VHT Deliverance Review

[JohnRageOn]

I had the chance last Friday to play with a Deliverance head for a few hours and I wanted to share with you my thoughts!

I must mention that I played with it through a VHT 2x12 Fatbottom!

1. This head has an amazing tone, it's very organical, cleans up nicely and can deliver u your favorite 70's - 80's tunes perfectly.

2. VHT maintained their RRRROARRRR voicing, meaning it's not as modern as a UL or 100CLX but what the hell it's still a VHT (I must mention that although the majority of VHT heads must have a post EQ installed, Deliverance is fine without it)

3. It's pretty loud for a 60 watter

4. It has fast response (that's why I love VHTs)

5. It is voiced near old Pittbull Classic heads to my ears

6. It has enough gain and long sustain

7. I didn't dig enough the controls, only for a couple of minutes and found wonderful tones

8. I prefered them like that:

Gain I - 5 'o clock

Gain II - 12 'o clock (not too thick)

More Switch - ON!!!

Treble - 1 'o clock

Middle - 12 'o clock

Bass - 2 'o clock

Presence - 2 'o clock

Depth- 3 'o clock (at low level settings, when I raised a bit the volume I put it at 1 'o clock)

 

Although I first heard it with a Deliver Cab, Fatbottom was very nice and it had a huge headroom!

 

If you've played through this amp post your comments and if you own it firstly congratulations and post even more comments

 

The only disadvantage I found was the lack of an FX Loop. I know this head was made for straight ahead rock playing but a loop is always needed if you want to add some delay!

[yoh_yoh]

everything sounded great on your review until you said "it doesn't have FX loop"... delay is always helpful...

[JohnRageOn]

That's why I left that one last, I don't know what Steve was thinking! But for it's price is the best head out there!!!

[JohnRageOn]

I forgot to mention that the test guitars were an Anderson Drop Top and a Heritage LP with Suhr SSH pickups (wicked!!!)

[mctallica1]

I am dying to try one of these.

 

I have heard that they are based off the green channel of the CL (which is my favorite channel on ANY high gain amp)... don't know if this is true or not. Can you compere?

 

The other thing I heard (which has kept me from buying one) is that they need to be pushed a bit to get into the good stuff.

 

All the VHT's I have owned have been able to get GREAT tones at conversation volume... better as they get louder of course.... because of the superb master volume and channel volume systems. Can you comment on this?

 

 

Thanks!

Tony

[JohnRageOn]

 

Originally posted by mctallica1 I am dying to try one of these. I have heard that they are based off the green channel of the CL (which is my favorite channel on ANY high gain amp)... don't know if this is true or not. Can you compere? The other thing I heard (which has kept me from buying one) is that they need to be pushed a bit to get into the good stuff. All the VHT's I have owned have been able to get GREAT tones at conversation volume... better as they get louder of course.... because of the superb master volume and channel volume systems. Can you comment on this? Thanks! Tony

 

Hey Tony,

Thanks for replying

 

As I told you it reminds me of old VHT Classic Heads (era 1990 something although they had EL34s installed). Both 100CL and 50CL are based on these designs. UL and CLX are a bit different and more modern to my ears (Awesome amps BTW). The Deliverance head that I played thru was /w KT88 60watt model. I played for only 2 or three minutes at 10 'o clock and it was too loud. The rest of the time I played it at 8 'o clock let's say and it was ok, it doesn't need necessarily to be very loud in order to play well(you can exercise yourself at bedroom levels).

 

Thanks for contributing!!!

[scottdh]

I am absolutely in love with my Deliverance 120. I've had it for 2 months and I can't stop playing through it. My other amps just aren't getting as much attention these days. All my recording gear is in storage due to an upcoming move, but once I get settled I will start working on some clips.

[Rufus Leaking]

Yup!

 

I love my D60. I found mine for $1K used and it's the best money I've ever spent on gear. I honestly can't find anything I don't like about this amp. It's very brown and organic, yet still tight and cutting. Plenty of low end if you want it and stays thick for single note stuff. Great, great amp and at that price it's worth getting a Hotplate and a poweramp and running a W/D/W setup.

 

It sounds great at bedroom volumes too!

[JohnRageOn]

Originally posted by Rufus Leaking it's worth getting a Hotplate and a poweramp and running a W/D/W setup.

 

I thought about it too, do u know if anybody here has done this? :D

[JohnRageOn]

Bump for night people!!!

[splatt]

Originally posted by JohnRageOn I thought about it too, do u know if anybody here has done this? :D

yes, i run a d120 in a w/d/w rig, regularly, using an 8-ohm HotPlate (or a 16-ohm one, if i'm using a 4x12),

though i've always referred to this as a "3-point stereo" rig, fwiw.

fantastic amp, and not at all limited to "classic" tones, thank g-d!

dt / spltrcl

[jshaft37]

how does this amp do high gain modern death metal stuff? i would think it would smoke with those kt88s.

[scottdh]

 

Originally posted by jshaft37 how does this amp do high gain modern death metal stuff? i would think it would smoke with those kt88s.

 

 

It absolutely smokes the high gain stuff, at least IMO. I don't know if it's right for death metal, but you could listen to the latest Unearth for a fairly good representation of its tones. I feel like it's high gain tones are fairly close to that, even unboosted.

