Excellent tonal range across the 16 Amp models. The Cab models add much to the sound as well ... use them live as well as recording. The VOX 30TB, US HI GAIN, Boutique CL and Tweeds models in particular are outstanding. The Amp models are very sensitive to EQ'ing; plus you have to read the manual to understand how the models react to using the Gain knobs. All Amp models lend themselves well to overdrive breakup of one form or another, from crunchy blues to wailing metal. I could say much about the Amp / Cab model combinations, but you'll have to try them for yourself. The various effects sections are excellent overall. My overall comment about Vox's "Valvetronix" technology is that it REALLY WORKS ... the "VR GAIN" (Master Volume simulation)

BEST POINTS (IMO): (1) Being able to mix-and-match amp & cab models at will. The Amp & Cabinet models are basically the reason i bought this product....together with the Valvetronix feature. The models REALLY DO sound fabulous, and the Cab models are extremely useful for live play (not just recording.) USE THEM .... you'll see. (2) Very active Gain & EQ controls; they simulate their functionality on a real amp. (Read the manual for peculiarities for specific models.) (3) Very easy to overdrive a model to produce degrees of distortion. You can really produce Power section distortion as well as preamp.....very discerneable (Valvetronix really works!) (4) Intuitive design for setting up and making adjustments. "Feels" like using an Amp. Button use is easy too. (5) Good slate of effects, in separate sections. Easy to use and adjust. (6) Easy access to the 12AX7 via the front panel. (Some devices force you to take the thing apart to get to the tube.) THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR: (1) ToneLab is EXTREMELY active ... depending on your guitar's PUPs, you may have quite a time eliminating feedback between notes and chords for the hot amp models. (You can play with the builtin noise reduction feature; also watch the rear "Level" dial...don't crank it up too high.) The CH Volume knob is a necessity for leveling the output too. (2) You're limited to ONE pedal effect per patch. (Example: it'd be nice to use the compressor with another pedal. Not being able to match the OD pedals with one of the others doesn't bother me TOO much, since it's so easy to overdrive the amp models.) (3) The "desktop" version requries a separate footswitch, if needed. The ToneLab "SE" is an integrated panel/footswitch version with expression pedal. The "SE" would be best for live concert play, while the desktop version works for home/studio use.

After studying the front & rear panels for a few minutes, and learning how to get into "manual" mode, you're ready to rock. Pick your 1st amp model, flip to a desired cab, and go. Easy to flip through the range of potential sounds by mixing/matching models. You should read the manual, BUT, it doesn't take an advanced degree to become effective with the ToneLab.

So far, so good. I'm using it in my studio at home, so i haven't banged it around at all. It's built heavy & solid.

At $300, the desktop version is a GREAT value. It's far more versatile than most high-level distortion stomp's that can cost just as much, and don't provide all of the added features / effects. Compared to other modellers, it's less expensive, and (IMO) fully competitive specifically with the Boss & Line6 products. The Valvetronix technology sets the ToneLab apart from others due to its realistic sounds. The Boss sports many more "features", but hey, how many chained effects does one REALLY need, to sound good? Plus in recording, the issue is moot since you can do so many things with tracking and mixing anyway.

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I definitely wanted this product.

Rock, Blues, Light jazz, contemporary

I was on a gig down in Ft Lauderdale and my gig box with all luggage did not arrive. I had my sweetheart strat (always goes in the overhead) but none of my effect boxs. I called a friend in Miami and he gave me his Tonelab to use for the night. I was totally blow away. Where has this thing been all my life! I was dialing in sounds I had always been just a little dissatisfied with in about 30 seconds! It has presets that are great but if you have any ear you just put your IPod bud in one ear and tweek the gain and presence then as needed the modulation delay or reverb with the choice of effect pedal. It has flip dials for pedal effects that are better then mine in almost every catagory. You have three dials that effect each catagory. To do this you press a button under the catagory you want to dial like modulation you dial chorus, flanger, phaser, tremelo or rotary. The first dial is speed the second mix and the third depth. This system takes you about 10 minutes to master! Really! It is true you can't do the fuzz and wah effect at the same time but for the Hendrix I cranked the gain and got it plenty dirty. I have a cry baby and vox wah myself and I am using these pedal effects often instead! The amp emulation is amazing and really educational. I never have understood how important certain amp combo's were to getting at some sounds! The presets are useful to get at the bredth of sounds that are possible but in the end you tweek them right then put them in memory with your own designated name. All in all for 259 (mine was and open box) I am really growing in my confidence as a pop/rock guitarist and really that is what keeps me going(my day job is an eye surgeon)! Thanks Vox for this great tool!

