VH4 Rocks!!!!!!!!!! & my comparison to Herbert

[nbarts]

Man, I've heard a lot of clips of channel one, but man this channel can do some serious woody tone I've never heard anyone doing. Sounds very noticeably different from Herbert CH1 & one of the best cleans I've ever heard. I have to say I'm torn between Herbert, VH4 & XTC cleans. I'd say Herbert cleans are in the middle of the way from VH4 to XTC.

I've also heard a lot of badmouthing of channel 2 - I have to say it's one of the best channels I've ever heard & has really some amazing blues tones in it as well as it is probably the most versatile Diezel channel I've ever heard. You can do pretty much anything on channel 2. Sounds very distant from Herbert Channel 2. If you like to play blues VH4 kicks Herbert's butt. Other than that I find them very different from each other. Herbert channel 2 is going more towards Orange Rockerverb type of smooth distortion.

3rd channel - need I say more 3rd channel sounds like you are on the halfway from Herbert channel 2+ to channel 3 with added benefit of tighter low end. For recording situation this can be an important difference, otherwise having one can cover the other. Herbert's midcut gives it some additional variety of tones, so unless you want that specific VH4 CH3 sound, Herbert kicks VH4's butt in this department.

4th - probably the only channel I don't really get, probably because I never play leads, way too much gain. Maybe death metal guys will dig it.

 

[Joeytpg]

Dude, you need to post a clip like RIGHT NOW!


I love VH4...... I think I'll end up trading my Einstein for a VH4


By the way, who do you think the Einstein sound more alike, VH4 or Herbie?

 

[nbarts]

By the way, who do you think the Einstein sound more alike, VH4 or Herbie?

I don't know, I'd say neither.

I don't think I'm going to find time to record clips, maybe later. I barely could find an hour to test drive the VH4 today, but it put a big smile on my face for sure. I've been dreaming to buy a VH4 for years, but I kept buying other amps.

One thing I've noticed, VH4 doesn't like active pickups. Gibson 490/498 set was just the shit for it.


VH4 power amp has a lot more impact on the sound than Herbert power amp.
You will notice some noticeable tone changes driving VH4 power amp at different levels. Oddly I more preferred less driven tones.
For those who are interested: Herbert sounds bigger & fuller at bedroom volumes compared to VH4. 100% guaranteed

 

[slate]

i agree about channels 1 & 2 - amazing sounds !!
i think channel 4 is awesome - same tone structure as channel 2 , but obviously more gain -try using it with the gain around 9 o'clock and see what you think .

i use channel 3 as the lead channel on mine - its too compressed for me to use as a rythm channel , but sounds great with the gain around 11o'clock for lead .

dont know why you think the vh4 doesnt like actives though - it loves mine !

 

[nbarts]

The main reason I didn't like EMGs was because they made Ch3 too compressed. Overall I thought VH4 sounded better with passive pickups. Honestly I find myself using EMGs with Bogner Uberschal only, they're just meant to be played together, so maybe I just don't like actives in general.

 

[skippystz]

i totally agree with you guys here...

especially about ch. 2... it's probably the most diverse channel i've heard. i'll post some tracks tonight that were cut ENTIRELY with just channel 2... the thing goes from gritty clean to stevie ray to full out ripping distortion without ever losing a hint of clarity. i've found that, in the studio, I prefer channel 2(with the gain and master cranked) over channel 3 for the heavier stuff - it's a bit less compressed and more dynamic and responsive to pick attack.

ch. 2 alone is almost worth the money for the vh4 IMO!

 

[Joeytpg]

man, you guys are giving me GAS damnit!

I love my Einstein so it's alright!

