Rocktron VooDu Valve

First things first: this is the most recent version, the one with the glowing blue tube, Not the witch doctor or "Online" one. Haven't tried the other ones but I was told the cleans in this one are better. Most recent firmware and everything.

Tweaking the Voodu Valve isn't super easy but its not that difficult either. You do all editing through 3 main knobs (function select, parameter select, parameter adjust). It's not as easy as the Rocktron Prophecy to configure but adjusting most basic things like bass, trebble, mids, presence, gain and tweaking effects only takes a couple of seconds.

The manual is over 100 pages long and will tell you anything you want to know about it. It's all there. A lot of it goes over my head but I'm learning...

I've had this thing almost a year and I haven't had to change the tube, but I dread the day I have to because it has half a trillion screws I'd have to remove to get to it...and styrofoam for some reason.

I control it with a Rocktron Midi Mate and Hex expression pedal and it interfaces with them very easily. Very rugged stuff...for the money anyway.

I'm using a Schecter C-1 Elite with Duncan Designed HB-102's right now, so my tone can only be as good as the crappy DD's will allow. I will do a follow up review later once I upgrade to JB and Jazz later this year...

I play the thing direct into my studio monitors 95 percent of the time, occasionally I'll play the thing live with my TubeWorks MosValve MV-962 poweramp and a Sonic 4x12 which makes for quite a good combination for my cheap ass.

Like everyone else says, the stock presets are crap but with some tweaking you can make some great sounds. Most the presets I've made are based off of stock presets, just a few modifications here and there and I found the sounds I wanted. It just takes some time. The Rocktron Patchbay has a few good user-submitted tones, though. Some of those people really know what they're doing.

The HUSH is a really great feature and it doesn't alter your tone much if you keep it on a low setting. Keeps the buzz and hum out your tone.

The effects are pretty good, especially considering how much you're able to edit them. Not perfect but more than adequate. I'm not too crazy about the quality of the pitch shifter, though. Maybe I just haven't spent enough time tweaking it...

I'm still searching for my perfect distorted tone. I'm going for a Mesa Rectifier sound (like everyone else in creation) similar to Chevelle's Wonder What's Next album and I think I'm getting close-ish. I've nailed the Recto cleans though (well probably not but close enough for me to be satisfied).

The pre and post EQ's are an absolute godsend. If you're willing to learn some things about equalization, frequencies and stuff like that you really can get any sort of sound you want to, direct to board.

The speaker simulator is damn good like everyone says. While there's no presets for 4x12, 2x12, ect. sounds it's very convincing and I've played a few gigs just going direct into the mixer via the XLR out.

The last thing I'll say is that you NEED a power amp with presence control for this thing. Your presets will sound one way in your bedroom but may sound way brighter on a stage when cranked up. Having a presence knob on your power amp takes care of that so you don't have to go tweaking patches for live playing.

I haven't used the thing live very many times but so far it's held up well. It's the only amp I have right now so gigging without a backup is the only option. The only thing that concerns me is what would happen if the tube dies or breaks. Would the thing fail to start up? Would the preamp work as usual but without the extra tube harmonics? I have no idea. Frankly, I dont ever wanna find out.

I can't say enough about Rocktron's support. Jim Chowning at Rocktron is probably the greatest person that ever lived. Every time I've had a question he's answered it promptly. The man even sent me a free f'ing t-shirt when I asked if they were selling T-shirts in the first place. With that kind of attitude I'll be glad to whore their brand for them. And I gotta say...it's a badass looking T-shirt...

My overall experience with the VV is a work in progress, but I have plenty of faith that in time I'll be able to get my perfect distorted tone out of it after I upgrade my pickups. I have yet to try it with a tube power amp but I've heard that it really shines in front of one.

I think at $779 it's a bit overpriced right now. It used to be sold $100 or so less until recently. I dont know what they were thinking raising the price with the economy being like it is. You can find these things between $400 and $500 on eBay usually, or on the Harmony Central forums every now and then. Hell, someone's probably selling one right now.

Like me, you may not find perfection right away but stick with it and you'll most likely find tones you'll be quite happy with.

By the way if you have any questions about the thing or wanna bum some patches off of me feel free to send me an email or if you wanna send me some patches and see what I think I'd love to hear from you.

Took me some time to get used to, but once youre into it the interface is simple to use. Allows quick program changes through a midi floor board. Rocktron also offer a simple but convenient enough editor program.

Changing tubes is a major pain. You have to loosen about all the screws and jacks to do it. Who designed that?

The is an external power supply to it, when put into a rack you will need some extra space and fixation.

Update:An addition to my review. I was able to get some more technical information on the voodu valve.

The 12AX7 tube is placed behind the compressor and before the dsp. It is not THE over-driven element, nor is it used for compression. All of this is being done elsewhere. (So modding the tube is really not the way to go.)

Having learned this, it doesnt change my opinion on the unit itself, it is a good sounding, versatile and affordable preamp. Just keep in mind it is NOT REALLY a tube preamp.upda

My guitars are Ibanez SZ 520, Schecter Hellraiser, Ibanez RG 560 and Peavey Raptor, all with humbuckers and more or less modded, with a mesa 2/90 power amp hooked to marshall 1960 and engl 112 cabs.

Do not use the factory patches when trying out this unit. Most of them are effect-ridden and do not show the voodu's true qualities.

There is virtually no noise, the hush unit works very smooth. There is noticeable noise in the high gain settings, but I still would call the unit very quiet.

Effects are ok overall. Delay is good, but does not allow for ping-pong. Reverb is okay but slightly artifical sounding, especially with an over-driven power amp. Time-delay effects are outstanding, except pitch shift, which is below average. It offers great effect routing possibilities.

To me, the unit shines at crunchy, marshall-like tones. High-gain tones sound smooth, singing and pleasant, but on the other hand they seem to lack that modern "grit", although I must say I'm still experimenting. Although the unit offers "low gain" and "high gain" settings, the "high gain" sounds pretty much like a hot "low gain", it does not really add any new characteristics, besides gain. I believe there is room for modding here...

