The Hughes and Kettner VORTEX is what I consider to be an entry level half stack. You would have a hard time finding a new half stack that is less expensive than the VORTEX. Entry level half stacks range in price between 600 and 800 dollars, while your average half stack will run you somewhere between $1000 to $1500. Higher-end models will set you back at least a couple grand.

The Vortex head is a 100 watt solid state amp with two foot switchable channels, separate VOLUMES for each channel, one MAIN MASTER volume, a 3 band EQ shared by both channels, REVERB shared by both channels, effects loop, headphone jack, and two speaker outputs. You don’t get an amp like this and expect it to have 100 different features and/or options. The basic rule in electronics is that the more features and options you have on a piece of gear, the more you gonna pay for that gear. Simple rule, simple economics.

So the VORTEX is your basic economy half stack! Now that I got that little detail out of the way, lets see what this set up has to offer.

FEATURES and HOW THEY WORK:

If you’ve read my gear reviews in the past, you’ll know that I highly value EASE OF USE when it comes to fooling around with gear. So, for openers, I like the simplicity of the features on the VORTEX. So lets start with the FRONT PANEL attributes:

At the extreme left of the control panel, you’ll find one INPUT jack to handle all guitars equipped with anything from single coils, humbuckers, to active pickups. Moving from left to right on the panel you find the CLEAN VOL knob which controls the CLEAN channel’s volume only. Depending on the type of pickups on your guitar, the amp will begin to clip somewhere around the 12 o'clock setting, this is Hughes and Kettner’s “SoftClick” circuitry to simulate the smooth sounds of an overdriven tube amp. You can find a decent blues tone à la SRV.

Next is the CHANNEL SELECT switch to activate the CLEAN or LEAD channel. The LEAD channel is activated when the button is compressed and a red LED will illuminate.

Then you have the LEAD GAIN knob which controls the amount of distortion of the LEAD channel only.

After that comes the most important feature of the VORTEX, the CHARACTER knob which pre-shapes the Lead Channel for a spectrum of tone ranging from a British "hard" rock style to an American "soft" blues style. The CHARACTER knob is very similar to the "CONTOUR" knob found on Marshall Valvestate amps. This is the best feature of the amp, I really like the way you can work and shape the Lead channel with this knob. Turn the CHARACTER knob clockwise (hard) and you get darker modern distortion like Pantera, System of a Down, Metallica, turn it counter clockwise (soft) and you get a vintage tone something like Led Zeppelin, Ozzy Osbourne, Weezer, NOFX. This sound-shaping feature demands a little experimentation in order to experience the wide variety of subtle tonal variations available.

The LEAD MASTER VOLUME knob determines the LEAD channels volume level in relation to the CLEAN channel volume level.

After that you get your regular EQ SECTION shared by both channels: BASS, MID, and TREBLE knobs. MID and TREBLE knobs influence one another: if you boost the TREBLE, the MID’s are cut and vice versa, if you boost the MID’s the TREBLE is cut. The EQ is thus responsive but the highs and mids lose some sharpness as the amps Master Volume increases.

The REVERB knob controls the amount of integrated reverb which is added to the signal. Reverb level automatically adjusts for each channel when you switch channels, more for Clean, less for Lead. The REVERB is NOT footswitchable.

The last MASTER knob controls the amp’s MASTER VOLUME level. The FX SEND signal is unaffected by the MASTER control knob.

The FX SEND jack can be used to feed the signal to the input of an FX Processor/Box. You can also route the signal to a second power amp or through a RED BOX PRO to a mixing console.

The FX RETURN jack, to connect to the OUTPUT of a FX Processor/Box.

The FOOTSWITCH jack is for a standard footswitch such as the Hughes & Kettner FS-1 footswitch. A footswitch will allow you to switch back and forth between the CLEAN and LEAD channels, just make sure the CHANNEL SELECT switch on the amp’s front panel is set to CLEAN when using the footswitch.

One HEADPHONE jack. The cabinet is automatically switched off when a plug is inserted into this jack.

REAR PANEL attributes include two SPEAKER OUTPUTS wired in parallel. You could connect two 8 ohm cabs to this amp head.

The VORTEX 412 CAB is loaded with four CELESTION Rock Driver Junior speakers and is rated at 200 watts RMS into 8 ohms.

The VORTEX “CURRENT FEEDBACK” solid-state power amp is rated at 80 watts RMS into 4 ohms.

SOUNDS:

This amp sounds good, it sounds better than what I expected for an entry level half stack. I can’t talk about reliability because I don’t own it. I did not look inside the CAB to see if it was built sturdy and of good quality materials. But, from my experience of toying with the amp, I really liked it.

I love the clean channel, nice and warm, and there is plenty of clean head room if you need it. If desired, the CLEAN channel can put out plenty of crunch when volume is set above 5 (with soft-click activated)!

The Lead channel can get muddy, and when played loud it will feedback. To correct, step away from the amp, turn the gain and bass down a little, and when all else fails, don’t play so LOUD. This amp sounds really great at bedroom levels. With VOLUME levels all set at 5, you will drown out your band with perhaps the exception of the drummer. Your sound should not overpower everybody else in the band. For your band to sound good, everybody’s volume needs to be equalized.

The amp that comes to mind when hearing the VORTEX is the Marshall Valvestate. The difference is that the Vortex has got a much tighter sound. It sounds good at high volumes, and it sounds great at low volumes.

Now, for the tougher question...would I buy this amp? Even though I enjoyed the VORTEX, my answer must be NO! This amp is not for an experienced musician. It simply won’t do what many more amps could do for the same price. If I compared this to the Hughes and Kettner Tour Reverb combo amp (also available in head format), the Tour Reverb has 3 channels and is equipped with a 100-watt Current Feedback power amp and a wonderful high-quality Celestion Rock Driver Pro, 100 watt speaker...very very nice indeed. Also, The Tour's three channels offer clean, crunch and lead options. The clean channel has its own EQ pots: bass, mid and treble, while the crunch and lead channels share their EQ, but have separate gain and master knobs. The lead channel also has a dedicated “voicing” control which is, IMHO, better than the “character” knob on the VORTEX. Furthermore, there is a mix level control knob for the effects loop, a headphone jack, an external speaker jack, a fixed-level line out, a pair of send/returns for the FX loop and a pair of footswitch jacks, one to change channels/modes and the other to switch the reverb and effects loop On or Off. The additional versatility and flexibility elevate this amp to a semi-pro level. The Tour Reverb combo is $524 at Musicians Friend while the Tour Reverb Head is $489. All you need to do is get a Cab...such as the Avatar G412 for $399 (http://www.avatarspeakers.com/guitar.htm). So for $888 you can get so much MORE.

Personally, I prefer the Tour Reverb combo (because of the added flexibility to pick up and go anywhere I want - fast), then I would only need to add a Cab for extra stage volume or just plug into my Red Box Pro - a D.I. box with switchable types of speaker cabinet simulations for when I’m on stage. Very useful and FUN!

Anyway, If you are looking for an entry level half stack for under 800 dollars, you should compare the VORTEX to the Hughes and Kettner Warp 7 half stack for $799, the Crate GFX1200/GX412XS half stack at $599, and the Randall RH100/R412CS half stack for $699 or the RH200/R412CS half stack for $749. The Vortex may blow away the Crate GFX1200, but the Warp 7 is a step up and the Randalls both offer more versatility and flexibility. Each amp has it’s own flavor. By comparing models and options, who knows what you would prefer?

Recommended: No