NAD: Vox MV50 Boutique (what a great sounding amp...)

[526THz]

Preface...
During the last weeks I've enjoyed playing my Vox AC4C1 BL a lot. And I discovered that I like the Vox sound more and more.
Since I wanted to use it on a larger cab that I have, but that's 8 Ohm, I was looking for alternatives. Purchasing a 16 Ohm cabinet was an option.
As an owner of a MV50 Clean, I started looking for the AC Version of that line, since, in the end, it could be a cheaper solution. I started looking at a number of reviews, and while reading and watching videos my focus switched to the Boutique.
I came to think: "well, in the end I already have an 'AC Sounding' amp... maybe something slightly different could be better".
So instead of thinking "I'm covered with the AC4" I started thinking "I want the Boutique"

The standard price for it is 199€. I found it on Amazon at 179€. I kept it in my basket, while I casually stomped on the website of a music store I know that sold it for 161€, online only. I immediately pulled the trigger: ordered on Monday afternoon, delivered this morning (Wednesday) around 11 AM. Great! While tracking the shipping, I noticed it didn't depart from the store (north-east Italy), but from another location (center Italy). A quick online search cleared up the "mistery": the package was shipped from the Official Italian Vox import company. They probably have an agreement with that music store, to sell Vox gear at a lower price online. That's clever. And good for me!

The Amp
I tested the amp immediately. And since I was supposed to do something else at that moment (working...), I used my "quick stuff silent setup": MV 50 Boutique --> Line Out (Cab Emulated) into iRig HD2 --> Ipad --> GarageBand as instrument input with a slight reverb. Monitoring via Senheiser HD 280 PRO.
I often use the same setup with the MV50 Clean because it sounds amazing (the MV50 Line Out in my opinion is very good).

I had time to test it only with a Les Paul. Man, it sounds great... You have enough clean headroom, I've heard reviews where they said it sounded "thin" with Gain < 10 o'clock, but to my ears it was ok and pleasing. Maybe it's because of the humbucker...
Anyway, with gain at 1 o'clock you start hearing a thicker sound, with a very convincing crunch and above 3 o'clock it crosses over from overdrive to distortion, that's rich sounding and still keeps notes definition. I'm definitely impressed.
And another thing that impresses me is the NuTube's responsiveness. I'm no expert, keep in mind... I'm not able to recognize nuances in the attack of notes and so on. I appreciated the NuTube in my MV50 Clean, but being "clean" I didn't know how it reacted when pushed in the overdrive/distortion zone. It responds beautifully to the guitar volume. Just roll off the volume and you go from strong overdrive to clean and every shade in between.

I couldn't be happier! I hope to have more time in the next days to test it also with my single coil guitars but... I'm already sold!!

Does anyone else love this amp?!

Below here a couple of pictures...

 

[Tom Hicks]

Interesting tech. I understand the tubes are repurposed micro fluorescent tubes like you see in car radios or the clock in your microwave oven. Its cool that they do audio as well.

 

[526THz]

Interesting tech. I understand the tubes are repurposed micro fluorescent tubes like you see in car radios or the clock in your microwave oven. Its cool that they do audio as well.

I read about something like that too….
Happy they figured this out!!!!

 

[bendercaster]

I don't have the Boutique, but I'm a big fan of the line. I have the Clean and my son has the AC. Both sound great, either for playing quietly at home or for gigging/practice with a 4 piece band.

 

[TheCheapGuitarist]

The MV50 does a better Vox sound than the AC4.

 

[Chud]

I know there’s only so much you can expect at that price point and footprint, but an FX loop would make those Vox’s even more of a no-brainer. I’ve seen vids to add one, not that motivated.

 

[526THz]

I know there’s only so much you can expect at that price point and footprint, but an FX loop would make those Vox’s even more of a no-brainer. I’ve seen vids to add one, not that motivated.

yes I agree. It's a great value right now, an FX loop would make it even better. For recording it's not a problem, I tend to add reverb from DAW and if I want just a clean amp and manage everything from my pedalboard I use the MV50 Clean.
As I said... I didn't need it at all, probably! I will tend to use it "as is", guitar straight into it and probably no pedals (I will try a Sould Food / Tube Screamer in front, just to see what happens).
I've seen the videos too... I'm also not inclined to try!

