I’m falling in love again with my Aracom VRX18. This was the amp that first got me introduced to Aracom and my good friend Jeff Aragaki. My amp is actually a tweaked version of the stock VRX18 as it sports an EZ81 tube rectifier, plus a tweaked circuit that adds a bit more sag and sustain. The result is just a gorgeous overdriven tone that really brings out the best of the EL84 power tubes.
One thing about EL84 amps is that if they’re done right, they have a distinctive overdrive tone that creates a subtle top-end fizz when they’re overdriven. I’ve played others that drive the power tubes too much, and they sound very harsh and incredibly compressed. Jeff did this amp right, and while the power tubes do indeed compress a bit, the overdrive tone retains its open character, while adding that nice top-end fizziness that EL84 amp lovers have come to appreciate.
The clip below is an excerpt from a slow blues song I wrote. It features my beloved Goldie plugged straight into the Aracom VRX18, and it also features the insane Aracom PRX150-Pro attenuator! Believe it or not, the amp was recorded at just above loud conversation levels! We’re talking less than 1/10 of a Watt, and the amp still retains its tone and dynamics! Anyway, here’s the clip:
I respect the guys who dig the low wattage amps. For me in decades of playing I have to have the half stack 100 watter. Just do not like the low wattage amps. Now to say you cannot get a good tone, as most understand a low wattage amp can ve quite loud but that is not the point, the big heads just have a depth and quality to the sound and tone the little watters do not have. I have heard some good tones recorded on little amps. Trower’s last solo work was all done on the little Cornells. Sounds good but my ears can tell a little amp on recordings and they all lack a depth and body the larger 4 tubers have. Just my opinon, obviously if could get the magic out of a little amp I would save the money, but for me it’s the half stack. When you see Satch using three of them and Jeff Beck relying on them for the depth of tone there is a reason. A little amp to me is more like a pedal effect. My half stack can do just about anything I can dream up gain and tone wise I just dig it and the 4×12 just has more 3d quality tone than any little single speaker can bring.
Definitely can’t argue with the depth of tone that a big amp / large cab gives you!
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