I pre-ordered my Spider Valve Head today!!

[JACKSONFREAK]

Well we got our first Spider valve 2x12 in the other day. I of course had to check it out. I find the overall sound to be better then the Spider III's. I compaired the two side by side. The SV doesn't sound as processed. But does still have a processed sound to it. The tubes do seem to be helping the overall tone. But I'm not as impressed as i thougt i would be. My Crate VFX still sounds way better. I may bring my rig in to work someday and compair it to the SV but i still think My crate will sound better. I like the SV but I can't see myself swapping out my amp for it. As i was thinking might happen with this thing. Don't get me wrong. The amp sound way better then the old ones. but the processed sound is still there. I hate to say it but the Vox Valvetronics almost sound better. As far as not sounding as processed.
I think i may have to go tweek it some more and see what it can do. Althou i did spend about a little over an hour with it. After work the day it came in.
It just didn't live up to my expectations i guess.
Gil

[Frigo89]

wtf is a Crate VFX? lol

[JACKSONFREAK]

The Crate VFX is an all tube amp with built in digital effects. Vernon Reed and Billy Gibbons are both currently using them.
Gil

[emperor_black]

wtf is a Crate VFX? lol

Ever thought of google'ing it up?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Crate-VFX-5212-All-tube-combo-NO-RESERVE_W0QQitemZ110179206371QQihZ001QQcategoryZ38073QQcmdZViewItem

[PowerTube]

Okay, I'm now officially interested even though I initially trashed the idea.

Who has sound samples online?

[emperor_black]

Okay, I'm now officially interested even though I initially trashed the idea.

Who has sound samples online?

Didnt you just buy a Vetta or two flextones or something?? I remember a thread about you wanting a huge stereo sound or something to that effect. How's that going?

We need some long-time Vetta users to chime in with their reviews. Or has it been done already?

[chrisolson]

One thing I've been wondering -- how this amp would take an OD pedal in front of one of the mid-drive models? Hmmm...

[PowerTube]

Didnt you just buy a Vetta or two flextones or something?? I remember a thread about you wanting a huge stereo sound or something to that effect. How's that going?

We need some long-time Vetta users to chime in with their reviews. Or has it been done already?

Yep. I bought a Vetta II HD head, plus a Line 6 4x12 cab off E-Bay to combine with my existing cab. And yes, it sounds HUGE.

I'm very happy with it, but I'm also intrigued by the Spider Valve idea.

[jwoods986]

I just got back from playing one, the 1x12 combo. I was playing an RG2550 through it. I'm a fan of the Spiders but they do sound a little "digital", so I was interested to see if the tubes help - they do. I was playing on the Slipknot preset for a while and liked it. After some time, I started going through the 12 amp models, mainly curious about the twang and blues. Line 6s generally have a nice, clear clean and great high gain, but their "in between", lower-gain, bluesy settings don't usually impress (this is where the vox beats them IMO). But I found some great sounds in the twang and blues presets and trying different pup combos on the IBZ 5-way switch. Plus, it was responsive to rolling off the volume and back on. For example, I was on one of the blues channels (can't remember which color), middle single coil, with the volume down some. I was getting a clean, slightly overdriven sound, then I would switch to the bridge hum and crank the volume knob up - loved it! I was just getting something out of it I couldn't with the SS Spider, especially with an Ibz instead of a Strat.

So my conclusion is, I really like the tones and the simplicity (especially compared to my vetta) but it's $699. Which is about all I could get for my Vetta, so it would be hard to give up the Vetta for this unless I was putting some cash in my pocket.

[PowerTube]

Line 6s generally have a nice, clear clean and great high gain, but their "in between", lower-gain, bluesy settings don't usually impress (this is where the vox beats them IMO).

Agreed, and this applies to every Line 6 product I've owned. I can get some killer clean sounds and some killer drive sounds, but stuff like the Blackface models and so on just don't really impress me (except for maybe the reverb quality). But luckily for me, I've never really been into that half-distorted Jimmy Page kind of sound.

