1976 Champ vs. 2008 VOX DA5

studio1087 · January 12th, 2008, 09:06 PM

I bought a VOX DA5 about three weeks ago........I bought myself a Christmas toy with an outstanding credit at Guitar Center.

The DA5 is sitting next to my Champ. The Champs sacred spot in the living room has been invaded by the VOX.

I've been playing the VOX because it's new and I love the Fender amp model and the AC-15 with the trem & reverb for mellow blues or jazz or Rock and Roll late at night. The compressor is nice on the VOX.

I had not really compared the VOX to the Champ until may nephew visited over the holidays.

He would plug my Strat into the Champ. I would plug my Tele into the Vox. We played blues boxes for hours and took turns soloing. We put in hours of lazy guitar playing. My nephew is very talented.

Don't throw rotten fruit at me now......there were many times that I couldn't remember which guitar was plugged into which amp. If I heard reverb I would know that I was hearing the VOX. After two days, my nephew and I were politely fighting over the VOX because we wanted the trem or the delay or the reverb. If Dan was playing by himself without any effects, I had to look in the living room to see what amp he was using.

I love my Champ...I'm emotionally connected to it. I had a Tele and a Vibro Champ in 1977 and I sold the Vibro when I got into hard rock in high school. I now have another mid 70's Champ that I bought in the TDPRI classified ads (I'l never sell it).

The little DA5 is a hell of a toy amp. It can fool you if you set it next to a small tube amp. The Champ is getting jealous.

John

popthree · January 12th, 2008, 09:15 PM

plug input 2 from the champ into the vox so you can mix in a little verb and trem with your regular champ tone

Califiddler · January 13th, 2008, 09:41 AM

I have a 1974 Champ and a 1978 Vibro Champ and I love them. They're great amps for when I have a friend over and we want to play electric without blowing our eardrums.

I also have a Pignose that I have had for about 15 years. It's a great amp, the one that I usually use when I am learning a song from the CD, and also the one that I take if I'm going away for a weekend and want to take my Tele.

But I've been thinking about that DA5 for a while now. I was hoping that Santa might bring me one for Christmas, but he didn't, so I'm thinking of getting myself one. It would just be so cool to have all those effects in a practice amp.

I really think that with amps like the DA5 and the Roland Micro Cube out there, the old Pignose is obsolete. Why would anyone buy a Pignose now, when you can get these other amps with cool modeling and effects, that still run on batteries like the Pig?

BrianF · January 13th, 2008, 10:32 AM

The DA5 is a cool liitle amp. It has a couple of shortcomings...for instance limited variation on what effects you can have on at the same time...theres a knob with preset combination of effects and you cant combine compressor with reverb (for instance). Other than that is is a fun little deal. My son has adopted it as it sounds great for the high gain metal tones...

Now I am reverting to my tweed champ with a Korg multieffects pedal in front of it...which sounds good too. So if you dont need the portability of the Korg... a good multi-effects in front of your Champ will allow the Champ to remain the Champ of your small amp lineup. The tubes and 8in speaker of the Champ win out.

January 12th, 2008, 09:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
studio1087 Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Near Milwaukee Age: 44 Posts: 3,584 36 Photos	1976 Champ vs. 2008 VOX DA5 I bought a VOX DA5 about three weeks ago........I bought myself a Christmas toy with an outstanding credit at Guitar Center. The DA5 is sitting next to my Champ. The Champs sacred spot in the living room has been invaded by the VOX. I've been playing the VOX because it's new and I love the Fender amp model and the AC-15 with the trem & reverb for mellow blues or jazz or Rock and Roll late at night. The compressor is nice on the VOX. I had not really compared the VOX to the Champ until may nephew visited over the holidays. He would plug my Strat into the Champ. I would plug my Tele into the Vox. We played blues boxes for hours and took turns soloing. We put in hours of lazy guitar playing. My nephew is very talented. Don't throw rotten fruit at me now......there were many times that I couldn't remember which guitar was plugged into which amp. If I heard reverb I would know that I was hearing the VOX. After two days, my nephew and I were politely fighting over the VOX because we wanted the trem or the delay or the reverb. If Dan was playing by himself without any effects, I had to look in the living room to see what amp he was using. I love my Champ...I'm emotionally connected to it. I had a Tele and a Vibro Champ in 1977 and I sold the Vibro when I got into hard rock in high school. I now have another mid 70's Champ that I bought in the TDPRI classified ads (I'l never sell it). The little DA5 is a hell of a toy amp. It can fool you if you set it next to a small tube amp. The Champ is getting jealous. John __________________ JLG Carry On

January 12th, 2008, 09:15 PM	#2 (permalink)
popthree Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Tulsa Age: 43 Posts: 2,592 44 Photos	plug input 2 from the champ into the vox so you can mix in a little verb and trem with your regular champ tone __________________ http://www.myspace.com/mikekennedy823

January 13th, 2008, 09:41 AM	#3 (permalink)
Califiddler Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: California Posts: 888	I have a 1974 Champ and a 1978 Vibro Champ and I love them. They're great amps for when I have a friend over and we want to play electric without blowing our eardrums. I also have a Pignose that I have had for about 15 years. It's a great amp, the one that I usually use when I am learning a song from the CD, and also the one that I take if I'm going away for a weekend and want to take my Tele. But I've been thinking about that DA5 for a while now. I was hoping that Santa might bring me one for Christmas, but he didn't, so I'm thinking of getting myself one. It would just be so cool to have all those effects in a practice amp. I really think that with amps like the DA5 and the Roland Micro Cube out there, the old Pignose is obsolete. Why would anyone buy a Pignose now, when you can get these other amps with cool modeling and effects, that still run on batteries like the Pig? __________________ "In the fiddler's house, all are dancers."

January 13th, 2008, 10:32 AM	#4 (permalink)
BrianF Friend of Leo's Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Carlsbad, Ca Posts: 2,116 7 Photos	The DA5 is a cool liitle amp. It has a couple of shortcomings...for instance limited variation on what effects you can have on at the same time...theres a knob with preset combination of effects and you cant combine compressor with reverb (for instance). Other than that is is a fun little deal. My son has adopted it as it sounds great for the high gain metal tones... Now I am reverting to my tweed champ with a Korg multieffects pedal in front of it...which sounds good too. So if you dont need the portability of the Korg... a good multi-effects in front of your Champ will allow the Champ to remain the Champ of your small amp lineup. The tubes and 8in speaker of the Champ win out.