24 posts
Marco, Jon, both of you now have the new X2. I am assuming you can change the presets, and save the changes using the Fuse software. Is that a correct assumption? I may spring for the head at $299 and pump it through one of my EVM12L's which are 25 years old and broken in, but still reproduce very clearly whatever comes into them. I have to be able to tweak the sounds and then save the tweaks however, using the software. I have years of experience with Fender amps which always have been among my favorite makes. I am sure I can tweak it to my likes, can you save the EQ settings? As well as turning off effects and keeping them off, all I ever use is a slight reverb no gates, no compressors no delays or other stuff..
I'm not Jon or Marco, although I play Jon on TV in a sitcom about British rock stars. ;D
You can save the pre-sets, via the fuse software. I have never fired my Vibro Champ XD up with an external cab (Charger told me to try it but it's usually in my family room away from all my cabs) but I'm going too tonight to see just how good that thing can sound. I bet my beloved Champ setting (#1 on the dial) can sound pretty dang good through my Red Fang Alnico! If it sounds good enough, I might have to join you guys... LOL Like I need another amp right now.... HAHAHAHA
Thanks Howie. some of the brightness I attribute to the SC X2 is definitely the speaker of course, my EVM12 L's are well broken in, and I know they are not as bright and trebly as new Jensen's, and I can simply unplug the Valve Jr head and put the X2 in it's place right under my laptop which is where I do my daily practice. Maybe I can even dump my pedal board and relegate it to the shed (climate controlled) with the Hot Rod Deluxe. Since I only use 2 different sounds, clean and overdrive both with reverb slightly, the X2 just might replace all the other stuff for daily practice. For $299 what can I lose, I still like my 99 buck V Jr head and it owes me nothing after all these years of daily practice, every single day for maybe 5 years or so.
I wonder if a nice set of matched JJ's would fatten it up, I know they did that for the HRD.
I thought the link to the video Marco posted sounded amazing... and that's through a 10"... that amp sounds better than the XD V1, and I already love that amp.
Marco's tone and the video both sounded great. I agree, a little brighter than I like for myself, but still very very nice tone. I am thinking of pulling the trigger on that amp, the head version, although the combo would be better for me for instant portability. I just have to think on it a few days, then choose. I bet once the speaker is broken in it may get a bit less trebly.
I pulled the trigger on the Super Champ X2 combo and the XD foot switch, we shall see what it does in a week or so. Three hundred fifty bucks. That is a reasonable price for a quick grab and go all purpose amp. I hope I can tweak it with the Fuse software to my satisfaction. The speaker may have to be changed in the future, but we shall see.
You know... It has a treble control you can turn down as well... ;)
DreamTheaterRules — Nov 27, 2012I'm not Jon or Marco, although I play Jon on TV in a sitcom about British rock stars. ;D
You can save the pre-sets, via the fuse software. I have never fired my Vibro Champ XD up with an external cab (Charger told me to try it but it's usually in my family room away from all my cabs) but I'm going too tonight to see just how good that thing can sound. I bet my beloved Champ setting (#1 on the dial) can sound pretty dang good through my Red Fang Alnico! If it sounds good enough, I might have to join you guys... LOL Like I need another amp right now.... HAHAHAHA
We still have the Mini Rec...LOL. :D :D :D ;D
DreamTheaterRules — Nov 28, 2012You know... It has a treble control you can turn down as well... ;)
Tried that when demoing the older model amigo, I do have a
little experience (since 1964) with Fender Guitar amps. ;D
Right, but this isn't like the other Fender amps, especially the pure tube ones like you are used too. Besides, I was just clowning anyway. I don't find my Vibro XD to be bright at all unless I want it to be. BUT, each amp model is different, and some of them are definitely brighter than others as would be expected.
I think my Super Champ is the opposite of bright. Granted I'm running it through a 12" speaker with a hemp cone, but I can push the treble knob to 10 on just about any setting and I still find it usable. Remember, if you're watching a combo demo on youtube, that's a 10" speaker. I did not like the 10" speaker at all... it wasn't a great speaker to begin with, and it was just too small to support the low end of a 15 watt amp.
DreamTheaterRules — Nov 28, 2012Right, but this isn't like the other Fender amps, especially the pure tube ones like you are used too. Besides, I was just clowning anyway. I don't find my Vibro XD to be bright at all unless I want it to be. BUT, each amp model is different, and some of them are definitely brighter than others as would be expected.
