Few guitar sounds are as unmistakable as a VOX AC30 pushed into its sweet spot by a vintage British Treble Booster. Heard on recordings by icons like Rory Gallagher, Brian May, and Marc Bolan, this pairing helped define the sound of rock’s formative years. The VTB-1 revives that legacy with a re-engineered, road-ready booster that delivers the expressive character of the original without the limitations of 1960s Germanium technology. Classic Treble Boosters relied on Germanium transistors, revered for their rich nonlinear response but notorious for temperature sensitivity, inconsistent performance, and noise. Simply swapping in Silicon typically loses the magic. So, the VOX engineering team set out to solve the puzzle: How do you preserve everything players love about Germanium while achieving the stability of Silicon? After detailed analysis of multiple original units and months spent modelling their behavior, VOX developed a new approach that captures the wide, nuanced nonlinear region of a great Germanium transistor using a single, carefully biased Silicon device. By widening the edge-of-breakup zone and tuning the operating point with pinpoint accuracy, the VTB-1 achieves the smooth onset of drive, singing overtones, and exceptional volume-knob cleanup that defines classic Treble Booster tone. At the heart of the VTB-1 is a hand-selected Silver Can BC108 transistor, chosen for its consistent performance, low noise, and authentic vintage feel. Modern thin-film resistors further reduce noise beyond what carbon-composition parts of the 60s could achieve.

Product Features

• Faithfully Recreated Vintage Treble Booster Voice, Tuned to Make VOX Amps Sing
• Unique Silicon Design that Authentically Emulates Germanium’s Nonlinear Behavior
• Single-Transistor Gain Stage for Traditional Clarity and Touch Response
• Precisely Targeted Biasing for an Expanded Sweet Spot and Exceptional Volume-Knob Cleanup
• Hand-Selected Silver Can BC108 Transistor
• Fat Switch to Expand the Boosted Frequency Range
• Exceptionally Low-Noise Performance
• Compact, Rugged, Vintage-Style Enclosure
• Compatible with Modern Pedalboard Power Supplies and Flexible Placement in Your Signal Chain

Attributes

• Color: Black

Technical Specifications

• Dimensions: 2.28" H x 2.91" W x 4.84" D
• Weight: .89lbs
• Inputs: 1 x 1/4"
• Outputs: 1 x 1/4"
• Power Source: 9V DC Power Supply (sold separately)
• Effects: Treble Booster
• Processing Type: Analog