NAD: VHT Deliverance 120

[jc986]

I've been after a VHT/Fryette for a long time, and when I had the funds could never find one, but the stars finally aligned and I was able to snag this D120. I'm loving it so far. I've never owned a single channel amp before and am very impressed with the versatility and range just by adjusting the guitar's volume. Even with the gain up in the "More" mode, I'm able to get usable clean sounds by rolling off the volume. The clarity and note separation are top notch. It will take a little getting used to the feel and the dryness, but with high amounts of Gain II it can get plenty saturated. I really like how the design has a Gain I and Gain II. There is so much tonal flexibility between just those 2 knobs, I wish more amps were designed like this. It also sounds amazing with a boost in front (it loves my Airis Savage Drive and my SD 805).

I think this one's gonna be a keeper for me. I already ordered an effects loop kit from Fryette and plan to add a footswitchable Less/More mod myself. I do think this is the absolute loudest amp I've ever played. I jammed with my drummer on Thursday and with the volume at just 9 o'clock I was able to keep up easily with him, and he's a very hard-hitting drummer. Full band practice on Sunday so I'm excited to play it with the full mix.

It also sounds killer in stereo with the Peavey. The amps mix together very well.

 

[Mathemagician]

Clips? Just some basic chugging/master of puppets intro riff come on bro! Congrats!

 

[jc986]

I'll definitely make some. This thing is so loud though that it will have to be when my wife / daughter are out for a bit lol.

 

[budda]

Hell yeah.

 

[BurningRome]

Congrats! Is it running Kt88's or 6550's?

 

[jc986]

Congrats! Is it running Kt88's or 6550's?

Currently has the original Sovtek KT88's. The amp is from 2007 but they are still kicking. I'm not sure how much it got played by the previous owner, but I ordered a new quad of KT88's since these are about 12 years old.

 

[Shask]

Congrats!

Yeah, the D120 is loud as hell. That is one of the only amps I sold because it was just too freaking loud. It would hurt my ears and give me a headache to play it..... and that is next to a Mesa Triple Recto! Yes, I agree that this is the most variation in an amp I have heard just using the volume control on the guitar. It can go from clean to metal just by using the volume on your guitar, which is crazy.

 

[BurningRome]

My lesson learned with Fryette stuff is to stick with the recommended tubes listed in the manual, which I listed below and I always preffered the KT88's over the 6550's in the amps.

I had a tech replace my old Kt88 EH in a Sig X with Gold Lions which resulted in a sound I liked less and the tubes cost more! Oh well

• KT88 Sovtek
• KT88 EH
• KT88 Svetlana
• 6550 Sovtek
• 6550 Svetlana

 

[jc986]

Yep, I spoke with Fryette to order the Effects Loop kit and asked them what they recommended and they said they use EH KT88's now. I think Sovtek and Svetlana KT88's are out of production. I ordered a quad of EH KT88's from Doug's Tubes.

 

[jc986]

That holds true for speakers too. The D120 sounds remarkably better through my 2x12 with Fane F70 speakers than it does through my 4x12 with V30's. VHT/Fryette amps were designed around the Eminence P50E and the Fane F70's.

 

[TheWarAgainstTime]

Congrats! I'd love to try a Deliverance

And yeah, Fryette really knows how to pair up tubes and speakers to their amps. My UL is from 2000 if I remember correctly, and it still had the stock Sovtek KT88s in it when I got it in 2016. They were well worn, but still sounded decent. Fryette recommended I change them out for EHX, which are great. I sent it in for service a few months ago and they put in a new quad of the same tubes and biased the amp to them, plus included the old tubes for spares.

I've rolled in tons of different combinations if preamp tubes as well, but still landed on all Chinese like the manual says I mostly play through a Mesa Traditional 4x12, but I love the matching FB412 just as much. My Fatbottom cabs are loaded with the p50e speakers, but I've been curious about the Fane loaded cabs too

 

[cGoEcYk]

I like JJ KT88's in my bass amp. They are pretty sick and I like to push my power section to the edge of breakup. With the power section pushed/involved the JJ's really reveal themselves with a sweet kind of compression effect.

I like 6550's (which seem to have a flatter response) in my guitar amps. I find they have a little less low end than my 88's, but more more bass and midrange than 6L6. I use 6L6/6550 combo in my Tremoverb.

 

[Bentaycanada]

Badass man! I think my old D120 was the loudest amp I ever owned, close 2nd was the 2203KK.
Killer amp, try it with a Mesa Grid Slammer boost, it loves that pedal!

 

[Catalyst Collide]

Nice! HNAD! Such a killer amp.

 

[jc986]

https://soundcloud.com/guitarjunkie986/vht-deliverance-120

Had a chance to do a quick recording this afternoon.

 

[Azarea]

If this is your standards for a "quick recording" then what am I doing with my life...
Next time dad rock it up with phone audio please (while drunk if possible)

More seriously, thanks for the awesome demo and for making me want a Deliverance.

 

[jc986]

If this is your standards for a "quick recording" then what am I doing with my life...
Next time dad rock it up with phone audio please (while drunk if possible)

More seriously, thanks for the awesome demo and for making me want a Deliverance.

Full disclosure, this is just a couple DI’s that are reamped through the VHT. All I had to do was pop an SM57 in front of my cab and hit play in my DAW.

 

[Azarea]

Haha yeah I figured as much

Killer demo still!

 

[Descent]

Super sweet, great sounds.

You said you wish there were more amps built like that, from memory I think the Sovtek Mig 50 (now EH something or other), original Marshall Plexi, Laney AOR50, Peavey Windsor are kinda of similar design idea, although yours might be best sounding yet