Vibro Champ XD Amp Crew

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'm in! I've had mine a year, and it's great fun to play with. Lots of knobs to fiddle with. I thought about getting the bigger Super Champ XD, but after playing with the VCXD realized that it's plenty loud for me on my couch.

I kind of go back and forth between the tweed and blackface voices with a bit of the chorus+reverb.

I'd definitely be interested in hearing about how a new or external speaker works out for you. I haven't done anything to my amp.

Count me in, I love my VCXD. I tested it side by side with the SCXD for a good hour before I purchased it. The VC just sounds better to me, I think it's because we can really push the tube at lower volume, and that it's class A.

Mine is a little noisy with the hum idle, I guess I can live with it though. Sometimes I debate taking it in to exchange it for a different one, but I reckon being class A most of the VC's have that hum no matter where you plug it in or what it's near.

I love channels 1, 4, 7,8,9 and 11. Sometimes I mess around with 2 and 3 but find that 4and 8 pretty much cover my needs.

Do your guy's VC's have that hum also? It's not enough to be irritating, but it's enough to make recording difficult..

I am tempted to make a 10" baffle out of some plywood and stick it in there, I think a 10" would just fit. I see SCXD speakers in the 20 buck range on ebay all the time, it would be perfect in this amp.

timmer, I remeber reading some of your posts prior to me buying mine. I really barely had the money to get it, so the SCXD was not much of an option at the time, but this amp was exactly what i was looking for. I didn't want 15 watts, and the super warm tones from this 5 watt class A was perfect for me. My 15 watt amp will be the Princeton Reverb when I save up the money this year. In the meantime I am overjoyed with the versatile sounds of this amp. I really don't think I will mess with my speaker (as far as upsizing to a 10") Mainly I don't want to do the work...but I will certianly entertain the thought of a new 8" speaker and eventually new tubes. I am content with the sound as is. Regarding the noisy idle hum...it is strange, sometimes I hear it, and sometimes I don't. So I thought it was just certain settings, but last night I really tested it out. I turned off all other sounds in the basement to keep the room quiet. Basically yes there is a very light hum, buzz, noise, whatever...but it really doesn't bother me or interfere with the sound of the amp in my opinion. I need to have my ear fairly close to the amp to hear it when idling. I wish I had another VCXD to compare it to, but I think what I hear out of mine is typical of all, and not a problem for me. I don't even think it would hinder my recording. *Cheers* to sweet vintage tone at a fraction of the cost! I'm with you on the settings too, love the Tweed, Blackface, and British.

Just got mine today from Musicians Friend. I used to have a Champion 300, 30 watt solid state but stupidly traded for a G-dec. Did a lot of research and decided the Vibro Champ would fit the bill. I was a little concerned that only 5 watts wouldn't give me the sound I wanted but after only 30 minutes of playing around with it I am very pleased and looking forward to seeing what sounds I can squeeze out of it.

Count me in too! I just picked mine up a few days ago. I was a little worried that it may be noisey but it is dead quiet unplugged from the guitar. I went and got those new SCN Fender ModShop noiseless pickups and now......you guessed it! Totally!!!! Yea single coil transparency, bite expressive dynamics but 0 hum!!!!!!

Now I just need to work on chops. If I get anything else it will be a microphone in case I sit in at a Chicago blues club in like 6 months or something. This is great stuff!

Just got mine...love it so far!

Anyone care to share any settings they've had good luck with?

I'm playing a '62 reissue Strat and would like to get a nice, warm blues rock tone along the lines of SRV (obviously) and John Mayer.

Thanks!

Ok so I'll join the club as well. I loved the VCXD the minute I plugged into it at the music shop. The only downfall to me was the 8" speaker and the lack of low end. So I had to swap the speaker for a 10". I found the perfect fit with a Weber 10F150 and even kept the original baffle intact and cut a new one covered with custom retro upholstery (see pics).

I also did a minor mod by removing the stock OP Amp in V1 and installing an 8 pin DIP socket. After trying several OP Amp replacements I found the Burr Brown 2132 (per Bill M's suggestion) to be most to my liking. It cleans up the distortion voices and lowers the operating noise.

I tried using my Yellow Jacket adapter and running an EL84 in it......mistake. It sounded awful. I did put a NOS Mullard 12AT7 in the pre-amp/phase inverter spot which added a little glassiness to the clean voices.

My favorite voice is the acoustic #16 with my Tele. It is just so much fun to play around with and adds a great percussive quality to your pick attack!

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Good look don jon. The only thing you need now is a 'blue' light to match that grill. Tell me what you think you gained, and the overall sound that the 10" Weber gives you...I have been thinking about trying one at some point.

Also how did you cut out the board to make it larger, do you just use a jigsaw? And last how difficult was the mod you did? was it worth the work, and the sound much better? You mentioned it taking care of any idle hum the amp had prior...I was thinking about some new tubes, and found a JJ pre amp tube at my house the other day that I think is still new, but it is not an AT7...thanks for sharing. Great amps. I truly love mine more and more each day, and play it at least 2-3 hours a day.

Good look don jon. The only thing you need now is a 'blue' light to match that grill. Tell me what you think you gained, and the overall sound that the 10" Weber gives you...I have been thinking about trying one at some point.

Also how did you cut out the board to make it larger, do you just use a jigsaw? And last how difficult was the mod you did? was it worth the work, and the sound much better? You mentioned it taking care of any idle hum the amp had prior...I was thinking about some new tubes, and found a JJ pre amp tube at my house the other day that I think is still new, but it is not an AT7...thanks for sharing. Great amps. I truly love mine more and more each day, and play it at least 2-3 hours a day.

Well the speaker (obviously) made the biggest difference in the sound of the amp. The Weber 10F150 is voiced similar to the Eminence made stock Fender speakers. But the extra size and magnet weight added bigger round bass and even enhanced the warmth of the highs while adding just a little to the top end response. I feel the speaker was a good but not amazingly good improvement. I mean, when it comes down to it, it's still a 5 watt amp pushing a 10" speaker. The amp simply isn't designed to create big volume. And in hindsight, the 8" speaker is still adequate and is a great fit for the amp. However the 50 watt 10" is a bit warmer and rounder. As far as volume and headroom it made no noticeable difference (not that I was trying to get headroom from a 5 watt amp lol!). But all the gain and distortion from this little amp comes from the Op Amp and the digital chip anyway, not the tubes or the speaker.

For the modded baffle I just cut it out myself with a jigsaw and used an upholstery stapler to attach the cloth I found in the sale bin at Wally world. That cloth was actually the most satisfying mod I performed on the amp. I think it looks sweet. Not to mention I did not want to cut up the original baffle. I used a new piece of pine lumber about 1" thick because I like to keep all my original parts intact when I am modding my gear if possible.

As far as the Op-Amp swap I will say this. I am a tinkerer. It is hard for me to leave things alone, and I haven't met a warranty that has lasted more than a week! So if you are like me swapping the Op-Amps is an interesting experiment. And it was also educational as it helped me understand the circuit. But if you are not a tinkerer, and you are thinking about doing the swap because you want a big change in the amp's tone, you will be disappointed. While the Op-Amps in positions 1 - 3 (1 especially) did affect the distortion level, noise floor, and volume of each voice, it was usually way too much in one direction or the other as I tried chips from different families. And I settled on the BB 2132 only because it had a bit smoother break-up while not losing a noticeable amount of volume. It was not a jaw dropping difference that turned a not so good amp into a great one.

Bottom line: The speaker was worth the $90 and work to the baffle as it added some depth and a little bottom end to the amp. If I had the desire to mod the amp further I could probably get it to push a little more volume all around but that is not what I bought the amp for. The speaker did what I wanted and rounded out my frequency response nicely without flavoring the amp's voices. The Op-Amp mod was not worth performing unless you just love to do stuff like that. The difference is minimal, and have you ever de-soldered and 8 Pin DIP? Sheesh!!! It sucks. Overall the amp is very impressive out of the box for the money and size of it. And the design is such that it is not very mod-friendly. Even the speaker is a tight fit which requires that you leave off the little tube cage. If you are happy with it now I would let it be.

And now that you mention the blue jewel light, I think that would be an awesome addition! Thanks for the advice. :razz:

thanks for the info. i sounds like the speaker would be a cool consideration down the road. i once hooked my vcxd up to my hr deluxe to see what it sounded like thru my stock eminence 12", and the result was crapola. it actually sounde thin and just weird...i didn't fool around with it long enough to work out any decent sounds, but it was a fun experiment.

true story tho, the other day i found a JJ ax7 pre-amptube, and i really have no idea where it came from. i had been getting some funny, and unpleasant fret buzzing and the amp just seemed to be noisier than usual. i put the JJ tube in to replace the fender stock tube, and i was literally floored with the sound and spank of the amp. not sure how, but it cured the fret buzz too.
i know it sounds bizarre, but i was in heaven with the sound difference, and now i realize what a solid difference a tube upgrade can make.

i may try the 6v6 sometime too, but i am happy with the amp, and never get bored dialing in some gain and levels to my favorite voicings. it has been some of the most fun, and productive playing i have had in years. this little amp never ceases to amaze me.

I often wonder how the SCXD speaker would fit and sound in the VXCD..

Another thing I wonder about is the cathode bias, if changing the resistor size would warm that up a bit, what the effect would be..

Hrmm...

thanks for the info. i sounds like the speaker would be a cool consideration down the road. i once hooked my vcxd up to my hr deluxe to see what it sounded like thru my stock eminence 12", and the result was crapola. it actually sounde thin and just weird...i didn't fool around with it long enough to work out any decent sounds, but it was a fun experiment.

true story tho, the other day i found a JJ ax7 pre-amptube, and i really have no idea where it came from. i had been getting some funny, and unpleasant fret buzzing and the amp just seemed to be noisier than usual. i put the JJ tube in to replace the fender stock tube, and i was literally floored with the sound and spank of the amp. not sure how, but it cured the fret buzz too.
i know it sounds bizarre, but i was in heaven with the sound difference, and now i realize what a solid difference a tube upgrade can make.

i may try the 6v6 sometime too, but i am happy with the amp, and never get bored dialing in some gain and levels to my favorite voicings. it has been some of the most fun, and productive playing i have had in years. this little amp never ceases to amaze me.

I actually love the EH 6V6 my VCXD came with. I did immediately swap the 12AX7 out for a 12AT7. Which is a much more appropriate choice as the tube is actually not a pre-amp tube but a phase inverter. But anytime I buy an amp I swap the pre-amp tubes for Tung-Sol, NOS Mullard, Sylvania, or Phillips. That always makes a huge improvement.

I swapped my EH tube out for 1950s Magnavox 6v6, it made the sound a little rounder, but I wouldn't say it's nessecarily better than the EH.

The EH is a really solid tube, good all around sounder. But if you do swap the 6v6 out, you will hear some difference with other tubes, which I was happy to find out. I was afraid that any tube swaps on this amp would be of little use if you wanted to audit some different sounds.

All the 12ax7's I have tried in it have sounded pretty much the same. What did the 12at7 do for your sound Don? Or I should say how did it change it?

Edit - I scrolled up and saw your glassiness comment, I might have to try a 12at7 out.

