Fender Vibro Champ Xd Vs. Fender Super Champ Xd
The Fender Super Champ XD and Vibro Champ XD amplifiers are loud vintage amps for experienced players, but priced for beginners. The two amps have several similarities and several differences. If you are thinking about getting one of these amps, these factors may influence your decision-making process.
History
The Fender Vibro Champ XD and Fender Super Champ XD are both smaller replications of vintage tube amps made popular in the 1980s. Modeled after the Fender Champ, these all-tube amplifiers both wield 6V6 tubes and a 12AX7 preamp tube. Both models boast two effects knobs that give the amps extreme versatility for such small combo amps, but there are several reasons the Super Champ XD is priced higher than the Vibro Champ XD.
Fender Vibro Champ XD
The Fender Vibro Champ XD includes a five-watt Class A power amp, one 6V6 tube, one 12AX7 preamp tube, an eight-inch speaker and 16 preamp voices--versatile for all types of music. The Vibro Champ retails at $200, about $100 less than the Super Champ. Its smaller speaker and smaller wattage makes it very practical for practice sessions and concerts at smaller venues.
Fender Super Champ XD
The Fender Super Champ XD includes a 15-watt tube power amp, two 6V6 tubes, one 12AX7 preamp tube and a 10-inch speaker. And, like the Vibro, this amp has 16 preamp voices--also versatile for many kinds of music. The Super is powerful for a small combo amp and works well for practice and concerts in small- or medium-sized venues. This amp retails at $300.
Expert Insight
The Super Champ has a few more features than the Vibro Champ. For some guitar players these are big differences; for others they don't matter. If you're looking for a concert amp and choosing between the two, the Super has more wattage, more tubes and more power--making it the better candidate. If you're simply looking for a practice amp that sounds like a classic, vintage amplifier, the Vibro has less wattage, fewer tubes and a great sound--making it the better candidate (and it's cheaper).
Considerations
Fender sells several types of small solid state amps, but they don't have as much power as the small Fender tube amps like the Vibro Champ and Super Champ. The majority of experienced musicians (depending on the type of music) prefer Fender's tube amps for their classic sound and more power.