Great tuner, display is very simple and cool. Give you as an example the tube combo it is emulating. It is fully Midi compatable and I have used it with my new Mac with Pro and got distracted with how good I was getting my Hendrix sound! I finnaly have the Edge about as close as I have been able to get. My twelve year old dialed in his Green Day obscession in about 5 minutes! You put on the head phones and jam away at 2 in the morning with the ITunes. I think with time I will have this down so I can get the sound in the first 12. By the way the clean and the accoustic emulator are also great! I am not doing features justice. Get one and go to work.

Are you kidding! Under 300!

Vox is famous for support!

Cool blue unobtrusive device might get you sex for you sound not for its look!

Active Musician. Union member that plays 4 or 5 gigs a month

Blues, Rock, Alternative, Fussion

The tone is amazing. It is like having the world's most sought after amps all at your fingertips. I still cannot get over how authentic it sounds. LINE 6 POD and BOSS GT-6 have nothing on the TONELAB.

The amp models are superb, however the VOX WAH and UNI VIBE should be in the modulation section and not the pedal section. It is not possible to place the WAH or UNI VIBE in combination with FUZZ and so on. In other words the pedal section (although it has great pedal models which all do an accurate job of emulating the originals)should allow the user more combinations. However, there are so many amp/cabinet tone possibilities and they make up for this in a major way.

Very sturdy construction and a nice color, too.

May sound a little steep, but in the end very well worth the money. A small price to pay for all these great sounds.

Haven't needed it.

The tube, the fact that it is VOX, the design are all very alluring.

blues, rock, country, jazz, avant garde jazz

It's amazing. I plug it into my full stack to get incredible versatility.

If you can't get what you want soundwise from the tonelab using all the knobs, you are not trying.

You can use it straight out of the box with it's great presets or you can dive into the tons of options all with ease.

Like a tank.

Never needed anything.

Looks great too.

Serious Hobbyist

Rock

this is the most amazing bunch of sounds i have ever played through..i have played loads of amps and combinations ..i tried a soldano out the other day to compare ..i thought the tonelab kicked it into touch..because of the added effects ,cab configerations etc etc..i never knew that one day i would eventually be able to have the sound i wanted ..but i have it here in bucket loads ,,i just cant say enuff about it .....

i thin the only bad point is the fact that you cant have wah and over drive together ..mabe that will be dealt with in version 2:)all the effects sound great ..infact it is overwhelming in possibilities .

built like battleship

again what can i say .....the best sound i have had in twenty years of playing

not needed it so far

looks the business

guitar teacher ..blues rock guitarist

blues rock metal

I use this one with a marshall micro-stack for practice at home , it sounds great !!!

Everything i need is on this thing.

Build as a tank , looks nice.

If i have to choose between pod , v-amp and the vox , the vox sounds better than the rest.

Never needed any support.

Looks nice.

active musician

own style , like focus

this thing sounds awesome. great work on the presets. my guitarist shredded out some appropriate riffs with the sabbath, vai, slash, johnny $, ect. tones & they were dead on.

the amps kick ass. cabinets sound good. tube warms it up. i saw another minor gripe about the limited stacking of fx. i dont think that'll be a big problem but the option would be nice. also the bass mid & treble seem backwards but thats easy to work around as well.

real simple. dials are where they should be.

solid construction, sweet tone.

excellent bang for the buck. sounds more raw than the pod.

dunno. never needed to call vox/korg. all my other gear under their corporate umbrella works fine.

recording addict

electro rock