Really love my VXCD, amazing practice amp. When my Wife was out of the house yesterday, I ran up the volume to about 6 and remembered how much better this thing sounds when you push it a bit.

I tried a Jensen CR8 in mine, it's a bit shrill, I went back to the stock speaker which I think is very underated in these amps. Still though, thinking a 10" would be great in this thing. I am tempted to make a pine cab out in the shop, put some snakeskin tolex on it and stick a 12" in it lol, but even stock the little thing is pretty heavy, not sure I want to lose that portability.

Still leaning toward using the stock SCXD 10" in there. It's voiced the same, I wonder if I would pick up a little bottom end..

Really love my VXCD, amazing practice amp. When my Wife was out of the house yesterday, I ran up the volume to about 6 and remembered how much better this thing sounds when you push it a bit.

I tried a Jensen CR8 in mine, it's a bit shrill, I went back to the stock speaker which I think is very underated in these amps. Still though, thinking a 10" would be great in this thing. I am tempted to make a pine cab out in the shop, put some snakeskin tolex on it and stick a 12" in it lol, but even stock the little thing is pretty heavy, not sure I want to lose that portability.

Still leaning toward using the stock SCXD 10" in there. It's voiced the same, I wonder if I would pick up a little bottom end..

The SCXD 10" would definitely be a bit cheaper than the Weber I sprung for. And you are right, those Eminence made Fender Specials are great speakers for their purpose. I didn't like them in my HR Devilles but I love them in my Blues Deville and the VCXD. Even in the Pro Jr. all the Blues Jr.'s I owned they sounded great until you pushed them too hard. They are really voiced perfectly for this small tone machine. I swapped out for an old Utah alnico 8" which was a great speaker for the old Champs. But it sounded buzzy and thin in the VCXD.

If you found an SCXD speaker on the Bay you could probably get it for $40 or less, and it is a tight fit but it will go in the cab. It is probably the same exact speaker that Fender puts in the Pro Jr. and the Deville 410. Also about the 12AT7. It cleaned up the overall voice of the amp and added a glassy tightness to the overdriven voices. The "pre-amp" in the VCXD is actually three Op Amps, so swapping out to lower gain valves does not lower your volume or gain like in most tube amps. The power tube is not just there for show though. I tried using my Yellow Jacket and running an EL84 in it for fun. That was a mistake that sounded like a fried transformer pushing a de-coned speaker.:shock:

Thanks for the info Don.

I like that with the SCXD speaker, with 5 watts in front of it, I wouldn't push it too hard that it would fart out.

I'm still considering the Op Amp mod, but I know what its like pulling them, it's a pain and I'm not sure if it's worth it, but then again if I put a socket in there, I could always try some diffferent amps. Did it quiet that hiss? This is my 2nd VXCD, my first one had a bad tear on the bottom of the tolex that bugged me enough to exchange it. But.. it was much quieter than my 2nd one, I mean dead quiet. If an op amp swap would quiet that hiss some, I'll do the mod for sure, but I think it's just cheap transformers that cause that hiss..

I did immediately swap the 12AX7 out for a 12AT7. Which is a much more appropriate choice as the tube is actually not a pre-amp tube but a phase inverter.

Actually not. As a single-ended amp, there is no phase inverter in the circuit. The 12AX7 is just a driver tube, it amplifies the signal before sending it to the power tube. You'll still see the effects of different tubes' amplification factors but there's no PI functionality here.

And only half the tube is used so definitely don't buy a matched tube as a replacement!

Not harping, just didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea while upgrading.

Actually not. As a single-ended amp, there is no phase inverter in the circuit. The 12AX7 is just a driver tube, it amplifies the signal before sending it to the power tube. You'll still see the effects of different tubes' amplification factors but there's no PI functionality here.

And only half the tube is used so definitely don't buy a matched tube as a replacement!

Not harping, just didn't want anyone to get the wrong idea while upgrading.

Hi Jack,

Thanks for the correction. I was mistakingly calling the 12AX7 a phase inverter. That is due to my amateur misinterpretation of the official schematics. Here is a more accurate description of the function of the tubes in the VCXD from the mod master Billm I found on another thread:

"All of the preamplification, all of the voices, and all of the effects come from a digital signal processor. After the DSP is done, one stage of the 12AX7 (in the Vibro Champ) is a buffer from the solid state stuff and a driver for the 6V6. The other side of the 12AX7 is not used, as you noted. It is not a phase inverter because single-ended amps don't need one.

The Super Champ XD uses one stage of the 12AX7 as the aforementioned buffer/driver and the other one as a phase inverter, since it has two 6V6s in push-pull.

The tubes are there for the power stage only. They add some warmth and sweetness to the tone, but many owners will attest that they sound just as good from the line-out jack, which is a pure digital output." Billm

So it appears that some of the pins of the 12AX7 are a buffer for the DSP and Op-Amps and drive the 6V6. The schematics were confusing me. But it was apparent that the 12AX7 was not a pre-amp in the tube-amp sense of the term because all the gain and distortion comes from the IC's and DSP while the tubes act to simply warm and buffer the signal.

My bad. :confused:

No problem and again, I wasn't trying to criticize. I know a lot of people like modding their stuff, as do I, and I didn't want anyone to go out and spend extra on a balanced PI tube to put in their VCXD.

PS - I totally dig the '60s hippy look of your amp with that custom grill cloth :mrgreen: That's from *ahem* back in my day and we used to do stuff like that all time LOL

No problem and again, I wasn't trying to criticize. I know a lot of people like modding their stuff, as do I, and I didn't want anyone to go out and spend extra on a balanced PI tube to put in their VCXD.

PS - I totally dig the '60s hippy look of your amp with that custom grill cloth :mrgreen: That's from *ahem* back in my day and we used to do stuff like that all time LOL

Thanks man. I appreciate the correction. I am still pretty much a grasshopper at this electronic engineering stuff and would hate to steer someone wrong.

Yeah that grill cloth was the easiest and most enjoyable mod I performed on my VCXD. I wish it were easier to find custom grill cloth. When I searched the web all I found was replacement cloth that was made to Fender, Marshall, Vox etc. specs. That cloth ran $45 to $100 for enough to cover one amp, and the popular designs were on back order. I found no one that sold custom design grill cloth. So I went to Wally World and thumbed through the discount fabric rack. I found that retro looking cloth which is thick and almost tapestry like for $2 a yard. It took less than 1/2 a yard to cover the amp. I've heard that you should not use just any fabric as grill cloth because it doesn't breathe the same. So I closely compared the original Fender cloth and the retro stuff by ear and on a recording. I could make out NO tonal difference between the two.

And another interesting tidbit. You probably know how expensive tolex is. Well my local Wal-Mart had a large variety of sharp looking vinyl, suede, and tooled leather material that was just as durable if not more so than tolex for $7-$15 a yard. So if you ever get the urge to recover an amp in a cool suede or paisley patterned tooled leather check Wally World before you spend through the nose for brand licensed tolex.

I've had mine for a couple months and I think it's great. I figured I should join as the SCXD has a formidable following, and don't want the VCXD to feel like a neglected sibling.

So far my favorite settings are 2,5 and 8.

Hey there fellas. I was wondering if any of you fine gents (or ladies) who own one of these fabulous amps are able to coax a nice twangy sound out of it, and what settings you might be using.

I've got a fever, and the only cure is more twang.

I get a good twang on voice 4, turn up the gain to around 7-8 and peg the bass and treble at 10. The tweed champ setting number 1 is good in the same setting. Set the spring verb around 4. Alot of it is pickups and setup, does your tele twang pretty good with other amps? The Vibro Champ can be a bit dark sometimes..

I haven't really tried it with other amps, with the exception of my VT30.

I just got my first tele last week (I'm still quite a novice) and I just wanted to see if I could get a good twang out of my VCXD. Just curious to see what other guys are getting out of this amp.

Thanks Timmer!

I heard somewhere else that the #4 Blackface voice with the Gain on 10 is the same sound as the Super Champ's first Blackface channel. I did a comparo at GC and it sure sounds like it. I compared the first channel on a SCXD to its own #4 voice with the gain dimed and there was no difference I could hear. Then I compared it to the #4 voice on a VCXD and it's the same voice, except the VCXD sounds a little warmer than the SCXD :mrgreen:

Then I compared it to the #4 voice on a VCXD and it's the same voice, except the VCXD sounds a little warmer than the SCXD :mrgreen:

Shhhh. Don't tell nobody...:wink:

So I went down the GC today to score a VCXD, finally made up my mind between it and the Champ 600. None left! Gotta go back Tuesday :sad:

So I went down the GC today to score a VCXD, finally made up my mind between it and the Champ 600. None left! Gotta go back Tuesday :sad:

Let us know how it goes, and how you like it. Definitely worth the wait.

I just picked up VCXD at Daddy's Junky Music Store for $149.99. Its a trade in, but its just like new.

Life! It always gets in the way. Had a couple things come up so I can't get back to the store until tomorrow (Thu). I hope they keep the one that was coming in. The guy told me he'd tag it for me, but you never know with that place!

Yay! I got my VCXD today! I pounded on it for 3 hours solid at almost full volume at band practice 20 minutes after I bought it :mrgreen: It's still working so that's a good thing!

Seriously, I think this is gonna work out great. I used voice 4 almost exclusively tonight, just to get the amp broken in a little. I need to experiment with the tweed sounds. I tried voice 1 just for a short time tonight and it definitely has possibilities!

Just in case the stock speaker doesn't break in well, any favorite replacements emerge for these amps yet? I've got a Jensen C8R, practically new, that I might toss in it. It almost seems you should have a Jensen in a Fender amp!

Here's a pic of the lovely little beastie!

http://www.visi.com/~sstolle/pics/vibrochamp1.jpg

Just got my VCXD a couple of days ago. I've been using voices 1, 4, & 9 mostly, so far. I don't know what took me so long before I decided to get one. It's officially my "bedroom amp". I've moved my SCXD to the living room.

It's officially my "bedroom amp". I've moved my SCXD to the living room.

This made me laugh. Ya, I actually plan on getting a SCXD someday I think...
Glad you finally got you one jackknife! Looks good with you guitar, and the best thing is you really never grow tired of experimenting the different variations of tone...even with your favorite 4 voices, the possiblities are endless with tweaking volume, gain, etc.

I swear when i use voice 4, blackface clean, (spring reverb effect) and run through my tube screamer and phaser pedal it screams with this warm soulful growl like I've never heard before. Love it.

Thanks, RubyRae! I haven't really even started with exploring the other voices yet. I know there's tons more in this amp. The blackface #4 voice is doing it for me right now. I'll twiddle when I get tired of that one.

I heard the stock speaker break in while I was playing it at a gig on Saturday night. Kind of strange to hear it mellow out all of a sudden, but it's sounding very sweet now.

I grabbed one of these on Friday at GC. I liked it better at the store, I mean I loved it at the store. But this just about hits it on the head for me right now:


i had been getting some funny, and unpleasant fret buzzing and the amp just seemed to be noisier than usual.

I don't know if it got banged or something on the drive home, but I'm definitely underwhelmed right now. I will definitely order some JJs at eurotubes. I also had been considering a 10-inch speaker. Seems to be the speaker shouldn't fart out when doing some ZZ-Top slides from 3 to 5 on the neck-pickup at medium volume levels. I mean any gain I apply results in farting and nastiness.

