I Wasn't Expecting SUCH A Difference! AmpRX BrownBox

The AmpRX BrownBox is one of those less sexy things that can really help your amp tone but also keep your amp safe - spiking voltages can cause more wear on your amp and also change the tone. In this video we find out what the AmpRX BrownBox does.

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Time Stamps:

0:00 Intro
0:40 Win Some Pickups!
1:49 How the BrownBox Works
3:38 Using the Bartel Amp
4:39 240v Demo
5:21 192v Demo
5:50 213v Demo
6:11 What I Noticed
6:55 Back to Back Clips Clean
9:56 Big Difference in Recording!
10:48 Tweed Dirt Demo
11:36 Overall Thoughts
14:06 Tweed Dirt Demo 2

[gunterford]

thanks.. cool presentation / review. will get one for my vintage old fender amps.. in the states.. g

[HALWASRIGHT]

The Brown Box was a game changer for me and my vintage 60s Fender amps. I love it!

[noahguttell]

Bartel amps are designed around modern wall voltage. The Brown Box is really designed for vintage amps that had less voltage coming to the circuit. In the US, I see 120-122, and bring it down to 115v.

[dwightrobertson]

I've owned one for years.I bought sceptically, was amazed at the obvious improvement in tone, sensitivity and "Hapiness" of my 1965 Deluxe. 15 years and counting.... Get one!

[hekakain]

The Brown Box is more about amp preservation than the sound of your amp even though it does have a very subtle difference in the sound of your amp...

[hekakain]

I have a Brown Box UK version for the past year and I have it set at 194 etc, it's the Brown Box...

[recklesstoboggan]

I've had an AmpRx BrownBox in my Reverb cart for a few years now.

I don't have a lot of vintage amps that require lower voltages, but I've heard they do nice things to regular/modern amps as well, especially when your wall voltage is a bit hot.


Also, I didn't know how much I wanted a TV Gold SG until you did a video on yours some time ago.

It's absolutely gorgeous and sounds divine.

[Bairov]

Your thoughts at 6:20 are dead on to what I experienced.

[Tonetwisters]

GOOD for you, Mr. On Guitar! A Brown Box is next on my list of doo-dads. I have a 1964 Super Reverb and I can definitely tell a difference in how it sounds, dependent upon time of day I try to play it, here in Florida. And that SG Standard are the Bees Knees! I have a cherry one and while it is a Standard ... it is quite special!! 🙂 I kind of like yours at 192, by the way for the driven tones; 240 for the clean tones.

[ttop]

I think unless you re-bias the amplifier for something as extreme as 193 volts, it’s not really a fair test and you’re only seeing half the picture.

[jmsamborski]

Eddie Van Halen and the variac is one of the very few guitar gear rabbit holes I don’t feel compelled to go down to see for myself.

I use Furman P-1800 AR rack units for stable voltage to protect my gear. These devices like Eddie’s variac that actually drop voltages well below standard just seem like an unnecessary risk to tube life etc without much if any payoff.

[TYB]

What voltage did you think worked best for your Two-Rock CRS?

[pauldavid]

There’s crappy power in my house and I’d love one of these

[MrJeffcondit]

Use a loop pedal. Its so hard to tell if the difference is the power or your playing.

[musicproductionvideos]

I bought one for my older amps... here in Nashville as the wall voltage is way to high. BTW I bought one of those same db meters for my studio, only to discover they don't include the proper "C" weighting that's necessary for music. Only "A" which does not measure the bass... almost at all. Hugh roll off in the measuring. So it's not what's really going on. I still can't find a wall unit that does so far.