VHT Pitbull 50CL or 100?

[CentaurPorn]

If the owner is running 12ax7's in it only You are lucky if it is still working. You can not substitute the 12at or au 7. (which ever it is supposed to have)

 

[kazE]

Yeah I'm guessing he read it wrong, he doesn't sound like he knows a whole lot about it.

I'll find out when I get it, I will most definitely return it if there is damage or wrong tubes have been used.

 

[blackrobedone]

I just hope that KazE will post an honest review of the VHT one month after he owns it. Someone on this forum will owe him a sincere apology, and it won't be me. How much do you want to bet that he says the Bugera sounded better?

Please, "for the love of God, Montressor" don't talk him into buying the VHT cabinet.

And before you call me a chump who doesn't know tone or can't play properly go check out my band, Chaos Inception.

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

 

[blackrobedone]

Shameless plug, eh? Our album just dropped last week.

 

[CentaurPorn]

Dude..

Just because you did not get along with it does not mean that he won't. I don't like Marshall but I am not going to say it doesn't sound good... You don't like VHTs. We fucking get it. To go off and say it sounds bad, weak, or not brutal enough..or anything of the sort is just plain fucking ignorance. The UL imo is one of the meanest sounding amps I have ever heard. It makes my balls hurt.

PS. I dig your shit.

 

[blackrobedone]

Cool.

Everyone has an opinion and they all stink, right? Well I could get a roomful of my peers to profess that the VHT gear didn't measure up. It just so happens that I'm in the minority on this forum. The main point was that the amps are different (no one but my main man JJ even hinted the K Tre sounds completely different than a VHT Pittbull). The dryness is an acquired taste at best. Regardless whether I think VHT sux balz, it's still not a good second choice for someone who wants the sound of Slipknot, via their signature amp.

Thanks for taking the time to check out the band. I'm really not a dickhead, I just play one sometimes on this forum.

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

I think you're thinking of Zimbloth, I've never tried a K-Tre

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

Eh...too be honest I wasn't all that wowed by VHT either. Tried the Pittbull and it wasn't really what I was after. It sounds much like it does in various clips online and to me it just sounds dry and lifeless. It'd be great for some things but you can't really escape that VHT sound no matter how you turn the knobs..and for almost 4 grand I really wouldn't want to bother.

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

We're not arguing taste though, we were arguing the statement that it has no balls and isn't good for metal.

Personally I love the shit out of it and if I was rocking tubes at the moment, it would be a VHT rig.

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

We're not arguing taste though, we were arguing the statement that it has no balls and isn't good for metal.

Personally I love the shit out of it and if I was rocking tubes at the moment, it would be a VHT rig.

True..and yes..it's good for metal. In a certain type of tone it beat anything else I've ever played all day long...it just wasn't my kind of thing. It had balls and aggression and did it all without trying too hard. So that statement isn't really accurate..it apparently just didn't have the balls he was looking for. Compared to say, Mesa or something I could see how one might think that.

When I say balls I mean the depth of it's sound, the thickness of the mid voicing (which is was matters moreso than bass in guitar) and lastly the amount of bass it gives to compliment the mids. Compared to a triple rec or something it would seemingly lack "balls" if we're talking about sheer low end power, but lest we forget that's the trouble with mesas..which is why a boost works so well. It tightens up the huge bass and takes some away. With the VHT it's not needed.

 

[kazE]

But wouldn't a quality cab help in the low-end department?

Btw it should be arriving any minute, I'll be sure to post some pics and impressions ASAP.

 

[JJ Rodriguez]

I don't know about the model of VHT you got, but the UL has no problems in the low end department.

 

[CentaurPorn]

I run my bass @ about 9:30 and Deep around 10 and it has a lot of low end...I could actually lose some and it still be thick *shrug*

Seriously dude..Don't worry about lack of low end.

 

[kazE]

Yeah personally I'm not worried about it, I'll be picking up a Vader 2x12 this week and I hear they have great low end.

I was just responding to what Drakker said. I'm sure different head's have varying levels of bass/low end but doesn't the cab you run your head through have a huge impact on sound (low end included)?

