Holy Moly - Line 6 spider VALVE....

Jaden · #1 10-13-2007, 01:24 PM

I just went to the shop with the intention of playinga Laney GH50L, however they didnt have any so I got the usual salesman stuff like "what sound do you want" etc, then the other chestnut... "ive got just the amp for you" - said with a wink of course

he then stopped in front of a line 6 - I said straight off, no chance - id told him I already had a POD that I didnt really like....

but this thing was different, it was a proper valve amp - the line 6 spider valve.... apparently made, or designed by bognor... anyway I gave it a test run and felt a bit embarrased to to say to the guy that I actually liked it !

in fact I was so taken with it I was walking out of the place shaking my head in disbelief when I had to go back and have another go...

I only played it for about 15 mins but was pretty impressed..

Now... does anyone have one of these that they could give me a longer term opinion about? OR what have you heard in just general chat..

I still cant believe anything with line 6 written on it could sound like that..

BTW, I played a PRS (expensive one) and a PGM301 through it.

Id love some feedback peeps. !

Lefty Robb · #2 10-13-2007, 01:57 PM

http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68153

toshiro · #3 10-13-2007, 01:58 PM

http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68153

I'm reserving judgment till I actually hear one in person, but I think Line 6's marketing sucks. Too much smoke and mirrors, let the thing stand on it's own based on it's tone.

Jaden · #4 10-13-2007, 03:22 PM

thanks guys but that thread is simplay a debate about the architecture of the amp, whether its all tube or not - who cares...

the thing im looking for is what i said above... reviews about the sound of the thing...

can it be that im the first to play one here ? I doubt it !

FWIW, I thought it was excellent, I loved the tube sound and the modelling flexibility and above all.... the price !
at £480 your talking laney LC money, but with a lot more thrown in...

y'know, unless they suddenly start exploding or someone comes here and says that they are total poo, then im gonna buy one, only have to decide whether I want 1 or 2 V30's

Vinco · #5 10-13-2007, 03:38 PM

I will just give a personnal opinion...And I am not trying to convinve anyone of anything...

But, if Line 6 modelling technology is good enough for live duties of Dave Mustaine and Paradise Lost then...it's probably very, very good!

And it's probably better with tubes (no matter their location in the system)! So the spider valve is probably very, very, very good!

Please Jaden, tell us more about this amp!

brothersnowgone · #6 10-13-2007, 03:58 PM

I can't wait to try one out myself, just cause the bogner has his hand in the design...

speedy mcfeely · #7 10-13-2007, 05:31 PM

the spider is the low end of the line6 uh, line. I love the Podxt live. It's great. If they come out with an all tube Podxt, I'm so in!

LivingFrets · #8 10-13-2007, 05:53 PM

I played one at the store and a Laney gh100 L gh100L ten thousand times better.
I don't have money to buy a tube amp but I will never buy a line 6 amp after yesterday.

Guitarmiester · #9 10-13-2007, 06:31 PM

I've only heard sound clips of the Spider Valve so far, but haven't had a chance to play one myself yet so I can't base anything off the clips I heard. The clips I heard, the guy dialed in way too much gain and most likely had bad mic placement because it sounded like a maxed out (and very compressed) Boss DS-1 being played through a SS amp.

If I have time this week, I'm going to see if the music store by me has the Spider Valve's in and I'll post a review.

Jaden · #10 10-13-2007, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LivingFrets

I played one at the store and a Laney gh100 L gh100L ten thousand times better.
I don't have money to buy a tube amp but I will never buy a line 6 amp after yesterday.

well theres an opinion.. thanks...
I went to try laney and ended up with line 6!!

my opinion vinco.. OK.

it was typical valve, you couldnt play it at the kind of low volume that you can with the other line 6 stuff.. you had to give it some otherwise it sounded sh1tty..
so, its a proper sounding valve amp.. at this stage of testing it out, I was already in shock.. then I tried changing some settings and it was all there..
the modelling, the sound, the effects... the works..

like I say, I tried it on every setting with two different guitars (BTW, thought that the PGM sucked after the PRS) anyway, huge sounding amp, all settings are to be adjusted in small degrees because they make a big impact on the sound... as does the guitar volume.... which is not really the case with solid state amps.. cos they just sterilise the sound so much...

anyway, early days but I reackon (like I said before) I will buy one..

if you have any specific questions.. ill do my best.

Jaden · #11 10-13-2007, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guitarmiester

I've only heard sound clips of the Spider Valve so far, but haven't had a chance to play one myself yet so I can't base anything off the clips I heard. The clips I heard, the guy dialed in way too much gain and most likely had bad mic placement because it sounded like a maxed out (and very compressed) Boss DS-1 being played through a SS amp.

If I have time this week, I'm going to see if the music store by me has the Spider Valve's in and I'll post a review.

OK, I spent most of my time playing in crunch mode... on about 1/2 - 3/4 drive...
I even managed a rendition of "scarified" on a PRS using pretty low gain settings and the amp was up to it !
I didnt use the high gain too much, I tried it and it soundede OK to me but im NOT a high gain connessieur ! - I like a blues/rock crunch which the amp did very nicely indeed !

ALSO... funny addition to my opinion...

while the guy at the shop was playing through the amp, I thought my mobile (celll) was ringing.... the amp was on 2 (master) and 3/4 drive.. and made my trousers tingle...
valve simulation cannot achieve that

Anton Zedd · #12 10-13-2007, 08:38 PM

You have to look at it from more than one perspective... Choosing an amp in general is kinda tough, there are alot of variables of the sound you might want to consider such as "its gonna sound totally different live, and at home".

If your lucky enough to get to a music store that allows you to take it home and try it for a night or two then you'll know. otherwise its nearly impossible to predict based off of other peoples opinions weather or not that amp is right for you.

I've tried the spidervalve and quite honestly I'm a tube guy all the way. But, for smaller gigs like pubs and such it rocks totally for what I like to do anyways. The number one factor is its passable as a tube amp, its light to carry, its freaking loud and the sound does not change with volume, its exactly the same turned down.

Those are my thoughts anyways, weather or not it will sound good with pedals in front is a different story, I don't think its made for anything else than what its already got inside. Its a typical pod attached to a power amp
thats it, remember the Atomic amps? Can't stand those things, but atleast this is handy and actually sounds not too, too bad for rehearsals and such.

Cheers!
P.s. follow the link below to hear my stuff, you tell me what i'm using.
www.myspace.com/antonzedd

rob777vdy · #13 10-13-2007, 08:44 PM

i use a line6 flextone111.i like it built in effects (no pissing about with complicated floor units) i only play indoors so it suits me fine.i know theres better amps out there but the flextone will do for me.

Speedabob · #14 10-13-2007, 10:28 PM

I've played a couple of Line6 amps, and the Spider Valve was by far the best, GOD it blows my Vox AD50VT out of the water! the Mussugah setting was PERFECT for metal, i was insanely suprised of the tone it gave out, Really impressive imo, thought about buying it....till i saw the price tag £469 lol