The unit offers parametric equalizers pre (2-band) and post (3-band) distortion, which is the key to tone. Sometimes I wish it had 3 and 4 band eqs. But you can get really great sounds from it. You have a host of parameters to play with and to go wrong with. You really need to know what you are dealing with. I found duncanamp's tone stack calc to be helpful to find the right frequencies.

The volume knob on the back broke once. It kinda sticks out unprotected and is easy to break, when outside a rack. I had to call rocktron support germany, they sent a replacement WITHIN ONE DAY WITHOUT CHARGE.

Amazing, see above.

I have been playing for over 20 years. My styles are mainstream and hard rock. I definetely recommend this unit.

Rocktron interfaces aren't known for being the most user friendly. But once you learn one you pretty much can navigate any of them. The Chameleon,Voodu Valve,ProphesyI & II along with the Utopia are very similar.. Now opposed to say a Digitech GSP2101 it would rate a 10 in ease of use but overall there much easier units to program out there..

Excellent sounding unit.. The Cab sims could be better for DI recording but of all the units I own (V Amp Pro,PODxt Pro,Johnson J Station, Peavey Rockmaster,Digitech GSP2120 Artist, Guitar Rig2 w/Rig Kontrol and Amplitube2) I would rate the Voodu Valve as one of the best sounding if not THE best..

Bought mine used. No issues...

Sent an email once... Got a very quick, concise reply.

Very little if anything rates a 10

I play mostly Heavy Metal & Metal.. GREAT unit for those applications.
If stolen I'd immediately begin the search for a replacement..It's only one of two preamps I own I can say that about.. I owned a Prophesy II but sold it in lieu of the Voodu Valve.. This unit has been around a while now but is STILL an excellent choice..

Not to complicated, although the pre and post EQ is frustrating at times.

Editing patches is simple, an indicator light tells you if an effect has been modified. For example if you are using a preset that has high gain, delay, and reverb and you adjust the delay a light will come on. Before saving the settings you play for awhile and decide you don't like it - all you do is bring up the delay parameter again and adjust it back to the previously saved setting (at which point the indicator light will go off).

The manual is helpful and will save you some time.

I use an american strat with a duncan hot rails in the bridge. I use this processor for practice in my living room by running it into the main-amp input of an old fender sidekick 35 amp.

The voodu valve is pretty quiet and almost silent with the hush turned on. I think all the effects sound great but really I mostly only have a touch of reverb on or just bypass the effects all together.

The only sound I ever tried to reproduce is George Lynch's tone on Tooth & Nail, and it turned out almost exact. I think you could nail almost any 80's metal tone with it.

I bought it used about 5 years ago and it looks like hell. Some of the buttons stick a little but the unit still sounds fine.

I don't gig so reliability isn't as important to me as it may be to some.

Never tried to contact them for any reason.

I play acoustic and electric guitar rock and have been playing for over 20 years.

My main amp is a Carvin Legacy, and I also have a Boogie DC-3. I have some of the older boss effects but I rarely use them.

If the voodu valve was stolen I'd be disappointed but probably wouldn't replace it.

Before the voodu valve I had the rocktron chameleon and both units were pretty decent. The voodu valve gain is a bit less flubby and more articulate.

I wish you could bypass the preamp and only use the effects if you wanted. I think the Prophesy can do that.

The settings of the Rocktron are easy to understand: reverb, length of the delay, and so on... BUT the Rocktron Voodu Valve is not so easy to use: you have to turn 3 buttons to set a parameter (reverb for instance), and if you want to select a patch number you always have to confirm your choice by pushing the selecting button... Not so easy therefore, but you can upgrade this by downloading the chameditor software on rocktron website: you can change all the parameters of your patches on your computer and send the modifications by MIDI cables to your rocktron (the transfer is very very fast, do not worry!!!).

The manual is OK... Well translated (for me, I am French!!!!).

Please... PLEASE be aware that factory settings of the Voodu Valve are only sh**t!!!!! Too many effects, too much reverb, strange sounds... But wait, wait: the aim of these sounds is just to show the capabilities of the machine!!! This is a kind of exhibition of all the effects of the Voodu. So you cannot use these patches without changing parameters, working on equalisation, and so on!!! When I read some negative review with guys saying: "Oh, I plug my guitar, I play and I find the sound is sh**t"... Ok, man, please work on the settings, please try to set the three equalization sections!!!! (normal one / pre / post equalizations). But of course, this takes time to try different settings... I would say if you want some "plug and play" staff, do not buy this machine!! This requires time!

So I have been working during several hours on my settings to obtain 3/4 patches: clean / overdrive rythm / disto rythm / big lead sound with a lot of sustain. And I must say you can obtain VERY VERY good sounds with a very long sustain, nice harmonics and a lot of musicality even with a lot of gain!!! I am especially satisfied with my lead sound: the gain is not that high (between 45/50), but the disto is powerful (you have a nervous sound like "roooooaaaaar"), close to the sound of a tube amp or close to the famous Tube Screamer sound.

A few remarks more:
- The delay section is very good, always a lot of musicality.
- The speaker simulation is EXCELLENT and gives to your sound more realism (for my part I always put on the simu)
- The Rocktron Voodu sounds much better with a power amp (not on a combo); I cannot explain why... But on mid-quality combos, the Voodu does not sound that good, there is a lack of bass & mids... Try to play with a power amp, or even on a hi-fi system! This will be better.

I would conclude by saying that the Rocktron Voodu is a very good product with enormous possibilities of settings (too many sometimes??); this takes time, but once you find YOUR settings in accordance with your guitar & your pick-ups, you will LOVE IT!!! Harmonics, musicality, professional sounds... Enjoy man!!! But do not think you just have to plug and play!!

And this machine was not created to be used with a combo or a classical amp... You need a POWER AMP!!!

