After running through the full flavor of Mesa Boogie and the fascinating quality of Matchless, it is Vox's turn, another firm of recognized prestige with very personal characteristics, in both construction and sound. We are going to tackle two offerings from the company. In both cases, we are looking for easily transportable gear with good sound, tube-driven and with attenuators to raise the gain without having to work at infernal volumes.
Unboxing
Used to heads and cabinets the size of a refrigerator (the ones we guitarists love so much and that cover our backs on stage), I found opening this box curious because of its small volume. I had already seen the Mesa Boogie ® Transatlantic and, of course, the Vox head, in terms of size, is right in the same vein. Considering that the idea of this special was to take on alternatives that warm up the tubes without having to pound our eardrums, the Night Train concept suits us to a T.
It is a very cute head with Vox's legendary vintage look. An attractive metallic look on its shell, topped off by firm knobs that are also grunge-style. Although I don't think many people will notice this drawback, that finish picks up our fingerprints like a mirror. Curiously, Vox includes a blue chamois cloth to polish our little one. I liked that touch.
Mini Heads
As anticipated in the introduction, amplifier development follows a fairly well-defined path. Regardless of the classic amp of all time, which will never go out of style, over the last few years we guitarists have followed specific steps in this respect. Everyone knows the warmth of tubes compared with solid-state amplification. We also know the price tube beasts usually carry, their fragility, and the usual volume you have to work at with them to get the good stuff. Taking advantage of the development of DSP technology, the market was invaded by modeling products. We have described their advantages on various occasions (small size, versatility, hot sounds at low volumes, direct-line work at any hour with decent sounds, etc.). Many of us have worked (and still do) with this type of modeler; in certain circumstances, they are certainly very practical. Now, when you plug back into a good tube head you think of just one thing: I want an amplifier. The problem is that the contexts we move in are different, and it won't always be easy to work with a great big tube amp. In other words: it's clear that in the rehearsal room, at gigs, etc., we can work without a problem at whatever volume we need, but what if we need that warm tube quality at a low volume? It is a very complicated task, but there are already many alternatives that offer solutions. If you are fed up with modeling and want to improve the sound of your guitars, here is an alternative.
Size
There is no doubt: the very small size and its weight, under 8 kg, make this head an easy piece to transport. You can move it from the rehearsal room to the studio, from the studio to your gigs, etc. The product comes with a very cool cover to carry it around comfortably.
Power and Attenuator
It's astonishing how far 15W can go. In fact, we have tested several amps with this power and have been left perplexed. An infernal racket, I assure you. If we compare it with a 400W monster we will notice significant differences, but we're talking about versatile gear that won't ruin our eardrums for life. As for the good stuff, I can confirm there is ample volume to handle ourselves well in various contexts, working at a satisfying volume, even a scrappy one if we want it. Moderate but very scrappy. Just what we were looking for.
On the front panel we find a three-position selector:
1) Pentode. Delivers 15W in this mode
2) Triode. Delivers 7.5W in this mode
3) Standby. Tubes on and warm but no sound.
As with any other unit equipped with this system, we can attenuate the volume and work with fewer decibels. This lets us push the gain, warm up the tubes and get high-performance saturation without having to work at maximum volume. In case you need a bit heavier saturation, you have the pentode option, which has you working at the amp's maximum power.
Front and Rear Panels
Although you can clearly see it in the photo, I'm going to describe its possibilities. The front panel has the input (just one), gain, treble, mid, bass, volume, OP mode selector (pentode, triode, standby), power switch and LED. Aside from the peculiarities of the OP mode, which we have already described, a second selector with Bright and Thick positions is worth noting. With this invention, you can choose between a bright sound (the first option) or a much more aggressive sound that sends the gain through the roof. In Thick mode, the tone controls are bypassed.
As for the rear panel, there is little to discover: power socket, fuse and speaker outputs at 8 or 16 ohms.
The Sound
We come to the essential part. We already know that the head is manageable, lightweight, good-looking, portable and versatile when it comes to power. But does it sound good or not?
Tests with the VOX V112NT Cabinet
25W, at 16 ohms, with a closed 12" speaker (Greenback speaker cabinet).
We connected the head to this cabinet, expressly designed to receive the Night Train. Vox with Vox is a wonderful match if you're after the brand's legendary sound. In any case, the great sonic versatility of the unit deserves a mention. We go from crystalline sounds, through scrappy crunch, and on to scorching saturation that, although it doesn't reach heavy metal, comes close. With the boost of a high-gain pedal, we have the whole sonic scene fully covered. Anyway, in my opinion, the most important thing is not the versatility (although that too), but the quality of the sounds it gives us, whether many or few. After testing, I think this VOX gives us extraordinary tube warmth and good flexibility of saturation. With this cabinet, the sound is a bit nasal, although for certain styles it's perfect. The pairing has some really curious points. I liked it a lot.
Tests with a 100W 4 x 12" Cabinet
We moved the head to a somewhat bigger cabinet. It looked a bit tiny; so many speakers for such a little amp. As expected, we gained in density, low end and weight. Although the head has a maximum power of 25W and the cabinet handles up to 100W, I was surprised by the energy with which the Night Train drove the speakers. All in all, a versatile, very warm sound and, this time, with more breadth.
Conclusion
Although the product manual says (literally) "Whether you're a session musician or an aspiring rock superstar....", I disagree. The "session musician" part is clear: we have a manageable device of good quality and perfect for working in the studio. As for the second, that amateur approach falls a bit short. Although it is true that there are much bulkier (and more expensive) amplifiers, I think this model borders on professional, if you know how to dial it in and use it with the right cabinets and guitars.
All my assessments are, as you can imagine, directly tied to price. It is not the same to evaluate the possibilities of an amplifier costing over 2,000 € as a good 500 € system (or a bit more). Truly, the Vox Night Train strikes me as a fantastic proposition, capable of delivering a lot if you have the necessary cabinets, pedals and guitars.