The only time this amp sounds good is when it's at a volume level low enough so that nearby people can't heat how bad I am on the guitar (like when I tested it at GC).

So I'm gonna start with a new tube, I'll probably order a 12AX7, a 12AU7, and an 12AT7 to make shipping worthwhile, so I'll have a few to choose from.

commodore, not sure what kind of guitar you play, but i play a strat, and it is a nice american, but it needs a set up job as of lately...so a lot of that fret buzz is my guitar. however, with the noise, or buzz i get from the amp, can also be attributed to where i am in the room...so i think it is more my guitar at certain pickup settings it is worse, or goes away when i turn, etc. also could be try a different outlet, or diferent room altogether for comparison purposes. i think the stock speaker is fine...the jj tube was a definite benefit right away. i would put that ax7 in and see what you think.
it could just need some break in time, or who knows with these amps. good think is if it continues or worsens you simply go up and replace it with a new one.

I knew I wouldn't be able to leave well enough alone, I swapped out the stock speaker for a RI Jensen C8R. It's louder and tighter than the stock speaker, doesn't give out the flab on the low end. It's a little brighter too but I have enough bass control in the pot to counteract it so the sound is still great. I need to hammer on it for a while like I did on the stocker to get it loosen up a little. When it does, I think it's going to sound awesome!

I want to run my VCXD to a 12" speaker in my Stage 1000. THe speaker in there is 8 Ohms. I'm about to make a 1/4 plug with some speaker wire. THe back of the VCXD says 4ohm minimum, so I assume it's ok to send it out to an 8ohm speaker?

Yep, you'll lose some power but the extra vol of the 12" will probably make up for it.

OK. There's definitely something wrong with my VCXD, nothign coudl sound this bad and still sell...and further, I can't imagine I was that off base when I tested this thing at GC.

I wonder if I still have the receipt.

Some things to check,

Make sure the speaker plug is all the way in, a ride home could jostle it out..
Make sure the tubes are seated tightly. It's possible you got a bad tube, do you have an extra 6v6 laying around and a 12ax7?
Make sure the speaker connects didn't come loose from the speaker.

The VXCD is a fine sounding amp, it sounds like it was rockin your world at GC but something happened on the way home maybe.

Jack, I am going to put my C8R back in and try it again. I was a little shrill for me, but perhaps I just need to break it in a bit more. We'll have to compare notes..

Yeah, check your tubes for sure. Mine has that black glass GT 6V6 they're using now, which looks way cool, but when I was swapping the speaker I noticed the glass is cracked. Not all the way through obviously, but it looks weak. Luckily I have a friend who's sending me an RCA blackplate he had extra, so I'm not gonna bother with taking it back to try and get a new tube.

timmer, so far the C8R is working nicely for me. I did notice the brighter sound, but I've barely used this speaker before so I know it's not broken in. Also, I play a mix of single coils, P90s and hummers, so with the thicker pickups it's actually no problem. On the immediate plus side it's more articulate than the stocker already and the bass holds together better.

It is more aticulate and a little more open sounding, tighter bass for sure, but on mine it breaks up very quickly, even on the number 4 voice. I start getting a Skynerd/Outlaws breakup very early with the bridge pickup.

I never have really pushed the Jensen though, it might need a good breaking in. I'm going to give it more time, but I still think the Fender speaker is well voiced for this amp's many tones..

The RCA 6V6GT my friend sent arrived today. I put it in the amp along with a nice Tungsram 12AX7 I had sitting doing nothing. Along with the Jensen speaker this amp is transformed! What a tight little tone machine. I can dime the gain on the #4 voice and get a super sounding blackface with just the right sparkle and almost no breakup using my Strat to try it out tonight. Had the volume up to 6 like that and it was still tight all across the spectrum, little to no breakup, no flabby bass, no sizzle in the highs.

Still need to play with the other voices but honestly, I can't get off #4 long enough to try anything else out!

The new parts.

http://www.visi.com/~sstolle/pics/vibrochamp3.jpg

ya jacknife, that sounds like a good speaker fir for the amp, and i would like to know how it sounds. i always wish i could hear mine side by side with each speaker to see what really sounds best and makes the best improvement...stock speaker is fine for me now, but down the road i will try a new one. keep me posted...

commodore, i ran my vcxd thru my 12" eminence stock speaker in my hr deluxe and it sounded real bad, so don't be too disapointed if it happens to you too. i just think most of these amps are built and spec'd for certain speakers and sizes, and we don't always get the results we think we might when trying bigger, or even better.

you got me thinking tho jacknife about that c8r...will have to see when i get the money.
actually saving up for some pedals and a vintage vibro champ now...

I got that speaker off eBay for $25 in almost new shape. Just had a little solder on the two tabs, that's why I'm clipped to the outside tabs. Other than that it was in mint condition.

Band practice is on Thursday and I'll take this and hammer on it again to see how she holds up. Will report back :mrgreen:

I'm checkin' you guys out, and I keep telling myself I'm not going to change the speaker, I'm not going to change the speaker, I'm not going to change the speaker, I'm not going to change the speaker to a Weber 8F100T................

Haha Zag,

Let us know how it goes.

I think the hard part with the VXCD speaker is finding a speaker that sounds good across so many sound types. The Jensen I put in mine sounds great on the tweed settings, and sizzles nice on the British voices. The 10-13 range, sounds pretty good too, I think thats more the hot rod deluxe type range. But that speaker on the blackface settings is a bit shrill, you would think it would be the best there seeing how it was standard equipment on some blackface amps.

So it comes down to compromises on these types of amps. It would be easier if there was one tone we had to work around, but then again the whole point of these amps is versatility. Still, I like the Jensen now that I have tried it again for a 3rd time (I keep going back to the stock speaker) The Jensen is certainly more robust and complex, perhaps I just need to break it in some to get that shrillness out a bit. The treble knob with the Jensen hardly does anything, where with the stock speaker it gives more EQ. The stocker is darker and flubbier but handles a wide range of sounds. The Jensen is louder, more crisp, more open sounding (like having a presence knob suddenly) but it breaks up easier than the stocker. It certainly gives my bucker rail equipped mim Tele that icepick 60s tele single coil sound..which is fun.

Hrmm time will tell.. I have been eyeing the Weber speakers, but my budget keeps me in the sig ceramic range which I'm not sure would be much different than the Jenny CR8.

My little fella:

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs438.ash1/24198_1304182897613_1621728390_761412_2827872_n.jp g

The Jensen just seems to belong there, it's a Champ after all!

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs438.ash1/24198_1304182937614_1621728390_761413_765076_n.jpg

The Weber alnico Sig 10S would sound wonderful in these amps. It was a huge upgrade in my SCXD.

Never been huge fan of Alnico speakers, but.. I have never exactly had them in a decent amp. I Like the pickups though, like that warm woody tone. and the VCXD and SCXD are so similar with the voicing...

I do like how some Ceramics have that nice bottom end and open sound, it's a different sound to my ears. I think of Alnico like two sticks hitting together, and Ceramic like two metal pipes hitting together lol, not sure if that makes sense. I'm not talking about the smacking or clank of the sticks or pipes, but the tone that is made, one seems warm the other seems cold.. man I think I need to lay off the pain meds :P

Thanks for speakin up TNO, now I am thinking of seeing if I can find some YouTube clips SCXD with speaker upgrades, something other than the standard Ragin Cajun mod.

http://img_0436.jpg

I've had the XD for a couple years and love it. I hadn't thought about the difference between the 5 and 15 watt but I wouldn't go back. Cranking the clean channel is great fun and since I'm in the basement my neighbors don't hear much. I didn't replace the speaker but I do patch out to an enclosure with a Celestion 80-12. Glorious on the metal stuff.

http://www.myspace.com/proazza

Anyone thought about trying one of these? http://warehousespeakers.com/proddetail.php?prod=AV_G8C

I have to admit I've only used my C8R on the blackface voice and a touch of the first tweed voice. I dig the sound so much I can't seem to get off the #4 voice :mrgreen:

I have to try it on the other tweed stuff, the Hot Rod and plexi voices. Those are the types of sounds I like, not too interested in higher gain stuff.

That Warehouse speaker looks pretty sweet. I'd like to hear a report on that one day.

I was tempted to get that Whse speaker, but this VCXD sounds decent the way it is, and I don't wanna mess with it for now. I have to limit myself to a Pathfinder15R I'm experimenting with (speaker also). Another reason I'll have to wait is this recent addition to the family.

Wow, shockingly good new setup today. I was playing around with voice #1, Gain 5, Vol 8, T/B both 10, FX Rvb+Dly around 3. Sweet!!

ya jacknife, i will have to try that one out. i have spent a lot of time like you on voice
4 & 1, (2&5)...and it never gets old. there is a wide array of tones to play with, especially with amp volume, gtr. volume, gain, treb, and bass. cranking up the treb and bass, or toning them down makes a huge difference. Friday I got a brand new *mint*
mxr carbon copy, and all I can say is WOW! (got it off craigslist for $80 and I am elated). anyway, it allows me to hang on my fav. blackface and tweed voices, and stay on the beloved spring reverb, but now with that pedal my tone is on this new elevated level. I have never played through such a great delay pedal, and it allows me to get warm slap back, all the way to the perfect wild repeats. It kinda enhances your tone. This amp takes pedals really well. I mostly stay on 4 & 1, with spring reverb, and use my cry baby, tube screamer, phaser, and carbon copy. Never had so much fun playing!!! (now i keep thinking about getting a new speaker, thanks fellas, lol)

Check out my Squier Classic Vibe 60's sunburst Strat thru a Vibro Champ XD: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8873072 Solo is doubled with a Billie Joe Armstrong (coolest LP case EVER. Nice axe too pro setup w/ 11's) LP Jr. thru a Blues Junior...from my bands' upcoming CD release.

VCXD is thru a Marshall 4x12 (newer MG I think, it was laying around the studio), voice #2 reverb/delay on about 3.5.

ya jacknife, i will have to try that one out. i have spent a lot of time like you on voice
4 & 1, (2&5)...and it never gets old. there is a wide array of tones to play with, especially with amp volume, gtr. volume, gain, treb, and bass. cranking up the treb and bass, or toning them down makes a huge difference. Friday I got a brand new *mint*
mxr carbon copy, and all I can say is WOW! (got it off craigslist for $80 and I am elated). anyway, it allows me to hang on my fav. blackface and tweed voices, and stay on the beloved spring reverb, but now with that pedal my tone is on this new elevated level. I have never played through such a great delay pedal, and it allows me to get warm slap back, all the way to the perfect wild repeats. It kinda enhances your tone. This amp takes pedals really well. I mostly stay on 4 & 1, with spring reverb, and use my cry baby, tube screamer, phaser, and carbon copy. Never had so much fun playing!!! (now i keep thinking about getting a new speaker, thanks fellas, lol)

Ever use it and the VC's delay too? Nuts (my delay pedal isn't as nice as a MXR CC) I tell ya. Fun as hell.

