Behringer LX1200H V-Ampire Head

Brand new 2004. 125 channels that can be edited and stored, 32 amp sims including all the major Hign gain amp legends including the 1959 Marshall plexi and JCM 800, 94 Mesa Boogie dual Rec trem-o-verb, Rectified head, Boogie MK II & III, The Engl Savage Beast, a souped up Rectifier amp, the ultimate V-amp(Brutal distortion) and others. The unit also simulates some very expensive amplifiers that some musicians might not ever get a chance to play through such as the Dumble overdrive special and the Budda Twinmaster as well as the Matchless Chieftain among others. Also features 15 speaker cab sims, 16 different effects each with TWO parameters, 9 different seperate reverbs, adjustable Wah, input gain switch, treble that also functions as a presence control, adjustable tuner, noise gate, 5 configuration modes, 120 watt mono, 2x60 stereo, headphone input, clip & signal led, power amp bypass to use the unit as an fx unit only, every midi configuration you can think of, downloadable software, volume with MASTER volume etc and so on as the features go on and on and that's just some on the front of the amp as the back is loaded with so many features, uses and configurations it would take me an hour to type it all. Unbelievable.

Most of the presets suck but once you start tweaking and honing in on what you looking for it gets apparant that you have at your disposable a very powerful and very thought out piece of gear. The unit is capable of getting all different kinds of sounds. I must agree the unit does lean on the high gain side and I love it because that's why I bought it. It is true it is hard(but not impossible) to get a "Buzzy" type distortion but that's by design as it only simulates expensive and milestone amplifiers, your not going to find a Peavy Bandit simulation on any of the settings. The amp sounds good through a 4x12 and even better when recording and using the cab simulations, and unlike many amps that cost 10 times as much the settings actually change the sound even moved a hair and actually there are even in between settings as well. Does the unit sound like a Savage or a Boogie? Of course not but close enough for my money. All the sounds are in there you just have to be patient and READ THE MANUAL 20 times if you need to. You have to understand the unit before you can master it's capabilities. It does come with a simple "up-down" footswitch that allows you access to all 125 channels. What I do is set up the 5 presets in each bank. That allows you five different sounds to do one song and beings your staying in the same bank no delay when switching. When the song is over you simply walk over to the amp and change the bank from bank 1 to bank 2 and so on, now I have 5 more sounds to do the next song. You could actually do this 25 times and do 25 different songs which is a nice set without changing banks during a song and each song has 5 different sounds for you to utilize. Now that's versatile and all with that little footswitch that comes with the amp like it should. The amp also looks wicked in the dark as you can see all the settings in RED great when on a dim lighted stage. The footswitch does'nt have any lights but you really don't need em. I currently use an 84 Made in Japan X-Series Vantage X-77 Avenger fitted with a Duncan SH-2 and Sh-4 the amp really brings the guitars tones out. That's all I use now, the amp with a Marshall 4x12 cab and my guitar. That's all I need(for now till they release the matching cab). I play Heavy rock and Heavy metal and have been playing for 30+ years. The volume complaints concerning the Combo version has been solved with the head version as Behringer was listening for sure. Also I would wait for the matching BG412V 4x12 cab which was delayed in it's release and moved up to the first quarter of 2005. I was told by a Behringer rep through email that the cabinet was designed for ROCK, not country, not blues, but ROCK and METAL and is voiced like a Marshall. I already ordered the cabinet and when it comes in out goes the Marshall and in comes another guitar.

Seams well built and works like it should I guess time will only tell.

Emailed Behringer several times and got a response every single time. Very heplful.

I can't really see myself giving this amp anything less then a 10 as I have'nt yet found anything about the unit that I don't like. For features, sound and the "Thought" process that went into the design concerning this amp it's a 9.5. Giving the price of $219.99 it gets a 10. Do yourself a favor if your looking into a modeling amp. Go into a music shop and A/B it with another modeling amp. You be the judge and all I can say to anyone reading this is THE AMP IS WORTH EVERY PENNY. PERIOD.

In practice this is a 125 channel stereo 2 x 60W head with 32 amp models and a whole bunch of digital effects thrown in. It aslo has just about every conceivable type of in/out connection you could ever want and even comes with a footswitch included.....What else do you want?!

Let's not get in to the "does sound exactly like (insert favourite vintage tube amp here)?" debate. No it doesn't, but if you think that's the point, then you REALLY don't get the point!! This amp has a fabulous range of different tones on offer and many of them are very good indeed. This point has been raised before but is important: unless you are using the V-Ampire for direct recording, MAKE SURE YOU SET THE AMP IN L2 MODE!! If you use a mode with speaker modeling engaged, then it WILL sound like crap when you are connected to a real speaker cab!