I think my Super Champ is the opposite of bright. Granted I'm running it through a 12" speaker with a hemp cone, but I can push the treble knob to 10 on just about any setting and I still find it usable. Remember, if you're watching a combo demo on youtube, that's a 10" speaker. I did not like the 10" speaker at all... it wasn't a great speaker to begin with, and it was just too small to support the low end of a 15 watt amp.
You guys are used to bright amps, the XD I played was a standard Fender sparkle fairly bright. I too think a speaker change will be ultimately necessary, Probably a hemp cone 10", but if necessary, and the amp is worth it, a cab build and 12" speaker just might be needed.
I'm Jon and I don't appear on TV at all ;D
Yes to the presets, using FUSE you can save them back to the amp in any of the dial positions. You can't adjust the bass and treble through the software, that has to be done on the dials on the amp but you do get a mid control in the software that is not present on the amp so you can set the mids how you like it in the software and then save that back to the amp.
I still can't get over how loud the combo is. It's a tiny amp but can really push out some sound. I'm not too keen on the distortion sounds in the amp though, I think it will probably be better to use the amp clean (some fantastic clean sounds) and then push it with a pedal of your choice to get the grind. Low break up sounds are good but I'm not liking the high gain sounds much to be honest.
Overall though a brilliant little amp.
Jon — Nov 29, 2012I'm Jon and I don't appear on TV at all ;D
Yes to the presets, using FUSE you can save them back to the amp in any of the dial positions. You can't adjust the bass and treble through the software, that has to be done on the dials on the amp but you do get a mid control in the software that is not present on the amp so you can set the mids how you like it in the software and then save that back to the amp.
I still can't get over how loud the combo is. It's a tiny amp but can really push out some sound. I'm not too keen on the distortion sounds in the amp though, I think it will probably be better to use the amp clean (some fantastic clean sounds) and then push it with a pedal of your choice to get the grind. Low break up sounds are good but I'm not liking the high gain sounds much to be honest.
Overall though a brilliant little amp.
Bummer on the overdrive sounds, I was hoping for a grab it and go amp without stomps etc. Although I do have a nice tube distortion stomp in my HRD case just for that amp. It can serve 2 purposes. I did see one video and I thought the Super Sonic sound was a decent overdrive, I hope I can tweak one of them to sound similar to one of my tube stomps. JJ tubes will absolutely improve the fidelity. If I can get it close to what I want while still stock I will spring for the JJ's and and a hemp cone 10" speaker. If not, after a few days, back it goes. I pay the return shipping, no big deal. I have high hopes for it however for a grab and go amp with reverb for relatively cheap.
Dave, the SuperSonic is a killer amp. Definitely look at the smallest. That next size up is...robust. ;)
The Bassman setting on the clean channel is definitely the warmer of the two settings. Both are really good, prototypical Fender clean sounds.
Dearthian: — Nov 29, 2012Dave, the SuperSonic is a killer amp. Definitely look at the smallest. That next size up is...robust. ;)
The Bassman setting on the clean channel is definitely the warmer of the two settings. Both are really good, prototypical Fender clean sounds.
Hey Chris, I was just commenting on the Super Sonic model on the Super Champ X2. If I wanted to spend the money on a mid-high dollar amp, I would look for the ProSonic on e-bay, I hear even better things about that amp.
DreamTheaterRules — Nov 27, 2012I'm not Jon or Marco, although I play Jon on TV in a sitcom about British rock stars. ;D
but mine goes up to eleven .... ;D
the one I use on the show does too. (It's British!) ;D
Delivery Monday Dec 3 we shall see...............
So far so good, I was worried about it being far too bright to tweak, not the case. Quite the opposite, nice, round, and fat and I have not even begun to tweak. Amazing tone for an amp this size. Quite impressed so far. Tomorrow, I put the Fuze software on the computer, and tweak away....... No speaker or tube change needed, at least not yet.
Yeah, having the Vibro version, and having heard samples of the older version, I didn't think it was going to be overly bright for you. Congrats on the new amp.
Dave, the cleans and "just breaking up" sounds really are tasty aren't they. It is truly impressive the amount of volume this thing can put out and it has massive low end on various patches.
I have not had time to A/B it with my EVM12L which is broken in, but I do think the stock speaker is a little shrill, however it needs to be broken in a bit before I decide, probably several months of daily use to do that at lower volumes.
Every time I plug in, someone calls me or someone wants my attention. It is a good thing I am 70 years old and have learned a good bit of patience over the years.
I have not had time to put on the software and tweak it yet, and I am hoping for better things then what I have from it now, but so far it is a keeper, and if I can't improve on it much, it is still plenty good enough.
Nice little bit of kit, as my British musician friends say.