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* EDIT: Up-to-date information is available in Yek's Guide to the Fractal Audio Amplifier Models *
DAS METALL and DIZZY V4: based on Diezel VH4
One write-up, but it covers a lot of models. This is Peter Diezel’s VH4, the amp that really launched his company. Although the VH4 is mostly associated with high-gain, it really is a versatile rock amp with its many channels and sounds. But yes, it excels at aggressive high-gain. The amp has 4 channels and puts out 100+ watts through 6550 power tubes. Famous Diezel users: Metallica, Mark Tremonti, Muse and Adam Jones from Tool. The VH4S is a stereo model.
Diezel:
Cliff:
We have a lot of VH4 models at our disposal. The oldest one is DAS METALL, from the Standard/Ultra days. It is based on a schematic and modeled by ear, and hasn’t been matched to a real VH4. It still is a very popular amp model.
The other models are based on a real VH4, with either a blue or a silver faceplate. Blue Diezels are the early ones. They sound darker (crank Presence!) than the later Silver ones. You can decide for yourself which one you prefer. I go for silver (which is why I never became an Olympic athlete).
Cliff (Quantum firmware):
Diezel's VH4 manual:
The amp has these controls: Gain, Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence, Deep, Bright switch on channels 1 and 2. In the model of channel 2, the Bright switch has a noticeable impact.
Diezel:
Here are a lot of sample settings.
Combine the amp with V30 or G12-K100 speakers. Take your pick from the stock cabs.
DAS METALL and DIZZY V4: based on Diezel VH4
One write-up, but it covers a lot of models. This is Peter Diezel’s VH4, the amp that really launched his company. Although the VH4 is mostly associated with high-gain, it really is a versatile rock amp with its many channels and sounds. But yes, it excels at aggressive high-gain. The amp has 4 channels and puts out 100+ watts through 6550 power tubes. Famous Diezel users: Metallica, Mark Tremonti, Muse and Adam Jones from Tool. The VH4S is a stereo model.
Diezel:
“Launched in 1994 the VH4 was a milestone in guitar amplification. The head has a powerful 100 Watt section, 4 individual preamps, each with individual equalization and volume/gain controls and is fully midi switchable. At that time that was unique - a head which replaced refridgerator sized racks. Additionally the VH4 has serial and parallel loops and the so called channel inserts to add pedals specifically for each channel, like a analogue chorus just for clean or a compressor for crunch.
The four preamps are: clean, crunch, mega and lead. The clean channel (additional bright switch) has the Diezel-typical HiFi-clean, but with its gain pot is able to reproduce the powerful and warmer Hiwatt territory as well.
The crunch channel (also with bright switch) starts where the clean ends: warm, powerful clean sounds. Variation of the controls (volume, gain) will open the amp to sonic dimensions of semi-crunch and full crunch sounds.
The mega channel is the typical Diezel trademark sound. Nuff said. Try it, love it.
The lead channel starts, where the mega ends: more compression, more smoothness - a singing/screaming lead at its best.
The VH4 is the ultimate sound machine for numerous styles. With its deep section also suitable for many heavier styles, but also the perfect central for Top 40 guitarists looking for the whole spectrum of guitar sounds from yesterday to today. Still a masterpiece - the VH4.”
Cliff:
"People think the VH4 is a metal amp which it most definitely is not. It's a mid-gain amp. If you try to use it for detuned death-metal it won't sound good because that's not its intended usage."
We have a lot of VH4 models at our disposal. The oldest one is DAS METALL, from the Standard/Ultra days. It is based on a schematic and modeled by ear, and hasn’t been matched to a real VH4. It still is a very popular amp model.
The other models are based on a real VH4, with either a blue or a silver faceplate. Blue Diezels are the early ones. They sound darker (crank Presence!) than the later Silver ones. You can decide for yourself which one you prefer. I go for silver (which is why I never became an Olympic athlete).
Cliff (Quantum firmware):
"The Dizzy and Herbie models were completely redone as I figured out the secret to the Diezel sound."
Diezel's VH4 manual:
“Channel 1 Clean: for clean, undistorted sound with high power and good harmonics. With its gain control to the upper third, it sounds soft and warm, gain at lower settings produce more percussive and penetrating clean sounds. Full gain setting makes crunch sounds possible. The tone reminds of a cross between a twin and a Hiwatt 100, but with better overall dynamic response.
