervox WAS a user modded one that I picked up from Ebay a few years back it had a mid shift switch and a top boost switch & cut knob as well as some value changes and parts upgrades. It was pretty good but ultimately didn't get me The Vox tone I was needing.

I've since modded it to a Dirty Shirley.

 

[cmsaub]

Searching for Vox AC30 module as well... thank you for this thread and the experience behind the posts.

 

[ricky]

The first Vox mod I got was Rob's VoxLess which was a combintion of a Vox and a Matchless that you could go back and forth between them. It was nice and all but I have his newest mod, the VX30 and it is a much different animal. I am more than happy with it.

 

[withmittens]

That's cool. Why do you thinks it's better and what was the last one lacking? Does it sound and behave like a vox?

 

[ricky]

I think I was just ok with a lot of the first MTS stuff as it was such a cool concept. The original Randall Fender stuff was fender-y enough until the modders got involved and worked out their stuff Rob and Antonin just kept getting it better. THe less options that were available on the mods the more tru the sound. I thin that by the time Rob got the VX30 out, he was pretty much done experimenting and had it dialed in. I can't put my finger on it but it sure sounds like the vox another guy in my band uses, just like his last twin mod he did for me sure sounds like y real twin.

 

[withmittens]

do you play it cleanish or full on tapped out. Always loved the just edge of breakup Voxy tones. most vox mods sound too thin or too muddy.

 

[ricky]

My current live rig is a SYN 2 and MOD 50 and a Helix rack. I use it mostly as my clean channel, but if I put a distortion pedal in front of it it sings. I never use it dimed as I have other mods for a more lead-ish tone. It is just a great Vox clean tone and then I can slam it and it nicely breaks up. That said, I am not a VOX snob...I'm a Fender Snob so if a mod doesn't sound just like a Fender I know it. Voxes I may not be as finicky.

 

[ricky]

So I went to Rob's site and listed to the VX30 clip and I don't like those clips. When you add a lot of gain (to my ears) they all start sounding a like. I listened to his Dr Z, VX30 and Twin and on my computer through a line 6 Amplifi 75, they sound alike. I always wanted clips of amps doing what they are famous for Like a clean twin that with a tele doing some twangy stuff or a VOx with a Gretsch doing clean Beatles kind of stuff. It is really hard to get the true flavor from the clips.