Good. This works well, I haven't got any problem.

no use of the moment

Excellent machine, quite old (created in the 90s) but still up-to-date with the MIDI possibilities (you can download patches on the official website of Rocktron), the speaker simulation (you can select your speaker: 8', 10', 12'!!! and the position of the microphone!!). The sound is great, professional, you have beautiful harmonics, but you have to take into account the following restrictions:

1. the factory settings of the machine are only sh**t
2. you have to spend a lot of time on the settings to find your own sounds (ok this is long, but you will love the result!!)
3. the voodu has to be used with a power amp (not a combo)

Excellent gear.

Bought my unit second hand but recieved it in a factory restored condition so all the preset patches were there. The variety of tones included is wide and generally of a high standard however to get this unit to shine you will have to tweak it to suit your guitars and style of playing.
The user interface is very simple to use and alows you great and in depth control of your sound. Once you know where a paramter or variable is in the menu you can access, modify and store changes in seconds and a useful "compare" button comparison of the original and modified sounds comes into its own when adjusting sounds.
The manual supplied (and available for download in PDF from roctron's website) is extremely comprehensive and well written. With a copy of it you will have no problem understanding and using all of the features of this preamp. Everything is explainded in good detail and flow diagrams are also supplied to aid in understanding how each configuration will process your sound. It also explains very well how to configure the unit for use with a midi controller which is essential if inteded for stage use.
My unit came with firmware version 1.03 and to my knowledge this was the factory supplied version.
Radiotron NOS 12axl7/ecc83 currently being used.

9 - Cuz its easy to use.

OK, tones.
I currently use an Epiphone Les Paul Studio and a Jackson RR3, all sound analysis here is made using the RR3.
I also use a Behringer FCB1010 midi footcontroller for parameter and program changes with this unit to great effect.
The tonal options available are very wide. Can very easily sound like Marshalls but is very good at higher gain sounds more along the lines of Peavey 5150, Mesa Rectifier, ENGL 530. My current favourite tone i've been able to replicate is from the Evergrey album The Inner Circle, achieved a near exact replica of the rythm tone from the song Ambassador with no extra help from other processing, however an external graphic EQ would make it possible to replicate near any tone i imagine. Clean sounds are that of a marshall, not particularly astounding, could again be tweaked to be suitable for most purposes, can be very birght when needed. Very easy to simulate an acoustic guitar.
All the effects are very good, versatile and extremely customisable. The two that let the unit down in terms of effects however are the pitch shifter and the noise gate.
The pitch shifter is not of a great quality, can be used well to create harmonies of small intervals and very well with an expression pedal as a "whammy" type effect but does not fare well for use with lower octave sounds, the lower you pitch down the more the sound quality degrades. The noise gate while a useful feature is actually bollocks at high volumes due to the high gain nature of the overdrive sounds of this preamp and i fuly recommend the use of an external noise gate unit. Currently i use a Boss ns-2 to solve this problem but i am investigating a midi controllable gate with which to create presets for live use.
Chorus, flange and delays on this unit are great very customisable. Delay can make use of tap tempo.
Unit also supplies tremolo, wah, phase, reverb and compression effects to very high standards.
Full control is given over effect levels and mix as well as stereo panning and signal level given to reverb and delay effects.
In my opinion the higlight of the effects supplied in this unit however is the speaker simulation. It is OUTSTANDING. Simply the best speaker simulation i have ever heard. I would be happy to record guitar tracks direct to the desk or play direct into a PA system using this unit because of it, no digital modelling unit can stand up this preamp in this respect.
Currently i use a Studiomaster mosfet 1000 rackmount poweramplifier with this unit live and a marshall AVT150 combo (via effects return) for practice, the preamp sounds great through both but really sines with the higher power Studiomaster. The best place to hear this preamp however is infront of a valve poweramplifier with 6l6s in. Powerful sound indeed.

8 - Cuz it sounds great, but but the pitch shifter 'aint perfect and it needs and external noise gate unit.

It has never broken down of me yet, only had it a few months though but the unit is about ten years old so i presume it will keep going ad infinitum.
If it did die i would certaily be buying a replacement.
I currently gig it without a backup.

10 - I have no reason to doubt it's reliability

never had to deal with rocktron yet.

I'm a metal/prog guitarist primarily and this preamp is great for my style of playing and overall sound, could be used for many other styles too.
I've played for nearly 13 years but never owned much equipment beyond a guitar combo. However in that time ive played in numerous bands, recorded several times, produced a few albums, worked in many live music venues and currently work for a sound, lighting and electrical engineering company as an audio technician so i would say i have a good grasp and experience of high end audio equipment. Although my current band recorded it's current album before i bought this unit (oh how i wish id had it before) i have programmed the exact same tone of the peavey ultra we used to record it (hear it here: http://www.myspace.com/massacreonthefjords , the rythm guitars only, lead was recorded with line six) and i am very happy with the versatility and sound quality supplied by this compact unit both for live and studio use. It will live in my rack for all time and no doubt get used when im working as well as playing.
As i said previously if it were lost, stolen or borken it would be replaced.
The only real beef i have with the unit overall is the external powersupply, takes up space in the back of the rack, but this isn't much of an issue.

Overall 8 - Sounds great, very customisable, easy to use, 1 rack space, relaiable, needs external noise gate, not the best pitch shifter.

Is very nice, but is dificult take the control of the sound in the beginnig

I use Peavys Tracers guitars whit Dimarzio Tone Zone in the bridge and the Fast Track in the neck. My amp is an ADA 135 watts by side and 4x12 Marshall to Big gigs and 1x12 100 watts to small venues.

Excelent...

Never...but I ear great opinions

Rock...rock..rock and more rock..I have 20 years old play hard My other Rig is a Marshall JMP-1 and other Rocktron,...Pirhana Preamp. The Voodo is the best...it has everything that I need...I spent many hours to discovery the dreamed sound, and I got it. I learned to play listening Eddie Van Halen, Zakk Wilde, Paul Gilbert, Dime Darrell, Brian May, Frank Marino, George Lynch...today I aply this to play Nu Metal..I like this sound...Disturbed, Papa Roach and Sevendust...

