Get the Vox Mini SuperBeetle: Sweetwater imp.i114863.net/Ao06NK Thomann bit.ly/2O6whYX Amazon (US) geni.us/VoxMSB Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro Song - Sorry 0:20 - What we are comparing 1:41 - Sound Comparison 3:10 - The Results
From Leo: I really hate to admit, I think all the sounds from amplifier A were superior. When you said that it was the NuTube amp I had to take extra heart medication. Good test.
Clean sounds are basically identical. They're lacking in character, but the drive sounds on amp A were a little better. Amp B drive sounds were a little brittle.
The regular tubes just sounded like there was more gain to me, but the nutubes produced a totally convincing valve tone. Thats good news for guitar players.
i feel like the conventional vacuum tubes have just a touch more "background noise". There are subtle overtones, harmonics, etc. I think they both have their place but the difference in tone is almost completely negligible, especially in a mix. When it comes to solid state vs tube amps, the major difference is the dynamic response. Even on a cranked up tube amp, if you turn your guitar down you can still get a clean sound despite what the knobs are set to. I think the nutube does that just as well as a conventional vacuum tube.
I consistently liked A better. Warmer and cleaner with more body. Surprised to find out it was the Nutube, but I don’t think I got it “wrong” because the test was to say which you liked better. I like the NuTube better.
I guessed right, that B was the AC4. Mostly because it clearly had less clean headroom, and was being pushed harder. That makes sense for a 4W amp. Also... I use an AC15, so I have a pretty good idea of what an all-tube Vox amp sounds when it's pushed to its max, particularly the top boost channel, which is what the AC4 uses.
amp A sounds quite a bit darker. as I am looking for a new amp head, will keep my tube amp head, but I want something which is less maintenance. so question is, is it possible to make them both sound alike? I notice amp A sounds great on the clean tones and amp B kinda breaks up in the first sample.
Sounds really nice, better then I expected, but I guessed that A was the nu. Seems like it is a little higher gain and tighter low end but lacks a little bit of janglely sound from the og valve maybe? What tube do you have in the preamp
Great comparison. Preferred A and thought it was Nutube. Largely because I used to own a vox ac4 but didn’t like it enough to keep it. It would be interesting to compare the Nutube to the much better sounding ac10.
exactly. I'd love to hear it compared to an AC10 and a 15....and a 30 why not! As long as they all use the same speakers it'd be an awesome comparison.
I had my suspicion through out the video that B was the AC4, but once I heard the high gain there was no question, thats the distinctive sound of an AC4! Personally I feel the NuTube actually had the better 'overall' tone, but the Valve definitely has a wee bit more of that Voxey character. Awesome shoot out Landon! Always a pleasure when I happen across one of your review videos..even though it's all been Vox reviews I've been watching lately! Hahaha
Thing is that the tubes aren't the only components to create the tone of an amp. This said, the A was a little less HARSH than the B, specially when the gain is maxed out. But as said, there are a lot of other parameters to define the tone and it's really hard to compare a traditional TUBE to a modern NUTUBE if they both are in 2 totally different "electronic environments". Conclusion, both amps sound great, they just sound more and more different when gain is raised up.
Alright @ Lando27Music , per your recommendation, I come over to this video and checked out the comparison. First, I'll comment on which amp I thought was which. I was correct in that I thought amp A was the NuTube. I liked both amps, but probably am attracted to the NuTube amp a bit more. I do have a question about how you ran the amps. Did you have the volume high enough on the AC4 to get power tube distortion? If you did, that might account for the extra dirtiness in amp B. Thanks for the great video, and Rock On! Skol!
Got them right, the reason I’m here I’m shopping for an amp and I am considering the Cambridge 50 from Vox, I think this has made my mind up, great comparison. Thank you
I was surprised how close the nutubes got! I thought it’d be really easy to tell the tube amp, which it was, but I wasn’t expecting it to be anywhere near as close. I see a lot of people preferring the nutubes which I think made sense - it’s actually making a technically better tone, but to me it’s not quite matching a full on tube amp. The organic way it breaks up, the balls out craziness of full gain the nutubes can’t quite do. It’s kind of like using a tube pedal with a blend control dialed in a bit. However. It’s a lot cheaper, it’s very close, and you do have a much wider tonal range. I love tube amps, especially the crazy ones like orange, BUT they’re very limited in what you can get from them in terms of range compared to a modern solid state amp. As these are just another chip It’s very easy to have these flipped on or off, fully control and blend them into any solid state preamp pretty much… basically just give you a huge range of options in a small light cheap box. It’s not a valve amp… but it’s one of the best imitations I’ve heard.
