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REVIEWS
Behind glass: the hybrid
circuit boasts 12AX7 and
12AU7 preamp tubes
and it’s loud enough that we’re content to to tame the biggest transients and prevent when turned down to zero – and until
ease back on the master volume before the unmusical clipping but it doesn’t do anything we can’t stand it any more and unplug the
neighbours start pounding on the walls. that we can hear – which is, of course, as it tank. For paying customers who encounter
There are no worries about headroom for should be. Oh, and the cage doesn’t rattle, the same problem, a more satisfying
pedals here. even with the head at full blast. solution might be to make use of Rajani’s
That two-knob EQ circuit offers useful If you want more bite, it’s a simple matter extremely reassuring 30-year warranty and
adjustments to the top and bottom all of stomping on the boost. This doesn’t exactly have it fixed.
the way round the dials, with plenty of empty a can of petrol onto rock’s moderate Minor flaws aside, this is a promising
mid-sculpting available if you manipulate flames, but it does make a difference. This debut for a new British builder. Tone-wise
the controls in tandem. To shake things up, cheeky boost can also come in handy on the VOD-50 is a solid all-rounder, and it
though, we must flip to the lead channel. the clean channel, where it can help you does more than enough to prove there’s
The distortion here is fine-grained and cross the line into crunch or just replace still life in the hybrid theory.
the treble response tastefully softened, some of the edge inevitably lost when
narrowing down the focus to the roaring you turn the master volume down low. An extremely versatile UK-made amp
midrange and taking us in the direction of The reverb is big, warm and almost 8/10 with a high tone-to-weight ratio
1980s and 1990s Marshalls, with a decent entirely free of springy judder. However,
amount of gain available while remaining unfortunately, in the case of our review amp LIKE THIS? TRY THESE…
tight and responsive. We’re told that the at least, it’s also rather persistent, hanging Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200 Head £699,
power amp has an integrated compressor around as a low-level background fog even YellowRock SL30 Head £695, Laney LV300H £298
GUITAR MAGAZINE 97
