Mega Vibe VS. Micro Vibe (seeking information)

[burner]

This is a question to anyone who owns or has owned both or has tried both...preferably side-by-side.

Of course I'm GASsing for a KR Mega Vibe now but what will it do for me?

I'm currently using a VL Micro Vibe, and as a former real Uni Vibe owner, I don't remember my Univibe sounding all that much different than my Micro Vibe.
I mean, I obviously haven't done an A/B comparison between the two but I have tried several vibes on the market and I was particularly impressed with the Micro Vibe because I thought it sounded just like my Univibe.
Obviously it has drawbacks since it doesn't have a speed pedal or chours/vibe modes but I'm working on an expression pedal mod and I always used the chorus on the Univibe anyway.

The VL Micro Vibe is used by many pros but it doesn't seem to be held in such high regard here on TGP.
Am I crazy or is the Micro Vibe just not very good?

What I want to know is:
What will the Mega Vibe do for me that the VL Micro Vibe doesn't?

Thanx

[gang twanger]

I have the Microvibe too, but honestly I can not stop obsessing over the Megavibe. I've done a ton of online research and heard many sound clips, and if there wasn't a wait list, I would buy a Megavibe right now. I still haven't been able to try one myself yet, though.
The biggest issue I have with my Microvibe, is finding the right overdrive (one that is smooth enough) to go with it to get the Trower/"Bridge of Sighs" sound. I'll probably have to try it with a Sparkle Drive, but those don't have much in the way of gain. This goal seems to be my "unicorn".

[Maven]

You can't really compare the two IMO. I've owned the Micro and the Mega and the Mega is the most authentic UniVibe clone I've ever heard. The Micro does a cool vibey thing but to me it didn't really sounds like what I want my Vibe to sound like, which is Hendrix Band of Gypsies stuff. Sean at Lovepedal did say there are internal trimmers in the Microvibe that can be tweaked though. Go onto Youtube and check out the dude playing "Electric Ladyland" that was what convinced me of the Mega's superiority.

[gang twanger]

It doesn't really answer the question, but I love my Proctavia (picked one up a couple of weeks ago). It's weird how I dismissed it the first time I tried it, mostly because I didn't know enough about how to use one. I finally took the plunge, brought it home, plugged it in before my Pro Bender, and Voila! There was the germanium octavia sound I had been craving. And I already owned a Fulltone Ultimate Octave, but those are two different animals (the Ultimate Octave is silicon-based, containing BC-108's).

[gang twanger]

You can't really compare the two IMO. I've owned the Micro and the Mega and the Mega is the most authentic UniVibe clone I've ever heard. The Micro does a cool vibey thing but to me it didn't really sounds like what I want my Vibe to sound like, which is Hendrix Band of Gypsies stuff. Sean at Lovepedal did say there are internal trimmers in the Microvibe that can be tweaked though.


I've read forums where people have mentioned the internal trimmer, but before I touch it, I really want to be sure I know what I'm doing. I guess I'll just have to mark the factory setting, and then do it, because I'm running out of ideas. I just bought an OCD ver.4 in hopes that I would find my sound (since Trower himself uses one with his Dejavibe), but I'm still not there.It's still too woofy-sounding and seems like it's being overloaded if I run it before the overdrive, and if I run it after, I get "Who's That Lady", which I don't want.

[burner]

You can't really compare the two IMO. I've owned the Micro and the Mega and the Mega is the most authentic UniVibe clone I've ever heard. The Micro does a cool vibey thing but to me it didn't really sounds like what I want my Vibe to sound like, which is Hendrix Band of Gypsies stuff. Sean at Lovepedal did say there are internal trimmers in the Microvibe that can be tweaked though. Go onto Youtube and check out the dude playing "Electric Ladyland" that was what convinced me of the Mega's superiority.


I have the Microvibe too, but honestly I can not stop obsessing over the Megavibe. I've done a ton of online research and heard many sound clips, and if there wasn't a wait list, I would buy a Megavibe right now. I still haven't been able to try one myself yet, though.
The biggest issue I have with my Microvibe, is finding the right overdrive (one that is smooth enough) to go with it to get the Trower/"Bridge of Sighs" sound. I'll probably have to try it with a Sparkle Drive, but those don't have much in the way of gain. This goal seems to be my "unicorn".