B on the high gain settings sounded more open to me, fuller, it breathes nicely and naturally, the Nutube is like the modeling amps, it sounds compressed. The cleans sounded identical to me. Thanks for the comparison!
A sounded warmer to me - I was sure A was the valve head. I was wrong. So in summary, either Vox has a crappy valve amp or solid state amps are finally coming of age.
nutubes aren't solid state, they are valves. Scientifically speaking nutubes function in exactly the same way that old school valves function with the plates and grids and what not. They're just an updated version of a valve which is pretty much 70 year old technology.
I totally preferred A - and was hoping it would be the Nutube. I own the Mini Superbeetle as well and I really like it. And finally some comparison to another Vox Tube Amp -- though I would have preferred a AC15 ;-)
I kinda guessed which was which on the clean sounds. But the further you got into the overdriven sounds, the more and more I doubted myself. Both clean sounds were great, but amp B had a little extra bloom that I didnt get out of amp A. However, those overdive sounds... The NuTube is so warm and smooth, with plenty of harmonic presence. The AC4 seemed harsh by comparison. Not sure how you had the EQ set up and all, but the NuTube clearly means business, especially at that tone to weight ratio.
Damn I was convinced that a was the tube amp. There was more fullness and low end. Glad I bought the superbeetle. Got a floor model with the union jack on it.
I guessed A for traditional valves, the overdriven tones had such a punch without sounding too brittle. Previously I considered getting a MV50 AC (since AC had the widest usable gain range) with a cheap cabinet (like Harley Benton G112), but now that I've watched lots of videos about the Mini SuperBeetle it seems like the superior option with its bass & treble knobs (instead of just tone) + reverb and tremolo, not to mention the sick visual look.
In the first test, amp B sounded warmer to me. In the second test, amp A sounded little bit subdued while amp B was more in your face. In the last test, amp B sounded much harsher but still had that bright punch of a tube amp. I prefer traditional tubes because they're easier to fix and cost less than nutube. Let's not forget that the vox nutube amp has a solid state power section.
I must say I’m impressed with the pressure and richness of overtones in A. B sounds rough and uncontrollable in comparison. I prefer A. By quite a margin. Thanks for sharing!
I've got both amps, too, and it took me right up to the end to guess correctly. And that was based entirely on the rectifier response. The SB has a little less sag than the AC4. But, overall, I like my Super Beatle.
My opinion: Nutubes surprised me! Not a long time tube expert but I wasnt expecting to hear they were A. Must be the low electrical requirements of the Nutube. The Amp B had a much more open sound: Clearly way more room in them. But there was honestly way more sluggishness in the tone on the original tubes. Theyre definitely solid, and work well in tandem for tube stackers. (Keyboardists could benefit even)
I did guess right, but I think there may also be an alternate explanation. Essentially the nutube technology features flat tubes and if I’ve read and interpreted correctly, a nutube contains a dual triode, so the equivalent of one double triode (not pentode) tube, but now flat instead of bulb. The AC4 when I look up the specs, actually has three tubes to it, two double triodes (12AX7) and one pentode (EL84) which supplies a lot more power and crunch. I think you would need three nutubes of which one now not a double triode, but a pentode, to supply the same kind of power, crunch and headroom. The nutubes are about 30% more expensive, so that’s going to be a problem. The way it is now, you would have to compare it to a single tube (triode) classical amp.
@@landonbailey I only checked it like 19 minutes ago, so I’m not exactly faster and you made the video. If you make another one with just one tube, I look forward to it.
While they're a bit more expensive I think the Nutubes have a much longer lifespan in that setup so the cost difference is likely gonna favor the Nutubes in the long run. DUnno without someone doing some long term tests though.
@@ryanthomastew They would have to have a lifespan that’s at least five times as long with bigger tubes. When you make use of subminiature pentode tubes, they will never be able to compete: the heater filament doesn’t glow and as such won’t burn up and they cost less than $2 a piece. They also work at a lower voltage and were specifically designed for audio and such. It’s strange that they aren’t the standard in all honesty.
@@emilehobo Nutube claims 30,000 hours from the small triode. There are other advantages to their design. Significantly lower power consumption, compact design and much lower heat output. This opens it up for some unique applications. I would think car stereos would be cool though microphonics would be an issue there. Multichannel home theater applications with triode input stages. All kinds of battery operated tube kits.
