Vox Tonelab LE

The Tonalab LE takes a little time to figure out. Especially if you came from using the Line6 Family. The manual is just okay, but doesn't give too deep of explainations regarding some of the programming aspects of this unit.

I bought this to replace my Line6 PODXT Live pedalboard for playing at church. Our church spent six figures on a sound system and the line 6 sounded like $1.98 even after hours of tweaking and spending an extra $300 on a Harmonic Converger box. You can't polish a turd. (Straight digital modeling) In my normal guitar setup, I use Mesa Boogie amplification (MarkII C+) so I am picky about the tone of my PRS coming through the system, but I wanted a compact solution to playing at the church.

The Tonelab's sound is awesome. The soundman who has been struggling with me using the Line6 fizz-unit came up to me and told me "That is the tone you have been looking for the whole time, and there it sits." (Pointing at the new Tonelab LE.)

It can get very realistic tones straight out of the box, but you do have to fiddle with the settings and amp combinations to get the most realistic tones.


Distortions are not noisy, the delays and reverbs are great, the chorus is great out of the box, and the Wah is well, Vox. What more can be said?

And this thing makes the PRS Sustain for Days! I can also turn down the pickup volume to clean up the distortion, just like a real tube amp behaves. The PODXT couldn't do that at all.

I don't know yet, it is too new, I am hoping it can withstand a little bump here and there, but it seems very sturdy.

Haven't had to deal with them. Hope I never have to.

I am giving this a 9 only because you have to use Midi to use the software to program the unit using a computer. A USB would be nice, BUT if it would take away from the tone factor in any way, then leave it the way it is! MIDI is just fine.

I am glad I waited for this to finally be released instead of purchasing another combo amp to lug around. I knew the Line6 PODXT Live was not cutting it, so I took a gamble with this, and thankfully it paid off.

Just so you know, I use one of three PRS customs straight into the Tonelab LE, then straight into two direct boxes. And YES it DOES matter what kind of direct box you use. A cheap one will thin out the sound. I am using the BSS AR-133 Active Direct box, and won't use anything else. I had gone through maybe 6-8 different direct boxes before finally finding the one that keeps the tone fat going into the board directly. I know you don't want tone coloration, but you really don't want the direct box to thin out the tone either. and all Behrenger Di's were great at thinning out the tone.

So the Line6 PODXT Live with all mod packs, and the Harmonic Converger needed to even remotely make the sound useable will go away, and in it's place, this pedal from Vox. Gladly!


Oh and by the way, the previous commment that you can only access the tuner by only hitting the amall tuner button, and it doesn't mute? All you have to do is to hold down the selected program button and the tuner will engage, first with sound, and if you hold it longer, it will mute. But like I said, there is no indication of this on the pedal itself, so it is easy to miss. You HAVE to read the manual.

I'm a noob when it comes to this level of effects and modeling. I've only had a few borrowed stomp boxes over the years of playing. For me this is a lot of new stuff to learn. The TLLE's interface design is very straight forward to work with making the tone design process easy. I really think the overall design of the TLLE in it;s physical layout and UI is very user friendly. I bought the TLLE 2 days ago and I started editing patches today. I like some of the existing patches you can do a lot with a few simple tweaks. The manual is pretty good.
A list of all the preexisting patches and the effects used and thier parameters would be a nice addition to the users manual.

I play a G&L Tribute Legacy through a 1978 MusicMan 65w 112RP. I play rock, new wave, punk, indie and the groovy bluesey jam music that comes out of us all. I haven't owned or used a lot of stompboxes of effects. So I think the effects all sound good. After hearing the Valvetronix technology over the pure solid state multi effect units I was convinced of the Vox.
Contary to the manual suggesting of setting treble, mid, and bass in the middle, I left my settings in my favored positions. I'm finding that small adjustments with my amps treble, mid, and bass are easier to help dial in the existing patches then on the TLLE. I imagine that will be less and less of an issue as I create more of my own tones.

The TLLE allows me to nail the guitar tones in my current "set-list". And it's already inspired me in new directions and ideas with all the tonal possibilities. I've got a lot to learn before I'm getting the most out of it for sure.

I've been playing all flavors of rock n roll for over 31 years and wanting a multi-effect unit for ages. I spent the last 3 months doing research on many of the other ME units of this price and feature set. In the end none sounded as good as the TLLE does, that's what sold me. Honestly, this thing sounds great.

Great sounds, easy to use editing functions to modify the sounds, simple straight forward layout. The manual is a good reference guide.

This is probably one of the most amp-like sounding pedal boards I have ever used. Other brands pale in comparision in the shear realism: Boss, Line 6..no way. As close as you can get in the responsiveness compared to a real amp. If this isn't close enough, buy an amp.

Not a problem to dial up the sounds for any music genre (jazz, country, rock, metal). It would be good to have a superclean amp as one of the models but the fender ones are good. I use mostly the fender and marshall models.