Also, don't the newer graphic EQ models have even greater flexibility for tone-shaping? It seems like Fryette/VHT's shouldn't be lacking in that department.

 

[zimbloth]

Cool, let us know how it goes. I'm skeptical about this Pittbull you're getting, but hopefully it will be functional and setup properly.

Eh...too be honest I wasn't all that wowed by VHT either. Tried the Pittbull and it wasn't really what I was after. It sounds much like it does in various clips online and to me it just sounds dry and lifeless. It'd be great for some things but you can't really escape that VHT sound no matter how you turn the knobs..and for almost 4 grand I really wouldn't want to bother.

Meh, I doubt you tried it out in an environment conducive to getting the most out of the amp. If you played mine you'd cream your pants. When I tried out my Ultra-Lead at the store I bought it from, it sounded like shit. I knew better though, so I brought it home and worked my magic with it, and it's been pure bliss ever since. I've learned more and more ways to get an even better sound out of it over the years as well.

No one who's ever heard my amp would ever call it 'dry and lifeless', because it's not. May not be your ideal tone, but it's still an awesome sounding amp when properly setup. Sounds massive. Only people who don't know what they're doing get a 'lifeless' tone out of a Pittbull - unless the amp is just defective somehow.

If you're running it at a music shop at low volumes, thru god knows what cab, unbiased/shoddy tubes, mediocre pickups, cheapo cables, etc anything can not sound its best. I take anyone's opinion on an amp they've never owned and spent ample time with with a grain of salt. It takes time to learn what kind of pickups/guitars/tubes an amp likes, how to best tweak the amp, what kind of speakers are most flattering, etc.

Anyways, of course there are still amps that sound amazing yet are nonetheless not my/your thing. The Riveras I carry are like that. Sound killer, but it's not 'my' sound. That's fair, but saying something sucks without really being experienced is kind of silly.

I've never heard an amateur soundclip of a Pittbull that sounded accurate or flattering. They're difficult amps to capture on tape, especially since most people who record clips with them are using shitty pickups and speakers. TThey're really the ultimate live amps IMO. Their sweet-spot is not right at the grille, its further back when it can project. However, I will record some clips/videos of the amp soon to put all this rubbish to bed once and for all.

Compared to a triple rec or something it would seemingly lack "balls" if we're talking about sheer low end power, but lest we forget that's the trouble with mesas..which is why a boost works so well. It tightens up the huge bass and takes some away. With the VHT it's not needed.

I've owned both Dual and Triple Rectifiers and had them in the same room as my Pittbulls. Be it at shows, rehearsals, etc. The Rectos sounded brittle, harsh, yet muddy compared to the VHT so I'm not sure what was up when you A/B'd them (if you even have). The Pittbull had way more balls and destroyed it in just about every way. And I'm a Mesa fan, I currently own an older pre-Recto amp which I love.

It was a joke how lost my bandmate's old Dual Rec would get lost in the mix live, no matter how loud it was, going up against my Ultra-Lead. He had to sell the amp and get a Marshall DSL100 just to be heard (he now plays the Deliverance 120 which is a terrific live amp as well).

Also, your statement that with the VHT a boost isn't needed like with a Recto shows your lack of experience IMO. The Pittbull sounds 1000x better with a good boost in front. In fact, I hate the amp without it. Same with just about any good tube amp though. It's clear to me you really didn't get the chance to play a properly setup Pittbull. Again this goes way beyond personal taste, the way you're describing the amp is just not reality on a healthy VHT.

 

[DrakkarTyrannis]

Cool, let us know how it goes. I'm skeptical about this Pittbull you're getting, but hopefully it will be functional and setup properly.



Meh, I doubt you tried it out in an environment conducive to getting the most out of the amp. If you played mine you'd cream your pants. When I tried out my Ultra-Lead at the store I bought it from, it sounded like shit. I knew better though, so I brought it home and worked my magic with it, and it's been pure bliss ever since. I've learned more and more ways to get an even better sound out of it over the years as well.