Getting a good sound out of it? Well, I imagine that's a subjective word..."what's good for one person ain't necessarily gonna be good for another", etc. etc. But for me, it's bloody easy!!! I luv most of the presets in the unit, some I just wouldn't use and am looking forward to creating some of my own. Downloaded the on-line manual. Very easy to use so far...editing patches?...now that's another story!

My unit is quiet...real quiet. Hell, the pa amp I'm running it thru (Peavey 8400)makes more noise. My main guitar is a Jackson Performer which sound real sweet thru the unit. My back-up is an Ibanez RG450 with a Mimarzio PAF Pro at the neck and the hottest Seymour Duncan available at the bridge - man, can it sing!!! I especially love the variation of Van Halen sounds available. The Sholtz setting...well, lets just say I've just sold ALL of my Rockman gear after getting the Voodu valve. Loads of artists sounds, even the "plus third" thingy, (sounds like your playing in harmony...amazing!!!!) Currently running it thru a Peavey pa amp but will be purchasing either a Mesa 20/20 or a Marshall EL34 and thru a split Marshall 1960 cab, then miked.

So far It's been very dependable. I do plan to gig with it without a back up...i trust this unit.

Never had the need to contact the company yet, but they seem pretty accessible from their website.

I play in a 70's/80's rock covers band. Been playing guitar 2 years, but played pro & semi pro bass for the previous 35, the transition was easy. When I need glam, it's there. Need some classic Bad Company or Doobie Bros, it's there too. Need some metal sounds...got it also. I love doing Bryan Adams on the Voodu setting 160....awesome! Gives the old Canadian rockers tunes a breath of life! Up to this point I don't feel the need to tweak my own, but ultimately will. Hummed and hawed a lot over whether to buy the Ada-MP1 or the Voodu Valve. The Voodu won in the end...just seemed to make more sense, esp. as the company is still around. If I lost (as if I'm gonna do that), broke it or had it stolen, i'd get another in a heartbeat...no, scratch that...i'd probably get 2. These units are dynamite. I plan to patch an TC G Major unit thru it, but probably don't really need to. (Just wanna fill up my rack case space...yes, call me Mr Vanity)!

The Voodu Valve takes some time to figure out, since the presets do not fill the bill, especially if you're looking for a lot of clean and slightly overdriven tones. The manual is very helpful and is a must to read if you're not a total processor geek. For you rare soloists who,like me, perform with midi accompaniment from your own midi files, the Voodu Valve is ideal because it provides eight midi controllers which can be assigned to parameters such as volume, gain, various effects, and EQ; your choice with each preset or user preset. So I put midi control messages in my midi files which automatically call up whatever dynamics I need in the song during the performance, e. g. increasing gain or delay for the guitar solo. No footswitches, controllers, etc., needed. Once you become familiar with all the capabilities of the processor, the biggest problem will be finding the time to exploit them.

The Voodu Valve has all kinds of sounds, most of excellent quality. I'm in full agreement with other reviewers on the sound quality of this unit. I plug my Jazzmaster into the Voodu Valve and go right into the mixer, using monitors and stage speakers. I don't like carrying big cabinets around any more. But here's some info you can really use if you've got a Voodu Valve. You may have wondered if the tube inside it is really doing anything, or is it just a gimmick. Well, here's the scoop. My Voodu Valve seemed to loose some gain and output recently, especially during the first half hour of so of playing. I decided to check out the tube, as anyone who has used tube amps knows that's where you go first when a problem arises. But how to get at it? This processor must have been designed by General Motors! You have to take out twenty-seven (that's right,27!!!) screws, some ferrel nuts and a knob to remove the jacket from the chassis of the Voodu Valve just to access the tube. Once inside there I found a Sovtek 7025/12AX7 wrapped in styrofoam. I carefully removed it(rock the tube back and forth then pry it out with a small screw driver...there's no room for big fingers in there) and replaced it with a NOS GE 12AX7 I had laying around. Result? Surprisingly less gain and output than the Sovtek. Next I tried a Yugoslavian RCA 7025 thinking this tube must really suck. Wrong again! My Voodu valve sounded better than ever. I then tried a few more 12AX7's in my collection (I work on tube amps from time to time) and discovered that this Voodu Valve is remarkably discriminating as to the tube you run in it. So much for the tube as a gimmick idea; it's definitely in the circuit. Don't be afraid to try some different 7025/12AX7's in your unit if you think it's running out of gas. And believe me, the Voodu Valve does not like just any old 12AX7. Experimentation is the key, but don't put all 27 screws back in between tube changes! Be careful in there. I don't know much about the voltages in this unit as compared to tube amps, but you'll have to be very dainty in the way you handle things when the electronics are exposed lest you turn your Voodu Valve into a useless tin can. When you've got the right tube in this unit, it will do whatever you have the time to make it do.

I use the Voodu Valve at gigs without a backup, and my sequencer is constantly switching the VV's programs and parameters throughout the performance. So far so good after 2 years. However, any piece of gear with one of more tubes is only as strong as its weakest link, i. e. the tube. It will fail sooner or later. It's too bad the Rocktron engineers didn't take that into consideration when they designed this piece of gear. Making the tube more accessible for replacement would have been nice.

Emailed them once about erratic output. Got zip for a reply.

Tired of fooling around with tube amps? Had enough? Finally figured it out that tube amps give you a great sound, but just ONE sound. Then get yourself a Voodu Valve and spend some time tweeking all its parameters. Sound for sound, tone for tone, you'll save lots of money and time. I've gone the tube amp route, even built my own. To get all the sounds from tube amps that you can get from the Voodu Valve you'd have to have 50 or more of 'em.

I want to update my review on 02/27/2006.
If you use negative values for post EQ (like i did in my settings)
you get those digital noises and switching pops.
If you use positive post EQ settings those problems are gone.
Use post EQ settings like bass freq 0 125hz bandwith 0.5/ mid freq
-10 1000hz bandwith 0.7 /treble +1 3500hz bandwith 0.6 /presence +1
5000hz bandwith 0.5 and use speakersim mic setting -10 speaker 12
reactance +8.
Another plus of these settings is you get more output.
Use almost the same settings for clean sounds(low gain) only use in pre EQ in mid frq negative values(-10 or less)and post eq mid freq about 1400hz and presence about 7000hz.