 

[Tim S]

I have all the MV50 models and love their simplicity and sound. But my Boutique seems to have a higher noise floor than any of the other models (which are pretty much silent). Maybe it’s just mine.

As for the missing loop… if you get their ValveEnergy pedals, it’s basically the same NuTube preamp with a TMB stack. (No Clean pedal though, so you’d have to use a dialed-down Boutique/Silk Drive or AC/Mystic Edge instead)

Pedals

Step up your pedal game with these pedals by VOX amplification. Get access to select VOX pedals direct to you right here in the VOX Shop. These special prices are for a limited time and only while supplies last.

voxampshop.com

Chain a few together before your modulation pedals and there’s your “loop”. Plug that into a power amp (or fx return) and you’re set.

 

[526THz]

I have all the MV50 models and love their simplicity and sound. But my Boutique seems to have a higher noise floor than any of the other models (which are pretty much silent). Maybe it’s just mine.

As for the missing loop… if you get their ValveEnergy pedals, it’s basically the same NuTube preamp with a TMB stack. (No Clean pedal though, so you’d have to use a dialed-down Boutique/Silk Drive or AC/Mystic Edge instead)

Pedals

Step up your pedal game with these pedals by VOX amplification. Get access to select VOX pedals direct to you right here in the VOX Shop. These special prices are for a limited time and only while supplies last.

voxampshop.com

Chain a few together before your modulation pedals and there’s your “loop”. Plug that into a power amp (or fx return) and you’re set.

You know... before landing on the MV50, I had started with the ValveEnergy pedals... I really liked the demos, I see a lot of applications for them. Maybe... when my wife asks me what birthday gift I'd like...
Do you have any of them?

 

[Tim S]

You know... before landing on the MV50, I had started with the ValveEnergy pedals... I really liked the demos, I see a lot of applications for them. Maybe... when my wife asks me what birthday gift I'd like...
Do you have any of them?

I bought all 4 when Vox started blowing them out for $100 each. It looks like they sold out of the Mystic Edge (AC) on their US website.

I’ve played them individually (in preamp mode) but I haven’t linked them yet (hey, a 4 channel amp!). In case you’re wondering, yes, they sound like MV50s with a more flexible tone stack.

 

[526THz]

I bought all 4 when Vox started blowing them out for $100 each. It looks like they sold out of the Mystic Edge (AC) on their US website.

I’ve played them individually (in preamp mode) but I haven’t linked them yet (hey, a 4 channel amp!). In case you’re wondering, yes, they sound like MV50s with a more flexible tone stack.

Thanks! Well… it’s clever. You basically have the “mini amp” option and the pedal option.
From the demos I like the sound of the copper one. It’s the “Marshall one”, correct? I like my Wampler Plexi Deluxe… it would probably be a double… right? (Say yes otherwise my wishlist grows too much…)

 

[black_doug]

I have all the MV50 models and love their simplicity and sound. But my Boutique seems to have a higher noise floor than any of the other models (which are pretty much silent). Maybe it’s just mine.

As for the missing loop… if you get their ValveEnergy pedals, it’s basically the same NuTube preamp with a TMB stack. (No Clean pedal though, so you’d have to use a dialed-down Boutique/Silk Drive or AC/Mystic Edge instead)

Pedals

Step up your pedal game with these pedals by VOX amplification. Get access to select VOX pedals direct to you right here in the VOX Shop. These special prices are for a limited time and only while supplies last.

voxampshop.com

Chain a few together before your modulation pedals and there’s your “loop”. Plug that into a power amp (or fx return) and you’re set.

You’ve got me thinking of the possibilities. I don’t have an MV50, but I have the Silk Drive. On the pre-amp setting, in front of the active DI I have. Then maybe paired with another overdrive. The DI has an fx loop for a delay, and/or reverb. From there to the PA. Hmmm.