[jshaft37]

yeah, unearth has killer tone. really raw sounding, the triplets feel like your face is getting torn off.

[yabba]

I haven't played anything else since getting my d60; sooo many awesome tones inside that thing!

 

mctallica: mine sounds great at low volumes (since it's single channel, it doesn't have the 'channel master ' volumes that the pittbulls have, so if you need truly low (like sub-tv) volume levels, the master can be a bit touchy (though my weber mass works great for some added fine control over volume down in that range); but when cranked you can get much more saturation/squish out of it

[jforsythe]

How does it sound at stage volumes without an attenuator?

 

Those that own the 120 say it's got more low-end and headroom compared to the 60. When using the w/d/w setup with a poweramp, does it really matter then whether you have a 60 or a 120 since it's being powered by an external source anyway?

[splatt]

 

Originally posted by jforsythe How does it sound at stage volumes without an attenuator?

 

since i've mostly been playing in studios and odd clubs,

i've only been using the amp attenuated;

in conjunction w/the use of the truly functional MV,

it still sounds and feels amazing, to me, and

1) i have one of the very first d120's shipped, &

2) was minorly involved in testing the prototypes.

 

if one were worried about "too much volume", or "too much use of the MV",

i'd suggest trying a d60.

me,

i love the d120 for its headroom and super-wide and girthy low-end delivery.

 

 

 

Originally posted by jforsythe When using the w/d/w setup, do you have to connect to a poweramp?

 

yes, indeed;

i'm currently using the power sections and speakers of 1 or 2 rivera "hundred duo twelve" combos, depending upon the gig.

 

dt / spltrcl

[splatt]

 

Originally posted by jforsythe Those that own the 120 say it's got more low-end and headroom compared to the 60.

 

more headroom, for sure --- 60 watts more!

i believe that the low-end is wider/deeper w/the larger wattage amps, in general, but certainly the d60 is no freakin' slouch, in that respect!

 

 

Originally posted by jforsythe When using the w/d/w setup with a poweramp, does it really matter then whether you have a 60 or a 120 since it's being powered by an external source anyway?

 

ah, you misunderstand w/d and w/d/w setups, there:

my d120 feeds its very own cab, via its very own power section: "dry";

the secondary amp(s) & cab(s) are only for the "wet" signal, in my case, so.

 

dt / spltrcl

[jforsythe]

Sorry, I edited the second paragraph from my last post since you responded.

 

Now it reads:

 

"Those that own the 120 say it's got more low-end and headroom compared to the 60. When using the w/d/w setup with a poweramp, does it really matter then whether you have a 60 or a 120 since it's being powered by an external source anyway?"

[splatt]

Originally posted by jforsythe Sorry, I edited the second paragraph from my last post since you responded. Now it reads:

yeah, see my incredibly swift response, above, already.

dt / spltrcl

[jforsythe]

Thanks for the clarification, splatt. I have been gassing for a D120 for months now but have no means to buy one anytime soon.

 

I've been looking at the VHT UL as well because I can't seem to get past the lack of effects loop on the Deliverance series.

 

The whole w/d thing is a cool idea, but I really just want a plug-and-play type of setup where all I gotta bring is my head, cab, guitar and a few pedals.

[splatt]

 

Originally posted by jforsythe Thanks for the clarification, splatt. I have been gassing for a D120 for months now but have no means to buy one anytime soon. I've been looking at the VHT UL as well because I can't seem to get past the lack of effects loop on the Deliverance series. The whole w/d thing is a cool idea, but I really just want a plug-and-play type of setup where all I gotta bring is my head, cab, guitar and a few pedals.

 

i understand.

i will admit that i often play my d120 w/just a buncha pedals, or none --- no wet rig --- but, that's largely at my studio.

regardless:

the deliverii (both 60 and 120) take to pedals extremely kindly, and i've not found the lack of a loop (or, even a second channel) limiting, at all.

ymmv, of course!

dt / spltrcl

[jforsythe]

The only effect I use that would require a loop is a Boss DD-6 delay pedal. I mainly use it for clean sounds, which would be ok with the Deliverance, but sometimes I need the delay during an occasional rhythm part. I don't need the delay to sound amazing during the rhythm parts, I just don't want it sounding like a fuzzy mess like it does thru my JCM 800.

[Shiny_Surface]

Originally posted by splatt i understand. i will admit that i often play my d120 w/just a buncha pedals, or none --- no wet rig --- but, that's largely at my studio. regardless: the deliverii (both 60 and 120) take to pedals extremely kindly, and i've not found the lack of a loop (or, even a second channel) limiting, at all. ymmv, of course! dt / spltrcl

 

I have an UL and am intrigued by the Deliverance.

 

Seems like it would be a great studio amp for recording projects, lack of effects loop wouldn't matter anyway in that application

[splatt]

Originally posted by Shiny_Surface I have an UL and am intrigued by the Deliverance. Seems like it would be a great studio amp for recording projects, lack of effects loop wouldn't matter anyway in that application

yes, it really is a great (and unique) amp;

i've used it now on quite a few projects:

4 films, 3 or 4 records, including me own new (upcoming) one, and

quite a few live performances.

i'm very, very pleased..... and realtively "demanding", i guess, w/daily need for a very wide range of tones.

dt / spltrcl