If lost/stolen, I would immediately replace this pedal. It makes me want to play, which is high praise. Since it is simply a distortion pedal, it does need some sweetening with back-end EQ and reverb/delay. In my experimenting so far, I'm not sure if I would attempt to use it as a DI box, but that would require more testing. I'm eager to hook it into the effects loop of my Carvin tube amp. If I had to change anything (practical) about it, I'd be interested to hear a version of this pedal with a higher plate voltage. I bought this pedal because I know from experience that low-voltage tube circuits can work, but most are executed badly. The reviews I read told me the VT999 was different.

Sound
This is simply the best starved-plate front-end I have heard yet. This is my first Behringer product, and I have no prejudice against the company as many seem to. I also have built several single- and multi-tube preamps over the years. This pedal's circuit design is a success. The stock tube was unimpressive, bland, and murky; but still not the worst distortion sound I've heard. I substituted an old RCA 12AU7, followed by an old, generic 12AT7. Wow... Each tube completely changed the character of the pedal. The tone controls enabled dialing in the optimal settings for each tone. Mind you, I've had the pedal two days, and I'm running it into a Digitech RP200 (to add a touch of reverb--that's all!) and straight into my PC with its tiny speakers.… read more IMO, this only increases the challenge for the VT999. I was extremely impressed at the variety and musicality of the tones I was getting, with little thought or effort. And I want to emphasize something---many players buy a distortion pedal, crank it to 10, and bang on power chords during their evaluation. Even the WORST products sound decent when you do that. The real test of this type of pedal is when you dial it back and listen carefully to how the sound breaks up as you're just starting to overdrive the tube. Bang a chord and listen as it fades to clean. Such testing separates the good distortions from the wannabes. The VT999 does very well in this department.

Features
The VT999 is simple, straight-forward and does what it says. I haven't used the noise gate feature yet, because it is so quiet. It's nice to have, though. Comes with AC power. Sweet.

Ease of Use
I haven't read the manual yet. No learning curve at all. Just get yourself a Phillips screwdriver and scavenge a few old, used 12A_7-family tubes and do a mess of swap-and-listen sessions. (BTW--forget about NOS tubes at this point -- until you home in on a favorite, just stick in whatever tubes you can find--stuff you may have pulled from Granny's Philco radio, etc. If you find one you really like, THEN worry about hunting down a few NOS tubes of that brand.)

Quality
Solid construction outside, absolutely adequate and typical inside. Nice spring clamp for the tube. Some find the spring too tight. Mine seemed just right.

Value
The sound is fantastic. BUT it only does one thing, so I think its typical selling price of around $70 is a bit steep. But IMO it's a pedal you will use a lot, so that must figure into the question of value.

Manufacturer Support
Unknown

The Wow Factor
I don't "lust" after equipment anymore...I'm too old. This pedal is not particularly pretty, but it sounds incredible. THAT'S what attracts me to it.

Musical Background:
Active musician/electronics hobbyist

Musical Style:
Progressive rock, blues and jazz read less