I'll eventually try a Spider Valve, but it's going to take a lot for me to ever replace the Vetta II HD. Besides, as others have mentioned, they might be using the Spider series as the guinea pig and if successful, it'll be replaced by a Vetta Valve or whatever.

[chrisolson]

So after having this thing on order for 2 months, getting one that was defective, and waiting another 1.5 months just to find out it's backordered, I picked up a 2x12 today. I have just started tinkered around with it a bit tonight, and I really like it. It sounds better in my room than in the store. I haven't hooked it up to my Mesa cab yet, but I'm expecting it will sound even better since the speakers are broken in.

In retrospect, I'm almost glad I got the combo instead. The head that I had (even though it was defective), was SOOOOO LOOOUUUDDDD that it was ridiculous. I certainly didn't need a 100 watt tube amp. The combo will be better for me. I may even end up selling the cab...who knows?? Anyway, I'm just tickling the edges right now, and will post my $.02 after we spend a little time getting to know eachother. So far I'm fairly impressed with the amps, and the effects are...okay - that's about it though.

[akoch]

The Spider Valve 112 spent three weeks in my studio, I played it daily. I liked it initially, that's the reason I bought it in the first place. It went back to the store, I think I got disillusioned having lived with it for some time. It is really quite a bit better than the Spider III or any other line6 I tried in the past. Actually way better: great power section, speaker and overall construction (sans the flimsy four-way preset selection switch). Sounds tight, and a lot less processed than the other line6 amps. Still processed, and after awhile it started to really 'get' me, hence it went back.

I saw it as a great practice amp and it is. But something like Mark IV or VHT does the 'bedroom practice' mode just as well, actually better.

Also something interesting - I experimented with a few different cabinets: VHT Fatbottom (P90s), Marshal with C75s, Mesa with C30s and found that the Valve is really voiced for the C30s in my opinion. With the P90s or C75 it was just plain harsh and unpleasant. I guess they really did a good job fine-tuning the power section and voicing towards the combo's C30 speaker. With the build-in speaker it sounds really good, alsmost as good as 412 with C30s, just not as much of a bottom end which is expected.

[chrisolson]

akoch-

My Mesa cab (Recto Std bottom) has Vintage 30's in it, so all should be good there. The matching Line 6 cab for this amp also has Vint 30's, so I figured I'd be okay. I'll check it out tonight. My cab has been broken in too, so I'm guessing the speakers will have a better sweet spot.

I'll be honest - playing the open-backed cab was kinda nice for a change. The Recto cab is VERY focused in it's sound. If you aren't standing/sitting directly in front of it, you won't hear teh same thing you will if you are off to the side. That cab is VERY unique in that sense. I've never had a cab that was THAT focused. My B-52 AT412B (A great cab in it's own right) dispersed sound more better, and was a more "musical" cab IMHO. Marshalls - well, everyone knows about those. I'll say that it will be nice to have the option of going boomy, focused, and heavy, or with the airy fill of the open back. Since I'm big into 80's rock, I don't really have to have the heavy bottom end.

VHT's & Mk. IV's -- yeah they're great, but WAAYYYYY out of my budget if I were to buy new. Even used, they're pretty spendy.

I've always liked Line 6 amps, and never had a real issue with the "digitality" of those amps, so I'll be alright. I will say this - I already DO NOT LIKE the chorus of the SV though. I'll miss that. I'll also say that as long as I have my Floor POD Plus, I'll always have access to my favorite sounds, so I'll be able to plug it in to the power section and go from there.

I am pretty impressed with the construction as well - I'll say the same about the head as well. It's just too bad it didn't work!!

[akoch]

AFAIK used Mark IV shorthead would be similar price to a Spider Valve head. So it will be more of choice based on preferences and likes. I remember picking up my VHT CL50 head for 900, so again it is not different pricewise. I guess what I am saying is that the Spider Valve is great, but not a necesserily a more economical option.

[chrisolson]

FWIW, I got my 212 combo for under $700. It would be tough to get Mk IV for that!