They both sound great. So I would have to go with the one that's readily available, cheaper, and most reliable. So, which one would that be? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! (new sub) ;)
Interesting I knew that B was tube, much warmer sound, but also not sounding quite right ( not clean, out of focus:( ) But I was surprised with A amp quality, seemed much sharper and cleaner at some times, but less warm. 2:1 for new amp. Can we get both samples to see actuall difference?
Yes, brother, that was very bad, but I didn’t click off. I wrote you a background metal jam for your introduction. But, I’ve got to know how these new tube sound Thank you for the review.
Wouldn’t it always happen that two amps (from the same company), the one with 25w would have more headroom and break up much later when adding gain? No offense meant; honestly asking.
hey all good. Actually in this case the Superbeetle is going out at 12.5 Watt because the speaker is 16 ohms. I'll add those details in the description. thanks!
Lando you should include blue marvel in your description for some reason people always want to sell them cheap on cl to overpay for "upgrade", so budget conscience people like me search videos to see if blue marvels sound ok. I personally love the way they sound.
@@landonbailey yeah that's what you said in the video that it was going into the Peavey cab the 1 12 with a blue marvel, I don't know how UA-cam searches work if someone searching for blue marvel videos will still find it by the words that you say or if you need to type it in your description
Thank you for this vid. Guessed correctly. Shame because I had some hope for the nu tubes being good. Which they are. But you can easily hear the difference.
B was definitely breaking up earlier and had a hair more treble at lower gain, LOTS more treble and high mids (or no bass?) at max gain. A sounded fuller across the sweep of the gain, so it got my vote before seeing the reveal. Interesting, I expected more of a difference and definitely surprised that I chose the NuTube as a better sound. I assume that another tube circuit with more headroom and a different tone stack could be nearly identical. Cool video!
I knew the Nutubes sounded good, but I was definitely surprised how good they sounded here. The AC4 sounded starved in comparison, maybe the preamp is biased a bit cold somewhere.
Got it right, that being said I don't feel one is better then the other, they both just have there own sound. Pretty good shoot out, going back and fourth between getting the super beetle or a fender bassbreaker. The new tube tech does sound / mimic vacuum Tubes well. Are they considered a tube ? That is the real question Mario
they sounded too different to evaluate, I preferred the A samples in this case, but why was the tube amp with piercing highs? maybe since they are not exactly the same kind of amplifier you shouldn't EQ the amps the same numbers, and try to dial a closer sound between each other.
Wow, I got it wrong, and I liked the nutube better...The Nutube sounded richer, less shrill. I just wish Vox would release that Super Beetle head by itself. I was going to get the MV50 but I think I'll stick around to see comes next. My 67' Berkeley II is ok for now.
I was pretty sure a was nutube and was vacuum tubes but with the gain maxed I liked the nutube sound more, gain at 3oclock I liked the vacuum tube better. I play an old peavey classic 30 so I appreciate the use of the blue marvel speaker!
Lando27Music On a somewhat related note, I watched your vid on the vox superbeetle. I’m thinking about trading in my Fender HRD for one. Do you think the vox has enough volume for pub gigs? Also, do you think you can get enough volume for recording the clean sound before it breaks up? Thanks in advance.
hey cool ya I did another video about how loud it gets, maybe check that video out too. I can be very loud, might depend on your drummer and the gig size
A. sounded good but b was the tube tubes. Mostly noticeably was the strings sounds. They seemed to be more articulate and interesting when you had over drive on. As for the clean it was a lot closer to call. Again it was still possible to hear the extra articulate depth in the sound. Good amp though. And the AC 4 is no slouch either. In fact I own one 😊
I got it wrong, assumed the old tubes sounded better but I actually preferred the nutube. Clean they sounded similar but the nutube sounded better with gain.
I got it right. The superbeetle has better low end, which is the only thing lacking from the ac4. And the ac4 had much more breakup, which seemed to make it "obvious" to me. Maybe it's just because I've been researching vox for the past few weeks to decide which one I want to buy lol
The thing that concerns me about the Nutube is a noticeable lack of detail compared to the B EL-84 valve amp. -although the Nu Tubes low-mids are boosted (probably intentionally voiced to make them seem more valvely -almost a red herring), but listen to what has been pushed up on the Nu-tube -not much clarity at all in what has been exaggerated.