 

[slate]

i totally agree with you guys here...

especially about ch. 2... it's probably the most diverse channel i've heard. i'll post some tracks tonight that were cut ENTIRELY with just channel 2... the thing goes from gritty clean to stevie ray to full out ripping distortion without ever losing a hint of clarity. i've found that, in the studio, I prefer channel 2(with the gain and master cranked) over channel 3 for the heavier stuff - it's a bit less compressed and more dynamic and responsive to pick attack.

ch. 2 alone is almost worth the money for the vh4 IMO!

i couldn't agree more - channel 2 is where i live !
absolutely astounding
i also love channel 1 with the gain cranked and the bright switch on .

 

[skippystz]

yeah... u gotta have the bright switches on...

it'd be cool if ch. 3 had a bright switch...

 

[skippystz]

Hey does anyone have any clips of 6L6 vs. EL34 in the vh4? i'm currently running 6l6's and i'm really lazy when it comes to changing tubes and rebiasing, but i think i wanna switch over to el34s

 

[KillDivision]

The main reason I didn't like EMGs was because they made Ch3 too compressed. Overall I thought VH4 sounded better with passive pickups. Honestly I find myself using EMGs with Bogner Uberschal only, they're just meant to be played together, so maybe I just don't like actives in general.

EMG+Diezel=
Blackouts+Diezel=
Passives+Diezel=

I have some Blackouts now, but they are just better EMG's with a lot more dynamics. I'm a metalguy, but i think the blackouts are too much metal for me. Too tight somehow.

My favourite pickup with the VH4 is the Duncan Custom 5. It has got everything, dynamics, a lot of tone, quiet, crisp but with a strong low end. And even with low gain settings i still got a tight palmmute. Other pickups with the same output dont have that tight palmmutesound with the same gainsettings.

I hear ya with the Gibson 496/498. I'm just recording a new album now (reamping) and 1 guitarplayer uses his Studio with the 498T as his rythmsound. In the rehearsalroom this pickup sound a lot like the Custom 5, it has a nice big grit.

 

[eddyrox]

Passives+Diezel=

+1 on this. I'd try the tom Anderson H2+

 

[van hellion]

+1 on those anderson pickups
peace
A Wood

 

[diezel&gas]

.

 

[the_music]

nbarts,
what kind of tubes u got in ur herbert?!

 

[nbarts]

nbarts,
what kind of tubes u got in ur herbert?!

EL34s in all of them.

 

[eddyrox]

By the way, who do you think the Einstein sound more alike, VH4 or Herbie?

I don't know, I'd say neither.

I don't think I'm going to find time to record clips, maybe later. I barely could find an hour to test drive the VH4 today, but it put a big smile on my face for sure. I've been dreaming to buy a VH4 for years, but I kept buying other amps.

One thing I've noticed, VH4 doesn't like active pickups. Gibson 490/498 set was just the shit for it.


VH4 power amp has a lot more impact on the sound than Herbert power amp.
You will notice some noticeable tone changes driving VH4 power amp at different levels. Oddly I more preferred less driven tones.
For those who are interested: Herbert sounds bigger & fuller at bedroom volumes compared to VH4. 100% guaranteed

nbarts, what year VH4 do you have (the first 2 digits of the serial #)? Curious because I've been observing slight differences between various years.

 

[the_music]

nbarts,
what kind of tubes u got in ur herbert?!

EL34s in all of them.

try SED el34 winged-c if you are not content with the "blues-stuff" and still want to keep the brutality of ch.3.

peter installed them into my herby when my el34str did not work further...and I just tought : Wooaa...ch.2- became much more "bluesy"...

 

[nbarts]

nbarts, what year VH4 do you have (the first 2 digits of the serial #)? Curious because I've been observing slight differences between various years.

07

 

[eddyrox]

nbarts, what year VH4 do you have (the first 2 digits of the serial #)? Curious because I've been observing slight differences between various years.

07

mine's 08. However have you noticed that the older Vh4's before say 05 sound brighter?
Could be me but I've a/b'd a few and sure seems like the newer models are voiced a tad darker

not that I'm complaining. my VH4 is still the brutal death machine that I can use for beatles covers with the spin of the volume knob