Switching pops and digital bleepeteepleep are gone(or at least not noticeble to me)
And this my Voodu loving friends makes this preamp/fx a fine peace of equipment.
And the 6 I gave in my first review is now a 10.

It's maybe not the easiest, maybe due to the big number of parameters. But once you get used to it you realize the hugeness of intervention possible on sound.

I had/have several kinds of preamps and virtual preamps; but whenever i come back to voodu i can notice how different it deals with your playing touch, responsive and with that little tube warmness. The effects are good, not the best maybe, but good. The ability to control up to 8 midi controllers together makes it unbeatable in versatility for a pedalboard (i use it with a FCB1010). One of my best buys, without a doubt.

I depend on it, at last

Never dealed with

I play mainly rock, and love Vai and friends. I've been able to achieve very good and similar sounds.

I`ve got this unit for about 2 years... For the first time there were a little problems to get the desired sound. Now I can do anything with this... Editing function is very wide, you can tune your sound like you want, including all details (thanx to the great eq section)... Manual for this unit is really good. It includes all useful information...
I`ve "upgraded" my VooDu... No, that`s not upgrade... it`s just like "tuning"... I have bought it with an Audio Classic 12AX7 and have chenged it on the Engl tube...

My set is:
Jackson Kelly Custom Shop (DiMarzio Evolution in bridge & DiMarzio FRED in neck position) -> Jim Dunlop Cry Baby 535Q -> Rocktron VooDu Valve -> Marshall JCM 2000 DSL 100 (into "return") -> Marshall 1960 ASL (4x12" Cabinet, Slash Signature) + sometimes I use the t.c.electronic G-Major after VooDu...
OK, about noise... you are kidding? With the HUSH you will never hear it... It seems to be an ideal in the noice reducing...
Some words about effects... Preamp section is great... I like this character of distortion... Much more than other... But there are some problems (IMHO) in the speaker simulation... It is not so good for me - the sound becames... eeeh... such as it`s dead:) when you turn it off and plug the unit into combo (or stack) - you have no problems. The modulation effects seems to be good. But I prefer to use the t.c.electronic...

You can go to the war with it... And it will work... Nothing to say - very good...

On the rocktron.com you can download some presets... Some of them are very useful and very close to the famous guitarist`s sounds (such as Yngwie, Dime, Hendrix, Satch etc.)... I think, that it`s a good idea.
One thing... I live in Russia... Here is the ~220V, and I`ve purchased the VooDu from USA, where is ~127V... I`ve tryed to order the europeian adapter, and it is very long story... That`s the minus...

I play a lot of styles... From blues to the brutal metal styles... This unit works great for all of the music styles... No problems...
Sometimes I think about Triaxis&t.c.electronic G-Force, but it`s more expencive than the VooDu... May be... sometimes... but now I`m pleasured with the Rocktron unit...
Good quality/sound... In this price range, I think it`s the best...

This is the best processor still available on the market.
They are still being manufactured in Korea and include original presets with better dynamic range chips. Lowered the digital aliasing as well by adding an optical noise reducer to the hush circuitry.
The manual is pretty much straight ahead.
Mine is this years model but not sure how to access the firmware #.

Using a music man Luke with a 4x12 marshall cab. I bought two velocity 100's and parallel them. This absolutely rocks!
I dig the Luke sounds and the VH sounds.
The ditortions are pristeen and over the top edge.

This is a sturdy unit! I dropped mine a half a dozen times (it is enclosed in a 4 space roto rack). It never flinched. Took a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.
Don't need a backup. This thing is solid.

Since GHS took over they are not as apt to be more Rocktron as before. They make so many other products that it's become a bit of a corporate maze and the people you talk to are nothing more than customer service minimum wage folks.

Matches all styles except the dreaded country.
Played all my life. Owned a bunch a gear til I got the VDVALVE
Would buy it twice over
This is the tone shaper I searched for the last 25 years. Easy to get there and like a rocket when it takes off. People in the audience are just blown away from the sound I get from it.
Play a lot of Steve Lukather style and when I rip out the solos on Farenheit, I'll be over you etc. you would swear that SL was in da house.

My stage guitars are of several variaties and pickup combinations, with my main ax being a '91 Steinberger GM4TA with EMG 81 & SA's.
I'm running the VooDu into a Marshall EL84 20/20 into Marshall 1960 cabs.
The VooDu will cover any style of music, only limited by the user's ability to program the unit to taste. On high gain settings, there's more crunch than you can probably use, and with the Hush built in it's got the quietest high-gain sounds that I've ever heard.

Mine is the VooDu Man model that I bought as a factory demo in 1997.
After having used a variety of amps and effects over the years, the VooDu remais unmatched for features in a one-space unit.
1. 254 channels with zero-dropout switching via non-proprietary midi controller.
2.Unmatched preamp and tone versatility.
3. DSP effects including Phaser, Wah, Hush, Flange, Pitch shift, Delay, Reverb, tremolo, and chorus.
4. Line outs for poweramp, balanced outs for going direct, using a completely adjustable speaker sim.
5. Built like a tank.

I've had it since '97, and other than changing the tube occasionally, the unit is almost bulletproof. Once, the rack it was in fell out of the back of a moving truck at 35mph. The rack's lid popped off, and the rack went rolling down the road, bounsing on the face occasionally. When I opened up the unit, there was no damage to the VooDu (which is built like a brick) other than scratched knobs and one iffy pot. When I called Rocktron to order a few parts, I told them the story about my out-of-warranty VooDu, and they sent me the parts for free.

Customer support, for all Rocktron gear that I've owned, is always better than I expect form a corporation.