@@landonbailey I haven't -so I don't want to write them off -and to be honest -there's very little guitar amp gear or music gear in general that I haven't found useful for certain tonal applications -especially in the recording studio - so I'm confident there are things about the NUtube I will like -and i don't want to imply that I think it sounds bad in this demo either -I just need to mess with them in person to really understand the best application. Nice video -thanks for the the clear A/B comparison pacing too -makes for a way better experience. most things have a sweet spot.
@@landonbailey No worries. I haven't had an amp for about two years now and one of these came into the store I work at today. Just binged all your videos on it and now I finally know what I want
Get the Vox Mini SuperBeetle:
Sweetwater imp.i114863.net/Ao06NK
Thomann bit.ly/2O6whYX
Amazon (US) geni.us/VoxMSB
Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro Song - Sorry
0:20 - What we are comparing
1:41 - Sound Comparison
3:10 - The Results
From Leo: I really hate to admit, I think all the sounds from amplifier A were superior. When you said that it was the NuTube amp I had to take extra heart medication. Good test.
amp A sounds so good.
I thought the same.
Clean sounds are basically identical. They're lacking in character, but the drive sounds on amp A were a little better. Amp B drive sounds were a little brittle.
thanks for the feedback. did you guess which was which?
agree.
I got it backward in the guessing. The 2nd amp was more aggressive, so I should have guessed A was the correct choice for the NuTubes.
I was totally surprised. Thought A was for sure the classic valve sound, between the two of them. Preferred A (Nu-Tubes) as well.
Me too...
Me too. (I’m surprised also.)
Me too, I owned the MV50 so I was 100% certain...
Me too
me too
The regular tubes just sounded like there was more gain to me, but the nutubes produced a totally convincing valve tone. Thats good news for guitar players.
i feel like the conventional vacuum tubes have just a touch more "background noise". There are subtle overtones, harmonics, etc. I think they both have their place but the difference in tone is almost completely negligible, especially in a mix.
When it comes to solid state vs tube amps, the major difference is the dynamic response. Even on a cranked up tube amp, if you turn your guitar down you can still get a clean sound despite what the knobs are set to. I think the nutube does that just as well as a conventional vacuum tube.
I consistently liked A better. Warmer and cleaner with more body. Surprised to find out it was the Nutube, but I don’t think I got it “wrong” because the test was to say which you liked better. I like the NuTube better.
Much to my surprise I liked the NuTube a little more than tube/valve tone.
they've done something NU with the SuperBeetle :)
Vox rules either way! 😁👍
I gravitated towards the warmer tones of the nutube. However, I would like to know what 12 ax7 tubes are in the Vox Ac4.
hey there! ya it's just whatever stock tubes Vox puts in the AC4
@@landonbailey
Ok, thanks Lando
I guessed right, that B was the AC4. Mostly because it clearly had less clean headroom, and was being pushed harder. That makes sense for a 4W amp. Also... I use an AC15, so I have a pretty good idea of what an all-tube Vox amp sounds when it's pushed to its max, particularly the top boost channel, which is what the AC4 uses.
Very cool Lando ! :-)
Thanks Todd!
Both sounded good to me mate! Cool vid \m/
well I gots it wrong, thought A was valve warmer sound.
Wow! I’m totally bloen away! I had it wrong, The NuTube SuperBeetle sound so good! Thank you for the review and have a beautiful day :-)
thanks for playing! 😁🎸👍
I've got the SuperBeetle here, love it but I guessed wrong BUT was happy when you revealed the answer as 'A' sounded best!
🎸😊
amp A sounds quite a bit darker. as I am looking for a new amp head, will keep my tube amp head, but I want something which is less maintenance. so question is, is it possible to make them both sound alike? I notice amp A sounds great on the clean tones and amp B kinda breaks up in the first sample.
Both sounded great. I would like to have both.
🎸🎶😁
Great video, Landon! I was really surprised by the results; the nutube sounded much better in my opinion.
Sounds really nice, better then I expected, but I guessed that A was the nu. Seems like it is a little higher gain and tighter low end but lacks a little bit of janglely sound from the og valve maybe? What tube do you have in the preamp
hey there! the tube was whatever came stock with the amp
Interesting, at Gain 3 o'clock I preferred B, but at Gain M I thought A was better.
hey thanks for the feedback!
I got it right but, probably because I own a Mini Super Beetle and recognized the tone . Thanks Lando !
Know Your Gear. I just invented that saying!
@@landonbailey LMAO !
Dank it! I thought Amp A is real tube! Need to get a nutube vox soon! :) Thanks for this dude!
No problem!