Channel 2 Crunch: is a blues guitarists closest friend. Its dynamic spectrum is especially beautiful in the lower frequency range. Its gain range goes from clean to distorted. Due to its different voicing the 2nd channel will sound a little softer than channel one in clean mode (gain 2:00-3:00, and approaches channel 3’s tone in high gain mode (gain 3:00-4:00, but with softer midrange and less compression. “Raw” probably best describes this channel.
Channel 3 Distortion: its concept is heavy rhythm guitar. The distortion is noticeably tighter than in channel 2. The side effect of this added compression is that the signal gets somewhat limited in its dynamic range. This limitation hits mostly the lower frequencies. This loss is corrected by a negative feedback loop to the power amps, which adds fat low end to this tone without muddling up the tone. The control for this low end is in the master section and bears the “Deep” designation. The gain structure of channel 3 is designed to deliver great distorted sound even with guitars that have relatively low output, like many vintage guitars. The side effect here is that guitars with very high output (active EMG etc.) might overdrive this channel too much and become too compressed. The guitar loses its punch in the band sound and becomes very undefined. In this case, a radical gain reduction is the cure. The guitar sound will clean up a little bit, and the overtones and harmonics will once again sparkle. It is best to start with a 12:00 o-clock gain setting and start to feel your way to the point of perfection and very little compression. This works best while the band is playing with you. Remember - less is often more.
Channel 4 Solo: a little more mid heavy than channel 3, therefore punches through the band sound quite well. See channel 3 description for gain control setting. Often a gain setting near 1:00 o’clock is sufficient for absolute high gain distortion. Use the volume control here and for all other channels to match the individual channel volumes.”
Channel 3 Distortion: its concept is heavy rhythm guitar. The distortion is noticeably tighter than in channel 2. The side effect of this added compression is that the signal gets somewhat limited in its dynamic range. This limitation hits mostly the lower frequencies. This loss is corrected by a negative feedback loop to the power amps, which adds fat low end to this tone without muddling up the tone. The control for this low end is in the master section and bears the “Deep” designation. The gain structure of channel 3 is designed to deliver great distorted sound even with guitars that have relatively low output, like many vintage guitars. The side effect here is that guitars with very high output (active EMG etc.) might overdrive this channel too much and become too compressed. The guitar loses its punch in the band sound and becomes very undefined. In this case, a radical gain reduction is the cure. The guitar sound will clean up a little bit, and the overtones and harmonics will once again sparkle. It is best to start with a 12:00 o-clock gain setting and start to feel your way to the point of perfection and very little compression. This works best while the band is playing with you. Remember - less is often more.
Channel 4 Solo: a little more mid heavy than channel 3, therefore punches through the band sound quite well. See channel 3 description for gain control setting. Often a gain setting near 1:00 o’clock is sufficient for absolute high gain distortion. Use the volume control here and for all other channels to match the individual channel volumes.”
The amp has these controls: Gain, Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence, Deep, Bright switch on channels 1 and 2. In the model of channel 2, the Bright switch has a noticeable impact.
Diezel:
“Master Volume: controls the final volume of the Power amplifier(s). The layout of the controls is such that full volume is achieved at the 1:00 o’clock knob setting. Turning the knob further will overdrive the power amp(s) to create power amp distortion for those of you that prefer this sort of thing. We added this feature to round out the distortion sound palette on the extreme end. So you friends of all things vintage can get colorations and distortion textures that only power amp tubes can deliver. Bring your ear plugs, please. “
“Presence: This knob controls the treble part of the power amps tone spectrum. Its frequency centers at about 4kHz. Treble is produced and dispersed in a very small beam from the speaker, so be sure to position yourself in the projection area of the speaker when making adjustments.“
“Deep: the Deep control is an active bass control for the power amp that adds low end punch to the power amp centered at 80Hz. It does not alter the dynamic behavior of the power amp. Diezel Co. is not responsible for cabinet handles popping out etc.“
Here are a lot of sample settings.
Combine the amp with V30 or G12-K100 speakers. Take your pick from the stock cabs.
Fractal Audio and OwnHammer have IR libraries with Diezel cabinets.
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