VH4 at home?

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kal800

New member
Hello everybody, I'm Chris.

I do not have to explain, why would I want to have Diezel VH4. I have an opportunity to buy one in a decent timeframe, but I have some doubts whether I will be able to use it in my conditions. I live in a detached house without any issues with neighbours. The place to play is in the basement. I've got 20 W tube amp with 2*12 cab with Eminence Manowar/Governor at 16 ohm configuration. If I open it full throttle, the sound is audible on the second floor, and I have to use ear protectors at ground zero, but at 10-11 o'clock the saturation is good and loudness is quite comfy. Now, VH4 is an 100W amp, I'm a bit afraid that I will be unable to have any decent sound unless I fill entire house with the sound of my guitar. Do you have any experience with this amp in home conditions? I was thinking about Einstein 50 too, but VH4 is VH4... Please advise.

Kal800
 
Sounds Sweet at whisper-Volume. Sounds super crush with Master Volume at 11 and shaking V30s. Both sounds great. Go for it.
 
I would never have less than a 50 watt amp. I would go up to a 150 watt amp in your situation. I play a 50 watt-150 watt at around the same dbs. 105-110. That 5 decibels is a big difference, but no one would notice if you aren't playing with a band, because they are both loud. Your ears will need a bit less exposure to the 110, but I will play at 105 for 45 mins in my guitar room, no problem. That is going to be about halfway up the master volume on most 100 watters. On Most amps, you don't want to go more than that if you want a tight metal sound. It will start to get mushy after that and will not really add that much volume.
 
Most modern MV high gain amps, you can get high gain at low volumes from the preamp. IME.

It's when you want more gain from older amps (especially NMV) that rely on power amp gain to drive the speakers to distortion; or if you like power amp gain. You can get there with a boost/od/dist pedal in front.
 
All amps tend to sound their best at higher levels, but the VH4 can be dilaed in to sound great at TV volumes...Just have to be prepared to push the treble and presence a bit to bring some cut and brightness out of the top end.
 
Smashedguitaris⸸ said:
I would never have less than a 50 watt amp. I would go up to a 150 watt amp in your situation. I play a 50 watt-150 watt at around the same dbs. 105-110. That 5 decibels is a big difference, but no one would notice if you aren't playing with a band, because they are both loud. Your ears will need a bit less exposure to the 110, but I will play at 105 for 45 mins in my guitar room, no problem. That is going to be about halfway up the master volume on most 100 watters. On Most amps, you don't want to go more than that if you want a tight metal sound. It will start to get mushy after that and will not really add that much volume.
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Just letting you know if you’re playing at 105 for 45 minutes you are definitely damaging your ears. You need earplugs at that level.

https://rnid.org.uk/information-and-support/ear-health/protect-your-hearing/how-loud-is-too-loud/
 
pipboy90 said:
Just letting you know if you’re playing at 105 for 45 minutes you are definitely damaging your ears. You need earplugs at that level.

https://rnid.org.uk/information-and-support/ear-health/protect-your-hearing/how-loud-is-too-loud/
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Working out damages your muscles. Running damages your knees. Having sex with random women damages your soul.

The list goes on, but i live my life and fear nothing.

My ears are probably damaged and maybe someday i will care, but for now, i go to metal concerts and play guitar without protection and do not use condoms.

I should add that my hearing is better than anyone i know still and @RedB4Black plays this volume a lot more than me, and he is fine also. I dont stand right in front of the cab, i stand diagonal, so i dont get the full blast. Idk..
 
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Thanks, I have no doubts though. I've done some research, and I know that this was some kind of focus to the Diezel team to construct an amp that will not need to go for really high volumes to perform. One of the guys I know has Mesa Rectifier with 412 cabinet and he is unable to achieve any distortion in home conditions, and I was afraid that I will have the same issue, but it seems Diezel is different. Decision made.

One more question - VH4 has MIDI port -what exactly can be controlled on this amp that way?
 
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Rectifier has also enough gain at tv levels but is horrible fizzy at those levels.
Will turn you crazy!

Diezels sound great with a low master, it more like the speaker need some volume to sound good.
So it‘s more the speakers than the amp I’d say what determines the volume at which it starts to sound good…
 
I use my VH4 at home thru a Two Notes Captor X Attenuator/Load box into a Marshall 1960A 4x12 to play at lower volumes with tube feel.
Works perfect! I can even play late at night 1am, 2am, 3am....
 
FLUXX said:
I use my VH4 at home thru a Two Notes Captor X Attenuator/Load box into a Marshall 1960A 4x12 to play at lower volumes with tube feel.
Works perfect! I can even play late at night 1am, 2am, 3am....
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how does it work? I can see that this is a digital device - does it mean that the signal from an amp is digitalized before it hits the cabinet? I have digital boxes on my pedalboard but only those that does not corrupt main signal by A/D conversion, trying to avoid digital toys as a general rule.
 
kal800 said:
how does it work? I can see that this is a digital device - does it mean that the signal from an amp is digitalized before it hits the cabinet? I have digital boxes on my pedalboard but only those that does not corrupt main signal by A/D conversion, trying to avoid digital toys as a general rule.
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The attenuator part is just an attenuator.
I use the Mid (-20db) setting during the day/evening, and the Down (-36db) setting at late night/early morning.
Let's me play my 100 watt amp heads at comfortable volumes, but with the tube feel.
 
Have you considered a Fryette power station?

It single handedly pulled me back to high gain tube amps from axe fx

Sure, some MV amps can do fine at whisper levels, but power section saturation (not necessarily breakup) can’t be replicated

I play a Herbert, Uber, and ENGL SE in my apartment now, no complaints, and incredible tone

I’ve dialed their masters down without the PS to see how it sounds just straight turned down with the MV set low, but it always sounds better with the master pushed and the PS dialing it down
 
kal800 said:
Hello everybody, I'm Chris.

I do not have to explain, why would I want to have Diezel VH4. I have an opportunity to buy one in a decent timeframe, but I have some doubts whether I will be able to use it in my conditions. I live in a detached house without any issues with neighbours. The place to play is in the basement. I've got 20 W tube amp with 2*12 cab with Eminence Manowar/Governor at 16 ohm configuration. If I open it full throttle, the sound is audible on the second floor, and I have to use ear protectors at ground zero, but at 10-11 o'clock the saturation is good and loudness is quite comfy. Now, VH4 is an 100W amp, I'm a bit afraid that I will be unable to have any decent sound unless I fill entire house with the sound of my guitar. Do you have any experience with this amp in home conditions? I was thinking about Einstein 50 too, but VH4 is VH4... Please advise.

Kal800
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Hi Chris,

Diezels have an incredible MasterVolume. They're awesome - whether Madison Square Bedroom or full open off the lanai crushing the hometown.

I'd hit it.
Unkle Mo
 
Just to add to what everyone else is saying, the VH4 is amazing at bedroom levels. Even my 180 watt Herbert sounds great at whisper volumes.
 
I think everything said, just to add, the VH4 works well at even very low Volume levels.

For me it is a question regarding the settings of Channel Volume in relation to Master Volume, in general I prefer the MV not lower than 9 and Channel not lower than 11 Clock-wise, however on bedroom level I still prefer to have the Channel on 11-ish and rather go more down on MV.

For the Midi-part, you can basically switch everything despite of the Tone-Settings (e.g. Gain, Volume, Bass, Treble...) here you would need a VHX.
 
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