 

[Tim S]

Thanks! Well… it’s clever. You basically have the “mini amp” option and the pedal option.
From the demos I like the sound of the copper one. It’s the “Marshall one”, correct? I like my Wampler Plexi Deluxe… it would probably be a double… right? (Say yes otherwise my wishlist grows too much…)

I have two Wampler pedals, but neither one is a Plexi Deluxe. But I have to assume it’s at least as good as the Vox Copperhead Drive. So you don’t have to buy one, unless you want a NuTube-based Marshall sound that doesn’t come from a Vox MV50 Rock (I have to give props to the OP’s thread — the MV50 is kind of iconic at this point… well, at least on this forum)

 

[Tim S]

You’ve got me thinking of the possibilities. I don’t have an MV50, but I have the Silk Drive. On the pre-amp setting, in front of the active DI I have. Then maybe paired with another overdrive. The DI has an fx loop for a delay, and/or reverb. From there to the PA. Hmmm.

The Valvenergy pedals are real sleepers. They offer more than the MV50 (except for the all-in-one amp head simplicity). They’re sort of like sonic Legos.

When you link them together (search for “eurorack patch cables” and you’ll find a variety of lengths and colors), switching one pedal on silences the active Valvenergy pedal. Not as slick as doing the signaling in-band via the 1/4” patch cables, but likely much cheaper to manufacture.

 

[526THz]

The Valvenergy pedals are real sleepers. They offer more than the MV50 (except for the all-in-one amp head simplicity). They’re sort of like sonic Legos.

When you link them together (search for “eurorack patch cables” and you’ll find a variety of lengths and colors), switching one pedal on silences the active Valvenergy pedal. Not as slick as doing the signaling in-band via the 1/4” patch cables, but likely much cheaper to manufacture.

I've found a used Copperhead in a store. 100€ (retail price for new is 159€ in Italy).
How is it different from the Mystic?
I'm tempted...

 

[526THz]

Update on the Boutique: I took some time to play it with both humbuckers and single coils. I like it a lot more with my Strat rather than my Les Paul. The LP I'm talking about is an Epiphone with Seymour Duncan Hot Rodded set pickups. The pickups have a higher output I think and maybe that's the reason why, the lower strings especially, sound a little... too fat and saturated. I don't know how else to explain it... I will give it a try also with my Gibson Les Paul, with 490R & 498T Humbucker pickups.

The Strat, with American Vintage '59 on the other hand is lovely. It actually sounds amazing. To add a little drive, rather than blasting the Gain, I've tried keeping it around 3 o'clock and adding a pedal in front.
I tried (final settings):
- a Tube Screamer Mini, with level and tone all the way up and drive around 10 O'clock
- a Soul Food, with volume all the way up, drive at 9 o'clock and treble around 2 O'clock

While both the sounds I get are usable for different applications, I like the Soul Food best. And honestly, it's the first time I like this pedal. I tried it with other amps/pedals combinations but I never got what I was looking for, while this time I enjoy what I hear!

 

[526THz]

I have two Wampler pedals, but neither one is a Plexi Deluxe. But I have to assume it’s at least as good as the Vox Copperhead Drive. So you don’t have to buy one, unless you want a NuTube-based Marshall sound that doesn’t come from a Vox MV50 Rock (I have to give props to the OP’s thread — the MV50 is kind of iconic at this point… well, at least on this forum)

I don’t know why, but I’ve not been able to dial in a satisfying sound from the Wampler… so I did 2 things:
1) I switched to Boutique + Soul Food for a more driven sound. See other post. I’m very satisfied with it. But it’s not Marshall’s sound at all. So…
2) I went to that online store and purchased the used Copperhead…

And…. Yes… I’m conscious I have a problem….

 

[Tim S]

The Valvenergy pedals are real sleepers. They offer more than the MV50 (except for the all-in-one amp head simplicity). They’re sort of like sonic Legos.

When you link them together (search for “eurorack patch cables” and you’ll find a variety of lengths and colors), switching one pedal on silences the active Valvenergy pedal.

Correction: The link cables need to have 3.5mm TRS connectors, not the 3.5mm TS connectors found on Eurorack patch cables.

(looks like my previous post passed the age to be editable, thus I’m replying to myself)

 

[526THz]

Correction: The link cables need to have 3.5mm TRS connectors, not the 3.5mm TS connectors found on Eurorack patch cables.

(looks like my previous post past the age to be editable, thus I’m replying to myself)

Thanks! The pedal is on his way, if I find a deal on the Mystic, maybe I’ll get it and then patch them! But… one thing at a time!!