Diezel Herbert vs VH4 shootout

[Belensky]

There are couple videos on youtube comparing these two amps, I didn't like the way they sounded so I decided to record my own.
Both amps recorded exactly the same way, with volume that I would typically use when playing with band.




both amps sound similar because all setup is the same(guitars, tubes, cabinet, mic positions etc) and in general amps still have same core diezel tone personally I prefer Herbert a little more, maybe just because of habit.
it also matter what to play and what kind of guitar you have.
vh4 is tight and dry sounding amp and at the same time it's quite difficult amp to play, it has some funny stiffens to it(like you switched from 10-46 to 11-52) you need to work a little harder on your picking technique to reach that juicy zone, otherwise vh4 won't sound as good as it sounds.
herbert on other hand is very easy amp to play. it still tight sounding amp without any flabbiness, and it has some very cool thundering low end, that vh4 just not able to deliver(180w, huge transformers in Herbert and 6 power-tubes have something to do with it)
herbert sound's huge Herbert more playful, it doesn't have that stiffens of VH4, Herbert more alive and percussive in its nature.
vh4 has a little more details in mids and some extra clarity: crazy chords with some "wrong" notes in it will still sound as clear and defined as normal E chord, Herbert has wider spectrum, more highs, more lows, amp will stay clean no matter what, and sonically herbert is more diverse amp, it has more sounds to offer.
VH4 offering similar character on all 4 channels, with different gain stages and voicing, not to say that something wrong with that. All 4 channels are great and useful, you can make whole record with only that amp and results will be as impressive as if you were using bunch of fenders marshals etc.

Because of that ease it's really fun to play herbert, playfulness of the amp will make you want play more. it also fun to play vh4 but for different reason, with vh4 you enjoy that overcoming that vh4 stiffness with herbert you enjoying process, with vh4 you enjoying results. Both amps are great, and well worth the money.
Yes they are expensive but things like that going to serve you for decades without any issues, I'm enjoying playing them now as much as I did first time I bought them.

 

[Drinkingdeath01]

Welcome to the forum ! I have the Herbert and I love it. Its a killer amp with a huge sound. Sounds like four heads and cabs all going at once. Definitely worth the money.

 

[ricksconnected]

love the sound of these amps

 

[ampmadscientist]

There are couple videos on youtube comparing these two amps, I didn't like the way they sounded so I decided to record my own.
Both amps recorded exactly the same way, with volume that I would typically use when playing with band.




both amps sound similar because all setup is the same(guitars, tubes, cabinet, mic positions etc) and in general amps still have same core diezel tone personally I prefer Herbert a little more, maybe just because of habit. it also matter what to play and what kind of guitar you have. vh4 is tight and dry sounding amp and at the same time it's quite difficult amp to play, it has some funny stiffens to it(like you switched from 10-46 to 11-52) you need to work a little harder on your picking technique to reach that juicy zone, otherwise vh4 won't sound as good as it sounds. herbert on other hand is very easy amp to play. it still tight sounding amp without any flabbiness, and it has some very cool thundering low end, that vh4 just not able to deliver(180w, huge transformers in Herbert and 6 power-tubes have something to do with it) herbert sound's huge Herbert more playful, it doesn't have that stiffens of VH4, Herbert more alive and percussive in its nature. vh4 has a little more details in mids and some extra clarity: crazy chords with some "wrong" notes in it will still sound as clear and defined as normal E chord, Herbert has wider spectrum, more highs, more lows, amp will stay clean no matter what, and sonically herbert is more diverse amp, it has more sounds to offer, where VH4 offering similar character on all 4 channels, with different gain stages and voicing, not to say that something wrong with that all 4 channels are great and useful, you can make whole record with that amp and results will be as impressive as if you were using bunch of fenders marshals etc. Because of that ease it's really fun to play herbert, playfulness of the amp will make you want play more. it also fun to play vh4 but for different reason, with vh4 you enjoy that overcoming that vh4 stiffness With herbert you enjoying process, with vh4 you enjoying results. Both amps are great, and worth the money, yes they are expensive but things like that going to serve you for decades without any issues, I'm enjoying playing them now as much as I did first time I bought them.

Alright -enough of the effects pedal amp tests.
Using the pedals to test the amp makes the test meaningless.

Let's hear what the amp sounds like with NO effects pedals, and make this a REAL test.

Otherwise all I am listening to is effects pedals.
If I buy an amp: I want an amp that sounds good without the gimmicks, no effects.
I want an amp that sounds good all by itself.

 

[ampmadscientist]

There are couple videos on youtube comparing these two amps, I didn't like the way they sounded so I decided to record my own.
Both amps recorded exactly the same way, with volume that I would typically use when playing with band.




both amps sound similar because all setup is the same(guitars, tubes, cabinet, mic positions etc) and in general amps still have same core diezel tone personally I prefer Herbert a little more, maybe just because of habit. it also matter what to play and what kind of guitar you have. vh4 is tight and dry sounding amp and at the same time it's quite difficult amp to play, it has some funny stiffens to it(like you switched from 10-46 to 11-52) you need to work a little harder on your picking technique to reach that juicy zone, otherwise vh4 won't sound as good as it sounds. herbert on other hand is very easy amp to play. it still tight sounding amp without any flabbiness, and it has some very cool thundering low end, that vh4 just not able to deliver(180w, huge transformers in Herbert and 6 power-tubes have something to do with it) herbert sound's huge Herbert more playful, it doesn't have that stiffens of VH4, Herbert more alive and percussive in its nature. vh4 has a little more details in mids and some extra clarity: crazy chords with some "wrong" notes in it will still sound as clear and defined as normal E chord, Herbert has wider spectrum, more highs, more lows, amp will stay clean no matter what, and sonically herbert is more diverse amp, it has more sounds to offer, where VH4 offering similar character on all 4 channels, with different gain stages and voicing, not to say that something wrong with that all 4 channels are great and useful, you can make whole record with that amp and results will be as impressive as if you were using bunch of fenders marshals etc. Because of that ease it's really fun to play herbert, playfulness of the amp will make you want play more. it also fun to play vh4 but for different reason, with vh4 you enjoy that overcoming that vh4 stiffness With herbert you enjoying process, with vh4 you enjoying results. Both amps are great, and worth the money, yes they are expensive but things like that going to serve you for decades without any issues, I'm enjoying playing them now as much as I did first time I bought them.

