I used that VOX VT I had for prolly 4 years, until it completely died about 4 months ago. My singer's dad let me use his little Fender Blues Jr for a gig we had right after the Vox blew up. For not having any time at all to change EQ settings on the patches on my RP500, it sounded pretty decent. The only thing I didn't like was to get it loud enough, I had to turn up the gain on the amp, which added saturation. I used the volume on my guitar to offset that and got through the gig.
But I really liked my pedal through a tube amp. Long story short....I stumbled across a Fender Super Champ XD at GC used. I noticed the clean channel on it didn't break up so much when turned up. I despise 10" speakers, so I also picked up a Raven Celestion equipped 1x12 cab on a whim just to satisfy my curiosity. Heh..
I paid $220 out the door for both, with the ability to return both if I didn't like them.
I know the XD is somewhat of a hybrid Tube amp, but it is a HUGE upgrade from the Vox in terms of using a strong clean channel to run pedals through. HUGE upgrade. I don't know much about Raven gear, but this little 1x12 cab sounds really good. Lots of low end for its size, and the speaker tone is surprisingly good. Smooth, chimey on dirt rock tones, tight highs and lows on heavier stuff.
This almost sounds like a beer (or porn) commercial, but the combo I grabbed sounds smooth, tight, and never harsh. GC will NOT be getting these back.
And I haven't even ventured over to the 2nd channel that apparently has a bunch of gain stages on it's own yet :D
charger#2 · Jan 30, 2012 03:22 UTC
I have one too, and I totally love it. I went shopping to buy a practice amp and I tried out everything under $400 at my local music store... The Super Champ XD blew everything away, the Voxes weren't even close... and it was $200...
On the other side, Channel 1,2, and 3 are epic. They are all "tweed"-rooted, though channel 1 has this really spanky fat compression, 2 is clean to raunchy. Channel 3 is my favorite on the amp (or at least tied with Channel 8). Try 3 with the gain very low--so it's almost clean, gain on 2... it's so fat sounding. Of course it gets insanely overdriven at around 5... but at lower gain, that is a super winning channel. Channel 8 is my other favorite, I'll leave it to you to experiment.
The Reverb is also stunning, I use it on the middle reverb setting, turn up the effect to 3-4, it sounds like a Fender. Superb!
I'm seriously digging that amp. It's not a technological marvel and no one here is going to care unless they've actually played it, but it is the best practice amp I've ever owned.
charger#3 · Jan 30, 2012 19:02 UTC
Here it is... note the quick and dirty mic technique... for those keeping track at home that's Global Audio GLX2200 I think, a pretty early Chinese mic rebranded for CAD. I found it in a random drawer... most of my mics (and all of my stands, as you can see) are at the studio, the SCXD is my practice amp--this is in the garage...
That's the mic position, pretty close, somewhat off axis. No EQ on this clip, some post (digidesign) reverb and a UA limiter.
charger#4 · Jan 30, 2012 19:03 UTC
And here's the sound...
🎵 super-champ-xd-chan2.mp3
Johnny#5 · Jan 31, 2012 04:56 UTC
After hearing that clip, I tooled around on those channels. This little booger is 'Spanky'...for lack of a better term. I may just start using the RP500 for effects/pedals only. The more I learn about it, the more I like it. Plus I gots me some JJ's on the way :)
Fenderbender#6 · Jan 31, 2012 15:38 UTC
I think the secret to your tone charger is the mic stand. Very unorthodox but clearly part of the design of the tone! ;D
charger#7 · Jan 31, 2012 18:26 UTC
Fenderbender — Jan 31, 2012I think the secret to your tone charger is the mic stand. Very unorthodox but clearly part of the design of the tone! ;D
Yeah, it's got excellent vibration damping. My first try was with the mic in a toolbox... very rattly.
DreamTheaterRules#8 · Jan 31, 2012 20:33 UTC
metal or plastic? I've found the acoustic properties of each to vary greatly.
