Vox ToneLab

Simple enough.
How easy was it to get good sound? Easy enough. Much easier than with the other modelers, which produce good sound only after hours of tweaking, if at all. Doesn't mean that you can't get bad sounds, but the percentage of good sounds is astronomically higher than with the other modelers.
Didn't care much for the manual, it seems like a collection of "the worst of the POD manual" (which I hated). It's almost as bad in trying to be oh-so-humorous (while it actually isn't) and much worse in giving out even less information, for example it omits the names of the real amps and effects that are being modeled, except for the VOX/Korg models (which they own the trademarks to). To be on the safe side (and to make the matter even more laughable), they dare not even name the bands that used the amps. The reader has to deduce/guess what is being modeled! Uggh. Why couldn't they do this like Line 6 with the trademark disclaimer to protect them from lawsuits? I haven't heard Line 6 ever getting sued for naming the amps they are supposedly modeling.
Besides, they seem to get the details wrong anyway. The gentlemen "who rode the lightning" had already lost their Marshall gear by the time RTL was recorded. In fact, one of the RTL songs (Fade to Black) was inspired by the theft of the Marshall gear. They should have said gentlemen "who killed 'em all" rather than "who rode the lightning".

I've been looking for a modeler that would replicate the tone of my favourite amps at an acceptable volume (as determined by my wife). Or at least something that would produce good tone at a modest volume if one-to-one imitation is not possible. I've been through lots of gear in my search for such tone; including several units by Line 6, Boss, Korg, Johnson, and others. All of them were disappointments. You can find my reviews of the units on the HC pages. The only major manufacturers whose modeling units I have never owned are Digitech and Zoom (I heard samples on the Net and thought that they were terrible).
With the VOX Tonelab, I am happy to say that I have finally found a modeler that does not abuse and insult my ears. The sound is appreciably lusher and thicker than that of, say, PODxt. The tube breakup is almost natural. The sound is especially tasty for vintage sounds. This unit can take you easily from the early years of the electric guitar to the 1980s. Some say that you cannot get metal distortion from the Tonelab. In my experience, this is not quite true - or maybe it depends on your definition of metal. I can easily get the classic metal distortion up to and including Justice/Black album Metallica. I hate grunge, nu-metal, metalcore and other newer crap that gets sometimes classified as metal, so if the unit cannot produce those sounds, I could hardly care less. Some have also stated that unit is too bright and lacks bass. Not in my experience. The PODxt is tons worse on both accounts (plus it sounds totally digital, to boot). The POD2 and Johnson J-Station are perhaps a little bassier but sound lots worse.
But I do have some complaints. First, it is difficult to get enough edge to the attack. Even with the Treble Booster, the attack tends to sound a little mushy. Secondly, the unit does NOT sound like a real tube amp. I've owned a couple, and this does not sound anything like them. The Marshall models stretch my imagination just far too much. The Rectifier model is even worse.
Compared to any other modeler that I have tried, this is definitely a 10 - no contest, as the VOX ad stated, I can subscribe to that now. This is the only modeler that I have ever encountered that does NOT sound overly digital. Especially the crunch/semi-clean tones; those tend to be terrible on digital modelers (Line 6, ugggh! think metal skeletons making love on a tin roof) - here the Tonelab really shines! In an A/B test with my PODxt, the Tonelab totally devastated the POD.
However, compared to a real tube amp, the Tonelab only gets 7. Its tone lacks body and punch of a quality tube amp.
This averages out to 8.5 which I rounded up to 9. Heck, I fear I even gave one of the PODs a 9 (what was I thinking!?!?!?), and this deserves at least as much.
Once someone produces a modeler whose sound and feel I cannot distinguish from a tube amp, that will be a 10.

No issues so far. However, I have observed a peculiarity that probably derives from the fact that the unit actually uses a tube. I had just booted up the Tonelab and started playing in a very warm room. The Tonelab sounded unusually mellow and mushy. I was sweating a lot, so I knocked down the heating a bit. Soon after that I noticed that the Tonelab was sounding much tighter and better focused. Could it have been the tube warming up? Or maybe it was just my ears (psychoacoustics).