Effects are good quality: od pedal models are powerful, chorus, delays and reverbs are decent.

Noise level is very low. Definitely acceptable.

Have used it with a power amp / cabinet setup with very good results. Usually use it through a PA system. Can sound really awesome through decent monitors.

This unit if built like its predecessor the LE is definitely road-worthy. I haven't had any problems with the LE and it has been in constant use for many years.

Never dealt with them. no idea.

Been playing for over 20 years and I currently play all types of music and this unit has been able to cover all the genres with no problems. Wouldn't go to the gig without it. New size is good too especially if the stage area is small! It is also good that there are new global setups for line, pa, amp. Sound wise this unit beats anything I've heard out there in terms of realistic sound...well next to an amp.

The cons:
1) no second expression pedal (with the LE you can control two parameters in real time) very useful...why take it away? Now if they had a input jack for external controllers (like Boss for footswitches, expression pedals) that would be great to hook up a second pedal to handle those chores but this unit is absent of it!! For those who have owned the LE, you may feel this was a letdown.
2) there still is no way to program the placement of the insert in the signal chain (so it could be used like an effects loop) so if you wanted to use some of your processor units you could.

As soon as I took it out of the box I immediatley was able to get exactly the sounds I was looking for. Very easy to edit patches, I was able to get a really good Randy Rhoads sound. Manual is easy and very simple to understand. No

Yes, Jimi Hendrix, Eddie VanHalen, Randy Rhoads, Vernon Reid, Santana. All effects sound outsanding. Not noisy at all. My guitar is a Fender quilt top showmaster through a fender cyber deluxe set to manual and clean.

Blues, hardrock, oldschool metal(ratt, randy rhoads, vanhalen, living coulor,) Jazz fusion. 24 years, none (I had to sell my other gear after the dot com crash including an candy apple red with gold hardware 1990 les paul standard, prs classic electric 24 fret, mesa boogie studio caliber, marshall jcm 800 boo hoo. Go out and buy this effects processor it is the best on the market.

You have to read the manual because there are a lot of options, but it is pretty straighforward.

The sound is tits! I sold ALL my effects pedals - you don't need them anymore with this device.

Only a month old - no problems

Haven't used them

Kicks ass - the value from this device is absolutely amazing.

(I use the Vox ToneLabLe mainly direct to my desk, have tried it on a DSL-40, sounds nice, smooth, and right! Would like to hear/try it on a Mesa though.)
Unlike other pedal-boards many of the default pre sets are good sounding and more than useable to create your own sounds your like, real quick. If you know what a Mesa, Marshall, Vox, or Fender sounds like, you'll notice that Vox has managed to make this dream come true with the Tonelab LE. Forget all other solid state modellers, this sounds like the real thing.

Do you have a good guitar? - good pick ups? This board will make it sound right, garuanteed. From Growl to Vai, Lukather semi clean (Luke)chorus atmospheres.

Haven't tried the midi editing software yet.

It is not noisy. The noise suppressor does a good job, but try it in small dozes, to minimize lack of tone.

There are no other boards on the marked now sounding like this. This is what I have been looking for, for a very long time. Don't know how they make one tube sound so juicy, but man, it works.

It's build in UK (anyway thats what I keep telling myself - I don't know). Anyway, it's well build.. housing, knobs and all appear very solid.

N.A.

This board is a gift to the musician/guitar/bass player, at an incredible price, that makes you wonder once or twice.

I'm an old gearwhore. My search for the perfect sounding guitar amp is over now. (at least for some time lol)

I've never been a Vox fan. Since getting this board I've tried some AC30's, and Valvetronix amps, and I'm amazed.. Dean DLeo from Stone Temple/Army of Anyone plays Vox, if you are a grunge man, check out, it's a must!

The front panel is OK but use the Software! It provides the parameters and gives a display of the options and configurations available. It's very easy to change all parameters. Easy to rename, easy to save, copy, and manage patches.
In one day I programmed my entire set list. Different amps with highly varied effect - echos, flanges, wah, reverb.

A couple of great features: The pedal can be assigned to a huge number of parameter AND the range of adjustment is assignable both high and low side. This really allows management of pedal's use. The control switch also has a decent number of programmable uses. All of these are PER patch! I usually use the switch to turn the pedal (overdrive or treble boost on/off) and the pedal for changing effect depth. I alternatively use the pedal for the amp gain, live tweaking of the crunch.

The tuner switch needs a finger (it's small) it also doesn't mute the signal. These are both crawbacks.

Very impressive! I have used a POD 2.0 I could not get a clean tone at all and barely a slightly crunchy. I sold this on e-bay to get the ToneLab LE. Live I have been playing a Strat into a Korg A3, TubeScreamer into a 1965 Vox AC-30. Love the sound but often too loud to get the 'cream'. So I headed to the ToneLab. The 80's Marshall sound is stunning. The Vox AC-30 covers slightly dirty to singing. The Boutique Clean handles the clean tones clearly with spank. Although I don't focus to much on heavily distorted tones, those are well defined and still warm.