Check out my Squier Classic Vibe 60's sunburst Strat thru a Vibro Champ XD: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8873072 Solo is doubled with a Billie Joe Armstrong (coolest LP case EVER. Nice axe too pro setup w/ 11's) LP Jr. thru a Blues Junior...from my bands' upcoming CD release.

VCXD is thru a Marshall 4x12 (newer MG I think, it was laying around the studio), voice #2 reverb/delay on about 3.5.

Are all the rhythm guitars on that cut through the VCXD, too? Man, it sounds great!

Love my Vibro Champ XD w/ single coil guitars (specifically Strats) but haven't found a good feel for it with humbuckers yet....seems a bit muddy to me.

Any good settings for some light crunch w/ the VBXD and humbuckers (specifically LP Studio)?

The bridge pickup seems harsh and brittle while the neck pickup is bassy and muddy.

I know this isn't *the amp* to get AC/DC like tones, but something with both clarity and crunch is what I'm looking for.

That is interesting you mention that, cause I was wondering how this amp would sound with a Les Paul. I sold my LP Studio a year or 2 ago (still hate myself for it) so i have yet to play anything but my Strat thru it. Then last night I picked up a nice used classic vibe 50's tele and it sounded superb thru the amp. Sorry to hear that you are having trouble. This amp has such a wide array of sounds, and even does the hard rock (ac/dc) sounds decent IMO. The only thing you can really do is try every setting, and really tweak the bass, treble, gain on each along with you Les Paul tone nobs to get the least mud with that neck pup. With the bridge I would think you could crank the bass and keep the treble down to get a decent tone. I love the flexibility of this amp. Keep tryin' and if all else fails, just enjoy your Strat, single coils.

The stock speaker is a bit dark for humbuckers, I find that the number 8 Plexi setting around 5-7 gain 10 bass and 7 treble works well for an ACDC crunch but that is with single coil pups. With darker pups like yours, you might want to try something a little higher pitched like the number 7 Vox with the gain around 5 for some crunch.

I have the Jensen CR8 speaker which is too bright for single coils, but I bet would be simply awesome with your Les Paul. Don't give up on it yet, I have found that this little guy can change sound and dynamics with just a tiny change to the gain. Try setting your gain on 1 with any channel and work the gain up in half turns till you find the sweet spot, it's out there =)

Edit** Rae, When I bought my VCXD, I ran it through its paces with a floor model Epiphone Les Paul, and its a whole different animal, mucho sustain and it's darker, but sounds equally good as it does with a single coil guitar. Different sounding for sure, but really nice! Loved the Vox sound with the Epi-Paul, it just sang man, and had that nice thumpy bottom end you would expect with a Les Paul.

hi everyone,

which good overdrive pedal should i get to match with my highway 1 tele and VCXD?

1. bad monkey?
2. OCD?
3. Tube screamer?
4. Fulltone FD2?

thanks

Other than a Weber 8 incher, or the Jensen C8R, has anyone tried a Warehouse speaker in their VCXD? Me likes the size-o-that magnet.

When you demo the amp at GC, definitely place it on the floor with nothing around it. This will yield a completely different 'demo' than the baffled, amp display shelf-found at my local GC.

got my wife one of these. I own the Super Champ XD and after modding it with new tubes and a ragin' cajun, it's her turn. Should be in this week: EHX 6v6 and EHX 12AX7 PLUS Jensen C8r! Can't wait to hear this thing fulfill it's true potential! Hope she likes it! She said "why are you changing it? I love it the way it is." I hope she says "oh, wow, I didn't know!" we'll see.
:P

I tried out my VCXD through an Avatar Vintage 1x12 cab with a Celestion Sidewinder installed. All I can say is wow! Talk about the amp being released from the small box! It sounds great. I might be considering a head cab for this now.

I picked up mine several months back as an impulse buy. Both these and the Champion 600s were on sale ($149 for the former, $99 for the latter). The Champ sounded cool, but got a bit ratty when cranked. The salesman recommended I try the VCXD, and I fell in love with it. Voicing 1 was essentialy the Champion 600, but smoother when cranked, and that still left all the other voicings and the effects.

I'm using this as a practice amp since my Egnater Rebel 20 is far too loud for home use. I'm very partial to Voicing 8 with the gain set about halfway up. It gives a nice crunchy sound with my Les Pauls or my ASAT, but cleans up beautifully.

I recently switched out the electronics in my Strat and I wasn't totally digging it through the Rebel 20. I plugged it into the VCXD set on Voicing 6 and I was in heaven!

Has any-one compared the Vibro Camp XD compared with the SCXD sound-wise?

Has any-one compared the Vibro Camp XD compared with the SCXD sound-wise?

I have both, but I never thought of comparing the two. Night and day to me.

Y'know, while I'm thinkin' about it, has anyone tried either of these speakers in their VCXD? The 8 incher from Warehouse or this 8 incher Eminence speaker from Angela?

I've wondered about the WGS speaker myself, zag1. Haven't seen the Angela speaker before. I'm beginning to find the C8R I put in mine to be a tad bright. I've actually been thinking more along the lines of a 10" speaker now.

Yeah, I read somewhere else, someone saying the C8R was rather bright. That WAS my first choice. I like the sound of the stock speaker, but I want a tad more bottom. Even though I realize it IS just an 8 incher. That Eminence with the big magnet might do the trick though. It's priced about the same as the WGS speaker. I even thought about a 10 incher as well. Even made a baffle for it. Now I'm toying with the thought of changing out the OT with one that has both 4 and 8 ohm taps, so I can do either a 4 or 8 ohm speaker. That would open up to more speaker choices. Just a thought.

I hear ya about speaker choices for 10s. I thought if I did get a 10" I'd try a Jensen Mod 10-30. They offer those in 4 ohms and the MOD series seem to be pretty decent speakers.

You interested in making another baffle?

They make a Mod 10-30? I had put a Mod 10-35 in my Pathfinder and if I remember correctly, those where available in 8 or 16 ohm. I used 1/2" thick burch plywood when I made the baffle, with the speaker hole slightly offset (for larger magnets), and It seems I need to make a 1/4" thick frame for it, to make it 3/4" total. The original is like that. I have some grill cloth coming. I suppose I can do another. I'll have to see how this one turns out. This is a maiden voyage.

Sorry, I was all goofed up on the Jensen. It's the MOD 10-50 I was thinking about.

http://www.jensentone.com/mod10-50.php

Post pics when you get yours done!

I've had mine for a couple months now and i'm still in love with it. I live on 4 or 5 with light reverb. Bass and treble don't seem to make a huge difference on mine so I leave them both around 7. I adjust gain and volume per guitar. It does some things better than my blues jr. Very happy with it.

How can I tell when the speaker breaks in? Is there an amount of time or can I assume that playing it cranked six or seven hours a week for the last couple months has done the job?

odd job, the speaker on mine broke in after about 6-8 hours of heavy playing. It was right in the middle of a gig (I was micing the amp but still running it pretty hard) and you could all of a sudden hear it get more relaxed and less shrill sounding. I've never heard that happen before so abruptly. I'd think you're in the "broke in" zone by now.

I pretty much live on voice #1 with the delay + reverb FX setting. I set mine similar to yours, treble/bass both around 6-7 and leave 'em there.

Funny, I was sitting here reading you guys posts, and happened to look over at my VCXD and saw that the treble/bass were both at 6/7 respectively. Hummmm. I live on the #4 voice setting with a dash of reverb (between 2-3).

It's "The Zone" :mrgreen:

I just ordered one of these. A$399 which is a good price especially since freight is free!

Can't wait to plug my CV50s in and hear what happens.

It's "The Zone" :mrgreen:

I can dig it!:grin:

I think I'll take advantage of the weekend sale at GC and go on down there tomorrow. They'll probably be out of stock . . lol.

I think I'll take advantage of the weekend sale at GC and go on down there tomorrow. They'll probably be out of stock . . lol.

I got a postcard for this sale.. it doesn't even cover Fender products. :mad:

Woohoo!

Got my Vibro Champ on friday. It's perfect for me, loud enough to have a blast in a small room but not too loud to upset everyone else.

I'm liking the tweed and blackface voices a lot. Voice 2 overdriven quite a bit has that real fender sound. Love the class A sound too.

I've had the VibroChamp for about 2 years now....I have loved it ever since! I also have a Blues Jr that I play during the day but the VCXD is great at night! (I'm playing it now!!)

Someone earlier asked about a good sound for humbuckers...I have a Les Paul tuned down a half step and use voice #3 with gain on 7 Bass on 7.5 and Treble on 8...I love the tone with it!

Woohoo!

Got my Vibro Champ on friday. It's perfect for me, loud enough to have a blast in a small room but not too loud to upset everyone else.

I'm liking the tweed and blackface voices a lot. Voice 2 overdriven quite a bit has that real fender sound. Love the class A sound too.

Very cool. Congrats on the best deal of an amp in town. It really can crank, and despite what some may say, I have gotten some real nice recordings out of mine. :cool: I use the stock speaker, but I will say that some fresh JJ tubes made her rip!

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.

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.

Did you have your stock speaker in there long enough to break it in, or did you just make that change? I still have my stock speaker, and I don't think it's broken in yet, but hey it's just my bedroom amp. I was trying to decide between the WGS speaker or this one here in the pic. This baby is supposed to give up more bottom and still give up the highs. Check the mag on that baby! I've got a Peavey Backstage Chorus 208 amp with 2 speakers that are simular to that, and the bass response is big, without giving up the highs or the mids.

I do still have the stock speaker and it did break in. It actually sounds great but is too flubby on the low end when you crank the amp. You gotta crank these amps :mrgreen:

If I could find a speaker that has the warm body of the stocker and holds the lows like the Jensen, I'd nab one.

I'll take note and crank that baby 'til it breaks in. By that time I'll know where I wanna go from there. But......I'm still tempted to try that guy with the big mag on it.

I was trying voice #1 for a change on my VCXD instead of #4 just for a change, and I like! I keep tellin' myself to give the stock speaker a chance. Buying a speaker I might not like after tryin' it, then tryin' to sell the thing, then being stuck with it is enough incentive to keep me from buyin' a speaker in the first place. Experimentation is expensive, and I can't dance to that groove! :wink: Don't have the resources.

I lived on voice #4 for a long time. One day I tried #1 just for kicks. Now the amp is stuck there :mrgreen:

We will not be relegated to 2nd page status!

Yeah, you're right. Well check this out, you ever consider upgrading the output tranny in yer VCXD? I wonder if the T08C from Allen Amps would give it more "umph". If nothing else it would allow you to use either a 4 or 8 ohm speaker.

We're gonna get that forth page. I think I'm gonna do an output tranny upgrade with 4 and 8 ohm taps. Then I'll put a toggle switch in.

I did think about the OT swap for a little bit. Turns out I'm liking the amp with the 4 ohm speaker that's in it now so OT swap on hold.

Anyone have an idea how much current the PT can supply? If it can puch enough juice, a 6L6 swap would be sweet. Then I'd want on upgraded OT.

you 2 are crazy, but I dig it. i need to fire my vcxd up, it has been on the back-burner lately and i feel bad. that amp is sweet. by the way, i did some coffee house acoustic gigs, and it sounded sweet. i ended up using voice 4 more than i did the acoustic one.
made my koa taylor acoustic sound real nice, clean, and full.

