Vox Tonelab or something else?

[Rouse]

So, I'm really looking for something light to carry to my school when I play, dragging a 55lb amp back and forth isn't so much fun when you've got a pedalboard and a guitar or two to worry about. The Tonelab caught my eye but when I went up to the local Guitar Center and played it through a Valvetronix's speaker, it sounded horrible, everything sounded bassy and muddy, it was hard for me to find a sound that I really liked. I played the ST (smallest model), does that sound any different than the LE (I know the LE has more effects and such, but sound alone)? or did it sound so bad because of the speaker I played it through? would it be any better if it was directly plugged into the PA? I was also wanting to know if there would be something better to get a good clean AC30 sound that's easy to carry around and less than $300. Thanks

 

[tfarny]

You can't play a modeller through a normal amp and expect to get a good tone - you're taking one amp's sound and putting it through another amp. Play the tonelab through a keyboard amp, PA or almost anything besides a guitar amp.
Even a bass amp with a tweeter would be much better for testing the sound of a modeller like that. I think they sound pretty great, not muddy at all, all things considered. You could check out the Boss ME-70 too, it's in the same price range. Lots more effects, but the modeling is not as good or as well integrated on the me-70.  I would lean towards the vox if I were you.
Oh, you could also pick up a vox valvetronix vt30, they weigh a lot less than 55 lbs and sound pretty good for the price. Also there is the vox ac4, that's all-tube and gets great reviews.

 

[mayfly]

I used to build custom AC30 style amps and repaired many original VOX AC30s.  Now I use the tonelab LE live and for recording.  Live it is run direct into the PA.

Yea, running it into a guitar amp is going to sound like crap.

Here's a bunch of examples.  All of these songs were done using the tonelab direct into the board for all guitar sounds.  Sounds very similar to this live.

http://cornflowerbluemusic.com/music/music.html

 

[Death by Uberschall]

PODxt Live

All of this is the POD
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8532726

 

[Rouse]

I used to build custom AC30 style amps and repaired many original VOX AC30s.  Now I use the tonelab LE live and for recording.  Live it is run direct into the PA.

Yea, running it into a guitar amp is going to sound like crap.

Here's a bunch of examples.  All of these songs were done using the tonelab direct into the board for all guitar sounds.  Sounds very similar to this live.

http://cornflowerbluemusic.com/music/music.html

If I were to use a cab with Celestion Blues, would it still sound awful? I need something to play with a drummer when we practice without the PA.

 

[Mor Paul]

I used to build custom AC30 style amps and repaired many original VOX AC30s.  Now I use the tonelab LE live and for recording.  Live it is run direct into the PA.

Yea, running it into a guitar amp is going to sound like crap.

Here's a bunch of examples.  All of these songs were done using the tonelab direct into the board for all guitar sounds.  Sounds very similar to this live.

http://cornflowerbluemusic.com/music/music.html

If I were to use a cab with Celestion Blues, would it still sound awful? I need something to play with a drummer when we practice without the PA.

Guitar speakers are designed to color the sound a lot. +1 to a keyboard amp.

 

[tfarny]

I think you just need a smaller amp - check out what I've listed above. Everybody needs to own at least one normal amp they can use when there's no PA etc.

 

[GoDrex]

I used to build custom AC30 style amps and repaired many original VOX AC30s.  Now I use the tonelab LE live and for recording.  Live it is run direct into the PA.

Yea, running it into a guitar amp is going to sound like crap.

Here's a bunch of examples.  All of these songs were done using the tonelab direct into the board for all guitar sounds.  Sounds very similar to this live.

http://cornflowerbluemusic.com/music/music.html

If I were to use a cab with Celestion Blues, would it still sound awful? I need something to play with a drummer when we practice without the PA.

a cab by itself doesn't have any power, so it wouldn't work on its own with a Tonelab type thing. It's not an amplifier on it's own.

btw - the Tonelab has a number of different output options depending on what you're using it with. If you're running it into a guitar amp you need to change the output setting to the appropriate setting and also probably need to turn off the cabinet emulation and probably also the amp emulation, though that possibly could sound OK if you're using a clean sounding amp. I'm using the Tonelab LE with a Tech 21 Power Engine and it sounds good to me.

 

[rockskate4x]

this is a setup that i hear works but have never tried:

vox tonelab minus cab emulation plus power amp of choice and cabinet of choice.

I'm a newly converted tube guy so i wouldn't recommend it if it wasn't what you were looking for, but there you go...

 

[m4rk0]

Luke has a Tonelab LE and I love it,
I have the ST myself, and it sounds just as good, if not better. yes, it doesn't have as much options, but that doesn't bother me at all.. it has all I need
oh and it is ridiculously cheap for what you get!

 

[blue313]

I guess my question is, what do you have available to you at the school?  Access to a PA or powered speakers would be great, but do you at least have access to AC power?

The Tonelab requires amplification and AC but something like a Microcube is battery powered and standalone.

 

[Rouse]

I guess my question is, what do you have available to you at the school?  Access to a PA or powered speakers would be great, but do you at least have access to AC power?

The Tonelab requires amplification and AC but something like a Microcube is battery powered and standalone.

We have a PA with speakers and AC power, when we actually play. When we practice, all we have is AC power but if I need a power amp I've got one of those lying around. I don't know about a microcube being enough to get over a drummer.

 

[Rouse]

Does the Tonelab LE have tap tempo on its delays?

 

[Justinginn]

I know the desktop model does, of course it's on a button not a footswitch. I'd assume the floor version would too.

 

[Rouse]

I heard somewhere that your could assign this button to tap tempo, just wanted to make sure.

 

[blue313]

Looks like it, check page 49
http://www.voxamps.com/downloads/PDF/ToneLab%20LE_Manual.pdf

 

[yyz2112]

I heard somewhere that your could assign this button to tap tempo, just wanted to make sure.

That is correct.