12.07.2015 Views

VOX COOLTRON PEDALS

VOX COOLTRON PEDALS

VOX COOLTRON PEDALS

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS
  • No tags were found...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

GEARINSTANTGRATIFICATIONBIG BEN OVERDRIVEWHO’S IT FOR?Old-schoolers seekingnatural-soundingoverdrive with touchsensitiveresponse.KUDOSCovers the full range ofauthentic amp-tonedoverdrive, from subtleto dimed-out sear.CONCERNSNone.PRICE$200 retailStreet price N/ABRIT BOOST<strong>VOX</strong> <strong>COOLTRON</strong> <strong>PEDALS</strong>T E S T E D B Y T E R R Y B U D D I N G HThere’s no denying the irresistible allure oftubes. While most of the electronics industryabandoned tube technology decades ago,we guitar players stubbornly cling to our precioustone bottles. This obsession with tubesseems to defy rational analysis. Solid-statetechnology is smaller, lighter, more efficient,and safer (primarily because it can operate atmuch lower voltages than tubes). Solid-stateproducts are also easier to mass-produce,and therefore cheaper to manufacture. Sowhy then do we have this seemingly irrationalobsession with tubes? Perhaps thebest reason is that tubes impart their ownunique musical character—a character thatguitar players (and other tone connoisseurs)find irresistibly compelling and difficultto forsake for mere convenience andbudgetary concerns.Vox obviously understands our insatiablelust for tubes and tube tone, and howthat passion can extend to stompboxes aswell as amps. That’s why each newCoolTron pedal proudly sports a 12AU7A—which is highlighted in dramatic fashion bythe cool glow of a blue LED.Tube-loaded stompboxes have beenaround for decades, and while some havefeatured conventional high-voltage tube circuitry,and others operated the tubes underWHO’S IT FOR?Those seeking vintageBritish treble-boostertones.KUDOSTube-enhanced, classictreble-booster toneswith added gain andtone-control.Footswitchable FullRange option.CONCERNSNone.PRICE$225 retailStreet price N/ABULLDOGDISTORTIONWHO’S IT FOR?Rockers seeking atwo-channel pedalthat covers both softclippedand hardclippeddistortiontextures.KUDOSVintage and modernchannels with globalBass and Treble controls.The secondchannel’s Voice controlprovides additionalmidrange scoopingfor wicked modernmetal tones.CONCERNSNone.PRICE$225 retailStreet price N/ACONTACTVox,(516) 333-9100voxamps.co.ukPHOTO: PAUL HAGGARD GUITAR PLAYER AUGUST 2005 161


GEARvery low voltage “starved plate” conditions,their designs have always been tethered bythe need for some form of AC power. Butthanks to some clever design work—includinga special low-current filament/heater“chopper” power supply—the CoolTronscan operate for about 15 hours powered byfour AA batteries.The CoolTron concept began with a circuitdeveloped by Fumio Mieda, designer ofthe legendary Univox Uni-Vibe. Mieda hadbeen experimenting with an innovative“servo bias” scheme that extracted moreperformance from a tube running at lowvoltages, and a more refined version of thatcircuit now forms the keystone of theCoolTron design. Veteran amp designerSteve Grindrod—who now heads the R&Dteam at Vox—designed the CoolTronsaround this unique, battery-friendly, performance-enhancingapproach. With thecombined talents of two of the most experienceddesigners in the history of musicalelectronics, it’s natural to expect theCoolTrons to be something special. Indeed,the three pedals represent a significantadvancement in the evolving art of stompboxdesign.Made in Japan, the CoolTrons emanate aboutique pedal vibe with their chrome-platedsteel enclosures and cool silk-screenedgraphics. They feel quite substantial, too,weighing about 2.25 lbs each. Measuringapproximately 6" x 6w", however, they don’thog as much space on your pedalboard assome tube-equipped stompboxes. Inside,the construction is crisp, clean, and modern,with three securely mounted PC boardsthat are peppered with an abundance of surface-mountcomponents.The Cooltrons’ 12AU7A dual-triode tubeis better suited for low-voltage operation thanthe more familiar, though closely related,12AX7. The tube’s two triode sections areWEAR YOURHEARTJoin the staff of Guitar Player in helping theyoung victims of the tsunami disaster. Our limited-editionG.T.R. (Guitarists for TsunamiRelief) t-shirt not only proclaims your globalconsciousness, but 100% of the profitsfrom the sales of GP’s G.T.R. shirt godirectly to UNICEF. So fly your colors!Let’s band together to bring some joyinto the lives of children who have littlereason to smile.Guitar Player’s G.T.R. shirt is just $15.00plus $9.95 postage and handling.ON YOUR CHEST!There are two ways to order. You can fill out this coupon, tear it out, and send it with your check(U.S. dollars only, please) to: Guitar Player, G.T.R. Program, 2800 Campus Drive, San Mateo,CA 94403. Or, if you’re like us and hate tearing up your fine issues of GP, you can simply senda note with the required info and your check, and we’ll send the shirt your way.Name:Street/City/State/Zip Code:E-mail (optional):Size: M L XL XXL Color: You get one choice—black!


