Vox NuTube - your thoughts?

[srblue5]

I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to Vox amps but I've been hearing about some of their newer (smaller?) amps having this NuTube technology, particularly their Mini Superbeetle that has caught my eye.

Anybody have any experience with the Vox NuTube amps/technology? What are your thoughts? Good, less good, gimmick?

 

[uriah1]

I saw their nutube pedals come out last year but did not see many reviews

 

[Believer]

I have the Mini Superbeatle. I think it sounds very good, especially when I play through a 2x12 instead of the 10" cab. It sounds very "Voxy" to me, but my 64-year old ears my not be as discerning as yours. it is certainly easier to "dial in" than my AC15C1, but I've heard a lot of people have to take more time finding the AC15's sweet spot. The Superbeatle is a good "grab and go" amp, and most people wouldn't know that it isn't a true tube amp.

 

[davidchagrin]

I had a Superbeetle in brg for a while. It was a great amp and the NuTube had a familiar feel to traditional tubes. It really nails the Vox sound, ime. I only sold it because, it turns out, I don't really enjoy playing through the Vox sound. (I've also had a pf15r and an ac15)

 

[gusfinley]

The Nutube is lower gain and runs at lower voltage than a traditional vacuum tube.

It sounds like a traditional vacuum tube being run at a lower voltage - very distorted and compressed.

 

[wabashslim]

Another viewpoint...

 

[mkdaws32]

I have the Mini Superbeatle. I think it sounds very good, especially when I play through a 2x12 instead of the 10" cab. It sounds very "Voxy" to me, but my 64-year old ears my not be as discerning as yours. it is certainly easier to "dial in" than my AC15C1, but I've heard a lot of people have to take more time finding the AC15's sweet spot. The Superbeatle is a good "grab and go" amp, and most people wouldn't know that it isn't a true tube amp.

I played one of those Hughes and Kettner mini “spirit” heads yesterday. I think they use a similar technology to nu tube. It was pretty convincing, to me, actually.

 

[popthree]

I had an mv50 the AC version. It was ok but I never really felt it

 

[ScottJPatrick]

I have the MV50 AC and use it when playing live, easy to dial in and sounds very much like an AC30 through my 2x10'' Greenback loaded cab.

 

[The Angle]

Nutubes produce very little gain, so they're not actually of much use as amplification devices. Vox uses them for giving the tone that familiar tubelike characteristic in hybrid configurations. I've only spent a couple minutes playing a nutube amp (Mini Superbeetle), and it was very nice. Vox mastered the use of a single 12AX7 tube in the preamp of their hybrid amps with the VT#X series and the AV# series amps. My VT40X sounds gorgeous in the edge-of-breakup/light crunch zone. Nutubes serve essentially the same role as the 12AX7.

Another viewpoint...

I like the Guitologist, but it's worth pointing out his beef isn't with nutubes, other than that they're awfully fiddly to work with on the electronics bench. He seems to rather like them, or at least is intrigued by them. The nightmare in the title of that video refers to the way Vox customer support turns its back on do-it-yourselfers and techs like him.

 

[JKPickin]

I have a MSB. I’ve only had one tube amp to compare with, and that was a Blackstar HT-5. To me, the MSB has more feel and more punch, plus it keeps it’s tone at much lower volume levels. The HT-5 had to be at at least 11 o’clock to get any tone and was far to loud for home use up there. It did sound sweet around 1 o’clock though. The MSB I keep around 9 o’clock and is comfortably loud in my 10x10 music room.

 

[DeepDangler]

I love the nutube amps. I’ve played the MV50 AC, clean, and Botique and all sound quite good for a micro head. I personally own a Vox MVX150C which is the 150 watt 1x12 nutube combo amp. It’s great piece of gear that responds similarly to tube with “bounce” on clean and “sag” with distortion depending on how you dial it in.

The nutube stuff isn’t exactly like tube but does capture positive aspects of tube and solid state sounds. You should try some of the gear next time you’re at the store! Otherwise, I’d personally recommend buying an MVX150 online.

 

[11 Gauge]

I've had a MV50 Boutique head for a couple of years now, and I like it. That particular model is kind of particular WRT being used in with the 'right' speakers - it's just okay with probably the typical stuff someone might try it with, but IMO it's absolutely incredible with my 2X12 cab with WGS ET65s in it.

I use the MV50 Boutique as a mostly clean platform, and it seems to really work well for that. When driven at 4 ohms, it's incredibly loud for an amp head the size of a Klondike bar.

I've got an old AB165 Bassman head that I primarily use with that 2X12 cab, and I was shocked at just how similar the MV50 Boutique sounds to it.

I've heard that the MV50 AC is potentially the best of the bunch, but I'll admit that Vox'ish sounding amps aren't particularly my thing. I'm much more of a BF/SF Fender guy, and was considering the MV50 Clean, but just wanted something that potentially didn't have quite as mid-scooped of a sound, so I took a chance with the Boutique instead.