Vox DA5 amp settings

Sorry if this is elsewhere, I tried the search feature but it kept refusing to recognize "Vox DA5" in my searches.

Just got my amp today and I've been playing around with it. For those of you who use the Vox DA5 amplifier, I'm curious what Style do you set it to, how much gain, any effects? Etc...

I may have to run next door and get my DA5. I use it at church with my Telecaster.

I would start with the Clean 1 model. That's a very, very clean amp setting with plenty of low (bass) end. It's actually modeled after an old Dumble amplifier, and called "Boutique Clean" on the Valvetronix amps. The gain can go up pretty far without overdriving, like maybe to 1:00 or 2:00.

As far as effects, just play with reverb, delay, or "chorus & reverb" for now. Those should sound sweet.

The Clean 2 is a Blackface Fender Deluxe Reverb, Blues 1 is a Silverface Twin. Blues 2 is a Vox AC15, Blues 3 is a Vox AC30. I personally never go past the AC30 setting, as I tend to play somewhere between clean and crunchy. I'd have very little use for a Marshall or a Mesa Boogie.

I've heard that the reverb and delay is the same control for the vox - is this a good/bad thing?

I know nothing about amps, but am interested to get one. Am trying to decide whether or not to get the Vox DA5 or the micro cube, (I've read good things on both here, but my impression is that the micro cube is the more popular choice, or maybe it's because it's harder to search for vox da5 here ) and this detail seem to be something people are most concerned with with the Vox. So, is it a big deal? Which one would you get if given the choice?

cocohonk said:

I've heard that the reverb and delay is the same control for the vox - is this a good/bad thing?

I know nothing about amps, but am interested to get one. Am trying to decide whether or not to get the Vox DA5 or the micro cube, (I've read good things on both here, but my impression is that the micro cube is the more popular choice, or maybe it's because it's harder to search for vox da5 here ) and this detail seem to be something people are most concerned with with the Vox. So, is it a big deal?

Click to expand...

Delay and reverb, and all of the other effects on the DA5 are on the same control. But it's going to be the same way on the microcube too, except the delay and reverb are separated from the flanger/chorus/phaser/etc on the roland unit. The reason you can't search for Vox DA5 is because the words are less than 3 characters long, so the search doesn't pick it up. But it is still a very popular amp. And really, having delay and reverb on the same control (aka not being able to have them on at the same time) really isn't that big of a deal. The delay isn't very good on either amp anyway. And I basically never use any of the effects except for a touch of reverb.

If you want to choose between the DA5 and Microcube, I'd say go with the microcube. AA batteries are soooo much more convenient than Cs, because they're readily available in rechargeable form without having to mess with the pain of AA to c adapters. However, the big perks for the DA5 include that you can keep the power supply inside of it because you can open up the back and stash things in there. So you wont lose the power adapter. I have no idea where my microcube power unit went...I know its somewhere.... And the other thing about the DA5 is that you can plug in a mic and uke at the same time. Very useful. It is the amp that I run everything through when recording, so I can just take a single mono quarter inch to stereo 3.5mm cable to my computer. Not quite ProTools status, but it works great.

Anyway, back to the OP's question. For uke playing, I only use the reverb effect on my vox. As for amp modeling, I usually use Blues 2, because the clean settings just seem too soft. And I have gain at 25% and tone at 50%. As for that edit switch thing, I have not read the instructions, and have absolutely no idea how to use it.

Extensive review of the Vox DA5 and other battery powered amps here:

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5333

To get the cleanest setting on a Vox DA5, turn the volume all the way up (for maximum headroom) and start the gain control from zero to adjust the sound level. Set the effects control on Reverb and add just enough reverb with the effect control to give the sound a little "liveliness". I usually set the tone control between 10 o'clock and 12 o'clock.

Between the Roland Microcube and the Vox DA5, I Pick the Vox DA5

Vox DA5......................................../Roland Microcube.............................

5 watts power output....................../2 watts power output.......................
6.5" speaker.................................../4" speaker.....................................
Microphone input............................./No microphone input........................
AUX input......................................./AUX input......................................
Battery/AC powered........................./Battery/AC powered........................
Onboard Effects............................../Onboard Effects..............................
Carrying Strap (Guitar Strap Buttons)../Carrying Strap (Guitar Strap Buttons).
No built in Tuner............................./Electronic "Tuning Fork" - "A" note......

The Vox DA5 is substantially louder than the Roland Microcube and all other microamps in the same price range. It has the added versatillity of two indepently controlled input channels. Ric

Thanks experimentjon and ricdoug - that was really informative and helpful.

I think now I'm leaning towards the Vox (since the battery thing doesn't really bother me much, and the mic input is an awesome feature to have), but I'll definitely try both at the store to see which sound I prefer.

Thanks for helping me out!