I've never had a Korg/VOX product crap out on me.

I've been playing for a little over 20 years. My favorite bands hail from the 1970s and 1980s. This unit is an excellent match for their music plus my own music. Your mileage may vary. Especially if you are into "modern metal" and play NOTHING except metal (not even an acoustic part here or there), you *might* be happier with a POD. Do give both units a thorough test, though, and let your ears decide.
The effects section could use some improvement. The effects sound pretty much like the Tonelab effects in the Korg units, I suspect that they use the same algorithms. They are not terribly good but ok anyway. There could be an EQ, but it is not vital since the unit sounds pretty good without one. The compressor could be improved and should be in a separate block of its own. Then again, I don't normally use much effects anyway. Give me a wah pedal, an occasional chorus and some delay/reverb, and I'll be happy. The Tonelab does all of them except the wah (since there's no pedal included, duhh!), so I'm using an external wah/volume pedal with the Tonelab and am happy. The more spaced-out weird sounds that Korg or Boss units can produce can be fun, but not something I want to regularly do.
At the current street price, this is really a no-brainer. You would have to whip out at least as much cash for a single boutique OD/distortion pedal that incorporated tubes, and here you get as good a tone plus lots more versatility.
The Tonelab has really the fully-digital units for me. They sound like digital crap to me now.

See my original review .... nothing's changed here.

Just one additional note to my original review: I swapped out the stock tube with a JJ Electronics-recommended 12AX7, and the results are absolutely splendid. The entire sonic character of the TL is now much more clearly defined, with lows, mids and highs coming through beautifully, without any unwanted distortion or graininess. The gain and EQ adjustments are now very clearly discernable, and produce a dramatically improved sound across all frequencies. THIS IS A HIGHLY-RECOMMENDED ADJUSTMENT!

No change from 1st review.

No opinion.

See my comment under "Sound Quality". Other than that, there's no changes from my 1st review. This is a HIGHLY recommended product for all "tube purists." Valvetronix truly DOES work, and beautufully so. For any experienced TL user, the 12AX7 swap mentioned above is the crowning touch, which will have you totally thrilled. ALSO .... try this baby in stereo .... and get ready to SLAY with glee!

Everyone has a take on this unit - here's mine.... I find the easiest way to use the Tonelab is as a preamp with the outs going to two Fender Stage 112SE amps for stereo. I control the Tonelab with the VC12 footswitch so I can turn on/off the effects like an old stomp box rig. I use the unit in manual mode and don't use the presets. I select the amp model I want to use as a baseline pre-amp sound, and the footpedal controls the various options for effects. Makes it easy and simple and perfect for recording and live stage work. I've been playing for over 25 years and hands-down this is the best rig I've used with the most versatility. There isn't a sound that I can't achieve, period.

I dumped all of my other effects and stomp boxes with the exception of a custom Fender Tube Reverb, since I'm a fan of the old surf sound, among many others. I use a 73 Strat (stock) and a Ric 12 and 6 string for the 60s tones. I also replaced the stock tube in the Tonelab with one of the new Ei 12AX7 tubes which smoothed out the tone range and gain, and took out some of the brittleness caused by the stock tube. I can use the Tonelab direct into the amp guitar inputs or run it through the power amp section, both work real well, although I think I prefer the standard guitar inputs. I turn off the cabinet simulation, and match the Tonelab's gain output so I don't overdrive the imputs of the amps. The two Fender 112SE amps I use are monsters - loud and strong, and only weigh around 25 lbs. No tubes, absolutely excellent built-in tone circuit - you'd swear you were playing on a tube amp. One of the best amps Fender ever made, and you can pick them up for under $200 on Ebay. I got rid of all my Vox amps and everything else and only use the 112SE models now. Well, to be truthful I did keep a Vox Pathfinder 15R for the garage.....
The effects are usable and ok, nothing to get swell in the head about, but they work, same goes for the wah effect. The Vox footswitch has a level pedal and a wah pedal so I can control the wah without any problem. I didn't want the TonelabSE model because I don't like changing controls on the floor, so the Tonelab tabletop model works just fine with the added VC12 footswitch - best of both worlds.

