Cube 30X

**BobD** · 08-30-2009, 08:45 PM

I just got a Cube 30X for my new Epi Sheraton II. Really cool amp for the money. I tried the micro-cube, cube 20x, cube 80x and this cube 30x. The micro was ok but not that great on the clean sound. The 20x was better but the 30x is great. The 80x(and I suspect the 60x) is just too much amp for playing in my bedroom even though it sounded really good. The 30x was just right. It's more than enough for practice until I know what I want in a bigger amp. Highly recommended.

**BobD** · 08-30-2009, 09:00 PM

Oh, I forgot to mention I had purchased a Fender Vibro Champ XD that I just couldn't bond with so I brought it back.

**gravyTrain** · 08-30-2009, 10:20 PM

I don't think I have ever heard anything negative about the Cube30 ever. My next amp purchase will be a Cube 30.

**The Jazzworm** · 08-31-2009, 04:25 AM

Hi!

Is the cube 80x really to loud for bedroom practicing?
I thought of buying one, because it is loud enough for gigs, but I also want to practice with it at home. Can anybody help me?

all the best,..

**BobD** · 08-31-2009, 06:48 AM

Jazzworm,
I don't think the 80x is actually too loud to practice with at home. I didn't buy it because it was more amp than I needed at this point. I would never come close to needing that extra 50 watts just to play in my bedroom.

**Anandbhat** · 08-31-2009, 06:52 AM

1+ for the cube 30x. There's always the headphones output if you want to keep things quiet. If you are not miking the amp for gigs it's probably better to get the 60 or 80.More 'Headroom' or in other words there's probably less background noise at higher volumes.
As far as the clean sound goes I haven't tried the bigger amps so I can't comment on that.

**Little Jay** · 08-31-2009, 07:44 AM

Guys, I guess you mean to say that the Cube 60 or 80 is just offering too much power that you won't be needing at home when you say it's too loud to practise at home? Because it's perfectly possible with those amps to turn the volume down to bedroom-level! Sure, sometimes an amp sounds lifeless and sterile on low volumes when you can't crank the speaker or push the poweramp, but that goes especially for tube-amps and an overdriven sound. With solid state amps playing clean you can easily turn the volume down. (I even practise with my 100W Guyatone Twin and I have no trouble turning that down to a volume so that I can also hear the guitar acoustically). The only issue I can think of is that some amps (like my Fender Blues Deluxe) use a lineair pot for volume, so the amp jumps from no sound to too-loud-for-the-bedroom when you set it only at 1 or so. (But then there's always the volume pot on your guitar to correct that).

So a Cube 60 or 80 may be a bit of overkill when you only use it to practise at home, but it's not impossible to use it and I think you even get a great tone with the 60 or 80.
(I have the 30x but I play also at a friend's who has a 60 and when it's late we have no problem turning that down to whisper-volume)

**BobD** · 08-31-2009, 07:57 AM

Yeah I agree with Little Jay. The 80x was easy to turn down and still get a good clean tone. If someone intends to use an amp for practice and performance then the 80x or 60x would be a good choice. And actually I read somewhere on the forum that the 60 has more headroom than the 80x so that might be something to consider.

**whiskywheels** · 08-31-2009, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by The Jazzworm

Hi!

Is the cube 80x really to loud for bedroom practicing?
I thought of buying one, because it is loud enough for gigs, but I also want to practice with it at home. Can anybody help me?

all the best,..

Just to add to other comments, the 60 & 80 (I have both) are fine for 'bedroom' use. I find the suitable volume setting to be the same on both as well (around 8 o'clock position). I can't hear any difference in terms of headroom between the two. If you do a side by side comparison with all the tone controls set identically, the 80 will sound fuller, richer, and bassier. Adjusting the sound on the 60 will soon bring it up to sounding the same as the 80.
I would have been just as happy with the 30 when I brought the 60, but figured for the small extra outlay it may come in handy in the unlikely event that I'm ever allowed to play in public again!

I'm selling the 60, it's a few months old, so if anyone in the UK's interested let me know!

**abracadabra** · 08-31-2009, 08:38 AM

The cubes have the power squeezer or whatever it's called, so you don't lose too much of the high output stuff even at low volume.

**The Jazzworm** · 08-31-2009, 08:38 AM

hey!

thanks you so much for your answers!
What a great forum, thanks for helping me.

all the best, The Jazzworm.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 08-31-2009, 11:01 AM

One more comment on the 30x versus the 60: the price. The street price of the 30 is $245 and the 60 is $300. I notice zzounds has resealed 60's for $250. Unless there is some specific feature on the 30x you really like (like the lighter weight), I'd say pay the extra $5 for a 12inch speaker.

**BobD** · 09-03-2009, 09:25 AM

Hey Whiskeywheels,

Why are you selling the Cube 60?

**whiskywheels** · 09-03-2009, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by BobD

Hey Whiskeywheels,

Why are you selling the Cube 60?