My VCXD has been sitting idle because of my classic 30 and my classical. I think it's time to fire it up again!

I did think about the OT swap for a little bit. Turns out I'm liking the amp with the 4 ohm speaker that's in it now so OT swap on hold.

Anyone have an idea how much current the PT can supply? If it can puch enough juice, a 6L6 swap would be sweet. Then I'd want on upgraded OT.

Since both the SCXD and VCXD use the same PT, I don't see a prob with a 6L6 swap. Then like you mentioned, it would be the right time to upgrade that OT.

you 2 are crazy, but I dig it. i need to fire my vcxd up, it has been on the back-burner lately and i feel bad. that amp is sweet. by the way, i did some coffee house acoustic gigs, and it sounded sweet. i ended up using voice 4 more than i did the acoustic one.
made my koa taylor acoustic sound real nice, clean, and full.

Is that Princeton on the front-burner?:mrgreen:

I found my sound with a DRRI (clean) and even like the way it sounds at low volume. But, sometimes I just want to plug in for a little while as I watch TV and don’t want to fire up all those tubes in the DR. So, I’m looking at the VCXD. I’ve had no luck with any digital amp I’ve tried in the past. Even those with a tube to warm things up. All sound good in the store and at home for a while, but then digital ear fatigue sets in and I can’t play with them for very long. Some have commented the VCXD sounds less digital than the SCXD. Don’t know how the difference in amp class could do that, but I’m open to your thoughts and especially what those who have had theirs awhile have to say.

I have a SCXD and it doesn't sound digital to me at all compared to my multifx boxes.

I have both. If they do sound digital, I can't tell.

Is that Princeton on the front-burner?:mrgreen:

Yes it is, and I am real happy with it. I still think the vcxd is a great little 5 watt amp, and the best deal in town on a new amp. I have not owned a scxd, but played one side by side in the store, and he vcxd was the choice I made. It had the tone, and plenty of volume, so having everything in one package it made more sense to me to get over the scxd. I had no need for 2 channels, and the only slight digital sound was in the effects, and like I said very minimal. Great tones are plentiful n this amp.

I use my VCXD most of the time. My son has my SCXD. I didn't feel the need for two channels either.

Thanks for the input guys. The SCXDs are easier to find in the stores around here. I'll try to track down a VC this weekend.

My VXCD has been sitting idle since I picked up a Palamino V16, I put a C-Rex speaker in it and can't seem to shut the thing off now. I think I'll go home and give the little guy some play time..... But then its back to the V16.

Since both the SCXD and VCXD use the same PT, I don't see a prob with a 6L6 swap. Then like you mentioned, it would be the right time to upgrade that OT.

That is interesting to hear. I bet a 6L6 or a 5881 would work pretty well with that PT.

Now I am dreaming about a OT upgrade. Maybe it's time for that 10" baffle too!

That is interesting to hear. I bet a 6L6 or a 5881 would work pretty well with that PT.

Now I am dreaming about a OT upgrade. Maybe it's time for that 10" baffle too!

Uh-oh, what did I start? :lol: Back to the voicin' thing right quick, I tried #10 and had both the gain and volume dimed and used the guitar's volume knob. When I have the knob down, the cleans are clean! When I turn up, it gets right!:mrgreen: I like that combo.

Come on now folks, the Class 5 folk are catchin' up (3 pages)! Y'all done run outta stuff ta say 'bout yer Vibro Champ XDs? They're okay (the Class 5 amps), but these VCXD amps are versatile! You can get good overdriven tones at low volumes and they make great bedroom rigs for us home giggin' types. I do understand that the tube purests may not approve of these, as they are not 100% tube but ya gotta give 'em credit. They do okay! When and/or if mine fries and the DSP goes to digital heaven (for whatever reason), I'm gonna gut him out, an' put me some PTP guts, a second 6V6 output tube and pre-amp tubes in him!:twisted:

zag, I had those same thoughts. If the DSP fries on mine it's getting converted to a true Vibro Champ clone. Heck ,the cab is already the right size!

I'm cooled off about the OT swap right now. Every time I play this thing I just get a stupid grin on my mug and I think, "Why change it?" :mrgreen:

Cool! Glad to know 'bout the cab size.

i'd like to know more about using the vcxd with 12 inch speakers, which are good, etc. .

i'd like to know more about using the vcxd with 12 inch speakers, which are good, etc. .

you mean an extension cab? Because the stock speaker is an 8", and only a 10" would fit if you wanted to cut the baffle board and upsize. When I got mine, I was eager to try out a larger speaker, and hooked my vcxd up to my hrd amp (12" speaker) and it did not sound too good. I am sure other speaker combinations, or a true extension cabinet would have been better, but I have heard that the Weber 10", and Ragin' Cajun sound great in these amps, as well as the jensen. Bu I really dig my stock speaker for now and just upgraded my tubes to JJ for more punch and clarity.

First post here........seemed like the appropriate thread to go in since you guys turned me on to this sweet little amp. I needed something for late-nite practice etc. and this fit the bill perfectly. I'll get to upgrading the tubes soon, but I'm still on the fence as to a speaker change. Ch's 1&4 are the mainstays, but I need to experiment a little on the dial.
Anyhow, Thanks........this one's a keeper !!!

Welcome aboard, IamBlue! Glad you like the little VCXD :mrgreen:

I just got through jamming (1:00 AM) with some backing tracks (Blues) and I had my VCXD on voice#12 dimed out and using the volume control on my guitar. SWEET! The blue hue from the Tung-Sol 6V6GT! Nothin' but the truth!

Nothin' like late-nite jammin' to the blues before callin' it a nite !!! I just shut down the VCXD also.........its 2am !

Four pages :mrgreen:

Four pages :mrgreen:

The awesomeness of an amp is directly proportional to the amount of posts/pages that are required to discuss it's awesomeness within the Amp Owners Clubs forum on tdpri.

In conclusion...we need way more pages!

That's an interesting ummm, concept? But true nonetheless (Is that one word?).

As far as power tubes it looks like JJ's or Tung-Sols........anyone compare the 2 in this amp? I'll probably go with a JJ in the pre-amp but I'm not sure about the 6v6.

I've been playing a Vibro Champ XD for about 2 months now and am consistently amazed at the killer tube tone out of this little baby. I play Jim Root Teles through it, late at night in the garage. It's perfect. The insane distortion channels are fabulous for low volume and the speaker break up is awesome with the right amount of gain. The clean channels are typical killer Fender tones. I'm very satisfied with this guy. I've done some direct recording with it too and it can get it on with the big boys on occassion. Great little amp!:cool:

As far as power tubes it looks like JJ's or Tung-Sols........anyone compare the 2 in this amp? I'll probably go with a JJ in the pre-amp but I'm not sure about the 6v6.

I'm running an old RCA 6V6GT in mine. They're not that expensive when you only have to buy one. Don't need to worry about matched sets or anything :mrgreen: I'd recommend that over new production first.

As far as power tubes it looks like JJ's or Tung-Sols........anyone compare the 2 in this amp? I'll probably go with a JJ in the pre-amp but I'm not sure about the 6v6.

You need not worry about the pre-amp, the DSP has got it covered. Your VCXD uses only half of that 12AX7 to drive the output section.

Thanks.....I haven't even looked in the back of this amp yet, which is unusual for me. Been too busy jammin' on it !! Whats nice is that now I can probably afford to put a quality NOS 6V6 in there, like Jack Knife suggested.

Here's a pic of some of my gear w/VCXD...............

That's some sweet gear, Blue! What's the story on the rosewood Strat?

Yeah, are those Lace Golds in that joint?

'97 Amer. Roadhouse Strat that originally came w/ Texas Specials which are now in the Sunburst Strat. Yea, Lace Hot Golds, Graphtech saddles and locking tuners.

Hey folks, had a thought, so how 'bout your take on this issue? Well, here goes. In the wake of how great the SCXDs are, I'm getting some feedback (no pun) about them (SCXDs) crapping out on folks. Sooooo, my question is...... has anyone heard of any simular issues with the VCXDs? Mine's still going strong even though I recently jammed with it on voice #12, dimed out, and just using my guitar's volume control. I use voice #4 and #10 the same way. I wanna know how it sounds after the speaker breaks in. I think that folk that arbitrarily change the speaker without giving it a chance, may not know what they improving on. ("Frontman" amps, different story!:mrgreen:) JMHO.

Hey folks, had a thought, so how 'bout your take on this issue? Well, here goes. In the wake of how great the SCXDs are, I'm getting some feedback (no pun) about them (SCXDs) crapping out on folks. Sooooo, my question is...... has anyone heard of any simular issues with the VCXDs?

Not really. I have yet to hear any bad luck stories on this particular amp. Though the amps are very similar in tone and settings, clearly there are some major differences in that the SCXD has (2) 6v6 tubes, 10" speaker, an extra channel, and is more wattage. I really think the VCXD is a great amp at 5 watts, class A. After 7 months I have had zero issues with mine thus far. I am a big fan of one channel, and this is the loudest 5 watts I have ever heard. I hope it stays functional for the rest of my life.

Mine emits feedback and all kinds of nasty noises when I turn it on.


Oh wait, that's how I play :mrgreen:

Nope, don't believe it.

I've heard they're a good, solid amp. Never heard of any problems with them.

I'm thinking about getting a VCXD, and was wondering if you can get a good, tube sounding overdrive with voice 4 and setting the gain and volume settings correctly? Any info is appreciated!

Oh, you most definitely can get a nice tube overdrive with this amp. The power tube crunches very nicely when you get it cooking!

How can you tell when the speaker breaks in? I can count on one hand the number of new amps and new speakers I've ever had. Always been broken in by the time I get hold of 'em. I need to start using my VCXD more so I can catch it in the act, which is all the more reason I need to know what to listen for. A couple of weeks ago I had the thing dimed (both gain & vol.), and using the volume on the guitar. Sweet!

Having a lot of Gas for this Amp. The review section has been reopened, I've uploaded this amp now http://www.tdpri.com/reviewpost/showproduct.php/product/253/title/fender-vibro-champ-xd/cat/26 I'm waiting for your reviews :rolleyes:

I think it sounds pretty sweet with lots of tonal possibilities. . .one that tickles me is the acoustic simulator which produces a very unique sound. .

Ahhh, voice #16! Something about that setting. I use my Tele thinline with that.....I like!

I'm still stuck on 1&4, but ya, voice 16 is pretty cool.

BTW, had this amp cranked up the other day on #4, and the speaker wasn't holdin' the low-end together, kinda fartin' out I quess. Since I haven't really pushed this speaker much, could it be that it just hasn't broken-in completely yet ? I didn't spend much time on it when this happened, so I'll try it again w/ different voices and volumes to get a better idea.

I have one of these too. I recently bought a Epiphone 1x12 cab to use with it. The amp sounded good before. It sounds great now. BTW, I stay on the #4 setting too.

I have one of these too. I recently bought a Epiphone 1x12 cab to use with it. The amp sounded good before. It sounds great now. BTW, I stay on the #4 setting too.

What 12" speaker do you run thru? And to answer Iamblue's question, I do think it takes a while for the stock vcxd speakers to break in. I still think a speaker upgrade from weber or another is a good option as well. But for now I am keeping mine stock, except tubes...