Haven't had any problems in 4 years.

??? never dealt with Korg.

I play old style Surf, to Hendrix, to funk, just about everything except heavy metal. Being an old guy, my tastes in music were grounded in the 60s and 70s. I've had just about every amp and guitar I ever wanted, my current rig is staying just like it is, the Tonelab, the VC12 footpedal and a couple of cheap and reliable Fender 112SE amps. Everyone that hears my rig is absolutely blown away and it works for me.

The Vox Tonelab is extremely easy to dial in the precise sound one is looking for in many styles. The downlodable sound editor looks very nifty, but have had little opportunity to explore in great detail.

IMHO, this unit preovides most everything one could want in a modeling preamp. The controls are well thought out, changes to the sound can be tweaked on the fly and the effects are dead on to having a string of stomp boxes sitting at your feet.

Built like a tank. Metal enclosure and solid construction.

Never had to utilize their customer support - all the questions I had were answered by the manuel and their website.

I play guitar for our church???s Contemporary Worship and with all of the various styles that are being incorporated into modern worship, I can get them all with this unit. I would by another one if lost or stolen (have been checking out the auctions to see if I can get a back-up unit) but am using a full blown amp in worship (the modeler is for home use - the presets are tweaked on the Tonelab at home and transferred via a VOX pedal board to a 60 watt VOX Valvetronix at our sanctuary) and have no doubt that this type of setup is the most practical for my situation.
In many ways, this unit allows me to get sounds that were in my head out into the air and has boosted my playing by allowing me to create sounds that would cost many dollars to emulate. I???ve played through everything from 10 watt all tube screamers (think Champ and Wabash) to Music Man and Mesa B's and everything in between over the last 38 years. Sold afew of those that I wanted to get back until I stumbled on the VOX modeling series.
Can you imagine what a Marshall 50 watt head - full out - would sound like through a little 10 inch open back cabinet?
I can tell you...
How about a Princeton through a full 4-12 closed back cab?
I too, know how that sounds...
The ability to create sound combinations that cannot be reproduced due to manufacturer's necessary competition are now open to sonic experimentation (without spending an arm and a leg).
I must add this one comment - if you do not know (nor understand) the difference between class A and B power stages or how a gain stage's output can change the resultant input attenuation of said power amp configuration, just get a Twin or Mesa or Dumble and be happy in life. For those who are willing to spend a little time in finding those sounds that you've only heard in your inner ear, check the Valvetronix out. Think of all the music you might be missing...

Fairly easy to use, but you have to get used to working with the various controls over the presets when you want to tweak your own sounds which you will want to do. Instead of tweaking one knob at a time to create your sound, I suggest hitting all the effects that are engaged on a particular patch and turn everything to 7:00 o'clock and start over. Even turn all the amp, cab and effects knobs all the way to the left. When done write this patch and start from the beginning. This way you can become acustomed to the full array of sounds you have at your disposal and go from there. Don't forget to save your Noise reduction setting for each patch separately as different patches require different levels. If you use more than necessary, it appears to suck some tone out of the sound.
As most all the other folks have commented, the presets suck and quite frankly I think sales would be better for this unit if they were better. Luckily the salesman showed me how to tweak some basic sounds in the store (guess he was aware of the bad presets as well0. Anyway, the manual gave a a good overview. Im giving this an eight because the presets sucked so bad, that it required a from me a complete retweak of the unit.

