Vibro Champ XD Amp Crew

[losergeek]

Originally Posted by FenderGuy53

Yeah, I gotta agree with you.

Ya, and if you want one that is more likely to pull it's weight in those situations, then the SCXD is there. The Vibro is really meant to stay at home.

[FenderGuy53]

Originally Posted by losergeek

Ya, and if you want one that is more likely to pull it's weight in those situations, then the SCXD is there. The Vibro is really meant to stay at home.

The thing is, I REALLY like the single channel and Class A output design of the VCXD. I HAD an SCXD, but it didn't sound anything like the VCXD. I sold it to buy my first tube amp, a Fender Blues Junior.

The VHT Special 6 would be worth a look if it had on-board efx.

Oh, well. Looking more and more like a Roland Cube 40XL is in my future.

[JRSIV]

I picked up the Vibro Champ XD at my local Sam Ash for $150, just a crazy great deal. I've been wanting a SCXD or VCXD for awhile just never pulled the trigger. After reading the thread I see I'm not the only one who can't believe how good these sound & what a deal they are at a buck-fifty!

When I played the SCXD in Sam's awhile back I noticed on Channel 1 it had some tube compression artifacts going on when picked aggressively, i.e. the ”tacky”, compressed sound one gets from only tubes. I been putting the VCXD through it's paces and haven't encountered that subtle effect with it. Anyone know what I'm saying?

Aside from that difference, both models kickass with the Vibro really fitting the bill nicely as an apartment amp. I can get a great blues overdrive going on Ch. 3, Gain around 2, Vol. on 2 to 4 depending on time of day. Just a stellar amp no matter the size or cost...

[ayetee]

Just received mine. It's an amazing amp for how little it costs. Now that it is discontinued, people will be hunting for them pretty soon.

[Champ Monster]

Originally Posted by RubyRae

I finally got a new amp, and after realizing I could not get the money together this year for my hand wired Princeton Reverb...I settled on a new Vibro Champ XD. I am really happy with this little amp, and feel it was the best $189.00 I have ever spent. This amp will keep me busy for months to come. After just 3 hours playing it last night I found some incredible sounds.
Love the Tweed setting, Blackface, and British. Between the 16 voices, and multiple effects, there are so many combinations, let alone tweaking each one to your liking.

I contemplated getting the Super Champ XD, and I think i would have been happy with that too, but at 2/3 the cost I pretty much had my mind made up prior to playing them both. For me, the 5 watts was appealing in what I was looking for. Once I played it, it simply reaffirmed how sweet the Class "A" vintage tone can be. Super warm and lush, with great overdrive and bite.
The stock 8" speaker sounds good to me, tho i may try something different down the line, possibly a Jensen, Weber, or Emminence...who knows. I highly doubt I will cut it to upsize to a 10", but would never rule out an extra cabinet to see what it sounds like.

All and all, you can not beat this amp for the money. The amp produces some serious warm, smooth, and natural vintage tones we all love, despite the fact that it is a modeling amp. The tubes are nice, and the amp runs HOT...'does wasted heat account for so much tonal warmth?' my guess would be yes, and well worth it. This amp is magical to me.

Who else knows this? What mods have you braved so far? Thanks!

I have installed my VCXD Chassis Into A SCX2 cabnet and installed a Jensen Mod 10-50 watt 4 Ohm speaker! She sounds amazing! Clear and Loud! Can't wait to hear if it can keep up with the band! If not then I'll mic it.

[Champ Monster]

Hi gang, I built a modded VCXD. SCX2 cabnet with a Jensen Mod 12-50 Speaker.It sounds amazing!

[ad720]

Finally got one! Found one locally in near-mint condition for $100.

I'm loving it. I really doubt I'll use too much more than voice 1 and 2 (maybe 4) and some reverb but it's perfect for home practice. I just practiced through it for about an hour with my regular pedalboard and it was great. Just the right volume and way more plug and play than my Mustang 1.

As I posted in another thread, I swapped out the Fender 12ax7 with an EH 12at7 and that seemed to smooth it out a little on voice 1 (or could just be my imagination). I think I have an EH 6v6 knocking around somewhere so when I find it I'll see if that makes any difference. Anyone swap the power tube on these guys? Try a 6L6 in it?


I also ordered a Jensen Mod8-20. For $24 bucks shipped I figured what the hell it was worth a shot. I'm sure this thing will sound awesome though a 2x12 but I'd like to get it sounding as good as I can with out an extension cab.

[Dumb everyday]

I have a weber in mine now but was wondering how important the speaker actually is. Since it is a modeling amp would putting a PA type speaker that doesn't color the sound in it, help the setting com through more.

[RubyRae]

I just found my receipt and paperwork so i can finally go get it fixed or replaced!
Have the house for sale and stumbled on some papers in the closet and almost threw them away before seeing sam ash! See what happens now...

[Dumb everyday]

Can anyone tell me what kind of effect running the line out to a say 400watt powered pa speaker would have. Besides being loud.

