Post by intenselycalm on Aug 29, 2019 22:46:52 GMT
Ok, ok, it barely qualifies to be considered an amp, but that’s what it is. A pocket size headphone (earbud) practice device.
This purchase came about as a result of repeatedly playing an electric guitar - unplugged (boo!).
Perhaps it’s just me, but my playing sounds far better unplugged. So, when I do amp up, it’s always a shock.
I continually tell myself to plug-in and get amp'd for ALL PRACTICE, well at least for a majority of practice.
I’ve been using my Champ Clone a lot, and really enjoying it.
But it is still rather loud for where I live, and not always convenient to carry it from room to room… so I had to do something!
I hope to be wiring an Attenuator for the Champ this weekend, but that's a different stroy.
I had been thinking about making an Altoids Tin guitar amp, also looking at and researching little headphone amps like this VOX Blues model.
The reviews for these small headphone amps are all over the place. Like most things, people love it, or hate it. Say it’s nothing like a real amp (no, really?) yada, yada…
I look for reliability issues when reading reviews for most items, and not for amp to amp comparisons.
I didn’t care if the sound was not like a real VOX, Marshall, Fender, etc. I did want clean tone, compact size, reliability and affordability.
Time will tell if this is reliable, but as soon as I plugged it in, I was happy with the sound.
There is some hiss, or floor noise, but it’s not terrible, not as bad as the tinnitus ringing I already have.
3 Mode options ranging from Clean-ish to Lead-ish. The Gain, Tone and Vol controls all actually do something, and can greatly change the sound.
At this point, the FX options are the least interesting to me, but maybe with time and a lot of practice I can make something of those options.
It takes 2 AAA batteries (included), has an Auto-Off feature to shut down if there is no input within 30 minutes. That sounds like me.
The controls/interface is pretty straight forward, Power I/O + 3 Mode Selection (Clean, Blues, Lead), Volume/Tone/Gain controls, AUX jack (stereo), FX button (Chorus/Delay/Reverb/No-FX), and a Headphone jack. The 1/4” input plug is built on a swivel so it can be rotated to your liking - time will tell how durable that is. Superglue on hand.
What else, Hmm.
The price is maybe a little steep, at $45 US.
There are a few of these used for less, but shipping ends up making them cost as much as new.
There are other brands that visually look the same and range in the $18< price range, I don’t know of the build quality difference. Again, reviews are all over the place.I won't torture anyone with my playing, but here is a video covering the current VOX amplug2 guitar models.
I believe there is also a dedicated VOX Bass model, for the bass players among us.
This may be old news to many, or possibly beneath someone's player status... whatever.
I like it, I'm gonna use it, and it will no doubt help improve my ability.
Practice that I can hear.