Here's where it gets subjective. It amazes me how many folks have different opinions of the various things this device offers. Some say the delay is excellent, others hate it but love other things that other folks hate. Almost seems like a wast of time for me to throw in just another opinion, although I can say that I have recorded with this thing for two years on and find I can tweak just about any sound I want. I am mainly a hard blues player who uses a Strat and Les Paul. The Marshall sounds are my favorite.
Guess I have to say the biggest disappointment for me is the compressor effect. I just can't get a descent sound with it and it buzzes excessively. The "recto" amp model is also a dissapointment for me. And I wish instead of a very weak acousitc guitar simulator they could have squeezed in something more useful for the type of player that would by this unit. Maybe another compressor model that actually works perhaps.
It sounds great through headphones as well.
I ALWAYS leave this on the amp setting in back. The line adds too much brightness and unless you want to recreate each of your live tweaks for lineout, leave this switch alone. It makes a nice sounding unit sound like crap real fast if your not careful.
Also no one so far has raved enough about the Fender bassman sound this thing gets. I owned a Deluxe reverb and a Bassman. The deluxe recreation is about a 7 on a scale of one to 10, the Bassman is a 9.5. And yes, try it for your bass in a studio setting. It resonds magnificently.
Overall I give this unit a 7 soundwise because although it is one of the best things on the market for the price, there is still room for improvement. It needs a USB out as well as a universal Noise reduction, and a better compressor and it would get an 8 from me.
If they added a second output tube to "seal the deal" on the tube response it would get a 9. 10, of couse is the REAL tube sound is just plain impossible since this can only simulate the sounds at best.

I am sole a studio musician right now, but I would not hesitate to gig with this unit. It is built like a tank and I appreciate that Vox took the pride in their design to go the extra mile and put this in an all metal enclosure. But since I haven't road tested this unit, I have to refrain from leaving a score.

Haven't had a need to service this unit yet. There is at least one online community dedicated to Vox Tonelab where you are probably best off getting questions answered. At least this has been my experience with most products that have dedicated online communities. Again, since I haven't dealt with the company, I can't honsestly leave an opinion.

For the money, this is a damn nice unit. I write and record blues rock songs and have released one CD so far.
This baby did me proud so in the end, For the type of music I play which has it's roots in classic rock it is great. If you are a death metal head try POD XT for it has much more intense distortion tones with a midrange that will cut through haed death metal drums.
It really was a bargain for me considering how much you get for the money despite the fact that that I find 20% of the resources available unusable, I give it an 8. I give it an extra point in the end for value.

This desktop unit is quite easy to use, emphasizing dials over switches, which "Feels" better to me. Very easy right out of the box ... just switch to "manual" mode, select your models, any effect(s), EQ, volumes, and you're off. A few tips: watch the rear-panel "Level" dial - i set it to about 60-70% open, because any more for me and it begins to "fizz" on the high-end. Also, for live play i've tried both "Amp" and "Line" mode, and "Amp" definitely sounds better. You can experiment with running through the frontend or your FX loop ... it works better for me through the frontend like a stomp. Also, here's a kicker ... you can feed TWO amp's for a stereo setup ... this is killer (see the manual.) ALSO ... VERY important ... play through a good-quality amp CLEAN channel, to minimize preamp boost and external distortion. The TL is more or less a "preamp" amyway, so you don't want to destroy it's own signal. Now, for some DOWNSIDES ..... the TL Desktop unit requires an external footswitch unit for remote pedaling & control, so this version of the TL isn't the best for live play (the SE overcomes this). Also, you can't turn off the Amp modelling, which may NOT sound too bad at first (and usually isn't), until you want to set up a TL effects chain while using your own amp's sound. With my rig, i can generate beautiful clean sounds, and i'd love to dis-engage amp / cab modeling while being able to use TL effects, but can't. (The SE version DOES allow this.) Again, not a show-stopper per se, since i bought this unit for modelling in the first place (as well as the price.) My suggestion for ease-of-use -- buy the SE (at higher cost) for more functionality and a few extra effects too, basically for LIVE play ... then .... hook up a laptop on-stage via the MIDI ports using Vox's interface software to the TL SE and use the laptop on a stand for your control, thus avoiding having to constantly bend down to read & adjust. The computer interface is EXCELLENT. Vox apparently made a good engineering decision by designing the physical device for cost-effectiveness, then providing free software to implement the best user interface. Oh yeah ... one MORE comment, sorry .... you've heard this before ... you can't chain more than one "Pedal" effect in your chain per patch. This is a bigger deal for some players than others. Overall the effects sections are designed well and are easy to use, and sound pretty good too. (The "Compressor" pedal isn't very nice, but i use external compression anyway so that's not an issue.) The thing that gets most players is not being able to chain the Wah pedal with either the Univibe or a distortion/OD pedal effect.