DreamTheaterRules#9 · Jan 31, 2012 20:34 UTC
p.s. who the heck in California needs boots like that???
DreamTheaterRules#10 · Jan 31, 2012 20:37 UTC
p.p.s. What was I thinking? The boots were clearly purchased not as cold weather foot gear, but as a mic stand. Sorry... I'm a little slow on these latest recording techniques. ;D
charger#11 · Jan 31, 2012 21:46 UTC
It's a 5 hour drive to Tahoe... although admittedly this year we have got no use out of our snow gear.
Fenderbender#12 · Jan 31, 2012 23:29 UTC
I can see the purchase process now. Charger walks in to purchase a mic stand. After seeing several stands he quickly deduces the cheapest one, only to ask, "Do you have anything cheaper than $25? Something used perhaps?"
The guy behind the counter sees an old boot long forgotten about by its previous owner and says, "You can have that boot for $5."
Charger carefully weighs his options and is like, "Score!!! Hell yeah! I'll take the boot!"
evzevz#13 · Feb 01, 2012 00:00 UTC
LMAO!!!
evzevz#14 · Feb 01, 2012 00:49 UTC
Sounds really fat by the way, good stuff charger :)
charger#15 · Feb 01, 2012 01:05 UTC
I'm totally going to start using snow boots all over the studio now. perfect for under the snare, in front of the kick, and for any floor amp...
Fenderbender#16 · Feb 01, 2012 04:26 UTC
charger — Feb 01, 2012I'm totally going to start using snow boots all over the studio now. perfect for under the snare, in front of the kick, and for any floor amp...
Fuck that! I'm going big money. I'll be using Air Jordans. My shit goin' be epic!! When I want that retro vibe I'll bust out my classic Jordan's. And when I want to be lo-fi I'll bust out some British Knights or Ponies. What, what!?!?
akatomcox#17 · Feb 01, 2012 04:37 UTC
charger — Feb 01, 2012I'm totally going to start using snow boots all over the studio now. perfect for under the snare, in front of the kick, and for any floor amp...
Little suckers sound pretty good. Looks like they quit making them.
Any special break-in procedure for the boots or were they warm enough right out of the box? I think I have some vintage boots in the basement, no synthetic materials...
Hell yeah FB! Climbing boots for Rock and steel-toed for metal/heavy work.
charger#18 · Feb 01, 2012 09:42 UTC
The rule is, the warmer the boot, the fatter the sound.
dearthian#19 · Feb 01, 2012 14:20 UTC
Hey Charger, what model/brand of mic is in that awesome mic stand?
charger#20 · Feb 01, 2012 18:23 UTC
It's in the first post... I believe it's a GXL 2200, a CAD-rebranded Chinese mic from the days when China wasn't the place where every mic was made. Listening to it in comparison to all the other Chinese mics I've amassed since, it holds its own, Chinese mics have definitely gotten brighter and more accurate, but this one's okay. They still sell them cheap.
dearthian#21 · Feb 02, 2012 02:01 UTC
LOL...Someday I'll learn to read. Until then...DUH!!!!
CraigB#22 · Feb 02, 2012 08:30 UTC
charger — Feb 01, 2012The rule is, the warmer the boot, the fatter the sound.
Next up on Line 6's product discussion board... A snow boot modeler! ;)
Jon_G#23 · Feb 02, 2012 12:00 UTC
CraigBert — Feb 02, 2012[quote author=charger link=1327816462/0#17 date=1328089341]The rule is, the warmer the boot, the fatter the sound.
Next up on Line 6's product discussion board... A snow boot modeler! ;)
as long as you can dial out the stink it should be great :)
CraigB#24 · Feb 03, 2012 06:49 UTC
Jon — Feb 02, 2012[quote author=CraigBert link=1327816462/0#21 date=1328171418][quote author=charger link=1327816462/0#17 date=1328089341]The rule is, the warmer the boot, the fatter the sound.
Next up on Line 6's product discussion board... A snow boot modeler! ;)
as long as you can dial out the stink it should be great :)