Are there any Nu Tube amps with a buffered FX loop ?
possibly the Mvx150 series.
Great comparison.
Preferred A and thought it was Nutube. Largely because I used to own a vox ac4 but didn’t like it enough to keep it.
It would be interesting to compare the Nutube to the much better sounding ac10.
exactly. I'd love to hear it compared to an AC10 and a 15....and a 30 why not! As long as they all use the same speakers it'd be an awesome comparison.
hey thanks!
The one going through the Lava Lamp is tone A, I think. What was the question again?
I had my suspicion through out the video that B was the AC4, but once I heard the high gain there was no question, thats the distinctive sound of an AC4!
Personally I feel the NuTube actually had the better 'overall' tone, but the Valve definitely has a wee bit more of that Voxey character.
Awesome shoot out Landon!
Always a pleasure when I happen across one of your review videos..even though it's all been Vox reviews I've been watching lately! Hahaha
I got it right. Liked both, but felt that B is warmer
Thing is that the tubes aren't the only components to create the tone of an amp.
This said, the A was a little less HARSH than the B, specially when the gain is maxed out. But as said, there are a lot of other parameters to define the tone and it's really hard to compare a traditional TUBE to a modern NUTUBE if they both are in 2 totally different "electronic environments".
Conclusion, both amps sound great, they just sound more and more different when gain is raised up.
Totally agree
WOW! A sounded warmer!!
Alright @ Lando27Music , per your recommendation, I come over to this video and checked out the comparison. First, I'll comment on which amp I thought was which. I was correct in that I thought amp A was the NuTube. I liked both amps, but probably am attracted to the NuTube amp a bit more. I do have a question about how you ran the amps. Did you have the volume high enough on the AC4 to get power tube distortion? If you did, that might account for the extra dirtiness in amp B. Thanks for the great video, and Rock On! Skol!
+Bud McNelson oh and I don't recall the settings exactly, but the gain knob was creating breakup on the amp
Got them right, the reason I’m here I’m shopping for an amp and I am considering the Cambridge 50 from Vox, I think this has made my mind up, great comparison. Thank you
Rock on!
AMAZING! B was the classic tube, Thanks!
You bet!
I was surprised how close the nutubes got! I thought it’d be really easy to tell the tube amp, which it was, but I wasn’t expecting it to be anywhere near as close.
I see a lot of people preferring the nutubes which I think made sense - it’s actually making a technically better tone, but to me it’s not quite matching a full on tube amp. The organic way it breaks up, the balls out craziness of full gain the nutubes can’t quite do. It’s kind of like using a tube pedal with a blend control dialed in a bit.
However. It’s a lot cheaper, it’s very close, and you do have a much wider tonal range. I love tube amps, especially the crazy ones like orange, BUT they’re very limited in what you can get from them in terms of range compared to a modern solid state amp. As these are just another chip It’s very easy to have these flipped on or off, fully control and blend them into any solid state preamp pretty much… basically just give you a huge range of options in a small light cheap box.
It’s not a valve amp… but it’s one of the best imitations I’ve heard.
ya it's cool tech!
B on the high gain settings sounded more open to me, fuller, it breathes nicely and naturally, the Nutube is like the modeling amps, it sounds compressed. The cleans sounded identical to me. Thanks for the comparison!
A sounded warmer to me - I was sure A was the valve head. I was wrong. So in summary, either Vox has a crappy valve amp or solid state amps are finally coming of age.
nutubes aren't solid state, they are valves. Scientifically speaking nutubes function in exactly the same way that old school valves function with the plates and grids and what not. They're just an updated version of a valve which is pretty much 70 year old technology.
A sounds the best, and thought it might be the normal tube and pleasantly surprised it's the nutube as I am getting one soon 👍🏼
I totally preferred A - and was hoping it would be the Nutube. I own the Mini Superbeetle as well and I really like it. And finally some comparison to another Vox Tube Amp -- though I would have preferred a AC15 ;-)
ya I'll do more comparisons if I can get other vox amps
Couldn’t tell, but my ears are 75 years old!
I had no idea which was which but I preferred A, it sounded richer and fuller to me!
Man I thought A sounded better. Pleasantly surprised to find it was the nutubes!
To me, A sounded much more valvelike and the drive sounded like it had a lot more pleasing overtones, I am completely shocked!
