sansamp psa-1 vs voodu valve

[Gilbert]

same price, wich would you get?
anyone played both? wich is capable of an ampeg vh-140c type high gain as well as great cleans and warm leads?

[Gilbert]

Re: sansamp psa-1 vs voodu valve

one more question cleveland, can you reccomend any other preamps in the 500-900 range that would be better than the voodu for that type of tone?

[StuTDavis]

Re: sansamp psa-1 vs voodu valve

I've bought and sold the SansAmp I think 3 times over the years when I've added to or changed my rack setup, each time HOPING SO BADLY that I'd fall in love with it, but I never did. I tried the newer ones, tried one of the older ones, which I'd read sounded a tad more high-gain, they just didn't do it for me. The clips of the thing on their site sound good...I never got anything that good out of them. Even though I'm a thrash kinda "harsh sound GOOD!" guy, the SansAmp just always seemed a little TOO harsh to me, even.

I liked the Voodu Valve MUCH better, personally. A good bit warmer sounding to my ears, and the way I dialed it in, I got plenty of screaming harmonics out of the thing, almost like I did with my Prophesy when I had that. The feel of these Rocktron units is VERY good to me. The sound of the Voodu in high-gain mode has a "natural tubish" girthy lower-register, and can have a really nice top end. Only thing about the Voodu was, to me, it had a kind of just...I dunno...there's a funny quality in the sound that I think is either a built-in EQing goof, or a result of their not-quite-perfect tube-ss marriage. The Prophesy didn't have that property at all...but wasn't as "girthy", either. Other plus about the Voodu (and other Rocktron preamp/effects units) is they have a bazillion features and are completely configurable and MIDI controllable. The Voodu had tube-based features that I've never seen on any other preamp unit...very cool...I wish they'd redo the Voodu with the processing power of the Prophesy. That would be nice. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Another one you might want to check out is the Chameleon 2000. I had heard a friend's a couple years ago and really liked the sound of it (he had a Mesa 50/50 power amp). I've always been curious how one would sound in my setup. It had a very hard-edged harsh kind of sound, but also a little warmth to it, too--just how I generally like my sound. Completely solid state with no tubes, just tube fakery in the sound.

There are TONS of other preamps out there you could check out, depeneding if you want more real tubey sound or a more straight solid state harshness, or if you want to emulate different amps.

Stu

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: sansamp psa-1 vs voodu valve

I've owned both and used them for long periods playing shows also. Using them with Marshall Mono Bloc EL34 100/100 and VHT 2150 power amps.

Both are quite cool. Although the Sansamp is a little more alive sounding, the Voodu is much cooler. I still own one, and have sold the Sansamp, it had a solid state sound about it that I got tired of.

The sansamp might be capable of better clean sounds, but not by much. The Voodu Clean is quite useable. The Voodu has a seriously nice chug and is considerably more brutal sounding IMO. Effe4cts and a noise gate make it quite outstanding.

They both have their good and bad points. I think the Voodu is more my speed personally.

The Sansamp had somewhat more harmonics and the voodu was a little dead. But, I choose the voodu.

[Gilbert]

Re: sansamp psa-1 vs voodu valve

thanks for the input man. you wouldnt happen to have any clips of the voodu would you? also, is it true that the original (non-online) is the better version?

[ August 28, 2003, 12:56 PM: Message edited by: Gilbert ]