NAMM 2024: “These effects will bring your amp to the next level”: Vox has issued its first Valvenergy pedals in 4 years – and they’re said to be unlike any other stompboxes on the market
Vox doubles down on the amp-like overdrives of the original drop while increasing the range's versatility and appeal with some pedalboard problem solvers
Introducing The New Valvenergy Series 2 Pedals - YouTube
Now, the storied British amp, guitar and stompbox brand has expanded its effects arsenal with a quartet of new Valvernergy pedals that double down on the lineup’s gain heritage while also taking it beyond into the realms of compressor and EQ.
As the “Valve” part of the name implies – and, as per the flagship pedals – each pedal comes loaded with Nutube tech: a popular innovation that supposedly creates the same overtones and harmonic character of conventional vacuum tubes.
The quartet of new-for-2024 Valvenergy units is made up of the Power Burst, Tone Sculptor, Fuel Injector and Smooth Impact.
Introducing its new expansion pack, Vox wrote, “Each of these pedals were designed to focus on enhancing the sound & natural character of your amplifier. We've harnessed NuTube technology's potential to craft tone-shaping pedals that elevate your amplifier's sound without imposing their own tone atop it, setting them apart from others on the market.
“These effects are dynamic and responsive, and will bring your amp to the next level, it continued. “They boast user-friendly controls, an OLED display exhibiting oscilloscope and pertinent meters, and a newly engineered buffer that's ideal for lengthy signal chains.”
To find out more about each pedal, scroll down…
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Continuing the tube amp-like overdrive tone mission that was set by its predecessors, the Fuel Injector is dubbed a fully original overdrive/distortion stompbox that looks to introduce “tons of musical overtones” into your signal.
A mode toggle switch – which flicks between Natural and Fat voices – is flanked by a standard gain control layout comprising Level, Tone and Drive parameters.
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(Image credit: Vox)
(Image credit: Vox)
Vox Valvenergy Power Burst
VOX Valvenergy Power Burst Pedal Overview - YouTube
Equally intuitive to operate, the Power Burst has been marketed as a three-mode boost pedal whose role it is to give the front end of your amp a sonic kick.
One Boost rotary control, as well as a three-way toggle that chooses between Treble, Middle or Natural voices, complete the topography of the blissfully simple stompbox.
By comparison, the Smooth Impact is the Valvenergy line’s first compressor pedal – and, as Vox reports, “one of the very first tube driven compressor pedal[s] in the market”.
Again, three modes are available – Vintage, Natural and SAG – which are the mercy of Output, Tube Gain and Comp controls.
In terms of tones, Vintage is said to be a traditional compressor perfect for pop and country, while Natural aims to appease those players who are of a modern persuasion: “Perfect for players who want a nice pillow while playing modern playing style such as two hand tapping.”
That just leaves SAG, which, as you’d expect, looks to recreate the distinct tonal behaviour of natural tube sag.
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(Image credit: Vox)
(Image credit: Vox)
Vox Valvenergy Tone Sculptor
VOX Valvenergy Tone Sculptor Pedal Overview - YouTube
Last but not least is the Tone Sculptor. No prizes for guessing what this pedal does: it sculpts your tone, and does so by way of a six-band EQ. A broad frequency spectrum is covered – ranging from 100Hz to 5.6kHz – with each individual band adjustable from +10 to -10.
There’s also a seventh slide control assigned to Level duties, and that one can be boosted or cut by +12 or -12dB.
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(Image credit: Vox)
(Image credit: Vox)
Official US prices for the latest Valvenergy pedals are yet to be confirmed.
To find out more about each pedal, head over to Vox.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