I kinda guessed which was which on the clean sounds. But the further you got into the overdriven sounds, the more and more I doubted myself. Both clean sounds were great, but amp B had a little extra bloom that I didnt get out of amp A. However, those overdive sounds... The NuTube is so warm and smooth, with plenty of harmonic presence. The AC4 seemed harsh by comparison. Not sure how you had the EQ set up and all, but the NuTube clearly means business, especially at that tone to weight ratio.
Damn I was convinced that a was the tube amp. There was more fullness and low end. Glad I bought the superbeetle. Got a floor model with the union jack on it.
The difference is very noticeable w/ gain of course. Clean it was pretty similar in my headphones, not sure in person?
I had it Mic'd up at floor level and never got down to really compare.
I guessed A for traditional valves, the overdriven tones had such a punch without sounding too brittle.
Previously I considered getting a MV50 AC (since AC had the widest usable gain range) with a cheap cabinet (like Harley Benton G112), but now that I've watched lots of videos about the Mini SuperBeetle it seems like the superior option with its bass & treble knobs (instead of just tone) + reverb and tremolo, not to mention the sick visual look.
It's the real deal. Looks and tone. 👍🎸
In the first test, amp B sounded warmer to me. In the second test, amp A sounded little bit subdued while amp B was more in your face. In the last test, amp B sounded much harsher but still had that bright punch of a tube amp. I prefer traditional tubes because they're easier to fix and cost less than nutube. Let's not forget that the vox nutube amp has a solid state power section.
thanks for the feedback and opinions!
Got it right.. happy with both but the Beetle wins on pure coolness and features.. 👍🇦🇺
I must say I’m impressed with the pressure and richness of overtones in A. B sounds rough and uncontrollable in comparison. I prefer A. By quite a margin. Thanks for sharing!
hey thanks for the feedback! :)
Contestant A certainly has a fuller low end in all samples. How much of that is due to the AC4's light-duty output transformer.
I had it right, though I preferred the Nutube. I play jazz and folk and like a clean tone.
I've got both amps, too, and it took me right up to the end to guess correctly. And that was based entirely on the rectifier response. The SB has a little less sag than the AC4. But, overall, I like my Super Beatle.
cheers!
My opinion: Nutubes surprised me! Not a long time tube expert but I wasnt expecting to hear they were A. Must be the low electrical requirements of the Nutube. The Amp B had a much more open sound: Clearly way more room in them. But there was honestly way more sluggishness in the tone on the original tubes.
Theyre definitely solid, and work well in tandem for tube stackers. (Keyboardists could benefit even)
I did guess right, but I think there may also be an alternate explanation. Essentially the nutube technology features flat tubes and if I’ve read and interpreted correctly, a nutube contains a dual triode, so the equivalent of one double triode (not pentode) tube, but now flat instead of bulb. The AC4 when I look up the specs, actually has three tubes to it, two double triodes (12AX7) and one pentode (EL84) which supplies a lot more power and crunch. I think you would need three nutubes of which one now not a double triode, but a pentode, to supply the same kind of power, crunch and headroom. The nutubes are about 30% more expensive, so that’s going to be a problem. The way it is now, you would have to compare it to a single tube (triode) classical amp.
way more thought than I put into it! thanks for the feedback 👍🎸😁
@@landonbailey I only checked it like 19 minutes ago, so I’m not exactly faster and you made the video. If you make another one with just one tube, I look forward to it.
While they're a bit more expensive I think the Nutubes have a much longer lifespan in that setup so the cost difference is likely gonna favor the Nutubes in the long run. DUnno without someone doing some long term tests though.
@@ryanthomastew They would have to have a lifespan that’s at least five times as long with bigger tubes. When you make use of subminiature pentode tubes, they will never be able to compete: the heater filament doesn’t glow and as such won’t burn up and they cost less than $2 a piece. They also work at a lower voltage and were specifically designed for audio and such. It’s strange that they aren’t the standard in all honesty.
@@emilehobo Nutube claims 30,000 hours from the small triode.
There are other advantages to their design. Significantly lower power consumption, compact design and much lower heat output. This opens it up for some unique applications. I would think car stereos would be cool though microphonics would be an issue there.
Multichannel home theater applications with triode input stages.
All kinds of battery operated tube kits.
I could differentiate between the two for sure. B had a clearer brighter tone all around.
🎸👍 thanks for the feedback 😊
I got it right because my dad has an AC4 and I've spent a lot of time playing it. Nutube sounded warmer & way better maxed IMO.
A. Warmer, smoother. I have an MV50 and I recognized the way Nutubes break up. They act like tubes but they have their own thing going on.
Cool! Which mv50 model do you have?