Amps: Vox Excellent, Marshall Excellent, Dumble clean - nice, Fenders - have that squank, Soldano/Boogie - lots of gain I don't use. The VR Gain is the source of the tune tone, go there first.

The cabinets each actually sound different. They were not differentiate on the POD.

Acoustic simulator: This really works quite well. Use it without an amp or cabinet. The biggest shortcoming is lack of gain. Even with the acoustic and patch gain all the way up, it can't compete with the amps so switching to acoustic gets quieter. The tone is very good though, a decent emulator. The bridge pickup is often a little too hot for it.

The delays are good with really long times possible - retro or stereo. The flanger fine but can be made to go into digital zipper mode easily - beware. The reverb can be good, but it can lack smoothness at other times (slappy not smooth). Some effect a really good, the wah, the phaser. There are no real losers in the effects, some just suite better that others. I have been able to get any sound I needed.

The unit is all metal and heavy. Time will tell.

Haven't need to use them.

There is not a patch that make me say "That doesn't sound quite right!" I am always pleased. I think some of the illiterate rants of my peers are a result of not using the PC software or understanding the device's purpose and capabilties.

I would definity recommend the ToneLab. My band mate have also been amazed.

Well i was worried about buying an all in one because sub,sub,sub menu work takes away from why i really wanted an eefects processor, "to Play" but this thing is a no brainer. very easy to use.

i can see this being a good idea for a cover band who works all the time. i do like the effects but there something that is a td bit off about them. i am using a G&L classic ASAT bluesboy with a humbucker at the neck througha Gibson Goldtone amp. i didnt want to change the sound of my amp becuase its an amazing handwired 5 watt class A. the tonelab is not noisy at all in most settings.but that might not be such a good thing."Breathe". the effects come so close but miss the mark somehow. I A/Bd this thing with my Stomps. Vox Boost, Boss Giga delay and Unvibe. i can hear the f differnce not alot but enough.

i think this thing is somewhat dependable. i am careful with it. if it broke i have a feeling i would be without for awhile because it looks like an item that would not be quick fix. can you say shipping charges and tracking numbers. like i said if i were in a cover band i'd use and it would work. but im not looking for someone else sound.

i went to the website. the site is slower than slow. i have not delt with vox. what bothered me is when you look at the manual it says to contact KORG. "KORG" WHAT! had to take another look. the box says VOX. OK!

i play rock, pop, alt.this is a good match for these styles.I have been playing to long.if it were lost i would not purchase again. in fact it is packed and ready to go back to the store for a refund of another pedal. i love the design and how compact it really is. good user freindly device. i wish you were able to chain the effects different. the overdrive is on the same block as fuzz, rotary, uvibe. come on, this is stupid. i know they did it to try and keep the integrity of the sound, but still. i was so hoping that this would come through, but it just misses for me. something not quite right.

Awesome..........

The new Tonelab Le is a must for any guitar player that craves simplicity, compact-ability, amazing tones etc. The sounds this little bag of bolts and chips and "VALVE" can produce is nothing short of jaw dropping. I wanted something to plug straight into the P.A and i had been lugging expensive valve amps around for years and was growing tired of all the crap i had to lug just to get my sounds, so i took a stroll down the amp modeling path to see what was out there for the offering. Tried pod xt and hated it next up was a digitech something or other...hated it, i went through literally all the floor modelers and had given up and was prepared to sit and wait another 5 years till the technology was there until the sales guy showed me the Vox LE......WOW, WOW, WOW, WOW and WOW!. This thing sounds and feels and reacts just like a "REAL VALVE AMP". I played it for about 5 min before asking him to wrap it up, that's about how long it took me to realise that this was the one. Now when i go to my gigs i just whack the LE on the floor, straight into a di and off to the board and I'm good to go. Ive been a working muso for over 20 years, played and owned every amp/guitar you can name but this little monster will stay with me forever (or until the Vox dudes bring out a new version) but i can't see how they could make it any better that what it already is. I love it.

Have only had it for 2 weeks but it is built like a Sherman tank so yeah i would do the gig without a backup.

I play in a cover band working 3-4 nites a week. This unit suits my needs and then some, if it were stolen or lost i would replace it imedatly without a second thought, it really is that good. Well done VOX....Well done.

I am sooooooo' dissapointed by the awfull re-design on this unit. Hoping for a fixall of the faults? ommisions on the S.E like single stomp-box and no fulltime wah' but what do they do? only lose the second pedal,thanks guy's so now you get a vol-or instead of vol-and which is as good as a hand-brake on a ship! the great bits like controlling mod-echo-etc with exp-1 while keeping exp-2 for vol has now gone.who called the designer a w**ker? no who called the w**ker a designer more like. Won't be getting one for the above reasons. Next time Korg ASK THE PLAYERS WHAT THEY WANT!!!!!