[losergeek]

Originally Posted by Dumb everyday

Can anyone tell me what kind of effect running the line out to a say 400watt powered pa speaker would have. Besides being loud.

No negative effect, if that's what you're worried about. This is basically what the line out is designed for, and the wattage doen't really matter. The only question would be whether the powered speaker has a 1/4" input on it or whether you'd need a DI box. Also if you're going directly into the speaker without using a mixer then you'll probably want to make sure that it has an independant volume control on it so you have some sort of control over the volume since the line out should have a constant volume (although now that I'm typing this I seem to remember that maybe the line out on the VCXD is affected by the amp's volume which is pretty weird).

Also worth noting that if you're using the lineout then you're not getting any of the 'tube' sound from the amp, so it's similar to running a digital modeller directly into a PA.

[ad720]

Jensen Mod8-20 is in and in.

Certainly changed things a bit. Not sure if it's an improvement yet. Seems like it tripled the bass but it muddied up the highs. I wonder if that will change as it breaks in and loosens up?

[Dumb everyday]

So I've been following this thread and was just wondering if somebody can give me a solid recommendation on a speaker. I'm just not that impressed with the weber sig8 that I have in there now out of a champ that is RIP.

[puke hat roy]

I toyed with changing the speaker on VCXD for a long time (over a year) and just kept playing it here and there between other amps. Low and behold the speaker opened up one day a couple of weeks ago after running the line out into an old 90's model Princeton Chorus solid state amp using the SC as a pre-amp/effects. The VC speaker was on the whole time, so I got a stereo effect. This sounded really good. The Princeton has two 10 inch Jensens in it. After unplugging the two amps I didn't play the VC for a while. Two days ago I turned it on and good things were going on. This was probably coincidental, but it makes a good story. Just keep playing it before paying out for another speaker and if it doesn't open up after a few months then get another speaker.

[Kelvin]

Originally Posted by Jack Knife

Gotta keep the VCXD thread alive!

I was just crunching on mine after work today. I have an Epiphone ES-295 that I've put some Gretsch Filtertrons in and I was getting a sweet Setzer type sound on voice #2. Bright but not ice-pick, lots of crunch when you dime the guitar and dig in, still cleans up OK when you throttle back.

Hi Jack,
I got an ES-295 too & wanna put in the GFS Nashville Vintage Filtertron. Which pickup ring should i use? Any other things i should pay attention to?
Thanks!

[Kelvin]

Originally Posted by Jack Knife

Gotta keep the VCXD thread alive!

Glad to see more people grabbing these little gems. The Jensen C8R speaker in mine is finally relaxing a little. I think over time this is the best speaker without going to a 10"

I was just crunching on mine after work today. I have an Epiphone ES-295 that I've put some Gretsch Filtertrons in and I was getting a sweet Setzer type sound on voice #2. Bright but not ice-pick, lots of crunch when you dime the guitar and dig in, still cleans up OK when you throttle back.

Hi Jack! i got ES-295 too & wanna to put in Filtertrons. Is that easy?

[dever]

Hi VCXD owners. I am making a cover for someone and I dont think he is measuring the handle specs correctly.

Would someone be kind enough to measure the following:

handle length
handle width
distance from handle to back edge
distance from handle to side edge

Thanks heaps!

[Gnobuddy]

Originally Posted by JRSIV

When I played the SCXD in Sam's awhile back I noticed on Channel 1 it had some tube compression artifacts going on when picked aggressively, i.e. the ”tacky”, compressed sound one gets from only tubes. I been putting the VCXD through it's paces and haven't encountered that subtle effect with it.

The SCXD has a Class B output stage (some prefer to call it class AB but there's a good argument to be made that it's actually Class B). The harder you push a Class B output stage, the more current it draws. This increased current demand causes the power supply voltage to sag, and you hear that compressed effect.

The VCXD, on the other hand, has a class A output stage (all single output tube guitar amps are pure class A). Class A output stages draw exactly the same amount of current from the power supply whether they're idling, whispering, or screaming at maximum volume. That's why they're terribly inefficient, electrically speaking - they draw full power even when they're silent.

Because the class A current draw stays constant and never changes, there is no power supply voltage sag, and therefore no compression to be heard.

So what you're hearing is inherent to these two different types of amp output stages - it has nothing to do with the SCXD vs VCXD as such. You're never really going to get that type of compression from any Class A tube amp, including the VCXD.

-Gnobuddy

[SixShooter]

I'm getting ready to buy a VCXD. I also have a SCXD. I'm making a head cabinet for the SCXD and I was thinking I could mount the VCXD into the SCXD cabinet and use it with the SCXD 10" 8 ohm speaker.

Is there any reason I can't run the VCXD (which has a 4 ohm output) through the 8 ohm speaker? I have heard that going up (or doubling) the speaker ohm is not a problem though the volume will be cut.

[jamblehamblebum]

are you completely sure there is no tube effect on the line out cos it sure sounds like there is .. and how come it doesn;t disengage the speaker . as though it has to run the speaker cos the tubes are still in play ???