They both sound great. So I would have to go with the one that's readily available, cheaper, and most reliable. So, which one would that be? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! (new sub) ;)
They are both roughly the same price. I think the AC4 is easier to get right now because the SuperBeetle is new and seems to be low stock. :)
@@landonbailey I mean the tubes. Please give us the scoop. :)
hey thanks for subscribing! I'm not sure exactly what kind of info you're looking for exactly. just let me know 😊
A sounds better to my ears. It would be interesting to hear a comparison between the Mini SuperBeetle & an AC15 or AC30
I hope to some day!
I was really surprised when the nutube sounded better. As you can probably already tell, I got it wrong.
Interesting I knew that B was tube, much warmer sound, but also not sounding quite right ( not clean, out of focus:( )
But I was surprised with A amp quality, seemed much sharper and cleaner at some times, but less warm.
2:1 for new amp. Can we get both samples to see actuall difference?
yes same here!
Yes, brother, that was very bad, but I didn’t click off. I wrote you a background metal jam for your introduction. But, I’ve got to know how these new tube sound Thank you for the review.
👍🎸
I knew. I think they both sound excellent, can't pick.
Wouldn’t it always happen that two amps (from the same company), the one with 25w would have more headroom and break up much later when adding gain? No offense meant; honestly asking.
hey all good. Actually in this case the Superbeetle is going out at 12.5 Watt because the speaker is 16 ohms. I'll add those details in the description. thanks!
Your room reminds me of Sound Dots. Maybe you should try some on your amp. Headphone player here
men i thought A is the real TUBE🧐...🤘👍🤘
tricky right?
I liked the A a whole lot more than B in all of the samples. I was surprised, but having said that, neither sounded as good as my Tweed Deluxe
Seriously, amp A was the Nutube?
ya 😊🎸
I was wrong. Thought A was tube and B was Nutube. A was warmer like a tube. Wow
Lando you should include blue marvel in your description for some reason people always want to sell them cheap on cl to overpay for "upgrade", so budget conscience people like me search videos to see if blue marvels sound ok. I personally love the way they sound.
did I have a Blue Marvel in this video?
@@landonbailey yeah that's what you said in the video that it was going into the Peavey cab the 1 12 with a blue marvel, I don't know how UA-cam searches work if someone searching for blue marvel videos will still find it by the words that you say or if you need to type it in your description
cool thanks! I'll update the info!
Yeah, i think the low mid rolled off on B throws off everyone's expectations here.
Thank you for this vid. Guessed correctly. Shame because I had some hope for the nu tubes being good. Which they are. But you can easily hear the difference.
no problem!
Mike Graham hmmmm. Thanks for the comment. Food for thought.
@Mike Graham Thanks Mike. What have you got / are you using? I had a quick look at a video of you playing. Good stuff!
@Mike Graham Cool, thanks man. I'm going to check out your band page now.
B was definitely breaking up earlier and had a hair more treble at lower gain, LOTS more treble and high mids (or no bass?) at max gain.
A sounded fuller across the sweep of the gain, so it got my vote before seeing the reveal.
Interesting, I expected more of a difference and definitely surprised that I chose the NuTube as a better sound. I assume that another tube circuit with more headroom and a different tone stack could be nearly identical. Cool video!
I got it right but I really like the super beetle
I knew the Nutubes sounded good, but I was definitely surprised how good they sounded here. The AC4 sounded starved in comparison, maybe the preamp is biased a bit cold somewhere.
I found the ac4 got thinner as the gain went up, without changing the bass/treble
Nutube for me!!
Got it right, that being said I don't feel one is better then the other, they both just have there own sound. Pretty good shoot out, going back and fourth between getting the super beetle or a fender bassbreaker. The new tube tech does sound / mimic vacuum Tubes well. Are they considered a tube ? That is the real question Mario
hey cool. ya they are considered a tube. In this case they are only a tube for the pre-amp, and the power amp section is solid state (I believe)
@@landonbailey+ makes sense ... Thx man
Both amps sound very similar and it would be difficult to tell one from the other when not heard back to back. I liked amp A slightly better.
I got it wrong. I liked A. But I don't like gain. Blues On...
they sounded too different to evaluate, I preferred the A samples in this case, but why was the tube amp with piercing highs? maybe since they are not exactly the same kind of amplifier you shouldn't EQ the amps the same numbers, and try to dial a closer sound between each other.
They probably could be matched closer, but this was just a quick test. set it to 12 and see how they compare.
