VOX V8 Distorion

We have ourselves another firebreather. Vox’s offering, complete with an actual tube in the pedal, is a high gain scream machine that is true to its namesake’s character. This is not a delicate pedal meant to guide you on a romp through the tulips, it is meant to be the driving force on the highway to hell. That being the case, this may not be a great pedal for a horn player, unless you are in a metal band with a horn section. This pedal has been taken out of production so get one while you can!

External Control: None
Cost: $

HornFX Review

Interface:  3.5/5
Has the standard knobs you find on a 4 knob distortion pedal, but also includes a switch to mess around with the mids. The knobs are a little flimsy, but there is a TUBE IN THE PEDAL. So that is pretty cool

Versatility: 1/5
You are not going to be able to even think about subtle with thes pedal turned on. When they say this is a high gain pedal, they mean it. Your options are either intense distortion, or more intense distortion.

Tonal Reproduction: 2.5/5
There is a fair amount of tonal manipulation that can be done with the bass and treble knobs as well as the mids switch, but the heavy distortion this thing pumps out can easily overshadow your tone and your sound.

Live application: 2/5
This might be a pedal a select few would want or their live setup. If you need intensity and heaviness, this is a good pedal. There might be more feedback issues than you would like because of its sheer heaviness.

Product Information

As befits the name “V-type 8-cylinder,” this is a high-gain distortion unit that boasts an awe-inspiring tone. In addition to distortion sounds that are ideal for heavy riffs or soloing, you can also obtain cutting high-gain lead sounds. It provides a mid-shift switch that lets you change the band where the mid-range peaks. Turning this off gives you a broad range with an emphasized attack. Turning it on will shift the band to be more suitable for lead playing.

OX V8 Distortion (V8DS) Specifications
Input impedance: 1M Ω
Output impedance: 2.2k Ω
Vacuum tube: ECC83 / 12AX7
Connections: INPUT jack (guitar input), OUTPUT jack (line output)
Power: AA battery x 6
AC adapter: DC 9V (Option)
Vacuum tube operating voltage: 200 V
Consumption current: 240 mA
Battery Life: Approximately 7 hours
Dimensions: (W x D x H): 87 x 132 x 63 / mm, 3.43 x 5.20 x 2.48 / inch
Weight: 420 g / 14.81 oz (not including battery)
Accessories: AA alkaline battery x 6 (for verifying operation)
Options: AC Adapter

Product info taken from the VOX website.