Maven,
When you say you can't compare them, I'm assuming you mean that in the sense that the Mega Vibe is that much better....right?
AFAIK, there is only one internal trimpot in the Micro Vibe and all it does is adjust the intensity of the lamp.
I've read article and post after post regarding the trimpot tweak where people claim it imparts some 'magic' to the Micro vibe.You'll hear a few people...very few....that actually state correctly what the trimmer does and basically that is just adjust the intensity range of the knob.
Sorry....no magic goin' on in there.:jo

See...that's just it.
As I said I used to have a real Univibe and I thought the Micro Vibe sounded just like it...that's why I bought it.
I know sound is subjective and we all hear different things in our heads but maybe...just maybe....
I have a particularly great Micro Vibe or I just had a crappy Univibe.

That's why I'd be interested in listening to someone reply that has done a definitive A/B comparison.

Hell, even an A/B comparison of the Micro Vibe to a few other vibes.

I've tried the Micro Vibe against the Dunlop Univibe reissue and I thought the Micro Vibe was better...more lush, for lack of a better term.

Anyone else?

[burner]

I've read forums where people have mentioned the internal trimmer, but before I touch it, I really want to be sure I know what I'm doing. .
I wouldn't bother.
As I stated in the post I was typing while you replied, all it does is adjust the intensity of the lamp.
I guess if you need more intensity, go for it, but when I tried it, it made it sound too wacky and unauthentic.
YMMV

EDIT TO ADD:

If one of our resident electronic gurus can chime in and prove my theory wrong, I'm certainly willing to listen....maybe learn something.
I know my share of sound electronics but I'm admittedly not up on the whole phasing thang.

[Shawn3786]

+1 on the Micro Vibe!!! My favorite pedal!

[pacomc79]

Maven,
When you say you can't compare them, I'm assuming you mean that in the sense that the Mega Vibe is that much better....right?
AFAIK, there is only one internal trimpot in the Micro Vibe and all it does is adjust the intensity of the lamp.
I've read article and post after post regarding the trimpot tweak where people claim it imparts some 'magic' to the Micro vibe.You'll hear a few people...very few....that actually state correctly what the trimmer does and basically that is just adjust the intensity range of the knob.
Sorry....no magic goin' on in there.:jo

See...that's just it.
As I said I used to have a real Univibe and I thought the Micro Vibe sounded just like it...that's why I bought it.
I know sound is subjective and we all hear different things in our heads but maybe...just maybe....
I have a particularly great Micro Vibe or I just had a crappy Univibe.

That's why I'd be interested in listening to someone reply that has done a definitive A/B comparison.

Hell, even an A/B comparison of the Micro Vibe to a few other vibes.

I've tried the Micro Vibe against the Dunlop Univibe reissue and I thought the Micro Vibe was better...more lush, for lack of a better term.

Anyone else?



The micro vibe is light years better than the Univibe Reissue from Dunlop. They need to let loose Huge on that project.

never had a mega vibe... the thing is, if the micro is getting the job done generally and it sounds "right" I don't think you need a mega vibe although I have major desire to have one as well.

[burner]

Youre spot-on about that regarding 'need', but with all the raves on the Mega I gotta' wonder if I'm missing something.
This is the Gear page ya' know.;)

[pacomc79]

Youre spot-on about that regarding 'need', but with all the raves on the Mega I gotta' wonder if I'm missing something.
This is the Gear page ya' know.;)


ha ha. yeah that's why I've been researching the ones from RTZ audio, Sweet Sound and Retroman too.

KR builds some intriguing stuff, there are certainly a lot of fantastic clips out there.

I've been using a Shannon Uniphase lately. It's very smooth but dosen't do the ping pong kind of thing univibes do so much. I love it as a phaser and faux leslie kind of thing though it's not really built to be a univibe and I love it for what it is. Just not enough really thick throb

I guess I might say I'd expect a boutique vibe to have a depth of character to it. I'd expect anyone of them to have a fuller richer tone quality than the Micro Vibe which can sound a little thin I think especially with the wrong overdrive where the transistors might get a bit overloaded.

About like the difference between a Prooctavia and a Octafuzz really. Similar idea but the fulltone while still doing the buzzy raucous brilliance has an overall better tone quality. I think that's probably the difference.

In the original recordings that are in our heads, I think some brilliant Mastering, Recording, Mics speakers and everything else were/are involved. If there's anything I've learned from TGP and everywhere else... it ain't one thing.. it's EVERYTHING. :D

[4styx]

The MV is definitly usable,smaller and affordable but only gets you about 30% there as oppossed to say a Sweetsound Ultra vibe.JMO