GEARtied together, so it functions as a singletone-enhancing gain stage. (For prolongedbattery life, the tube’s plates, as well as itsheaters, run at approximately 3 volts DC.)This tube stage “building block” is essentiallyidentical in all three pedals, while therest of the circuitry—which is a mixture ofop amp ICs and discrete transistors—iscompletely different in each design.BIG BEN OVERDRIVEWith Gain, Volume, and Tone controls,and a single footswitch, the Big Ben is thesimplest of the CoolTron designs. Opamps are used for the Gain control andsoft clipping stages, which are followed bythe tube stage. Following the tube stage,discrete transistors buffer and isolate thepassive Tone and Volume controls. Thissimple circuit gives Big Ben an organic andnatural tube-flavored tone that neversounds buzzy, as well as a lively dynamicresponse that never sounds squashed oroverly compressed.With the Gain knob fully counter-clockwiseand the Tone pot wide open, Big Bensounds virtually indistinguishable from itsbypass tone. This provides a perfect startingpoint for those who want to sneak in just ataste of overdriven texture by slowlyincreasing the Gain setting, while preservingtheir amp’s natural tone and dynamicresponse. On the other hand, wide-opengain settings still sound convincingly amplike,and the simple, yet surprisingly effectiveTone control keeps the higher frequenciessmooth and mellow. The Big Ben is agreat choice for old-school tone houndswho want to wrench a little more tubegoodness from their vintage-style amps—especially when playing at lower volumelevels. It even sounds great when used as adirect-recording device (as it conveysauthentic tube-seasoned warmth and colorSPECS• Electro-Harmonix12AU7AEH preamptube• Powered by four AAbatteries or optionalAC adapter• 15-hour battery life• Tube circuitry optimizedfor low-voltageoperation• Unique “servo bias”circuitry enhancestube performance• Special currentreducingpower supplyfor tube heaters• Chrome-plated steelhousing• Vox-style chickenheadknobs• Rugged mechanicalfootswitches• True bypass164 AUGUST 2005 GUITAR PLAYER


GEARwithout an amp), and it can be used as aclean boost pedal/preamp, as well. The BigBen Overdrive is the CoolTron most likelyto cause a stir with more traditional playerswho enjoy browsing the latest boutiquepedal offerings.B RIT BOOSTWith its Gain, Volume, and Tone controls,the Brit Boost may appear to be similar tothe Big Ben Overdrive, but it actually hasmore in common with the classic Britishmadetreble boosters from the ’60s and’70s. Like the legendary Dallas Rangemasterand the Hornby Skewes and Vox trebleboosters, the Brit Boost’s first stage is builtaround a single transistor. (While someearly boosters used germanium transistors,the Brit Boost uses a silicon type.) The BritBoost actually has two of these circuits: onevoiced with the classic “upward tilt,” andthe other providing a more balanced fullrangeresponse. (The Treble-Boost/Full-Range footswitch selects between these twoindependent circuits.) Following the selectedone-transistor boost stage, an op amp controlsthe Gain that’s fed to the tube, and thecircuit finishes with another op amp drivingthe active Tone control, which is followedby a passive Volume control.Even with the Gain knob set very lowand the Full-Range mode selected, the BritBoost exhibits a more aggressive voice thanthe Big Ben Overdrive. It also has a moredistinctive and prominent midrange voice,and more grind and grit to its texture.Switch to Treble Boost mode, plug it into aVox AC30’s Normal channel, and you’llimmediately relive Brian May’s glory yearswith Queen. This combination provides atone bigger than Wembley Stadium, with ataut and percussive pick response, and tons166 AUGUST 2005 GUITAR PLAYER


GEARof exciting top-end sizzle and ringing presence.The well-voiced Tone control is effectivein both modes, but I found it especiallyuseful for taming the Treble Boost mode’shighest frequencies. As this is one importantfeature that the vintage treble boosterslacked, why search eBay for an overpricedrelic when you can get more tonal flexibility—and an overall smoother tube-enhancedsound—from the Brit Boost?BULLDOG DISTORTIONThe most versatile, and also the most modernof the CoolTrons, the Bulldog Distortionoffers two contrasting channels with independentGain and Volume controls, sharedBass and Treble knobs, and an additionalVoice control for the second channel. Thefirst channel uses op amps in a soft-clip circuitthat’s reminiscent of the Big Ben’s(though tailored for more distinctly moderntones), and the second channel also uses opamps, but in a circuit designed for moreaggressive and hard-edged clipping. Theoutput of the selected channel drives thetube stage, which drives a unique Treble andBass tone control design that’s a combinationof passive and active topologies. Thesecond channel’s Voice control follows thetone controls. It features a passive tonesculptingnetwork, which is followed byseparate passive Volume controls that areelectronically engaged when the appropriatechannel is selected.The Bulldog’s first channel soundsmore aggressive than the Big Ben, withmore upper-midrange sizzle, and thepotential for more penetrating top-endsting. The Bass control can add someimpressive low-end girth for wallowinglow-voiced riffing, and reduced Treblecontrol settings can eliminate the cheesysoundingtop-end fizz that so frequentlyaccompanies and plagues higher-gaintones. This channel also imparts its owndistinctive character to the tone, which isclearly more modern than vintage. Withits gravelly midrange grit and crushedglasscrunch, the Bulldog’s second channelprovides the most modern tones ofthe CoolTron trio. The time-warpingrange of its mid-scooping Voice control isparticularly impressive, as it can take youfrom Link Wray to Metallica with thetwist of a knob. Covering an impressiverange of tones, the Bulldog Distortionrepresents an astounding value for thoseseeking more modern distortion tonesfrom a truly cool pedal. g168 AUGUST 2005 GUITAR PLAYER

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!