Valve ReactorĪ built-in valve gain stage adds extra realism to many of the amp models.Much of the effort has gone into recreating the effect of an output transformer without actually having one, an important factor given that the output transformer and the way it interacts with the loudspeaker load forms a crucial part of the tube-amp sound. Such innovative technology has to be given a fancy name, and in this case it is the Vox Valve Reactor.
However, whereas the Pod takes the all-digital approach, the Tone Lab includes a miniature power-amp stage based around a 12AX7/ECC83 dual-triode tube, where some clever 'pseudo-transformer' circuitry has been used to make this influence the sound much as a real power stage would. Conceptually, the Valvetronix Tone Lab fits into the same camp as products like the Line 6 Pod (amp/speaker modelling plus effects) and can be used either for DI recording or to feed an amplifier for live performance. The Vox Valvetronix Tone Lab is a spin-off from Vox's AD60/120VT modelling amplifiers, which take the approach of combining digital modelling and signal processing with both solid-state and analogue amplification stages, rather than trying to emulate absolutely everything digitally. This modelling preamp achieves a variety of realistic amp tones by combining DSP processing with real analogue gain stages.