I play a Strat (my favorite) and a LP Custom vintage 1970's. Both guitars tend to lose varying amounts of their natural "character", depending on the model selections .... but that should be expected with a processor of any kind. The ToneLab (TL) is capable of a WIDE variety of sounds. Overdrive / Distortion is EASY to achieve in the models, esp. the higher-gain ones (naturally). My favorite amp models are the Vox ones, esp. the AC30TB ... BEAUTIFUL ! The various Marshall models are good too. Each model has a definite "character" that can be fiddled with via EQ'ing and effects. (Tip: some users seem to get confused with the different "Volume" / "Gain" options. Read the manual is all i'll say here. They all work well, and make sense once you realize what they're intended for.) Also, contrary to a few comments i've read, it IS possible to obtain good Clean tones .... you just have to fiddle. (AND, i mean fiddle with everything, including the rear Level dial, CH volume, Gain(s), on-board EQ dials...everything; TL offers alot of signal-tweaking options, so sometimes you just have to "get down and dirty".) Actually i like the "Boutique CL(ean)" model, because it starts off as a "weak"-sounding model, which you can build on with boost/gain, EQ'ing, effects, etc. I've gotten some of my best sounds using this one. ALSO ... the Cab models are GOOD for setting an overall sound/tone environment....USE them. (You CAN dial-off the Cab model with this TL, but i suggest using them.) I have found the effects sections to be good overall, and you can create some really nice patches by applying one or more effects sections thoughtfully.

So far, so good. One comment here ... when the 12AX7 goes bad, as tubes tend to do, the TL will of course sound bad, since valvetronix uses the tube to good effect. It's easy to access the tube via the front panel, so that's not an issue. Some players have played "swap the tube" with the TL, to achieve different sound quality. I haven't, but i don't doubt that it would have an influence. Also, some players (apparently) have received their TL with a bad tube, which resulted in a bad review. I have found the TL to be an excellent product, so if it sounds "bad" to you, you probably have a defect of some kind, or have set it up in a less than optimal fashion in your rig. I mentioned some of these things above ... i.e., the rear "Level" dial, the "Amp/Line" switch, Gain / CH Volume dials, etc. ALSO .... i'm sorry to say that my Les Paul with humbuckers can produce un-controllable feedback between notes/chords, on the higher-gain models, and has to be severely cut back on gain. That's an issue that i haven't resolved ..... but i play mostly my Strat, while running my LP through an un-processed (non-TL) chain, so it hasn't stopped me. But, you should check this out for yourself, if you play guitars with high-output Pups, as it might present a problem for you.

No opinion. (Overseas support ... ? well hopefully i can avoid this one.)

I said it all above (perhaps too much .... sorry!) Thanks for "listening".

Takes some tweaking but I am satisfied with tones I am now getting.
Pretty user friendy, easy to edit.
Take the time to read the manual.

