Barber Electronics forum.

I'm thinking about getting the new compact Direct Drive to use as a high gain overdrive in my vox ac15 and ac30 amps. Do you think that this will be a good match or should I buy some other Barber pedal? I always run my amps clean and use pedals for dirt. I use a Fulltone Fulldrive as my low to midgain overdrive pedal but I would like a pedal to take my overdrive sounds to the next level.

Rambler wrote:I'm thinking about getting the new compact Direct Drive to use as a high gain overdrive in my vox ac15 and ac30 amps. Do you think that this will be a good match or should I buy some other Barber pedal? I always run my amps clean and use pedals for dirt. I use a Fulltone Fulldrive as my low to midgain overdrive pedal but I would like a pedal to take my overdrive sounds to the next level.

Try the Gain Changer, there is a wider range of EQ that helps with Vox amps, they are really tough to match OD pedals to.

Thanks David, I will check out the Gain Changer. Is it the same amount of gain in both pedals? I'm really looking for something heavier then my Fulldrive.

I saw that they are selling a Barber Super Sport in a store here i Sweden, would that maybe be a good pedal to match with my Vox amps. I understand that there are a lots of tweaking options on the Super Sport.

Rambler wrote:Thanks David, I will check out the Gain Changer. Is it the same amount of gain in both pedals? I'm really looking for something heavier then my Fulldrive.

I saw that they are selling a Barber Super Sport in a store here i Sweden, would that maybe be a good pedal to match with my Vox amps. I understand that there are a lots of tweaking options on the Super Sport.

Have you modded your Vox amps to get rid of the bright caps? I have a AC15C1, that thing is murder on pedals if you don't mod it. and not worlds better after the mod. I'll be working on it a little more to get it dialed in, but a real AC15 is a better amp, same with the AC30, although basic chassis and transformers are still there I thought they blew it with the tons of solid state circuits in series, and the bright caps.

Yes I have done the bright cap mod on my AC15C1 but on my AC30 I havent really felt the need for it.
I think that most of the dirt pedals I tried with my voxes actually sounds good, I have changed from playing with Fender amps to Voxes for that reason. The former version of Vox, the custom classic, did not take pedals well but with the new series I havent had that problem. The secret is to roll of the tone cut almost all the way, keep the bass and trevble controlls rather flat and play your amp clean. The only problem I think with the AC15 is that there is not enough clean headroom for some live gigs.

Not a 1:1 equivalent but...

I auditioned the Direct Drive, DDLG, and Burn Unit EQ through one of the Vox Valvetronix amps set for AC15/AC30 sounds and they were really great. I ended up buying the BUEQ and absolutely love it with my Tech21 Liverpool Deluxe.

I don't think you could go wrong with the DD Compact and if you're open to broadening your options, the BUEQ and Small Fry should work well with the Vox family. David did a smashing job, there...

JP

Hi
Using a. Half gainer and tone press with an ac15 - sounds fantastic