Tell me about the VHT 2150...

Cron

Inspired
Hey guys.

Ive been using an Art sla-2 SS amp with my axe-fx and Im getting tired of the unnatural fizz it has compared to for instance a marshall 9200.

I have an opportunity to buy a VHT 2150. But i have no experience with kt88's. I cant try the power amp before buying it.

Im also looking for more dynamics and to be honest.... as a gigging musician i find the Art and axe-fx combo doesnt do it for me in that aspect. I played the axe-fx through a Marshall 9200 and really preferred the sound of the marshall. I am looking at other tube amps as well (randall rt2/50, mesa 2:90 etc) but the VHT seems interesting. Does it live up to its reputation?

Any advice or tips would be appreciated.

Thanks

Cron

edit: and yes the VHT 2150 is very expensive but if im going to be REALLY REALLY happy with it i dont mind.
 
KT88's have the highest headroom befor brake up you can get in a power tube for a guitar amp that I know of. I had a VHT UL120 that had 88's in it and it had gobbs of clearity and accuracy. The only down side is that amp weighs a fricken ton and 88 tubes are a bit pricy. If your happy with the way EL34's sound I would go VHT 2/50/2. Or why not step to a better SS amp.. Say QSC or Crest Audio somewhat cheeper and no tube hassel? though the ART is a pretty good amp and if your getting fizz it's more likely you need to tune it out of the Axe.
 
The art is ok...... it just doesnt have that pop and sparkle a tube amp has (obviously).

I considered a better SS amp but read in a shootout in another thread with higher end SS amps (crown etc) that they all sounded pretty much identical except the art had a tad more mids (1.2k range) and they compensated by dropping that band by a db or so in the global eq. The art just isnt dynamic enough..... and I know ppl will say Im not dialing the axe-fx in right but ive owned mine for a year and 4 months and id like to think I know what Im doing by now.

The art already doesnt have the sparkle and if i start dialing out fizz with peq's like you suggest (even in small doses) it sucks out even more harmonic content. The high and high mid frequencies just sound brittle to me for lack of a better word. If any of you found higher end SS amps sound more dynamic and less brittle then I will make a point of trying some before spending a lot on a tube power amp. But from reading the forums the conclusion I came to is the art sounds as good as the crown and qsc offerings..... at least for use with the axe-fx.
 
After much experimentation with SS, I finally settled on a VHT 2/90/2 which I am totally happy
with. I believe the 2150 is essentially the same amp. I say get it. You are going to love the
KT88's. They will present the biggest soundstage for the Axe of any tube powered amp. It will
sound enormous. What kind of speakers are you intending to use?
 
Either vintage 30's or g12h-100's (very similar to g12k-100's)

I am curious about Evm 12L's but they are very rare + expensive here.
 
The EV's I'm refering to are the new EV "Classics"
Super clean with unreal high-end definition for a
guitar speaker.

The Vintage 30's will sound like ass. The 100's much better.

I also use Weber paper cap California's in conjuction with my
EV's (2 of each in separate 2x12 cabs). They are also super
clean with great punch and low mids and have great balance
with the EV's.

I recommend getting one EV Classic and trying it in stereo with
a G12h-100. That will sound good and clear with the 2150.
Also check the 2150 when you get it. If it has cheap-assed
Chinese 12AX7's and AU7's you will need to replace them.
I replaced mine with good NOS Brit preamp tubes and my 2/90/2
got much crisper.
 
Curious to know what happened here.

I too have had my axe for 14 months bow - using the SLA-1 bridged into my 2x12 cab (1 x v30 and 1 x G12H aniv)

I have been in general happy - but every thime I tried it though a Vale heads power stage it just sounded better. I tried a Marshall 9100 and that was the same.

I love VHT/Fryette kit having owned 3 amps over the 9 years propr to the Axe (and nothing BUT VHTs is that time) and would love a KT88 based amp. However I couldnt afford one - until I found some 2:50:2s ex demo going very cheap. Should arrive in the next day or two.

Still love to know about the 2150 though (or 2:90:2 come to that - compared to the 2:50:2).
 
I ended up not buying the 2150.... it was a little more than I was comfortable spending. And my lack of experience with kt88's made me cautious....but the guy who I wanted to buy it from said he has 6l6's in it? Didnt know that was possible.

Im still on the lookout for a tube power amp. Marshall 9200, Mesa 2:90, Randall Rt2/50 etc. Just waiting for one to pop up on ebay at the right price here in Australia.
 
I am quite happy with a Seymour Duncan KTG-2100. It uses KT88 as well and has a "Dynamic-Control" which I find quite usefull. T.B.H. the switch from a SS-Amp is rather subtle than dramatic. I love my sound now but I am not sure how much the power amp attributes to it.
 
Poweramp is always on. I think I heard a difference between Thumps On and Off. I use Thumps ON with SS and Thump Off with the Tube Amp.
 
If anyone happens to be reading this with a VHT 2150 for sale, I'm really interested.
You win the Necro Bump award! And on your first post, no less!

A 10+ year dead thread now back to life. Wow :)

FYI - there is a sub forum for "Wanted to Buy", which would be the right place to post.
 
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