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Affordable Boutique Amplifier VOX MV50-BQ Review!

2025-01-24

Theme:sound&person, sound

Introduction

Hello.
This is a sudden question, but what kind of guitar amps do you use? When playing the electric guitar, the amp is now a part of the instrument. There are probably many people who have one that they are very particular about.

I used to be indifferent about amps and I used to use a FERNANDES and VOX combo amp that I bought at a recycle store. Both were good enough for home practice, especially VOX's VT20+, which was a highly functional amp with 33 different amp models and effects (though it was an older model).

However, it is human nature to get greedy here. My new desire was for a tube-sounding amp head with line recording capability, as recording through the amp's speakers was a hurdle I had to overcome when creating songs for DTM.
Having said that, there is no room for an amp in my room anymore. And most importantly, I don't have a big budget to spend.

It was this VOX MV50 that appeared before this selfish author!

VOX / MV50-BQ Boutique Guitar Amplifier Head

VOX / MV50-BQ Boutique Guitar Amplifier Head

MV50 Series

The MV50 is an ultra-compact amplifier equipped with Nutube. In addition to the regular speaker out, it has a headphone jack in common with the line out. The sound output from this jack is subjected to an internal cabinet simulator, so you can use this single unit for everything from practicing to recording.
Nutube is a completely new vacuum tube developed jointly by KORG and Noritake Ise Electronics. It is small, power-saving, and long-lasting, while maintaining the conventional sound as the heart of a guitar amplifier, and I think it is fair to say that it has overcome the shortcomings of vacuum tubes.

By the way, there are other products equipped with Nutube like this ↓.

VOX / VALVENERGY MYSTIC EDGE Overdrive

VOX / VALVENERGY MYSTIC EDGE Overdrive

VOX / VX50 GTV Guitar Combo Amplifier

VOX / VX50 GTV Guitar Combo Amplifier

In addition to effects pedals and amplifiers also from VOX, the Nutube developer KORG is expanding its offerings with overdrive assembly kits.

KORG / Nu:tekt OD-S Overdrive Assembly Kit

KORG / Nu:tekt OD-S Overdrive Assembly Kit

Going back to the Nutube, the MV50 is taking full advantage of the Nutube. The realistic sound that comes out of this tiny amp is truly the result of tremendous technology. No maintenance is required for vacuum tubes.
For the above reasons, the MV50 can be recommended not only for beginners, but also for players who already have a good amp.

MV50-BQ Boutique

The MV50 series currently has six models in its lineup.

Among these, I chose the Boutique (I was torn between the Boutique and the AC until the last minute because I like VOX amps).

VOX / MV50-BQ Boutique Guitar Amp Head

VOX / MV50-BQ Boutique Guitar Amp Head

According to the product description, the Boutique is a model that reproduces that legendary sound of Boutique amps(I assume this means Dumble amps).
The sound of a Dumble amp is said to be characterized by beautiful clean and fuzz-like overdrive. What kind of sound will the MV50-BQ produce?

Let's take a quick listen to the actual sound. To make it easier to gauge its capabilities, I will compare it to the amp simulator of the ZOOM G1 Four multi-effects pedal.
As I mentioned earlier, the Boutique is supposed to sound like a Dumble motif, but the G1 Four does not have a similar model. Therefore, I will compare it with the modeling of the MATCHLESS DC-30, which is also a Boutique amp. Please note that differences in sound character cannot be used as a basis for judgment.

Compared to the G1 Four, I have the impression that there is a difference in the three-dimensionality of the sound, and the crispness of the high frequency range and the digital feel that was felt in the G1 Four are also absent.
However, the G1 Four also has a sound that can be fully utilized in some applications. In particular, I feel that the G1 Four is even easier to listen to when listening to a device like a smartphone speaker, where the lows are reduced and the highs are emphasized.
If you think the multi-track is pretty good too, please take a look at this article.

The MV50-BQ is designed to create sound with three knobs: GAIN, TONE, and VOLUME. In the video, VOLUME is at maximum.

The clean sound is created with GAIN at 3 o'clock and TONE at 1 o'clock. There are no HIGH, MID, or LOW knobs as on most amps, but the bandwidth can be balanced with TONE alone. Even with the clean sound, raising the GAIN to some extent will give it more presence.

The drive sound is at GAIN 5 and TONE 2. The low frequency range is rather strong, and if it is distorted too much, it will sound raspy. This area is very fuzz-like. The amount of distortion is not too much, and even when distorted to the maximum, it does not reach high gain.

MV50 does not have a send-return function, so you may want to leave strong distortion to effects pedals for better results. The author usually bites the Effects Bakery's Bagel OD in the front section at “DRIVE” minimum (as far as the sound goes).

How to use the MV50

The MV50 is a very good amp for home recording. It is surprisingly easy to get a “real” amp sound that is not a simulator. There is no send return, but spatial effects can be applied on a DAW.
In addition, I think this small size can be used in live situations.
For example, it would be interesting to have several different types on the board: you could get CLEAN and ROCK and use a switcher/line selector to switch between clean and drive sounds.
Or, it would be nice to split the signal with a splitter to make the two amps sound in parallel. One Control's Minimal Series BJF Buffer Split is a buffer and splitter in one.

One Control / Minimal Series BJF Buffer Split

One Control / Minimal Series BJF Buffer Split

Finally, a multi-stomp for spatial systems can be added to complete a compact board in no time at all.

ZOOM / MS-70CDR+

ZOOM / MS-70CDR+

Depending on what you want to do, there’s no end to the number of ways to use this board.

To summarize

A year and a half after acquiring the MV50, this unit has become an indispensable part of my musical life.
I wonder if a bass amp will appear soon? With this thought, I would like to close this article.

Thank you again.


The “sound & person” column is made up of contributions from you.
For details about contributing, click here.

oct

作曲家・編曲家。自身のプロジェクトにおける曲作りの傍ら、提供曲の制作も経験し、現在に至る。
Twitter https://twitter.com/ComposerNoir
youtube https://youtube.com/channel/UC8LYNd7OVqrlPgMVJPEi_zw

One Control / Minimal Series BJF Buffer Split

One Control

Minimal Series BJF Buffer Split

¥6,241(incl. tax)

Buffer splitter

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KORG / Nu:tekt OD-S オーバードライブ組み立てキット

KORG

Nu:tekt OD-S オーバードライブ組み立てキット

¥34,980(incl. tax)

ギター用エフェクター、オーバードライブ、組み立てキット

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VOX / MV50-AC ギターアンプヘッド

VOX

MV50-AC ギターアンプヘッド

¥24,300(incl. tax)

Guitar amp head,

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VOX / MV50-BQ Boutique ギターアンプヘッド

VOX

MV50-BQ Boutique ギターアンプヘッド

¥24,300(incl. tax)

Guitar amp head, Nutube installed

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VOX / VALVENERGY MYSTIC EDGE オーバードライブ

VOX

VALVENERGY MYSTIC EDGE オーバードライブ

¥18,000(incl. tax)

Guitar effector, overdrive

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VOX / VX50 GTV Modeling Amp

VOX

VX50 GTV Modeling Amp

¥31,500(incl. tax)

Guitar amplifier, 50W, 8"× 1, 4.1kg

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ZOOM / G1 FOUR ギター用マルチエフェクター

ZOOM

G1 FOUR ギター用マルチエフェクター

¥8,320(incl. tax)

Equipped with multi-effector for guitar, looper, drum machine

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ZOOM / MS-70CDR+

ZOOM

MS-70CDR+

¥15,500(incl. tax)

Guitar effects, multi-effects, spatial systems

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