I am always keeping my eyes open for a nice used and inexpensive 10 or 12 " cab tho...who knows. I still like this amp but the more I play thru my princeton the more I realize the amps weakness...:neutral:

I bought the Epiphone cab that is made for the Valvle Junior line.

http://www.firstqualitymusic.com/images/product/2949/P_2949_L00.jpg

Yea, I gotta keep reminding myself that I bought this amp for bedroom level sessions. But as ya' know, when this thing is cranked it sounds killer.....so the ext. cab is a real good idea.

Picked up a VCXD the other day, still playing around with all of the options, but I think I'm going to like this little guy. Not as much bass response as my Marshall MG30DFX, but I'm thinking of running the VCXD through the Marshall's 10" speaker to see how that sounds. The VCXD seems to be a nice little amp!

I love mine, I have been using mine for all sorts of things,(rehearsal/home/low volume jazz gigs), and this week using the line out into a direct box for a surf musical I was hired for and have been asked to turn down by the drummer!


I only use the tweed settings. The others are o.k., but the tweed sound great

Voice 2- Gain:6 Vol:7 Treble:6 Bass:8


I use this for clean to overdrive by using my volume knob.


Voice 3- G:5 V:5 T:6 B: 8

Santana in a box!

The fx are okay, I don't use them very much, except I love and use tremolo a lot! :)

In other words, I use it as a tweed Champ with trem.

I love this little thing!

Been out for a while, glad to see the club is still alive!

Speaking of voice #2, I recently started using that one. Gives a nice growly sound, not too clean, not too dirty. Been liking this one a lot.

Here's a little recording I did this morning while noodling around after breakfast :mrgreen:

http://www.visi.com/~sstolle/mp3/sat_twang2.mp3

Here's the setup.

http://www.visi.com/~sstolle/pics/dano_champ.jpg

I've been playing around with my new VCXD and I'm starting to get liking ALOT of the voicings (1, 2, 3, 8, 11, 12, 14 15). One thing that I've noticed is that it takes 3 - 5 seconds or so for the amp to put out some sound after being turned on. I'm thinking this is the time it's taking for the tubes to get warmed up, but I'd like to know if this is normal for these amps?

I'm thinking this is the time it's taking for the tubes to get warmed up, but I'd like to know if this is normal for these amps?

yes tom, any tube amp takes a short while to warm up. actually an all tube amp takes even longer than 3 seconds...but yes this is very normal and all is good. glad you like the amp, it is a wealth of tonal possibilities! :cool:

I like that sound and set up JK! Hey fellas, got an acronym for this amp! This amp has VAP! Now y'all probably wondering what that is. Well, it's Versatility, Affordability, and Portability. IMHO of course. Here's mine with my main squeeze.

Thanks for the info RubyRae! That's what I was thinking but wanted some verification. I agree, the more I play around with this amp, the more I'm seeing its versatility.

Here's another part of that jam I recorded. I spaced out and kept going for about 10 minutes so I just cut out the nonsense stuff :mrgreen: I mean the really nonsense stuff :lol:

http://www.visi.com/~sstolle/mp3/sat_twang.mp3

This question may have been asked many times before, but I'll asked it again. If I do get new tubes for my VCXD, how do I check the tube bias? Thanks in advance for any responses!

The VCXD's a single ended amp that doesn't require biasing.

Thanks for the info zag1. That should make it pretty easy to compare different OTs if I ever want to see how different tubes sound.

If you go that route, you might want to consider the T08C shown here.....

http://allenamps.com/parts.php#transformers

Eventually, I'm getting one. Heyyyyyy, 5 pages for the VCXD crew!

Since it seems so popular, I've been playing around with voice #4. Nice bluesy tone. Setting the gain on 10 seems to bring out the bottom end very nicely. Seems like all of the blackface voices benefit from setting the gain to 10. Like to hear some other opinions on voice 4. Thanks!

I almost live on voice #4, and I'll have the volume & gain both dimed while using the guitars' volume knob.

Since it seems so popular, I've been playing around with voice #4. Nice bluesy tone. Setting the gain on 10 seems to bring out the bottom end very nicely. Seems like all of the blackface voices benefit from setting the gain to 10. Like to hear some other opinions on voice 4. Thanks!

I read that voice #4 with the Gain dimed is equivalent to the #1 channel on the Super Champ XD.

I read that voice #4 with the Gain dimed is equivalent to the #1 channel on the Super Champ XD.

I forgot what that sounded like, since my son has my SCXD.

I think I'm gonna take the plunge, and get one of these http://angela.com/fenderspeaker84ohmceramic.aspx I have two of these in another amp. Excellent bottom, but the highs are still there.

I think I'm gonna take the plunge, and get one of these http://angela.com/fenderspeaker84ohmceramic.aspx I have two of these in another amp. Excellent bottom, but the highs are still there.

please let us know how it sounds. looks like a decent speaker upgrade, an I am interested!!! :cool: good price for a big ceramic 8". thanks!

After lurking for around a year in this discussion I finally get my Vibro champ XD. On the Dutch craiglist for €150,00 (new €260). I'm expecting a lot of fun!!!

Hey Zag.......did you do that speaker upgrade yet ??

Hey Zag.......did you do that speaker upgrade yet ??

Not yet. I did manage to try another idea I had. Experimented with some op-amps along the signal chain (must've been bored). Changed one TL072 op-amp to a 5532 (I had done this to my SCXD). Getting that pcb out is a pain. There was improvment in sound, brighter, a bit more clarity but not on a major scale.

Just checking in, guys.

I used my VCXD at a gig on Friday night. Played outside at a local car show. Had the amp running into a Behringer G-100 DI. Nice little direct box. Has a 4x12 cab emulation for the XLR out. Makes the VC sound big :mrgreen:

I used my modded Epi ES-295, loaded with Gretsch Filtertrons. The combo kicked major a__ all night.

After lurking for around a year in this discussion I finally get my Vibro champ XD. On the Dutch craiglist for €150,00 (new €260). I'm expecting a lot of fun!!!

Finally a decent amp after cheap solid-states. Up until now I didn't knew, I missed a real good tone. Even my cheap Squier BSB telecaster incl. my '62 reissue pu's sounding worth every Euro I paid (€50):razz:

Good deal ButterScotchPH, glad to hear you like it. I am letting my best friend borrow mine for a few weeks since he just got a new lap steel and has no amp. I have another amp to play, and he will appreciate it. I knew you would like this amp, and it really takes on different tones every day you want it it. One of the most versatile 5 watts ever made. Enjoy!

I'm seriously considering joining this club...the Blues Junior is too loud for my needs. I'm debating the Vibro Champ versus the Super Champ...I think the 5 watts will work better for my situation. For the $ either one seems like a great deal. It looks like except for speaker size, power and 2 channels they're the same amp.

Both amps get rave reviews. I just have a hard time telling in the store if I'll really like the amp/guitar.....

I was down at a local shop and gave it an half hour test and i must say that as soon as i have the money i will buy one. At 2500 Swedish crowns ($ 343) i couldn't import it for less my self.

ordered a Vibro Champ XD from a local little guitar store...now the hardest part...the waiting.....not sure how long it will take to get here. I try to support this great locally owned establishment. I could have gone to the local GC and picked one up if I needed the instant gratification....

Just purchased a Vibro Champ XD yesterday and it's out for delivery with UPS as I type. Can't wait for it to arrive. I've played one at a local shop several times but I'm really looking forward to cranking it up in my country home where only the cows and the crows will mind the volume :)

This threads been quiet lately........everyone still enjoying this amp??
I plug into mine just about every nite after work, still finding new tones out of her. Gotta change out the 6V6 tube pretty soon.

Yep, did the last two gigs with mine. Used a Behringer G100 DI between the amp and speaker to take a line out to the PA. 4x12 cab sim makes the little fella sound good!

Hello all! The speaker finally broke in on mine a few days ago. I had the thing cranked, when the sound just "changed". I used it again yesterday and it sounds, well...... loose (in a good way).

This threads been quiet lately........everyone still enjoying this amp??
I plug into mine just about every nite after work, still finding new tones out of her. Gotta change out the 6V6 tube pretty soon.

why do you have to change the 6v6 tube? or do you just want to change it to try other options? actually if that is the case you might notice more difference in changing the 12ax7, at least I did.

why do you have to change the 6v6 tube? or do you just want to change it to try other options? actually if that is the case you might notice more difference in changing the 12ax7, at least I did.

I have to ask... what kind of difference?

I have to ask... what kind of difference?

One day I thought my amp was sounding thin or should I say weak. I just so happened to find a JJ 12ax7 in my gear box (mind you I don't recall ever having this tube so I am still baffled where it came from) anyway, I swapped it out with the Fender stock 12ax7, and it seemed to me like a shot of adrenaline into my vcxd. That's my story and I'm stickin to it. truth.

Cool! Good thing you had that bad boy sittin' 'round. I've got some spares for mine too, both 12AX7s and 6V6s. I guess when mine goes through those changes, I'll replace both at the same time (to be on the safe side).

I've got a bunch of JJ 12AX7's as spares but I've been meaning to try a different power tube just to experiment.

Well, it's been awhile, and it's September, so I'll be the first to post in this 9th month of 2010. This VCXD of mine is the first amp I've ever owned, that I've experienced the breaking in of the speaker. I'm leaving this one in. The only thing I did change was the first op-amp (TL072 t0 5532) in the pre-amp. More clarity, brighter and full sounding.

I love my VCXD and have an enlarged baffle and a Jensen Mod 50 10" which improved the bottom end a bit. Also put a JJ 12AX7 in as well as a Switchcraft input jack.

I have a green board BJr with Billm mods and I sometimes run the line out from the VCXD into the BJr for the tonal/ effects variety

Peace, Richard

I have limited prior experience with digital amps, but just a quick note to say that I have never played an amp like the VCXD where the variation on settings is so heavily dependent on proper setting of the Gain control. Some of the Voice settings that initially sound over-the-top become very useable with the right gain settings. Individual mileage may vary!

PEACE, Richard

I have limited prior experience with digital amps, but just a quick note to say that I have never played an amp like the VCXD where the variation on settings is so heavily dependent on proper setting of the Gain control. Some of the Voice settings that initially sound over-the-top become very useable with the right gain settings. Individual mileage may vary!

PEACE, Richard

I concur Richard, and that really is a great point to put emphasis on. hat gain control works wonders in both direction. It really gives this little amp soooo many options and tones to experiment with. Love it, and tho I have had it over 6 months now, it fells like I am still learning how to dial it in.
Brings new life to be everytime I play on it. :cool: Lately been messing with the chorus sounds and jazz and/or acoustic settings...

I finally got to crank this amp up for awhile.......lovin' voice 3,7,8 and most others, but WOW, its sounding great with the Tele and Strat. I still think the speaker needs a good work-out to get her brokin' in. So far I'm still stock except a JJ 12AX7.

