Cheers to all, been lurking for quite some time and decided join up.

I'm selling my mesa triple rec and need some advice on my next head purchase. Been looking hard, reading reviews on HC and doing searches here on the VHT 100cl and need some advice from anyone with experience with this amp. I like the tone of the triple rec but it's not quite right for the style of music I play: technical death metal. The rec's a little too spongy/loose and even with a boost the gain is not exactly ideal for me. I really like the sound of solid state amps for this style of metal (I have and love my VH-140c) but I would like to have a nice tube amp at my disposal.

I've heard the VHT is one of the tightest and clearest high gain tops out there and that is perfect, but there's no where in my area to try one out. What are your feelings on this amp? Some people have said it lacks gain but I find this hard to believe...

Sorry for the long first post and I appreciate any input you can provide.

Have you checked out any ENGL amps? Those are very nice.

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Yeah I am also looking at a an engl se and maybe a framus but was intrigued by the clarity that everyone says the VHT has. Plus I can get a used cl for about the same price as my mint triple rec should go for...

All I can say is try them out in person if at all possible. A lot of my favorite bands are using ENGL so that'd influence me but VHT has a lot of success as well. It's tough, kinda like choosing an Audi or a Mercedes.

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The VHT is a very "clean" amp.. i mean, it can distort to hell but it still feels "clean".. this kicks ass if you like pedals, can be boring if you don't.

Both ENGL and VHT's are about the tightest and clearest you can get.

Also, check out the Diezel Herbert, it's like a killer ENGL / 5150 hybrid on the lead channel. Very distinct tone, not so "clean".

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Wish I could but like I said, it's highly unlikely that I find any of the mentioned amps where I'm at...I've looked extensively.


Are you implying that the amp is so clear that in the end it doesn't sound saturated enough? I.e. needs boosting? I guess I'll look for some sound bites.

Shit, I might just stick with Ampeg and get a VL-1002 when one becomes available and save myself some $$$.

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Nono, it has tons of gain, but not too much "dirt" if you know what i mean - it has a very tight, clean, clear and transparent sound.

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Right on man, I catch your drift. Maybe the 50CL would be a better option for this series head since I wouldn't have to dime the master like I would on the 100 to get maximum saturation from the output section? You know, if I wanted more GRIND at lower volumes...

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Hardly.. a 100w isn't that much louder than a 50w.. but the bass difference is pretty dramatic, the 100w feels bassier i think.

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Just read over at VHTusers that the CL's have more gain than the UL and the Deliverance. I think I'll just have to take the plunge on a 50 or a 100cl w/ eq. Still, some are saying vht's lack saturation for DM but I'm not against throwing a maxon in front of her if I have to. At least I know the amp is tight to begin with and clear, unlike my mesa.

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If you play tech DM I really suggest an Engl Powerball. I've owned a fireball for a few months and I'm still completely apeshit over it. It's a surefire love-at-first-sight amp, it's very easy to get incredible sounds out of it, lack of saturation will never be a concern, and the fireball is the clearest most dynamic amp for death metal I've played through..

VHT's are a different league, definitely nice amps but I don't think it's what you're looking for. They're extremely dry sounding if you catch my drift. Think some of the 90's thrash albums that Bathory put out or *gasp* St. Anger. It's that kind of sound. Not the same amps on those records but from a handful of the sounds I've heard on HC, it sounds just like that.

Dislexic owns/owned a VHT Pitbull, perhaps hell know something.

Ampeg Vl-1002s are killer amps, lots of gain on tap, though it sounds nothing like your VH140C though, it's more of a high gain Marshall style a la Splawn perhaps. Unfortunately they have a flaw in their design that leads to power output transformer failures, which are an expensive repair. I'm not trying to ward you off buying one because they are in fact killer amps, but since you're gonna have a bit more money available after you sell your triple rec I suggest you look around for something in a higher price range.

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Thanks for the suggestions, a powerball has been on my mind for a while. But in reality, I've been thinking and all I really need is a bare-bones one-channel amp with fucking brutal distortion. The VHT Deliverance and the Soldano Avenger are all that's coming to mind atm.

For example, right now I just play the vh140c on channel 1 through the high gain input. I unplugged the reverb tank and haven't touched channel 2 or the chorus in months. Best distortion I've ever heard imho and I've been playing in bands and touring for 11 years. The amps got great clean tone though, if I ever need it.

How's the Avenger sound? Are there any Engl or other 1 channel high end amps out there?

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Well there's the Fireball, that's a 2 channel 60W version of the powerball, but why are you set on just a 1 channel amp? Most people who play high gain metal don't really swap channels on PB's either, it's not like the extra channels make it more expensive. There are a few oranges with 1 channel but not exactly suitable for death metal alone. I don't think you're going to find strictly 1 channel amps that achieve brutal stuff on their own, all the 1 channel amps I've come across even many boutique ones are all midgainy, designed for cranking the shit out of them for powertube saturation, but even still it's not going to give you Suffocation sounds.

I just don't find certain VHTs and Soldanos are geared towards death metal, especially not soldanos as they're known for their extremely shrill sound, you'd probably feel a dramatic drop in low end as you're coming from an ampeg and a triple rec. Some other high dollar amp you should probably look at is the Bogner Uberschall, if it's in your price range(if a Diezel is, anything is ).

You should check out the new Marshall JVM too, best high gain amp they've ever put out allegedly.

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I assume you are joking? Throughout this post I've mentioned getting a 100cl and a vl1002, it's just a thought i wanted to look into. The avenger's a straightforward version of the SLO 100 and CHEAPER. Less channels=less components=equal less money. Common sense.

I'm just trying to cover all my bases here man, why spend the money for all the bells and whistles if I don't have to? I'll give it to you though, it looks like a single is a WEAK OPTION after researching more.

I've got 7 songs ready for a live situation and not one of them uses a single clean or mildly distorted note that's all I'm saying. I'm starting a new dm band with various members of some groups here in St. Louis and the drummer AJ from Misery Index when he gets time. He's a friend and lives 12 miles away from me. Just looking for a tight valve amp to add to the already potent 140, for some variety. Everyone here seems to NUT over engl's so I'll definately look into the fb, pb, and savage.

I'll check out the other amps you mentioned as well.

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Now that I think of it, I think Bogner has a 1 channel(or dual) barebones amp, a bit more barebones than the Uber but I'm not sure what's the name of it. Check for it, they're fairly hard to find in the US though.

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i had a vht100/cl up until recently. it has plenty of gain. but the UL is much better for more modern high gain tones since it's voiced for them and has more gain. if you need one channel the deliverance would be my choice.

my cl lacked a good clean channel and overall it was a bit too bright for my likings.

i actually bought a beat up 5150 for dirt cheap... as in they normally go for pretty cheap used. but this one was cosmetically thrashed so it was much cheaper. honestly, theres nothing i dislike about the crunch and high gain sounds of these amps. more than stupid amounts of gain on tap, they sound good with the mids way low and way high. plenty of lows, the highs arent too shrill... simple, cheap, and great sounding.

as far as one channel amps go... i wouldnt rule out an amp just because it has more than you need. having previously owned a powerball, i must say it's got the tightest and most brutal distortion out of any amp i've owned or played. i definately wouldnt pass that up just because you don't need the other 3 channels that it has.

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