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Old 09-27-2017, 06:26 PM
harpspitfire harpspitfire is offline
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NUAD- new used amp day? i dunno LOL, anyway- guess ive been patient for around a year looking for fender super champ X2, i wanted a tube amp and didnt want to spend $400 new or even 2nd hand at GC for $250- finally found one for $140, i considered that a decent price comparing to other options in that price range-it's a nice amp, im happy with it so far, still getting the hang of the controls, it does have that fender sound to it, comparing it to my vox AD30VT, it;s probably better being an all tube amp, while the vox is a hybrid having a tube pre-amp, i think the amp modeling on the vox is superior though, the fender super champ has a superb reverb in it, im not sure what to make of this, but the new models X2 seem to be made in china, where as mine is tagged made in mexico
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Old 09-27-2017, 10:20 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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FYI MF still lists it as being made in Mexico - maybe they haven't caught up yet with current production...

BTW the only Super Champ that was all-tube was the Paul Rivera-designed early-80's version, the best examples of which sell in the $1K+/- range; the x2 version is in fact a hybrid amp in the spirit of the first Music Man amps (Leo Fender's mid-70's evolution of the blackface design) which, contrary to current practice, featured a solid-state front end (digital in the case of the x2) feeding a tube power amp. I used to own a late-70s Music Man 410-65 (think Super Reverb) and, like Leo, I always felt this topology provided a more authentic tube-amp tonality than the later single-12AX7 preamp/solid-state power amp designs; it was also bolder and cleaner than a typical blackface Super - more Ampeg-like in character - and if the x2 absorbed any of the old Leo DNA, you'll find it has a surprising amount of clean headroom for a small amp. Suggestion: use the money you saved to swap in an Eminence Ragin' Cajun - these were the hot setup with the old Frontman 25R 1x10" combo (turned them into 15-pound tone monsters that could handle a medium-size gig), and I've heard even better things about the x2/Eminence combination...

Use it well, often, and LOUD...
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Old 09-28-2017, 04:51 AM
harpspitfire harpspitfire is offline
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i wasnt sure myself, web searching that show back images had some as MIM and others showing MIC, i didnt know what the story was, your right, my amp shows 1-12ax7 and 2-6v6, so im sure there's solid state in there with all the modeling, funny you mentioned the 25r, if i didnt eventually find this amp at a good price, that was my next choice, as far as speakers go, im 'speaker dumb'- if and when i do upgrade, i wish there was some way to try them without just referring to ratings, everyone's hearing is different, mine is especially weird
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Old 09-28-2017, 04:57 AM
Dru Edwards Dru Edwards is offline
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Congrats on the Super Champ. Are you playing/experimenting with a lot of the settings or have you just found a couple you like and stick to that (which is something I'd do).
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Old 09-28-2017, 06:45 AM
harpspitfire harpspitfire is offline
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mostly experimenting now-the only thing i don't like is the amp modes are expressed by numbers, so i had to write them on paper for notes- nice thing about the vox is each amp mode is named
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Old 09-28-2017, 07:08 AM
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I love my SCX2. Its a great little amp. I really like that it has two channels. That was a must for me. If you haven't already acquired the channel foot switch, the Fender model is only around $20. Its a good thing to have. Anyway, the X2 is really sweet and versatile as all get out. I've only had mine for a few weeks and am still discovering the possibilities, but there is a lot of good stuff about it.

Mine cost me more than $140...LOL...and it was made in Mexico.

Funny the Music Man amps are mentioned here. By circumstance I had the privilege of playing through a vintage Music Man (don't remember the model) a while back when my old, much cheaper amp was acting up on me during a sound check. I was opening for a mainstream country artist and one of his guitar players offered to let me play through his amp. It was a Music Man. I felt a bit weird about it at first, but after I plugged in, the sound was blissful. Still to this day I've never heard a better clean channel, and I have played through a ton of amps. I would like to acquire a Music Man one of these days. They are excellent.
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Old 09-29-2017, 08:48 AM
harpspitfire harpspitfire is offline
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ok, after 4 days comparing amps, i honestly would have to say my voxAD30VT is the better sounding amp over the super champ x2, i realize the X2 has tube output and the vox is only a preamp tube, also noted the vox modeling seems to be a notch above the fender, this is also based on 2 other listeners, im not putting the fender down, its a great amp, im just saying for a used $80 vox, i think i got a better sounding amp and better deal
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Old 09-29-2017, 04:20 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by harpspitfire View Post
ok, after 4 days comparing amps, i honestly would have to say my voxAD30VT is the better sounding amp over the super champ x2, i realize the X2 has tube output and the vox is only a preamp tube, also noted the vox modeling seems to be a notch above the fender, this is also based on 2 other listeners, im not putting the fender down, its a great amp, im just saying for a used $80 vox, i think i got a better sounding amp and better deal
Some thoughts:
  • Have you tried it with more than one guitar - IME some amps "prefer" humbuckers or single coils (by way of example my Bugera V5 is a little monster with mini-buckers and single-coils, not so great with full-size humbuckers);
  • Most amp brands have a "signature tone" regardless of price - if your style runs more toward overdriven sounds, you might be disappointed with an "American" voiced amp (Fender, Music Man, Ampeg, early Peavey and Randall) whose strength is cleaner tones;
  • Your ears may be accustomed to a different tonality for a given setting - one manufacturer's "plexi Marshall" model may sound quite different from another;
  • Speaker voicing - I'd tend to think the Vox would have a "British" sounding speaker, whereas the Fender's would be more "American";
  • The corollary: a well-chosen speaker upgrade can make a world of difference - many players (myself included) use a speaker swap to customize the tone of an amp (tube or solid-state) that's "good-but-not-quite" to their needs;
  • If you're new to tube amps, you'd be surprised what the right set of tubes can do for your tone - and since you may not know the whole history of your purchase this might be a good place to start, especially if they're the original tubes;
Hope this helps...
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Old 09-29-2017, 04:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by harpspitfire View Post
ok, after 4 days comparing amps, i honestly would have to say my voxAD30VT is the better sounding amp over the super champ x2, i realize the X2 has tube output and the vox is only a preamp tube, also noted the vox modeling seems to be a notch above the fender, this is also based on 2 other listeners, im not putting the fender down, its a great amp, im just saying for a used $80 vox, i think i got a better sounding amp and better deal
Only you know what you like best. Vox amps are awesome! I had one of the little AC4TV amps I picked up in a pawn shop for $85. It was like brand new condition. I loved that little amp. Unfortunately so does my nephew. He "borrowed" it a couple years ago and I haven't seen or heard of it since. LOL...I guess it is his now. Real good amp, though.

I can imagine the AD30VT is a fine amp. Rock both of 'em!
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