The AD15/30/50/100VT Chrome series are great value but they are the lower-priced range of Valvetronix & that means a lot of features available on the AD60/120's (Blue series) have had to be sacrificed. The differences between the chrome & blue series are pretty wide-ranging. The technical design of the amps is also somewhat different. For example, the valve-reactor circuitry in the 'Blues' interacts with speaker impedence. In the 'Chromes', it doesn't. This makes a big difference to how the amp performs at volume. See here for the technical evaluation by Nik, our resident tech guru, following his review of the technical specs:
http://www.valvetronix.net/forum/4-vt87 ... c&start=30
Other main differences are: -
Chromes: - 11 amp models (22 in VT; 33 in VT+)
Blues: - 16 amp models
Chromes : - Memory/patch features very limited with no ability to alter & save more than 2 factory 'pre-sets' - other than this, the factory pre-sets nor their volume settings can be altered and saved. For this reason, most users usually mostly use the amp in manual mode. (VT & VT+ allow 8 user memory settings)
Blues: - 32 fully programmable pre-sets inc individual volume, effect levels etc (with VC12, you can store a total of 128 pre-sets, although only 32 can be recalled at any one time)
Chromes: - basic VFS2 pedal (2 channel switch that will also allow effects bypass), no stomp box facilities, incompatible with VC4/VC12. (VT & VT+ have 8 patch memory, VFS5 is only compatible floor controller)
Blues: - compatible with VC4 & VC12 floor-controller, giving full stomp-box facilities, full 'foot' access to 32 custom patches, and volume/expression pedals (VC12 has independent volume/expression pedal, VC4 has single switchable pedal, VC12 can hold 128 patches independent of the Valvetronix & can control two 'blue' amps simultaneously)
Chromes: - (except AD100 and VT100) no effects loop, limited 'outs' (varies between model). New VT+ has pm3 out but no FX loop or extn cab out on any version.
Blues:- effects loop (stereo on 120's), independent headphone, line-outs with level control, extn speaker out
(Important note: When using line-outs or headphone, on the 'Blue' series these are after the tube, so you still get tube tone and control via the Master Volume. However, on the Chrome range, the line-outs and headphone are before the tube, so the tone is flatter & more digital). Also, the line-outs and extension cab disconnect the internal speakers in the ADxxVT chromes and the new VT's, whereas in the Blue series, the internal speakers stay connected with extn cab and/or line outs.
Chromes: - Very limited effects choices (certain combinations are 'forced' on the user); there is no separate pedal section; no independent presence control; only a single input; and no in-built tuner (New VT's now have global reverb; VT+ has pedal section with 11 pedal options, 11 modulation/delay, 3 reverbs)
Blues: - 3 reverbs, 3 delays, 5 modulation (any one from each can be selected independently); pedal section with 10 effects (any one of which can be used with any of the previous effects); hi & lo gain inputs; built-in chromatic tuner adjustable from 435-445 Hz
Additional points: -
Blue series '4-position' power selector much more efficient than 'variable' selector on Chromes (often reported as sapping tone at mid settings - n.b. AD15 doesn't have this feature, new VT15 does);
Blue VT has Celestion Voiced speakers. The VTX has Celestion 'Neodogs' - both significantly superior (especially Neodogs) to 'Chrome' speakers. However, the AD50VT does have a decent 1x12" Celestion Seventy 80 speaker. However, all the other speakers used in the chrome range are 'Vox own'. (All new VT's have Vox own speakers, that are an improvement on original ADxxVT speakers)
The VTX also has a birch-ply construction cab, closed-back, 8-16 Ohm extn speaker switch & 'retuned' power amp to get the best from the Neodogs.
Headphone output & FX loop: - these are stereo on AD120 range; mono on AD60's and all of the 'Chrome' series.
In the Chrome series, some of the effects do give wider parameter control as compared to Blue series, and the Chrome range uses 24bit AD/DA convertors as opposed to 20 bit AD/DA (Blues, TL, TLSE). VT+ power selector now in main control section
Rich