No one who's ever heard my amp would ever call it 'dry and lifeless', because it's not. May not be your ideal tone, but it's still an awesome sounding amp when properly setup. Sounds massive. Only people who don't know what they're doing get a 'lifeless' tone out of a Pittbull - unless the amp is just defective somehow.

If you're running it at a music shop at low volumes, thru god knows what cab, unbiased/shoddy tubes, mediocre pickups, cheapo cables, etc anything can not sound its best. I take anyone's opinion on an amp they've never owned and spent ample time with with a grain of salt. It takes time to learn what kind of pickups/guitars/tubes an amp likes, how to best tweak the amp, what kind of speakers are most flattering, etc.

Anyways, of course there are still amps that sound amazing yet are nonetheless not my/your thing. The Riveras I carry are like that. Sound killer, but it's not 'my' sound. That's fair, but saying something sucks without really being experienced is kind of silly.

I've never heard an amateur soundclip of a Pittbull that sounded accurate or flattering. They're difficult amps to capture on tape, especially since most people who record clips with them are using shitty pickups and speakers. TThey're really the ultimate live amps IMO. Their sweet-spot is not right at the grille, its further back when it can project. However, I will record some clips/videos of the amp soon to put all this rubbish to bed once and for all.



I've owned both Dual and Triple Rectifiers and had them in the same room as my Pittbulls. Be it at shows, rehearsals, etc. The Rectos sounded brittle, harsh, yet muddy compared to the VHT so I'm not sure what was up when you A/B'd them (if you even have). The Pittbull had way more balls and destroyed it in just about every way. And I'm a Mesa fan, I currently own an older pre-Recto amp which I love.

It was a joke how lost my bandmate's old Dual Rec would get lost in the mix live, no matter how loud it was, going up against my Ultra-Lead. He had to sell the amp and get a Marshall DSL100 just to be heard (he now plays the Deliverance 120 which is a terrific live amp as well).

Also, your statement that with the VHT a boost isn't needed like with a Recto shows your lack of experience IMO. The Pittbull sounds 1000x better with a good boost in front. In fact, I hate the amp without it. Same with just about any good tube amp though. It's clear to me you really didn't get the chance to play a properly setup Pittbull. Again this goes way beyond personal taste, the way you're describing the amp is just not reality on a healthy VHT.

I'm just not a fan of the amp. I didn't like it's voicing. I'm well aware that taking it home and running it through my setup might yield better results..but I just don't care to. To me it's not really worth it...ESPECIALLY since they don't record well. For that kind of money I want something that works on all turfs..not just something that shines in a particular area. And my amp doesn't need a boost..I've stopped using mine. I use nothing but a NS-2 which I don't even have to use all the time. I've just come realize that a massive price tag won't be the answer to tonal bliss..what I have now is cheaper, less work, and much better for what I'm after. Why spend 3500 on an amp I still have to put work into when well under 2000 gets me just what I want?

 

[kazE]

Unfortunately my amp didn't arrive today, I have to wait one more day. >.<

Drakker - Not that I can speak from experience but why don't you think Pitbull's record well? If I'm not mistaken August Burns Red records with them and they have an awesome tone.

Also you can get many used VHT's for under $2000 in excellent condition (unless you absolutely need to purchase brand new).

Just throwing that out there.

 

[zimbloth]

Unfortunately my amp didn't arrive today, I have to wait one more day. >.<

Drakker - Not that I can speak from experience but why don't you think Pitbull's record well? If I'm not mistaken August Burns Red records with them and they have an awesome tone.

Also you can get many used VHT's for under $2000 in excellent condition (unless you absolutely need to purchase brand new).

Just throwing that out there.

They do record well, it just takes someone who really knows what they're doing (aka professionals) to get the most out of them. They're not as recording friendly as a 5150 for example.

Drakkar said that in response to my statement that Pittbull's excel as live amps more so than in the studio. That doesnt mean a bunch of sick sounding albums have PIttbulls all over it

 

[kazE]

I see, fair enough.

How exactly would one amp be more recording friendly than another?