I'm a long-time modeling convert and use the wonderful PODxt as my main recording tool, but I have always been less impressed with this technology as an amp alternative until now. I've tried the Line6 Spider and Flextone combos and never been impressed - I think that frankly, this V-Ampire kills them dead. I have it hooked up to a Behringer 4 x 12 cab and it sounds great, even at home studio-friendly volumes (an important factor when comparing this to tube amps!). You have to take some time to tweak patches to suit your guitars and playing syles, but with some small effort, this amp will do sparkly clean, crunch and all-out shred equally well. Keep the effects subtle, and they will also add some spice to the sound (compressor/chorus is nice for clean and a little delay works great for soaring lead tones). The auto-wah isn't exactly a highlight, but who needs it?

Guitar-wise, I use a 2001 Gibson LP Std Goldtop (hot-rodded with SD Phatcat P90s - awsome sound!), PRS Custom 24, Ibanez JP100-P2 (Petrucci signature model), U.S. Peavey Wolfgang Stoptail Std and Line6 Variax 500. I've found great V-Ampire sounds for all of them, so this amp should work well with most guitars. I don't have anything with low-output single coils, but since you can adjust the input gain on the amp, that shouldn't be a problem. I'm not sure how loud you could get this thing to work using very low gain settings, but it's many times over-loud enough for my home use!

I haven't owned it long enough to comment yet, but my past experience with Behringer gear has been that they build robust stuff.

I've had some contact previously with Behringer and always found them open, responsive and helpful.

I've been playing for over 30 years and apart from my direct recording boxes, I also have a Laney TT20H 20/12W tube head. That has a great tone, but it is a single channel amp with a much more limited range of sounds on tap. The V-Ampire is just perfect for coming home, plugging in and jamming away with easily selectable, completely different tones & effects for maximum inspiration. It is NOT a substitute for a room full of hideously expensive tube amps, but it IS immense playing fun and for the price of one or two stomp boxes or about 25 sets of strings, it is quite incredible value. In bang-for-buck, I can't see any possible competition.

New Nov. 2004 - Seems surprisingly well made considering the PRICE. This amp is more than just a V-AMP2 with a power amps. It has a 'clip' light and an input gain control to adjust for weak or strong output pickups. Other features are well documented elsewhere. The other surprise is that the master volume control actually works thru it's entire range - on most other amps I've owned (and they are many) the master generally stops doing anything except making noise above 5 or 6. Overall it has a wealth of features. Those it does not have, I Don't miss.

I am using the head thru a mid '70s marshall 4x12 cab with rola-celestion goldbacks. The cab has been wired stereo (8 ohms per side).
This cab is undoubtedly a major component of the great tone I'm able to get. I like heavy and crunchy-bassy 80's metal tones ala marsall jcm800-900, and a crystal jazz chorus clean. The amp does these very well. Tweaking is necessary to even out the channel volumes, compression levels - etc. This amp seems to favor higher output pickups over single coils. at about 12 o'clock on the master volume the amp is plenty loud and starts to push air quite nicely. There is very little hum or noise with the noise gate engaged. The chorus effect seems to wash out the sound on high gain models a little more than I'd like, but this can be compensated for with some EQ and channel volume tweaking. The low-mid-high-pres. EQ adjustments are OK, but I'd love to see a second set of eq parameters come into play for the lows & mids when the 2nd option button is pressed. I'd rate the sound of this unit at or above the other modeling stuff from L6, etc... (I own a now dead AX2, so I would know)

Time will tell

Called them in Washington once about a year ago for a replacement e-prom chip for my V-amp2. They were very friendly and sent one at no charge.

Been playing 25 yrs. Owned a little of everything, Peavy, Marshall Crate, Line-6 and now this. If it proves reliable - for THE PRICE it's unbeatable.

Brand new, just out of the box Nov 2004. Extremely versatile, will channel switch oh about 125 times. Everything can be edited in your
preset; volume, gain, bass, mid, treble, set which effects you want, etc., right on the amp as you listen. Then save it on whatever preset number you want. Oh and the treble control is also a presense control
when you hold down the "tap" button. You'll have to go somewhere else to get the rest of the features, it has so many. I mean it.