Playing professionaly for 20+ years, I have really tried to check out other gear, like the Line 6, Boogie, Marshall, Digitech, and on and on. While I like the tone of the Marshall JMP1, the VooDu preamp and effects package combined with 8-parameater real-time control can not be matched in one rack-space. If mine were lost I would not hesitate in getting another. I'm looking for another one for my studio.
There are s few things I wish it had, but they are minor and not worth mentionaing.
For more info, check out the VooDu Valve discussion board:
http://p097.ezboard.com/bvooduvalve

I love the interface. It does exactly what it's supposed to; it let's you tweak every parameter; and every adjustment is similar.
Once you get the hang of it, it's a breeze ( says the doctoral student in computer engineering! )

The best I've tried. This is the only product that could come close to my all tube class A amp. I believe I have finally found the "holy grail" solution. ( With one minor exception, which is the very slight digital buzzing or zippering noise as a strum fades into the noise floor. This is not going to be a problem for me live, because it won't be heard. And I don't think it will prevent me from using it in my studio, because my digital mixer has the same problem!)

don't know - just got it.

don't know - just got it.

I wish I had known about this box a long time ago. The only real design issue I have is that the speaker simulator can be enabled/disabled for right/left or both. My guess here is that they figured you'd record on one channel, and use the other for live. They should have made the enable/disable based on the output, since they provide unbalanced outs for live play, and balanced outs for recording. I would like to have spk sim disabled on the unbal'd and enabled on the XLRs.

The bashing of Rocktron must stop! The Voodoo Valve is probably in fact the most quality, preamp/processor available for the price. Bar none!
The unit just out of the box is great in and by itself! Add a little tweak here and there and you probably can't beat it any where!
Why the one guys bitch about "the unit turns itself on and off" should have had it fixed instead of being the leader of the processor bash.Buy one of these babes today and you'll be rockin in paradise!

Stellar quality! Motorola has been the innovator for world class DSP(Eventide, G-force etc.).

Dependable and audience captivating! Would not use a backup with this unit. Covers all genres!

Rocktron is very customer oriented despite it's growth. You just have to talk to the right people to get all your questions resolved!

I play a John Petrucci style. The Voodoo is the perfect match. I have been playing for 30 years (20 of which have been professional).
I would buy this unit as many times as it needed replacing.
I love the presets, and the ability to go on line and download more.
There is a slight learning curve, but once you get it dowm at home, and gig with it, you are in tone heaven(the crowd too will love you).
I have had virtually every processor available, and the Rocktron stuff beats all hands down!

This preamp/effects processor is not the easiest to use. It takes some time getting used to. But, once you spend time reading through the very comprehensive manual you can become a pro. Take your time. Get to know it, and then it becomes second nature. I have one of the first versions made in the USA. Bought about ten years ago. Works like a charm. This is the same unit as the online version without the online software. You can go to Rocktron.com patch bay and download the editor (free) and then buy an inexpensive midi port and do the same downloading and uploading of patches.

I use a Gibson Les Paul Custom, Gibson CS 356, Ibanez RG 440 Roadstar, and a Taylor 614CE. I run the Voodu Valve through a Mesa Boogie 50/50 into a Marshall JCM Lead 1960 4x12 with stock 75's split in stereo. All this is run through a Furrman Power Conditioner. Switching is done with a Rocktron MIDI Mate. This unit is very quiet due to the HUSH system. The effects are very plush. The wah however, is not as nice as the real deal but if you tweak the EQ settings on the wah, you can get some nice sounds. I play mainly Progressive Rock. Rush, Yes, Genesis. I am in an original band that plays progressive rock and this unit handles it nicely. If you play progressive rock, you need a unit that can bring up different overdrive and effects settings within one song. So, being able to program this thing and then call up multiple effects, EQ, and preamp settings is a must. If you are interested in some Rush presets. I can send them to you if you email me. They are pretty close. I used to be in a Rush cover band. I am writing this review now because I was recently in search of the Holy Grail of preamps so that I could get that perfect sound. I had noticed that the Voodu had very nice overdrive and distortion, but that the clean sounds were just too clean and thin. I wanted a beefier clean. I tried Marshall JCMs, Fender Deluxe, Mesa Boogie Triaxis, Tripple Rect, Budda Twin, Line 6 Flextone III, Line 6 Vetta and I could not seem to find the perfect amp. The Mesa Boogie Triaxis was the closest thing and I almost bought it, but while in Guitar Center I had my rack unit with me and plugged the Triaxis into the Mesa 50/50. I then decided since I had the Voodu Valve in the rack that I would compare it. I was able to get pretty much every sound that the Triaxis made except for the fatter clean sounds. The Guitar Center tech came over and said, "Wow, that Triaxis sounds really nice." I told him it was the Voodu and he said, "So, why do you want to get rid of it?" So, I decided to keep the Voodu. I have since changed the tube to a Solvtek primarily because the original was ten years old and to warm it up a bit from the stock Chinese tube. I also had a very minor change done by adding a resistor at the input stage to fatten up the signal. It now sounds amazing. I even tried the Rocktron Prophesy which is a very excellent unit, but considering that I would have to pay about $1,000.00 for it, it certainly is not several hundred dollars better than the Voodu. I also like how versitle the Voodu is in designing your own sound from the ground up. The Prophesy has four different amp configuartions to choose from all of which the Voodu can capture quite nicely.

I have owned this unit for ten years and have never had one problem with it. It is built very well and has always worked fine. I have gigged many a time with no back up and would probably still do the same.

I have dealt with Rocktron many times to get answers about programming and product info. I have never had a bad experience with them. I had trouble with removing the chasis to replace the tube and they had me send it to them to fix for very cheap. They sent it back within a week perfectly done. Very helpful and very concerned to make me happy. Remember, this is a unit that is ten years old.

