VOX Silk Drive

104
GUITARIST MARCH 2021
Vox Valvenergy pedals
A trio of valve-powered drive pedals that use a Nutube for an old sound
PEDALBOARD
Words Trevor Curwen Photography Neil Godwin
T
he Valvenerergy pedals, each based around a Nutube
miniature vacuum tube in its all-analogue signal path, are
designed to emulate the response and harmonic distortion
of a valve amp. Four popular amp types are represented, in order
of increasing gain: Silk Drive, Mystic Edge, Copperhead Drive and
Cutting Edge. Each pedal has an oscilloscope-like OLED display
that shows the resulting waveform as you play and all have basically
the same front-panel configuration, apart from the Cutting Edge
(not featured here), which is based on a US high-gain amp suitable
for metal tones and has a Tight knob in place of the Bright switch.
The pedals have a choice of three output modes: they can be
used in standard pedal mode in front of your amp, as a line-level
preamp or, with the built-in cab sim engaged, direct into an audio
interface or PA. If you use two or more pedals together, a Channel
Link feature lets you turn one pedal on while bypassing the others,
rather like amp channel switching.
ROUND-UP
Mystic Edge £169 Silk Drive £169
T
he only one of the pedals that
can be quite specific about its
inspiration is the Mystic Edge,
based on an AC30. It’s nicely responsive to
playing dynamics and, with a combination
of grit and chime, some familiar Vox tones
are here to be explored. The midrange
character seems to be about right, so
there’s no point messing with it, and where
the other pedals have a Middle knob, here
you get Tone Cut, as found in the original
amp, adding an extra layer of tonal subtlety
in calming down aspects of the top-end.
The gain range takes the pedal from
clean to a fully cranked amp, offering
plenty of punchy drive along the way,
and while the analogue cabinet simulator
offers a decent impression of the original’s
2x12 open-backed cab, there’s always the
option to use the pedal in preamp mode
and add an impulse response further
down the line if you want different speaker
simulation choices.
VERDICT An AC30-in-a-box pedal from
Vox itself. What’s not to like?
I
t’s probably no coincidence that the
Copperhead Drive, which Vox says
is based around a British stack, has
the same finish as a classic Marshall front
panel. This is the pedal for vintage (and
more modern) rock sounds and comes
with fulsome low-end and midrange. A full
range of overdriven tones are covered here
with plenty of dynamic crunch and grind
leading the way to saturated lead tones,
made all the better by engaging the Bright
switch for some extra sizzle in the top-end
to bring out the harmonics.
For this whole series of pedals the
oscilloscope-like OLED display window is
cute, but it isn’t exactly necessary as long
as your ears are still working. However, the
three output modes offer real versatility
for live use and recording – the cab sim
here will put some 4x12 heft straight
into your DAW, while in standard mode
this pedal will give your clean amp an
M-flavoured makeover.
VERDICT As MIAB pedals go, this one goes
that extra mile in terms of practicality
Copperhead Drive £169
T
he Silk Drive, based on an
American clean amp, represents
the amp with the lowest gain in
this series. The drive in the pedal doesn’t
really become apparent until past midway
on the Gain knob, which allows it to be a
useful clean boost and tone conditioning
pedal. There’s a certain scooped character
in the midrange and (of course) a silky
top-end, especially with the Bright switch
engaged – a definite enhancement to
your sound that you may wish to leave
permanently on. With further travel on
the Gain knob things quite quickly get
decidedly raunchy past three o’clock, but
before you get there, there are some very
attractive edge-of-break-up tones on tap.
Interestingly, the amount of clean
headroom enables you to use the pedal
into a distorted amp as a switchable clean
channel. With cab sim engaged, this is a
great choice for recording a range of clean
tones, ably tweaked with the EQ knobs.
VERDICT A versatile pedal with a range of
uses, not least an alternative clean voice
MANUFACTURER
VOX
MODEL
VALVENERGY PEDALS
CONTACT
VOX 01908 304600 WWW.VOX AMPS.COM
PRICE
£169 EACH
VOX VOXVOX
GIT469.peds_vox.indd 104 17/01/2021 20:30