I bought this unit for direct recording and headphone jamming, I also own a PODXT and a Behringer V-Amp Pro. I wanted to see if the tube did make a difference I was looking for that warm tube break up, and mikeing my tube amp is not an option in my home as I do most my recording and playing after the kids are in bed. I've had some tube pedals (Tonebone)and amps that delivered, and I read some nice reviews in the mags.
It is quiet and the noise gate can be used to quiet higher gain settings.
Out of the box my first impression was "what a disappointment" I found the majority of presets to be very pedestrian, but I expected them to be generic. I went away from it for a few days then really sat down and started tweaking, there are a lot of options what with the different Amp models and Cab options. I shut down everything but a touch of reverb and went to work. Thus far I have been able to get some nice Fenderish clean Robert Cray like sounds, a nice Joe Walsh Rocky Mt. Way type of rhythm OD, and a Hiwatt (though that is not one of the amps modeled) like sound ala Wont' Get Fooled Again, and a nice AC\DC rhythm tone. With the AC15 model I can get a nice warm break up for blues. The effects are OK not great, I particularly like the Univibe (the POD XT is the only one that has a really good rotary, Leslie like sound) but I am not big on effects anyway except compression on high gain stuff.
I have some other 12ax7 tubes lying around , JJs, GT, and one from a Marshall preamp probably Sovtek, so I wil see if swapping the tube makes any difference.
Bottom Line: do not be put off by the presets. With some tweaking there are a lot of nice sounds you can get. You do get some nice roll off with you guitar volume control, so it would appear the tube does influence the sound some what.

Seems like it is built to last.

N\A

I play mostly blues and classic rock and some harder 80s stuff
Been playing for 35 years or so.
I am currently using a Schecter Black Jack C-1 that has Duncan 59\JB pickups and a 5 way switch for coil splitting, (a damn nice guitar for the price. I've owned more amps and guitars than I can remember.
Between the PODXT, V-amp Pro, and Tonelab (IMO)out of the box the PODXT beats the ToneLab but after some serious tweaking The Tonelab has become my favorite, though the PODXT and V-Amp does the higher gain stuff better. I will give the folks at Behringer props for putting out a quality product at such a great price too.

The more I tweak the more I like it, as Bogey said "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship"

it is actually the most easy unit on the market. i have tried many multieffect units and i have to admit that this is the best. Editing patches is so fast. The manual is just ok, nothing special.

i can get the sound i have in mind so easily...it is amazing. The amps are the best around for modeling. i have tried Pod xt live and boss gt8, and well....in this category nothing can beat the tonelab at the moment. It-s not noisy at all. i use it with different amps: a real vox ac15, a fender deville and with other tube preamp and pa. i found them great with the tonelab. i can get a very good tbe sound from them together.

no problem for now.

vox it-s not so bad as many people think.

for blues, rock. pop and simiar style i think it is the best around in these times. i am very happy to bought it.

It's the best in ease of use. Editing patches it's so fast. Very intuitive. the knobs are self-explanatory.

Don't listen to the guys (as the one who reviewed the tonelab just below mine review) that have just tried the tonelab for 2 days. They don't know how good this uint is. You can't judge a thing if you don't use it for a while. I agree with most of the people here that have a very good opinion of this unit. The tone is absolutely the best, talkin' about modeling. The high gain stuffs aren't the top, but they are good anyway. So i have to give this unit a 10.

Never had a problem with it.

Not the top, but sufficient.

As a modeler unit, can't be beaten at all. that's all.

The unit is fairly easy to use. Most of the buttons are self-explaing. The display could be a bit bigger, though...

Before I got the tonelab, I was using a POD XT Live. I got rid of that, because I didn't like the high-gain tone that much. My hope was, when buying the Tonelab, that their "Valvereactor" stuff would make the difference. Well, I'm sending the Tonelab back today. Don't get me wrong, the clean sounds are alright and so are the effects. But the distorted sound sounded all really bad to my ears. They all sounded like they came from a cheap solid-state amp. Lifeless, harsh and pretty much all the same. Exept the "recto-model" that one was particularly bad. It sounded nothing like the original. So, after five hours of tweaking I wasn't able to get a distorted sound out of this thing that I liked.
I might even get another POD. I really liked, that you could connect it to your PC via USB and where you could place the effects in the signal chain...

I only had the device for three days so no comment here.
Looks well made, though.

See "Reliability"

Well, to me the unit was a big disapointment. I was planning on using it for direct-recording, but I didn't like the tone I was getting at all.
So, the search for that perfect equipment you can use at home without getting your neighbours to call the cops on you continues...