WIth playing progressive rock, you can't find a better match. I must have a preamp and effects processor that can change sounds quickly and seemlessly and this unit delivers. It would be nice for this thing to get the sounds of all my favorite amps, but that is just not possible unless you own them all and can lift several hundred pounds every gig with no problems. The modeling stuff is nice, but can never fully capture true tube warmth and does not have the versitility of custom designing your sound as the Voodu does. I have been playing for 25 years and ten of those years have been with the Voodu. It has been a great companion. I took this long to write, because I didn't feel it was necessary until I was out looking to replace it with something that could get a beefier clean, but with the new tube and a small modification with the addition of a resister at the input stage, I got what I was looking for. I give a 8 here because of the modifications I had to do in order to get it exact and the recording capabilities are not as nice as my LIne 6 POD XT Live. The Line 6 guys have nailed some of the amp and cab simulators that make this much easier with the POD than the Voodu. The Voodu does have cab simulators and XLR outs for recording which is nice, but then you have to tweak the patches to dial up just the right sound fro direct recording, with the Line 6 stuff, doing that kind of stuff is much easier. But, I never intended the Voodu to be used with recording. It is my live rig and it works great. Once you get used to using this unit, it really does become very easy and is very inspiring to writing music. If it were lost or stolen, I would have to buy a new one and do the same mods and then upload all of my saved patches from my computer. I would hunt down the culprit and in addition to a life sentence in jail listening to Linda Rondstat records, I would have the judge sentence him to re-program all of the sounds exactly as I had them from the ground up. A very tedious process for those that are familiar with writing patches.

Still reading and experiencing sounds and endless limits to tonal shapes and colors..its EASY as the gentleman below stated plug it in and start playing don't bash this unit...

HotDammmn!!!!!.....the gentleman below is absof***inglutely correctomundo..just need to read more to dial in the sounds of Lynch, Becker, Dr. E.V. Halen....I am going to challenge you though the Peavey TUBEFEX is its rival in sound quality I dialed in all Halen Sounds....and got some crazy Lynch..and Becker.tunes..it got stolen

RELIABLE.....its my Partner in Crime Friends and neighbors think I have a bunch of amps..I can only give this Biatch a "10"

can't but I am going to soon I am missing buttons due to my pesky nephew named "Monster"

I'd like to know where I can talk to guys/gals that have setting or tips on how to dial in sounds if you have the old voodu valve that does not offer the on-line version

very complex : the beginner should stay away or contact a friend that SHOULD own one (every one should)this is the best preamp I've ever known but it is very sophisticated---

I use this with an Ibanez guitar with a seymour duncan jb in the bridge, and run direct into the mixer.the speaker simulator is so close to micing the cabinet it is unreal!!!! it cracks me up how some people bash this unit and beleive me I think it is funny...not that they are bashing but how stupid and lazy some people are.--hey idiot! - you must plug the guitar in to get a good sound...do you need me to show you? I mean read some of these reveiws that give them a 1 on sound quality !!??ANYONE who has played a properly set up voodu valve knows that there is NOTHING better...I challenge anyone to come up with a better sound in ANY preamp than a properly set up voodu valve. if you need a reveiw listen...buy one and there are alot of cool people on the web that use one and would love to help you set it up.go to the midi preset page..you wont find a better tube /glassy thick sound that this...the whole key is in the incredible equilizer!!you need to boost your volume , then sweep until you find the good frequency, back it down flat--every time. low, mid,highs and the presence. once you find the frequency dial the "Q" until you hear it clean up ...loads of gain,great effects...really super preamp..its a shame I can only give mine a "10"

built like a safe!!! steel chassis,thick front glass LED. very impressive

I deal with them to figure out the chain of effects and using it and I bug a certain gentleman alot and he doesnt mind. very professional, and another 10!

10 ---play metal (king diamond, children of bodom,megadeth,etc)great match for clean or dirty...I even plugged my little cousins crap 25 dollar garage sale guitar into mine and it sounded good...like an old friend--its always there for me

There is a learning curve to this thing. It takes a little while to get used to the 3-knob setup. But once you get used to it, you'll be twisting knobs like a pro! There are TONS of parameters that can be adjusted for each effect. It's easy to get good sounds, as it doesn't really do anything poorly. The manual is detailed with some good illustrations.

Awesome sound! Most of the presets are for rock and metal. But with a name like ROCKTRON, what did you expect?! And it does high gain sounds VERY well. However, this is not the only good setting. It sounds FABULOUS clean. I love to set it clean, but crank the output to slam the front end of a tube amp. In this way, it can work like a "clean boost." The output of this thing can get LOUD, even at the lowest clean settings, so you can really make your tubes dance.

I use a G&L ASAT or S-500 into the VooDu Valve and then into a Fender Hot Rod DeVille (60w 4x10) or a Peavey Delta Blues (30w 1x15). Or, with stereo output, I can run into both at the same time!

It's not noisy at all, and the Hush noise gate keeps it under control even in high gain settings. The delay sounds excellent. I really love using short delay times for a slapback echo sound. SURF and ROCKABILLY are no problem here! The chorus is good too, and can go from a quick warbly sound to a long dreamy sound. I also used the wah function with a MIDI foot controller and expression pedal. It's pretty good... certainly better than your usual Dunlop or other inexpensive wah pedal. It probably can't compete with high end wahs, but it's not bad overall. I honestly didn't use many of the other DSP effects, so I can't comment much about them. My band and music didn't call for many effects. I like a good straightforward tone.

This is a DSP/Tube Preamp. As I said the DSP effects are good, but the preamp is really where the great tone comes from. Set clean, it's like playing the biggest guitar in the world. It lets the sound of your guitar come through without coloring it up, but with such richness and BALLS, that you'll think your guitar must be 50 feet high! Set it to high gain sounds, and you can have any tone you want. From scooped-mid metal rythym to thick, creamy Santana leads, it's all here.

I kept it in a 3-rack-space padded bag. It has been tossed into dozens of cars and trucks and has seen many miles. It has never broken down in several years of practice and gigs, and I always played w/o a backup. I trust it without question.

N/A

I played in a two bands and played a wide variety of music. From Jimmy Buffet to Sid Vicious and everything in-between. Classic rock, folk, punk, country, you-name-it we-played-it.

