It should be no surprise that the Peavey amp models, including the 6505, the JSX and the Classic take the awards for best recreations, but there are some other nice surprises to be found in the Vypyr as well. Thanks to the inclusion of a 12AX7 and two 6L6GCs in the power section, in addition to the Vypyr's ample processing power, the clean Twin and Deluxe models have a depth and sweetness that will surprise a lot of tweed aficionados, while both of the Plexi’s channels mustered up plenty of thick, organic crunch. The Dzl and B-Kat models also deserve some kudos for their nuanced tone and versatility—it’s not often you can find boutique tones like these in a compact package and at a bargain price.
Of course, even with the inclusion of valves these are still only models of classic amps, so you might find yourself wanting more at times. The Vypyr Tube 60 definitely makes a big step forward in terms of sensitivity and depth, but some of the models still lack the dimensionality of an honest-to-goodness tube amp. The high-gain stuff sounds good at medium levels, but the models tend to tonally run together a bit under the weight of multiple gain stages. With the volume cranked on those same models, the single 12" speaker woofs out and the sparse open back design prevents things from being as tight as they could be—that’s certainly not a dealbreaker, nor much of a surprise, but it’s something to consider if you’re planning on chunking out metal rhythms with the Vypyr’s Recto or Triple XXX models on 13 (which the Master knob goes to, oddly enough). There is an Extension Speaker jack, in case you’d like to run the Vypyr into a loaded, closed up 4x12 for more thump.
The Vypyr’s Stompbox models all sound good enough to be entertaining and usable for impromptu jam sessions, but out of the 11 available, I found the drive effects such as the X Boost and the TS model to be the most impressive and usable—they were great at fattening up the Vypyr’s clean channel amps, and it strikes me that no one expected digital effects and amps to sound this good, let alone work well together, a decade ago. If you’re not keen on replacing that boutique board with the Vypyr, no fear; although there’s no effects loop onboard, the Vypyr plays well with pedals, and enjoyed having a boost or OD in front of it. The Effects section really exists in the same category as the Stompboxes—they add enough variance to the Stompboxes to justify their existence, but remain somewhat pedestrian, with the exceptions being the 8-stage phaser which is pleasantly lush and the Rotary Effect, which is always a fun bonus.
With so much to navigate, the Sanpera II foot controller comes highly recommended. It’s a little bulky on the floor, but if you plan on using the amp as a complete rig, from pedals to amp to rack, you’ll be glad you have it. The Sanpera II opens up the Vypyr, bumping the number of presets allowed from 12 to 400, and allows you to use both the amp’s onboard looper and wah/volume effects. It also allows you the option of surfing through banks of patches via the four footswitches, or to operate in Manual Mode, where you have on/off control of each part of the Vypyr’s signal chain—except your amp’s channel, which feels like a major oversight. The only way to switch channels is to do it from the amp’s face or to program two patches into the amp and flip between them. It should also be noted that although the Vypyr is billed as being able to use five effects simultaneously, these include the Stompbox, Effect, onboard Delay and Reverb, plus the Sanpera II’s wah treadle, limiting the available combinations somewhat.
One final parting thought: the Vypyr’s build says “pricepoint” a little too loudly in spots; the plastic on the front resembles Batman’s chest plate, and the lightweight cab construction and lack of a back brace feel too precious for such a serious amp. To be fair, the Vypyr held up fine during our tests, but we had lingering questions about the amp's eventual durability in touring or otherwise rough applications.
The Final Mojo
As processing power continues its freefall in price and electrical engineers drill down on what makes tube amps do that voodoo they do, you can expect modeling amps to get better and better. The Vypyr Tube 60 proves that Peavey means business—they’ve packed a ton of tones and features, including some we didn’t even get a chance to mention, like the USB recording feature and a studio-quality headphone jack, into a combo available on the street for under $500. If you’ve been searching for a wide-ranging, powerful practice or backup companion, you cannot go wrong here.
Buy if...
you want a lot of amp for very little money
Skip if...
you don’t have the space or the money for the optional foot controller
Rating...
Street $450 Foot Controller Street $199 - Peavey - peavey.com
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