Friday, December 4, 2009

VHT Special 6 Amplifiers



I'm really digging the tones coming out of these new VHT Special 6 Combo amplifiers. These handwired, all-tube amps are driven by a single 12AX7 preamp tube and a single 6V6 power tube for a power-rating of 6 watts.

The 6V6 tube imparts typical Class A tones -- you can almost hear the 'ping' of the glass on the tubes. 6V6s are also a popular choice in the stereo audiophile industry, favored for their clarity and transparency.

A single-channel amp with simple Volume and Tone controls, the addition of a footswitchable Gain Boost feature on the Special 6 gives it the flexibility of a two-channel amp. Judging from this clip, the transition from Clean to Boost modes (at 0:20) are pretty smooth with no overly dramatic volume jumps. Notably, Boost mode retains the rich-harmonics and glassy overtones of the amp in Clean mode!

With a 'Minimum Advertised Priced' of US$199.99 for the Special 6 Combo and US$179.99 for the Special 6 head version, and considering the up-market boutique tones they are capable of delivering, these amps are amazingly great value!

www.vhtamp.com

5 comments:

  1. Saw and heard them at NAMM. This YouTube doesn't do them justice. They sound even better in the head / 12" cab config. The Combo and the head have external cab jacks for 4, 8, & 16 ohm cabs. They are a sweet deal. Also switchable to 3 watts!

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  2. I'm eager to check them out myself -- still waiting on my local VHT dealer to get them in.

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  3. They are due in the US around the end of February.

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  4. Fryette sold the VHT name only to AXL. The original VHT amps are now sold under the Fryette name. The new VHT Spec 6 looks like fun though. I will definitely buy one when they become available.

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  5. What kind of guitar(s) and which pickups were used for the demo?

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