I've had mine for about 4 months now- this is the only tube amp I've owned that can really sound good at true (read "very quiet") apt/bedroom volumes. I've got a 2 year old and live in a small apt in brooklyn, so for me it's usually POD or unplugged, but this one fits the bill. And cranked, it's all that and more, endless tonal variations abound, as each voice behaves differently in conjunction with the master volume, and it's very noticeable when adjustments are made in the pre and post gain settings. The only obvious limitation to me is the 8" speaker, but I've got bigger amps (in storage...) if the need arises. Paired with my old Gibson Discover (8 or so watts with a 12"), it's loud enough for any gigs I do, and sounds amazing. Especially cool to use trem on one amp, or set alternate tremolo rates for cool chorus-vibrato effects.

I just read this entire thread. I currently have a micro cube that is pretty fun to play. Similar to the VCXD in that it is a modeling amp but it's SS and only has a 5 inch speaker. Will the VCXD sound significantly better than a micro cube because of the tubes and larger speaker? Has anyone compared these two amps?

Currently listening to a lot of Jim Campilongo and I LOVE his sound. I know he plays thru a Princeton so I was thinking I'd be closer to that sound thru the Vibro-Champ.

Oh and speaking if Jim C I sent him an email about the VCXD because the Fender website said that he played one as well as his Princeton's. He told me it sounded good but died on him shortly after he got it. Seems like his situation was a bit out of the ordinary from the reviews I've read on this forum.

I have a Vibro Champ on order from a local little guitar shop. I have a Micro Cube too. I'll let you know how they stack up when it gets here.

Teleagain,

That would be great. Looking forward to reading your impressions.

apparently the Vibro Champs are on "back order" with Fender. Somep laces have them, some don't. ...who knows when I'll get mine...I even checked on-line and Sweetwater states they have a very long wait to get them..

I went through the same thing when I was ready to get one. So..... try these guys - http://victorlitz.com/cart/fender-vibro-champ-xd-guitar-combo-amp-p-2292.html I believe they got 'em. I got mine from them.

Glad to read that there are other Voices on the VCXD besides number 2, but I don't need them!! :mrgreen:

Finally got a chance to take out the chassis again, and looked at this factory OT(top). I'm going with the TO8C from Allen Amps (bottom). This direct replacement is half an inch taller and really enhances the bottom as well as the overall sound, and this is with the stock speaker.

Finally got a chance to take out the chassis again, and looked at this factory OT(top). I'm going with the TO8C from Allen Amps (bottom). This direct replacement is half an inch taller and really enhances the bottom as well as the overall sound, and this is with the stock speaker.

oOH Ooh, let me know how that works out. TO8C looks sweet, allen transformers are so freakin cool. :cool:

This'll be my second one (mine). Now that I know how it sounds, it's my turn.

zag1,

thanks for the info on where to get one but i'll wait to give the local little guitar shop the business...I'll just have to be patient I guess...I'd hate to see them go out of business...another little shop on the same street went under a while back...

Oops, was shooting for the SCXD thread and hit the VCXD thread by accident.

Never mind ...
... Carry on. :oops:

- Jay

I'm in,picked up a VCXD today.Swapped my path.15r and some cash.I don't care what anyone says about the pathfinder,I gave it every chance since January and just couldn't get what I was looking for out of it.
The vibro has more (and better) tone options and so far I'm very pleased.
Wife's dropping the boys off at a movie in awhile so it's almost Dime Time!!!!!
Neighbors just going to have to deal with it

I'm in,picked up a VCXD today.Swapped my path.15r and some cash.I don't care what anyone says about the pathfinder,I gave it every chance since January and just couldn't get what I was looking for out of it.
The vibro has more (and better) tone options and so far I'm very pleased.
Wife's dropping the boys off at a movie in awhile so it's almost Dime Time!!!!!
Neighbors just going to have to deal with it

Welcome Gham, and wise decision there. Nothing against the Path15R, but it never did much for me. I have contemplated getting rid of my VCXD a few times, and am always so glad I didn't. Even tho it is not my main amp I use, it always is there, sounds good, is fun, and seems to have limitless tonal possibilities to experiment with. Just today I was wailing some Pink Floyd and it shined bright. :cool: Still the best small 5 watt deal on the market n my book. Mine cranks plenty loud for stock, and I have used it in a wide range of uses...acoustic gigs, recording, practice...all good too. Enjoy!

I recently bought this great amp. I'm not the first owner of this amp and I was wondering what tubes it has originally. Mine has now Electro-harmonix 6V6 and Sovtek 12AX7. Has the previous owner changed the tubes or not?

Just got mine today from GC. Playing it all night with Jimmy Buffet's live stream from LV. Too much fun.
He's finishing up with Margaritaville as I type.

Sorry, wrong thread.

I recently bought this great amp. I'm not the first owner of this amp and I was wondering what tubes it has originally. Mine has now Electro-harmonix 6V6 and Sovtek 12AX7. Has the previous owner changed the tubes or not?

It just has stock Fender tubes (which are usually groove tubes) but your seem like an upgrade to me, so I'd leave em be. Many owners of all Fender maps change their less desired tubes out all the time. You might want to try another set just for comparison...

I came within a whisker of picking up an Avatar cab with Cel.vintage 30 they had used .just to have an option to play with,but thought better of it as the wife will only tolerate so much new stuff. I'm kinda diggin voice 11 on my tele for blues.
What really irritates me is my kids strat sounds better on tweed than my tele; I dialed that cheap little strat into some fun,fun,fun

Hey Guys, I've been reading all of your posts and I'm glad to be part of the crew. I've had my Vibro Champ since March and I LOVE this amp. I dropped a Weber 8" Alnico ( ribbed ) and I think it sounds pretty damned good. I stay mostly on voices 2,3,4 and 15. I play a Jay Turser JT-133 (Gibson 335 copy) with GFS Vintage '59 pickups. I also use a Behringer 7 band equalizer in my signal chain and it really does help shape the tone quite a bit. Of couse I play mostly blues with this set up, but also rock-a-billy and a little jazz. 5 tube- watts is plenty loud. I really love the versatility of this amp. As you can tell by by my log-in name, I also own a Crate V-5, not a bad amp ( but had to switch out the tubes and the speaker ) just not nearly as versatile as the Fender. I love experimenting with all the different tones and effects the Vibro Champ gives. Best 179.00 on gear I ever spent. Can anybody on the crew give me any opinions concerning swaping outs tubes, what brands might bring out more of this amp's character? Thanks again for all these great posts, Gary.

Hey fellow VCXDers :mrgreen:

I posted a vid of my band with me gigging with my VCXD.

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/amp-central-station/242921-vibro-champ-xd-gig.html

I've got another vid I'm getting ready to post tomorrow.

Hey fellow VCXDers :mrgreen:

I posted a vid of my band with me gigging with my VCXD.

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/amp-central-station/242921-vibro-champ-xd-gig.html

I've got another vid I'm getting ready to post tomorrow.

Hey,nice sound you got there! At first I was thinking....channel 2?....why?
Now I see,sounds great with those pickups!!! Good job

Thanks, Gham! I've been digging Voice 2 a lot these days. It's a little more compressed and hotter than Voice 1, which I still love. Helps tame a little brightness this guitar has.

Thanks, Gham! I've been digging Voice 2 a lot these days. It's a little more compressed and hotter than Voice 1, which I still love. Helps tame a little brightness this guitar has.

I went straight to my amp after watching your link and started playing with voice 2 and stuck with it untill I started getting better tones.
It was easier to just go between 1 & 4 before.

I'm still lovin' mine, speaker's well broken in and I never tire of its limitless tonal options. I do have a question (or 2) however- The bass control on mine seems to hit its peak "boominess" at around 6-7 on the dial, then it seems to lose low end from 7-10. This is most noticeable on the first 4 voices. Anyone else have this experience? It's not really a big deal, I just know that's where I set it for maximum bass. Screwy, though. Also, anyone else find voice 7 completely useless? It's supposed to be the voxy one, but on my amp it's super trebley (even with the highs completely rolled off), wickedly high gain and compressed like heck. Just wondering, as I've seen some mention it as a voice they've liked.

ya know, I used to not like 7 that much (but then again I never really liked Vox chime) but once I got it dialed in right on my guitar (and amp) by taking some of the treble ot it really is a kick a## setting! I lets you rock, control some feedback, and really has a tone like no other setting. I agree it's like they were trying to get vox chime, and went way overboard. But if you roll back the treb, take the bass up, roll gain back some, vol. up...and THEN tweak the tone control on your guitar accordingly to what you ike, it gets VERY useable IMO. I am actually beginning to love it. In the beginning I loved voice 4 the most (and still do) but it clearly is the most limiting especially with volume.
Tweed voices are so much louder and more useable, especially for jack knife and his band. I doubt he could pull of the blackface voice 4 as well in a live setting. Voice 2 sounds sweet. This amp is an endless bag of tricks.

Thanks RubyRae; I'm definitely open to working with #7 again. I'd like to try it at high volume and mess more with my guit's volume and tone controls. As for #4, you're right in that it's much quieter than the others, especially on lower volume settings. But I've found it's great when dimed for recording-becomes very overdriven with my HB equipped guitars, it's a whole new animal. That's the greatest thing about these amps, they're very fun even at near whisper levels, but cranked they're a real beast and can hang with most low wattage all tube amps, in my opinion.

Anyone else find themselves kinda ignoring their pedalboard after getting this amp?
There are so many good tones I just basically use my blues driver as a boost and my DanEcho (which was great with a pathfinder) never gets turned on,my wah? eehhh rarely,and I have a GFS tubedriver I'm thinking about just selling or swapping towards a practice amp for work.

From the thread comments looks like voice 2 and 4 are for blues? Would appreciate any other settings you guys have used.

Anyone know the history on the usage of the various amps like Tweed, Blackface and Hot Rod?
Were these amps used for specific musical styles when first sold by Fender?

Thanks
Gerry

From the thread comments looks like voice 2 and 4 are for blues? Would appreciate any other settings you guys have used.

Anyone know the history on the usage of the various amps like Tweed, Blackface and Hot Rod?
Were these amps used for specific musical styles when first sold by Fender?

Thanks
Gerry

I've tried not to write off any channel or assign it to only a single type of music
I took and ran nothing but scales over each channel instead of licks because it's to easy to just say"nah it won't do this or that song right",
the blues can be had,or butchered,using any of the voices.

I find I still can't warm up to chorus effects though

Recently got the Vibro Champ XD and am really impressed. I got it mainly as a living room/bedroom amp but it seems capeable of a lot more. Played my tele through it briefly and was really happy on the tweed and blackface settings

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/iceman0124/s%20tele/IMG_2075.jpg

What has me in love with this amp is setting one, gain at 6, volume at 7 ,treble 4, bass 6.5 and reverb/delay at about 5 through my newest hunk o' wood


http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e334/iceman0124/50s%20GT%20w%20B7/IMG_2719.jpg

Theres just something magical about p-90's and loud fender clean tube tone:cool: I simply love it.

As for the amp, i have tried a few different preamp tubes, a JJ gold pin 12DW7, not much difference but a soft "fuzz" on top of clean and distorted tones alike, its very slight but I consider it a downgrade in tone. Then I tried a JJ gold pin 12AT7 and it was the same only worse, the fuzz was "out there" and in a bad way, it really stuck out on the high gain voices as a buzzy overtone....put the stock fender 12AX7 back in and its by far the best IMO. May pull an EH 12AX7 from my USA made Palomino V16 and see if theres a difference but I doubt it, if you need more oomph to fill a room or keep up with other instruments a speaker cab seems the best route.