I had a few tones which were vital. First, a clean tone w/ delay for most clean parts. Great twang with my Tele. Lots of quack with my Strat. Second, a similar sound, but with some dirt on it. Great for blues and rockabilly. Great crunch! Third, a high gain sound for the hard stuff. Third, a high gain sound for the heavy stuff. Basically, it could do anything.

But now I have moved and gone back to school, so I have downsized my rig. I play guitar by myself in my office now, so I just don't need a big setup anymore. I sold it a few months ago, but I would not hesitate to get another one.

The VooDu Valve really helped me to make music. The preamp adds a fullness and richness that I have not heard from any other preamp pedal or DSP. The effects are great too. Get one!

I have had my Voodoo Value for about five months and find it very easy to use. If you are use to other Rocktron products, you will find this very easy to use. To edit patches just pull up the effect yo want to change and find the sound to fit your need.

I have used in the past many differt amps and effects, from Marshall, Fender, Peavey and so on. I became a Rocktron fan seven years ago when I purchased a differnt Rocktron Preamp. It became my number amp to use, till now and the Voodoo value blows that one away. I use it with a Rocktron 300 Watt Velocity power amp. I have several Hamer guitars, a Gibson, ESp, and Schecter, and all of them through my configuration are clear, and articulate the note being played. from the Distortion tones to clean this system has it all. If your a cover artist this amp system will fit your every need. I use a Rocktron midi mate as my foot controller, and just one push of a button I am Van Halen, another click Jake E Lee, George Lynch, and click again Steve Vai. It is the versitile.

I only had it five months with no problems at all, if it is like my other Rocktron product I don't expect any issues in the future.

In the past with Rocktron I dealt with comapny concerning my power amp. They were professional, helpful, and resolved my issue quickly.

I play all stlyes of music, but my favorite style of mucis is hard rock. The Voodoo Value matches all my needs and has even pushed my playing even further. I have been playing guitar for 20 years, and I have had many amps and effects, but now just use my rack unit. If my unit was stolen I would def buy a new on. I love the tone, flexabilty, and just having something I can count on to give the same consitant sounds all the time. I would tell anyone to buy a Voodoo Value

If you plan to buy Voodu, read this!
For all those who bashed this unit, I have only one message: sell your processor and buy couple of stompboxes. And buy ones that have the least buttons to tweak! I mean, come on people............processor is made to be tweaked and if you find your perfect sound in the factory presets, let me know, I haven't seen a unit yet that has good ones. It's not a nuclear physics to edit and create your own paches. There's infinite possibilities with this unit, it's up to you to find your own sound.

Sound quality on this unit is superb! I use this unit with Mesa Strategy poweramp and I can get any, I mean ANY sound out of it. From brain crushing Death Meatal to crystal clear Jazz sounds. Do yourself a favour and get midi controller, it's a must for gigs.

I owned it for four years now and never had a problem!

Never had a reason to deal with them.

I've been playing for about 15 years now, and I went thorugh shitload of equipment, but this setup is by far the best one I ever owned. This unit has two thing that I love..built in HUSH and pre-equalizing. What more you can ask for!

This unit is not hard to use but to get the full potential you really have to dig in and study.

I owned one one of these units for about 3 years, sold it trying to find holy grail in a number of top of the line Fender, Mesa boogie, Marshall and Crate amplifiers. Now that I have come full circle I am back to this unit. (Bought another recently.) I use this unit in conjuction with a Mesa Boogie 20/20 power amp and 2 seperate 1X12 celestion loaded speaker cabinets. (I like to spread the sound out!) Previously I used it with Boogie's 50/50. No matter, either amp produces wonderful tone! As with all preset based preamps, the original presets are good starting points, but they will need to be tweaked to your tastes and that takes time! Do not buy this unit if you are impatient! I have spent a fair amount of time just tweaking and experimenting with my tone, I still work on it to this day and probably always will!
I received the most compliments about my tone from both listeners and musicians alike while using this unit. The voodu valve is a clean sounding unit, the effects are phenominal and the distortion sounds are excellent! I have not been able to derive the mesa dual rectifier sound out of it as yet but this unit seems to cover just about everything else. I plan to buy another as a back up. (One of you bad reviewers want to sell one inexpensively!!)

Never had a problem, seemless preset changes, great unit.

N/A Cannot rate this because I have not had to deal with it. Hope they do well!!!!!!

I play a mixture of blues to heavy rock and roll as well as my best attempts at some chicken pick'in. I have been playing guitar for about 11-12 years now and have made every attempt to find holy grail in guitar sound as most of my fellow guitarists have and still are. I really include myself in the searchers for the "ultimate tone" even still because I have never heard anything that gets every sound that I have heard and like. Whether that be Metallica, Creed, Stevie Ray Vaughn or one of my favorites, Brent Mason.
The Voodu valve works extremely well for me because it is so versitile! I cannot afford all the gear that my favorite guitarists play so I have found something that is easily tansportable and sounds excellent to fit the bill. I would definately replace it if it were stolen!

Not very tricky but can go in depth.

I found it easier to get a decent sound out of a mute than this piece of crap 'Chris Truthteller' is bang on with his/her review of this box.

Occasionally it would flick itself on or off, i'm not sure if this is a problem with all of them, a friend had this same problem too.

Incredibly rude when asked about the above on/off problem, still isn't fixed.

The Voodu Valve has become the bain of my life, I tried to gig it a few times, just to justify the money I spent on it. The gigs ended up an embarrasment of poor sound and often no sound at all. I strongly recommend not purchasing this equipment, avoid the embarrasment this rubbish kit has caused me!

not to bad, some freq. are tricky for ME.

useing a jackson rr1 with emg pickups,marshall 100wt jcm 800 2203 and a jcm 900 1960A 4x12 cab. SCARRY! he,he. my sound is close to slAyer but still have some tweaking to do! i can only do so much before i go tone deaf!! anyone that has the slayer sound dialed, please post it! thanks. the v.vaulve ROCKS! nuff said.

outstanding rack! will never part with it! anyone out there with slayer sound dialed in, please contact me! thank you!