'Cos I've got Cube 80

(and a Blackstar HT-5, and a Fender SCXD, etc. etc.!)

**BobD** · 09-03-2009, 09:41 AM

How do you like that SCXD? I had the VCXD at one point but I didn't like the fact that it didn't have a clean channel.

What would you recommend for an amp that could do a good jazz tone and a good blues tone?

**whiskywheels** · 09-03-2009, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by BobD

How do you like that SCXD? I had the VCXD at one point but I didn't like the fact that it didn't have a clean channel.

What would you recommend for an amp that could do a good jazz tone and a good blues tone?

The SCXD clean channel is superb, but the 'voices' are 'orrible imho, and also, each one requires fiddling about with the gain etc. to get the intended sound. At least on the cube, the lead channel voices are easily accessible. I can only comment on what I know, but I think the cube does a very nice jazz tone, and, depending on what you mean by a blues tone (just breaking up? overdriven?), the cube does a better job than the SCXD. The HT-5 has a warm 'coloured', rather dirty sound on the clean channel, which can work for jazz. I'm constantly changing my mind about whether the cube or the HT-5 is my favourite jazz amp, and it also depends on whether I'm playing my Gibson ES-339 or Ibanez AF105! The drive channel on the HT-5 is absolutely extaordinary, and has a smooth creamy blues lead sound. Just to confuse you, and myself, even more, I mainly use the Cube 80 on the clean channel, and use an HT-dual pedal with it which gives 2 more channels; crunch and overdrive.
I thought the VCXD did have a clean channel?

**BobD** · 09-03-2009, 10:21 AM

Your opinions are greatly appreciated.

Geez, seems like unless I go for an expensive Fender Twin or Deluxe I'm gonna need 2 amps to do the jazz/blues thing.

Ya the VCXD didn't have a clean channel. You always had to go thru one of the 16 voices. The voice selector did have a "clean" Tweed, BF and acoustic voice but it was still going thru the digital model of those particular amps. I didn't like it.

I basically like the Cube 30x but, as a beginner, I find it hard to dial in a good jazz tone. It seems to get muddy pretty easily in the low end unless I back off all the bass, add only a little mid and a little treble. Then roll off most of the tone on the guitar. Oh, and that's on the clean channel. Any recommendation for settings on this amp. Also, would flatwound strings make a difference in tone?

**whiskywheels** · 09-03-2009, 11:28 AM

Originally Posted by BobD

Your opinions are greatly appreciated.

Geez, seems like unless I go for an expensive Fender Twin or Deluxe I'm gonna need 2 amps to do the jazz/blues thing.

Ya the VCXD didn't have a clean channel. You always had to go thru one of the 16 voices. The voice selector did have a "clean" Tweed, BF and acoustic voice but it was still going thru the digital model of those particular amps. I didn't like it.

I basically like the Cube 30x but, as a beginner, I find it hard to dial in a good jazz tone. It seems to get muddy pretty easily in the low end unless I back off all the bass, add only a little mid and a little treble. Then roll off most of the tone on the guitar. Oh, and that's on the clean channel. Any recommendation for settings on this amp. Also, would flatwound strings make a difference in tone?

Stick at it for now, especially if you are a beginner. You can find some good links about getting 'the tone' on this website.

Personally, my blues tone is the same as my jazz setting, unless I want to drive it a bit, then I use the HT-dual or the HT-5 amp.
I thinks it's quite common for the classic tone, to use the neck pup on your guitar with the volume backed off a bit, and tone also down to below half way. On the amp, you may find you want to dial the mid all the way down to zero or near as dammit, and don't be afraid to cut the bass if you find it's all a bit muddy. With your equipment it should be possible to get a good sound, so stick with it, play, play, play, and get the tone out of the fingers as much as you can, and don't get too hung about the equipment and it's settings.
I hope others will add to this thread, as it's a key issue, and one that beginners and experts alike get hung up on from time to time.

**Homey** · 09-12-2009, 12:01 PM

Is the Cube 30 the one that does reverb AND delay at the same time?

**whiskywheels** · 09-12-2009, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by Homey

Is the Cube 30 the one that does reverb AND delay at the same time?

No, you'll need the 80 for that.

**Homey** · 09-12-2009, 12:34 PM

Damn!

**Tom Karol** · 09-12-2009, 12:52 PM

My take:
1) MicroCube - Good, Vox DA5 - Better, VOX DA10 - Best.
2) Cube 30 (not X) - Good, Cube 60 - Better, Cube - 80X - ?
I've owned all of these except the 80X. I currently have, and am very happy with, the VOX DA10 and the Cube 60. If all goes well tomorrow, I will have sold the requisite amount of stuff (Rivera 55-12 + spare tube stash - sold, Bill Lawrence Tele - pending) to fund the purchase of a Henriksen JazzAmp 112!