And welcome to the forum Belensky.

 

[Belensky]

Alright -enough of the effects pedal amp tests.
Using the pedals to test the amp makes the test meaningless.

Let's hear what the amp sounds like with NO effects pedals, and make this a REAL test.

Otherwise all I am listening to is effects pedals.
If I buy an amp: I want an amp that sounds good without the gimmicks, no effects.
I want an amp that sounds good all by itself.

there isn't a SINGLE ONE pedal or effect used in amp fx loop so amps behaves exactly like it suppose to, everything comes from in Logic Pro X in post production.

You might not like effects, and you have a point, but I wanted to record them with context how I and many of my heroes like to use their amps (that Eventide H3000 pitch-shift is essential part of Petrucci, EVH, Landau, Vai, Lukater and many others). my favourite bands never have 100% dry amp, and I think there is always some effects in any mixed guitar tracks even you might think there isn't any.

Essentially it's WET/DRY/WET setup. Center is Dry amp on itself , and Left right side is just effects effects. BUT as I said effects does't change how amp behaves, because FX comes from post production, not before amp input or fx loop

 

[texhex]

Wet, dry, both sounded good to me. Nice demonstration!

 

[67Mopar]

Wow... Not my thing at all. Not even close. They are cool looking amps though.

 

[BatmansMarshall]

Amazing.

I have a Diezel VH4-2 pre-amp pedal which costs the price of a small wattage amp and I played it through a Marshall Origin 50w.

The pedal covers channels 3 and 4. It is maybe just as loud as an EQD Apacolco Gold (Sunn distortion pedal). I like adding delay to it and drop tuning.

The Herbert you played is just another dimension. 180W of crushing tones. The only other amp I have heard doing that sort of thing is possibly a Friedman BE-OD Deluxe or a MATAMP.

Anyway, there is no way I can justify the cost of any of those top shelf souped up amps but I have a serious case of GAS for this Diezel stuff. Anyway, it looks like the Herbert is also a pedal. Diezel Herbert Two Channel Overdrive and Preamp Guitar Effects Pedal.

I might do more research into that. I like these semi-affordable preamp pedals which are well designed.

The problem for me is just the price of them. It's not that I don't want to save for one it is just embarrassing a little bit because I am not that good at guitar! I can get through a Tool song but I'm no breakout star.

If you listen to what I am doing you can hear for yourself.

https://vocaroo.com/gxbnfGBNkFP Sorry about the compressed mp3 I used.

So I am thinking if one day I am ever good enough to do this on a stage in front of people I would like to sound like this.

I just don't think my playing can justify it.

 

[Caca_Spaniel_123]

I really loke

There are couple videos on youtube comparing these two amps, I didn't like the way they sounded so I decided to record my own.
Both amps recorded exactly the same way, with volume that I would typically use when playing with band.




both amps sound similar because all setup is the same(guitars, tubes, cabinet, mic positions etc) and in general amps still have same core diezel tone personally I prefer Herbert a little more, maybe just because of habit.
it also matter what to play and what kind of guitar you have.
vh4 is tight and dry sounding amp and at the same time it's quite difficult amp to play, it has some funny stiffens to it(like you switched from 10-46 to 11-52) you need to work a little harder on your picking technique to reach that juicy zone, otherwise vh4 won't sound as good as it sounds.
herbert on other hand is very easy amp to play. it still tight sounding amp without any flabbiness, and it has some very cool thundering low end, that vh4 just not able to deliver(180w, huge transformers in Herbert and 6 power-tubes have something to do with it)
herbert sound's huge Herbert more playful, it doesn't have that stiffens of VH4, Herbert more alive and percussive in its nature.
vh4 has a little more details in mids and some extra clarity: crazy chords with some "wrong" notes in it will still sound as clear and defined as normal E chord, Herbert has wider spectrum, more highs, more lows, amp will stay clean no matter what, and sonically herbert is more diverse amp, it has more sounds to offer.
VH4 offering similar character on all 4 channels, with different gain stages and voicing, not to say that something wrong with that. All 4 channels are great and useful, you can make whole record with only that amp and results will be as impressive as if you were using bunch of fenders marshals etc.

Because of that ease it's really fun to play herbert, playfulness of the amp will make you want play more. it also fun to play vh4 but for different reason, with vh4 you enjoy that overcoming that vh4 stiffness with herbert you enjoying process, with vh4 you enjoying results. Both amps are great, and well worth the money.
Yes they are expensive but things like that going to serve you for decades without any issues, I'm enjoying playing them now as much as I did first time I bought them.

I really like the mid scoop on the Herbert. It boosts the amp while retaining the low end, none of that shrill highs or clumpiness you get from a Tube Screamer. What a sound. The best "factory boosted" souding amp I've heard. Also cheaper than the VH4 for whatever reason.