I tried both the super champ and the vibro, the vibro just sang with the LP P-90's, played through 3 different ones and they all sounded great, tried two supers and they were both lacking a "sparkle" quality the vibro's had to my ears, several folks in the store thought so too for what thats worth.

Anyone still crankin' their VCXDs?

I did last Tuesday at band practice. Jimmie Vaughan Strat -> VCXD -> Ultra-G -> PA

Smooth. Set voice 2 to about 4 gain, Vol on 5. Just a nice bit of breakup played hard, sweet sparklies when laying back.

Just got done tweakin' channel 2......got to crank it up on the Strat, doin' some blues. I've been using channels 1,2,4 and 15. Still experimenting and lovin' this amp.

Anyone tried a fuzz through the xd? I was watching a video of some fuzzes through a Blues Jr and a DrZ and thought that might be kinda fun with a strat.
Right now I dont own anything with HB's so that is out.

use a Danelectro Fuzz and a Big Muff Pi through it, sounds great. But just got a 4 ohm 4x12 that I run the VCXD through. Wow. Love it.

I tried my MXR Classic 108 fuzz into it and it was outrageous! I mean, it worked fine.

I finally got that output tranny from Allen amps and tried it out in my VCXD. That's probably currently the best upgrade you can do to this amp. You can actually "hear" a difference. Sounds stronger. I wouldn't waste time on the 12AX7 because it has nothing to do with the pre-amp circuit, it's just a "driver" for the output tube and the VCXD only uses half of it anyway.

Hey guys. I got me one of these awesome amps. I normally use it as a home/practice amp. But, on Dec. my church is doing a set with 2 electric guitars. I usually use the church's rig when I play there but since the worship leader will be electric as well he'll be using that rig. I'm gonna have to use my VCXD. I'll be playing the amp on voice 2 with the gain and volume at 4, that (to me) is just the perfect point on the cusp of breakup So I I need an awesome overdrive pedal to push it for the quicker songs. Any suggestions?

Right now I am using a tonebone hotbritish tube distortion pedal. Now don't get me wrong this pedal is awesome, but it is really meant for high gain so when I dial it down to overdrive levels it get weak and thin.

I am thinking a TS808 but I am open to all suggestions.

The only pedal I've tried with mine so far is a MXR Classic 108 fuzz.

I gotta agree with your voicing though. I used that same voice setup at the last band practice and it was just as you say, on the cusp of breakup (with my Strat). Perfect!

I'd try a 808, why not?

I finally got that output tranny from Allen amps and tried it out in my VCXD. That's probably currently the best upgrade you can do to this amp. You can actually "hear" a difference. Sounds stronger. I wouldn't waste time on the 12AX7 because it has nothing to do with the pre-amp circuit, it's just a "driver" for the output tube and the VCXD only uses half of it anyway.

Which x-former was that one again?

It's the TO8C one here~http://www.allenamps.com/parts.php#transformers

RAWK!

2nd page rescue.

Just curious if the VCXD is gig'able in the worship setting (sactuary sits up to 800 people) when mic'ed or if the Super Champ XD is more suitable?

I know the SCXD is more versatile being 2 channels and foot-switchable.

I have no problem gigging my VCXD. I used to mic it and that worked fine, but lately I've been using a Behringer Ultra-G direct box. It sits between the amp and speaker and takes a line level out to the mixing board. Built-in 4x12 cab simulation sounds great and makes the Champ sound huge!

http://i55.tinypic.com/huf6vd.jpg

I am thinking a TS808 but I am open to all suggestions.

I built an 808 clone from byoc and stacked a Boss BD2 behind it and it makes for some grit and then kick in the blues driver and it sounds way better than the BD alone

I picked up my VCXD last week and I am really pleasantly surprised. I had a gift card and some cash from selling an unused amp, I wasn't completely sold on the VC, however it was the only thing at the relevant store that fit the budget and use. I was really sceptical of amp modelling and DSP effects on a tube amp - just seems like sacrilege to me, and I was also worried about the reliability of cramming all of this together.. I also kept waffling on the idea of getting something a little more powerful so that it could be a backup gig amp. In the end I just told myself that for 200$ I shouldn't be too worried and I'm really happy with the results.

As a home amp, I find it's the perfect combination of good tone with 'toys' to keep me interested. It works really well as an all-in-one setup to mimic my AC15 and pedals which stay at the jamspace. If it was any louder then I wouldn't really be able to play it at home since I live in an apartment with very thin walls. I'm also actually curious about how much perceivable volume difference there is between this and the SCXD since the VC is Class A and the SC is Class AB. Either way, I feel the class A is a better match for my AC15.

I've been playing all the channels, with 4,7,8 getting the most use. 7 is definitely the closest to my vox and I have a tendency to keep it there. Also have the Verb+Delay setting on pretty much all the time around 4-5 unless I'm playing around with a different effect. Also been using it for some recording which is a nice option instead of having to find time at the jamspace with my vox.

All in all, this amp has really re-ignited my desire to play plugged in at home.

All in all, this amp has really re-ignited my desire to play plugged in at home.

That's what really counts! If it makes you want to play, it's a good amp :mrgreen:

I was messing with mine the other day, posted about it here, http://www.tdpri.com/forum/amp-central-station/254353-check-out-messin-my-vcxd.html

I couldn't find a thread on this but for weeks I've been thinking about taking the line out from my Vibro Champ XD into my '82 Super Champ. Well this afternoon I finally remembered to give it a try. Jeez, what a surpise. I have been kinda bored with both amps lately but I plugged in my Tele and have spent the last 3 hours playing with this setup. I coun't stop jacking with it. My old Super Champ has a JBL E110-B in it, super smooth...the XD has a 8" Weber. There are so many ways to get cool tones this way. The XD's gain, voices and effects coming through the Super Champ are amazing. What's really amazing is with the XD you not only get a great practice amp but also a way to get voicing/effects for your other amps, all for about 150 smackaroos. One cool thing...turning up both reverbs on full...like 5 Dick Dales in a deep well...reverb on reverb...surf heaven. I'm sure most you who own a Super XD or Vibro XD have a larger giging capable amp. You gotta give this a try if you haven't already. I put the amps about 6 feet apart for stereo (the XD puts out the high end, the Super a lot of bass. It really does sound stereo) and tried to get the volume of each about equal. There are unlimited variations of tone with this set up. I also gave it a whirl with my '68 Princeton...OMG incredible! Give it a try and let us know what you think.

I hear some guys like to do this same kind of stereo rig, but one with tremolo and one with reverb. I can't wait too try both!

I'd like to get a Marshall Class 5 and do a dual amp setup with my VCXD. The only way to get true Fender and Marshall sounds :mrgreen:

After almost 3 weeks with my VCXD I just really want to reiterate how much I'm liking it. As someone who wasn't a fan of fender amps, modelling amps, or built in effects, I am really surprised at how much fun this amp is. In my opinion it's the perfect home amp, and I'm about to do some recording with it this week and am really psyched at the possibilities. I also like that it's a pretty different beast from my AC15 so I don't have to feel guilty about liking it so much.

Really enjoying the 'voxy' channel 7 with the gain up around 4, paired with the Verb+Delay around 4.

losergeek, I can't agree more. The amp is a blast for home use (and more really) but the endless possiblilities and sweet tone keep it very interesting. I love voice 7 as well.
It is a bit high in treble, but a few minor adjustments and it can be one of the best OD/Distortion sounds in the whole amp! I actually play 7 a lot, along with 2.

At what point do you experience the "break in" of the speaker? I've probably got about 20-30 hrs. on the amp, not all at lower levels. I was interested in changing the speaker. I saw the one on the Angela site. It's an Eminence speaker also the exsisting speaker is a made for Fender Eminence isn't it. Are they the same speaker? I really couldn't find any tech info on the Fender, Eminence or Angela sites. I changed the 12AX7 tube to a Tung sol, but haven't got around to changing the power tube yet. As far as settings go, I'm liking the 1,2 and 8 voices. The #2 cranked, little bit of reverb+delay and my Seymour JD bridge pickup gives you a pretty close "Cinnamon Girl" tone. SWEET! Anyway, I'm having fun with it and thats what it's about. The speaker and the tubes are probably all I'm going to mess with for now. Any input would be appreciated, thanks.

After almost 3 weeks with my VCXD I just really want to reiterate how much I'm liking it. As someone who wasn't a fan of fender amps, modelling amps, or built in effects, I am really surprised at how much fun this amp is. In my opinion it's the perfect home amp, and I'm about to do some recording with it this week and am really psyched at the possibilities. I also like that it's a pretty different beast from my AC15 so I don't have to feel guilty about liking it so much.

Really enjoying the 'voxy' channel 7 with the gain up around 4, paired with the Verb+Delay around 4.

I would love to hear about your recording experience with the VCXD,I have one also and am just getting into the recording thing for fun
I just got an M-Audio Fast track II and Protools SE and am "attempting" to get it set up for recording through my amp but don't know the in's and out's yet

I changed the 12AX7 tube to a Tung sol, but haven't got around to changing the power tube yet...The #2 cranked, little bit of reverb+delay...

After some tube swapping I ended up back with the stock GT 6V6 (black glass) and a Tung-Sol RI 12AX7. Sounds great. I had an old RCA 6V6 in there for a time, but it seemed almost too ready to give up the grind. The GT tube has more control over power tube breakup it seems.

Jensen C8R speaker and the same voicing you mention, except I back the Gain down to about 4-6 depending on the guitar, Volume to suit.

Jack Knife, how does the Jensen compare to the original speaker? So you went back to the original 6V6. I didn't change mine, just the 12AX7.

The Jensen was noticeably sharper sounding when it was new. I've put a lot of hours pounding away on it and it's loosened up nicely. So now I characterize it as more volume and fuller sounding than the stock speaker, but retains all the Fendery goodness.

I almost pulled it out when it was new. It was pretty trebley and the speaker sounded "tight", if you can imagine what I mean. Once it loosens up it sounds great.

BTW, I almost strictly use this amp for the Fender sounds.

I would love to hear about your recording experience with the VCXD,I have one also and am just getting into the recording thing for fun
I just got an M-Audio Fast track II and Protools SE and am "attempting" to get it set up for recording through my amp but don't know the in's and out's yet

Recording went fine - no big surprises. I was using a wide diaphram condenser which is a really 'clean' mic, so I did find that I had to push the amp a little louder than I would have liked in my apartment. I made up for it a little by creating an 'isolation tent' with chairs and duvets. The one thing that was a bit of an issue, as I mentioned in another post, was that that reverb wasn't quite strong enough to double for my Holy Stain pedal. 9 times out of 10 it's fine, but there's a couple places where I just need a massive wash of reverb and it's pretty surprising that with 4 different reverb settings, the Vibro doesn't really have something that does that. It's also something I could have added in my editing program, but I'm trying to avoid that with this project if possible.

Otherwise it performed admirably and another friend is coming over this week to record some of his own stuff on it.

Has anyone tried the Jensen Mod 8-20 yet?