OT- ZVEX 1/2 watt amp.

[Mike Nichting]

Does anyone own or play a ZVEX half watt amp?? How loud is it and what kind of tone does it have??
Does it overdrive well??


Thanks
Mike N.

[Ansil]

Does anyone own or play a ZVEX half watt amp?? How loud is it and what kind of tone does it have??
Does it overdrive well??


Thanks
Mike N.

wasn't sure if you saw my other post  can't remember .. anywya i got to see one and hear it at a recording session... well worth the money, both tone and loudness..  
i couldn't scream over it, and i am LOUD!!!!!!!!  
you might need something slightly louder for a drummer, but you can always mike it.
i am going to try and get one eventually.

[Mike Nichting]

Thanks Ansil~!!

What type of tone does it have?? Compare it to another amp we all know.
I know it's not going to be exactly like that but give me a Ballpark tone estimate.

If I ever have $$ I am going to buy one. I ghuess you couyld always run it through a clean power amp if you needed to.

[Roland]

Fantastic little amp or head . The zvex website covers the features pretty good , but I would have to say it’s better  in real life. The Nano head is very friendly too effects and covers classic rock and clean tones as is. The quietness is something you’ll just have to get used too, it’s so quiet and has the most alluring blue led, which is good as you would forget it was on without it (the led),it’s that quiet. Tone wise it covers dark sounds like an old jtm or bright sounds like a vox or fender. In the fat and bright mode it starts sounding plexi-ish . The more you turn it up the more overdriven it gets and you have a cranked tone that everyone finds pleasing to listen to as it is not at ear bleeding levels. The more speakers you have the better. The best tones come from a 4X12 cab, just like the big boys. If your using one speaker don’t expect ball crushing lows.

For recording it is indispensable (microphone friendly volume level) . For cranked tube saturation at pleasing levels it is the kitties hind. The tiny 1 inch speaker is more a safety issue than anything else however it does work hence you can take this thing anywhere there is a 12 volt supply or power outlet and not lug around a speaker, great for practicing  without disturbing. Now you can take your guitar to the lake and stick the nano in the glovey.

Using effects before it like overdrives etc. can really throw the amp/head into other realms as it accepts being overdriven or boosted quite nicely. I think a lot of it has to do with the low noise level of the amp and the tonal variations you can switch in or out , there are plenty of combinations to pick from. On of the most surprising moments is when I stuck a heavy metal style  pedal into the nano. The pedal sounded awfull thru most leading amps but surprisingly sounded excellant thru the nano. There is a forum on the zvex website where the nano is discussed  more intensively.

[drew]

I've thought about the nano head for a while.... would love to try one out in person! I play thru a blackface Super Reverb right now which is fine, but usually use my Champ for recording. Somehow it just sounds "bigger" when recorded. I'd suspect the same is true for the nanohead, except probably not as loud as the Champ even.

I record in the same room with my mixing desk and monitors, so if I have the Super Reverb (or god forbid, an EVEN LOUDER AMP) cranked it's just impossible to hear how it sounds on tape without recording a bit, giving my ears time to adjust, playing it back, adjusting the tone, adjusting mics, etc. etc. etc...


drew
toothpastefordinner.com

[Roland]

Yeh I have a heavily modified champ also that I use for recording purposes and experience the same situations . I have to say tho the nano head gets a big sound on tape.

I think the reason being is that you can get "the tone" at such low volume levels that your mic is not distorting as much hence more pure tone quality gets thru. It is a very recording friendly amp/head. I really believe every recording studio in the world will eventually have one. Not surprising as the nano's creator/ inventor is or was a recording engineer.