Wow, I got it wrong, and I liked the nutube better...The Nutube sounded richer, less shrill. I just wish Vox would release that Super Beetle head by itself. I was going to get the MV50 but I think I'll stick around to see comes next. My 67' Berkeley II is ok for now.
ya I'm sure they will release more nutube gear
I got it right, i heard the breakup of B it didnt sound totally tubey, but still sounds awesome. edit - Woops i was wrong. Cool
I was pretty sure a was nutube and was vacuum tubes but with the gain maxed I liked the nutube sound more, gain at 3oclock I liked the vacuum tube better.
I play an old peavey classic 30 so I appreciate the use of the blue marvel speaker!
Wow! I got it totally wrong! Well, to my ears, the Nutube sounded better!
thanks for playing!
I’ve owned an MV50 and I was convinced amp A was the real tubes. Shocked to hear it’s not!
A definitely sounded warmer to me.
Frak, got it wrong thought the real tubes were A, as they were a lot warmer sounding, BUT that could have been tone settings so hard to say.
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I see an 85 deluxe and what looks like a Tele plus in there. Channeling some Radiohead tones?
Don't know what you're talking about! 👍😀 ua-cam.com/video/BGNxWfI0LQM/v-deo.html
Lando27Music Nice. Did you use the amp dirt channel for that video, or did you run a pedal (Shredmaster) through the clean?
ya just the amp channel. I've never been able to find a Shredmaster
Lando27Music On a somewhat related note, I watched your vid on the vox superbeetle. I’m thinking about trading in my Fender HRD for one. Do you think the vox has enough volume for pub gigs? Also, do you think you can get enough volume for recording the clean sound before it breaks up? Thanks in advance.
hey cool ya I did another video about how loud it gets, maybe check that video out too. I can be very loud, might depend on your drummer and the gig size
The second riff the Korg sounded way better, the others it was kind of subjective and equally matched...not bad at all.
A. sounded good but b was the tube tubes. Mostly noticeably was the strings sounds. They seemed to be more articulate and interesting when you had over drive on. As for the clean it was a lot closer to call. Again it was still possible to hear the extra articulate depth in the sound.
Good amp though. And the AC 4 is no slouch either.
In fact I own one 😊
Definitely A for me sounded the best which is surprising. Technology will eventually outdo the Tubes. It’s really close!
Cool, this video made me appreciate the Nutube technology more.
the mini Superbeetle made me appreciate it too
I got it wrong since I thought the one that sounded better was going to have to be a tube amp
I got it wrong, assumed the old tubes sounded better but I actually preferred the nutube. Clean they sounded similar but the nutube sounded better with gain.
Strange, I thought the tube sounds better at 12. But once you start to turn it up I preferred the nutube.
ya I kept the settings very similar, if not exact and one of them thins out with more gain.
You should have tried to eq them the same, because one amp was brighter which could easily be changed by turning the treble nob
Ya not a bad idea. I did keep the knobs in roughly the same spot on both, if not exact. One is definitely brighter
I got it right. The superbeetle has better low end, which is the only thing lacking from the ac4. And the ac4 had much more breakup, which seemed to make it "obvious" to me. Maybe it's just because I've been researching vox for the past few weeks to decide which one I want to buy lol
I ended up selling the AC4, and I still have the superbeetle and play it every week
The thing that concerns me about the Nutube is a noticeable lack of detail compared to the B EL-84 valve amp. -although the Nu Tubes low-mids are boosted (probably intentionally voiced to make them seem more valvely -almost a red herring), but listen to what has been pushed up on the Nu-tube -not much clarity at all in what has been exaggerated.
I think they do a pretty good job. Have you tried any of them in person, or just playbacks on UA-cam? that can make a big difference :)
@@landonbailey I haven't -so I don't want to write them off -and to be honest -there's very little guitar amp gear or music gear in general that I haven't found useful for certain tonal applications -especially in the recording studio - so I'm confident there are things about the NUtube I will like -and i don't want to imply that I think it sounds bad in this demo either -I just need to mess with them in person to really understand the best application. Nice video -thanks for the the clear A/B comparison pacing too -makes for a way better experience. most things have a sweet spot.
@@landonbailey yeah fair point only hear A/B comparison recordings so far. Will check
Got it wrong, but thought that amp A actually sounded better out of the two
thanks for the feedback! 🎸👍
@@landonbailey No worries. I haven't had an amp for about two years now and one of these came into the store I work at today. Just binged all your videos on it and now I finally know what I want
k cool!
Amp B is the AC4