Vox VT100X vs Fractal Ultra

[Lucky Dog Guitars]

I went through a stint with the Fractal Ultra twice... bought, sold, bought again, sold again throughout about a 2 year span. Eventually went back to my Bogner Shiva & pedalboard & was so much happier with the tones.

However, I've always been a guy that loves programming, tweaking and quick recall of tones that processors afford you. Like the Kemper pretty good as well.

But on a whim, I bought a Vox VT100X 100w combo amp that I saw on sale & WOW I just love the tones I get out of this thing. No where near as tweakable as the Fractal, but the basic, core tones, to my ears sound better than the Fractal. I think it sounds more like a tube amp and pedalboard. Pretty thick and meaty. The headroom is unbelievable!

You guys should try it if you haven't already. Nuts for the price.

 

[ragingplatypi]

I second that.
I think the new Vox amps have the best feel and tone of any of the new budget modelers. Unfortunately, I think they cheaped out too much on the actual hardware (cheap covering, knobs & buttons), and lack of effects loop. It's the first amp I've seen that I was reluctant to buy just because it looks too flimsy to gig with. It's like Vox doesn't take themselves seriously enough to think a modeler can be more than a practice amp. Every time I go to a store though, I plug into it and my mind is blown.
I've been using a Tonelab SE for a decade. The thing is a tank, and I love it. These new modeling amps are the first time I feel like they've really improved on the technology since the first versions. But I seriously doubt one of those amps will last through the years without needing to be rebuilt.

 

[Lucky Dog Guitars]

Yeah man, I thought about seeing if there was a way to mount it like a head in a rugged cab... but despite the cab looking kind of flimsy, it just sounds so darn great. And again, that headroom is amazing on this thing! I don't think it would survive years of rough handling, throwing in the back of a van with equipment piled all on top of it etc etc. But if someone would treat it lightly (which I do with all my gear) it would probably be fine.

Tone-wise... its nuts. I had the Fender Mustang, the Roland stuff, Johnson, Line6 Bogner, Yamaha stuff... not even close to the Vox tone wise.

 

[jageya]

I second that.
I think the new Vox amps have the best feel and tone of any of the new budget modelers. Unfortunately, I think they cheaped out too much on the actual hardware (cheap covering, knobs & buttons), and lack of effects loop. It's the first amp I've seen that I was reluctant to buy just because it looks too flimsy to gig with. It's like Vox doesn't take themselves seriously enough to think a modeler can be more than a practice amp. Every time I go to a store though, I plug into it and my mind is blown.
I've been using a Tonelab SE for a decade. The thing is a tank, and I love it. These new modeling amps are the first time I feel like they've really improved on the technology since the first versions. But I seriously doubt one of those amps will last through the years without needing to be rebuilt.

agree....vox used to make beter quality/fit and finish stuff but not just cheaply made and its like they took 3 steps backwards from the old blueamp vtx valvetronix amps. -I never tried the new vt100x thing but tried the vt40x and was not impressed...and the lack of presets was a no go for me.The 100 may be the sweet spot plug and play unit...but even the effects onboard are cheesy compared to the older stuff or the newer katana amp

 

[porcytree]

I love my Vox AV60 but have often considered adding one of the VTX range - as a pure "modelling" amp for those occasions when I can't be bothered to hook up my "floor" modellers to my AV amp.

It still seems odd to me that Vox removed some of the functionality and fx from their Valvetronix range whilst improving the overall quality of the amp modelling ...they do sound better than the previous incarnation of the VT's ( at least to my old, tired ears)

 

[jageya]

i have played every vox modeler under the sun and was a major fan boi for them from 2005-2012....I wont buy any of their mew stuff(2014-2017) as i feel they took a turn for the cheaper/worse in modeling. Its like the reciever who catches the winning pass but purposely steps out of bounds at the 5 yrs line to lose the game. Any the crowd is just scratching their heads wondering WTF?????......I am done with vox and cherish my stable of older tech amps i still use and have from them and have now bought a katana 100 2-12 combo that really seems to have that organic tube feel the older vox amps had. Even my old cybertwin se combo is heads above most of the newer modeling amps out. Vox has to really really wow me to get my money from now on.

 

[porcytree]

Hey there Jags.

I'm feeling your pain my friend.

I've never been a massive Vox VT user myself ( as I mentioned in the AV amp thread, my mate had one circa 07/08 and it sounded good to me and I've played one of the old "blue" VTs for a short while which sounded good also ) so you are clearly more familiar/tuned into the quality of the amps features and tones.
I did try some of the previous incarnation of the VTs (the most recently replaced range) and I wasn't as impressed as with the earlier ones I tried....... I do hear an improvement in the modelling on the VTX range ( though perhaps not quite at the same quality as the early incarnations but better than the range they replaced).

That said though, the features they have dropped leave me scratching my old grey head. (rather like your football crowd).

There is a lot to be said for some of the older tech. My favourite modeller that I have owned is my old Flextone Amp (believe it or not). It's not the greatest quality in terms of actual modelling authenticity, but it was easy to use and dial in, had loads of tones/amps on offer and helped me to find the amp tones that I enjoyed (namely Vox and Fender amps.....with a bit of Marshall, Matchless and Supro thrown in for good measure)

 

[jageya]

the flextone amps are still excellent

 

[porcytree]

the flextone amps are still excellent

They are indeed.....I really miss mine.
Actually I still "technically" own it although I loaned it to the guitarist in my sons High School rock band and he still has it ( he's just graduated from Uni and I have no idea where he is).

 

[ragingplatypi]

I actually wound up picking up a Blackstar ID Core 100, which is not perfect, but really give you what you need for the price. It even plays nicely when I plug the tonelab into the effects loop.

 

[Christian zaccarias]

Hello I am from Argentina. I have a Vox VT100x and wanted to sell it to buy an AV30 the idea is that I want it just to play at home.
Do you think the change is right or is it crazy going from a VT100X to an AV30?
Greetings.