I tried a Ibanez two PSND humbuck guitar and it still could get a good surfin sound. Dead quiet on most settings but will hum a little on some high gain, high volume settings, AS IT Should! Otherwise you would have a wimp sound. It reminds me of an amp with good a pedals array.
The "compressor" effect gives you great sustain and really helps
give you more power in the sound. It sounds fab at low and high volume
so IMO is the perfect working musicians amp. It is also the best bet for your studio as it has every connection and setting for studio convenience, like cab sims, etc. My favorite sound so far is the "modern hi-gain". But since the presets are all fully editable
there is no limit to the sound preference. I couldn't get it to
sound like fuzzy static even on the "Fuzzbox" setting, but I suppose
with some tweaking, that preamppy raspy static distortion could be dialed in. I mean for most of your applications this amp will sound better than most tube amps above 50 amps. And that is where most people have to play anyway. I haven't found a tube amp yet AT LOW VOLUME that sounds better than the Peavey Transtube Supreme, Crate GX1200H, Crate G1500H, Marshall MG100DFX, etc. Face it, you have to crank all tube amps to get into output tube distortion, otherwise the sound stinks as it is preamp distortion. However the amp companies are trying to get us to love that fizzy sound so they can make cheap
amps for us. This amp sounds great and can be your secret weapon to
make great sounds and not blast everyones hearing, unless they want you to. I really like this amp, you will too. I am one who has faith that there won't be any vacuum tube amps on the real Starship Enterprise a couple hundred years from now. BTW I own a 50 watt all tube PTP amp. It sounds good when cranked past halfway on the master.
Below that level it is preamp tone. I also have another 100 watt all tube that I use with a Hot Plate to get the volume down so it can be cranked also.

I got a double warranty when I bought it. It is "no extra charge" at one of the big musical supply houses. Years ago we really didn't carry a backup because we didn't have the room or money to drag around twice the equipment. I suppose I would just plug into the main mixer to finish the night, why drag all yer stuff around so it can get wrecked or stolen.

I got a free double warranty and so I guess I am fat and happy.
Other than that, I don't know nuthin'!

I hate to have to buy something twice, it just adds to the pain and loss. But if I could only have one amp, this would be it. The features and sound quality at the giveaway price, c'mon, this is made for the
real workin' stiffs. Tube rats wouldn't go near it for fear it might sound better than the overpriced and [never used on stage] amps.
Buy it, use it. It costs about like two decent pedals. Even the manual says you can bypass the amp and use it as a pedal, Ha!
Other than that I don't have an opinion!

i got this amp knowing it was going to be exactly like the V-amp2 i had last year, i was unimpressed with that as it sounded CRAP though my amp, so the idea of it BEING an amp made me go for it.it handles the goth/death/heavy metal i play really well even at low volumes and under head phones....pleanty of effects although limited and a nice selection of cab sim's.

it has enough of a raw edge to it when through two compact marshall 4x12's at its optimum of either 2x60 watts or 120 watts mono...the effects are nice enough to put someone to sleep, and if that does happen just turn it up louder to wake them back up.Tip find the heaviest F*****g setting and about 2am in the morning play wait and bleed and just watch how fast the neighbours lights come on. You'd be supprised.

very good reall....Yes behringer do seem to be the "break-down-able" products on the shelf but if you do happen to get one that works then it's not a bad thing.....don't be put off by reputation.....i wasn't and i'm glad.

Top notch....if a little slow took 6 days to get a response even for a general question....on the whole v.good

for the price very good ....if you cant afford line 6 amp heads go for the v-ampire it's cheap, fairly reliable (customer support that is) and all in all a fine bit of kit......Tip ....if you can get a v-ampire and a line 6 flextone head in the same room at the same time crank'em up and let your ears decide......Have FUN!!!!!

This is a 2 x 60W modelling stereo amp head with 32 amp models, 15 speaker simulations and some basic FX. Behringer mentions that it can deliver 120w mono, but please note: 120W MONO IS FOR 4 OHMS ONLY! With just one 8 ohm cabinet, you're stuck with 60W and that just won't cut it when playing with a loud band. So you'll either have to rewire your cabinet or buy a full stack. Bummer. I didn't read the manual well enough before buying, so this was a major let-down.

I have no personal experience on the sound as of yet(see "Reliability" below). But my bandmate says it seems soundwise pretty good and versatile. Especially for the money paid.

Arrived completely dead. No sound, no lights, nothing. There were no marks on the package nor on the head itself that would indicate any mishandling. So it's probably an indication Behringer's (non-existant?) quality control. With the same order came my bandmate's LX1200H as well. It worked.

I won't be dealing with Behringer directly. The company that sold me the amp will take care of the replacement. Warranty is for one year and it was put into use even without one note coming throught the amp(and somehow I'm...uh well...very unimpressed).

Well well well, I was practically standing in line to get this amp the instant it was released. I have used loads of different tube amps before and while I've loved the tube sound, I was looking for an easy plug-and-play MIDI controllable solution for live use. I'll post another review when (if?) I get it working. Looks nice and well built on the outside, though.