Any Vox users?

[Zack Pomerleau]

I wanna get a Vox AC-15 and was wondering what people thought of it or should I got for a Laney copy?


Vox has damaged my Les Paul (Wah-Wah fell on Guitar, first dent) and Valvetronix fell on my Stratocaster (should have lied it down! first ding!)Well, I rock don't I?

[Sky]

Originally Posted by Zack Pomerleau

I wanna get a Vox AC-15 and was wondering what people thought of it or should I got for a Laney copy?


Vox has damaged my Les Paul (Wah-Wah fell on Guitar, first dent) and Valvetronix fell on my Stratocaster (should have lied it down! first ding!)Well, I rock don't I?

Vox, yum
The AC-15 is awesome

[Bordeaux]

I would go for it. Vox AC-15s are great! If I had the opportunity to get one, I'd be all over it.

[Classicplayer]

I don't own a VOX, but am wondering about one as a future purchase. How would one best describe the tone of a typical VOX tube amp? Lots of folks
answer that by telling someone to just listen to some of the Beatles' tunes,
or perhaps the Blues player, Rory Gallagher. I'd like to hear someone's tone
description of what a VOX sounds like.

Classicplayer

[Bordeaux]

Kinda hard to describe tone. Youtube or google the Vox AC series and listen to some clips.

[mojofilter]

I have the VOX AC 15=LOVE =TONE=HAPPINESS! great amp for the price$600 new. shop around,ebay can get one cheaper! for vintage sounds nothing in that price range comes close.honest! check out THE ANIMALS, THE KINKS, THE BEATLES,THE YARDBIRDS,ALMOST all of the early english invasion bands. that was, and is... THE SOUND! GOOD LUCK!

[WhippingPost]

Originally Posted by Classicplayer

I don't own a VOX, but am wondering about one as a future purchase. How would one best describe the tone of a typical VOX tube amp? Lots of folks
answer that by telling someone to just listen to some of the Beatles' tunes,
or perhaps the Blues player, Rory Gallagher. I'd like to hear someone's tone
description of what a VOX sounds like.

Classicplayer

I'll do my best...

The overpowering VOX characteristic is the chime to it's overdriven sound. The chime is present in their clean tones as well, and VOX cleans are good, but you normally buy one to crank it (kind of like a Marshall). They are a British voiced amp, but don't have the gain of a Marshall. Stock, they have a very good "grind" to them. Almost as dirty as overdrive can get without being distortion. Think of grinding a rock into powder and then translate that into a sound, and that's what I call grind.

Now, the chime is somewhat difficult to explain, and that's why people often just direct you to an artist who uses an AC15 or AC30. It's almost as if the notes are dancing around as they come out, giving the tone a sort of sparkle or jangle. A chime.

Heh, I don't know if that's going to help or confuse you more, but it's all I can really come up with. I think I'll do some high volume research and see if that helps me explain it better.

[WhippingPost]

Get the AC15! The laney might sound close, but the VOX will look a whole lot cooler.

[Classicplayer]

Whipping Post,

Thanks for the tone description. I also learned since your reply, that VOX does
emphasize the mids a bit more. I did hear a YouTube vid demo of the AC-15
some of the chime you refrer to.

YouTube - Vox AC15 Tube Amp Demo by: John Grimsley

YouTube - Vox AC15 Tube Amp Demo by: John Grimsley

Thanks again,

Classicplayer

[Jackson50]

I own an early 90's AC15, use it as practice amp and it Rocks!!! you should definitely get one. Havn't heard the new ones thou.

[Classicplayer]

Here's an even better review of the AC-15. Better sound.

YouTube - Vox AC15 Custom Classic Combo

YouTube - Vox AC15 Custom Classic Combo

Classicplayer

[kernelofwisdom]

Got one with the blue speaker, which i recommend. Great amp. Absolutely great. I find it cannot hang though if the boys turn up the marshalls. However, if you deal in reasonable volumes or PA, it's a great amp. And you can actually carry it around!

[TnT~55]

I have the AC15H1TV, very nice amp.

[st.bede]

Originally Posted by Classicplayer

I don't own a VOX, but am wondering about one as a future purchase. How would one best describe the tone of a typical VOX tube amp?

Classicplayer

Originally Posted by WhippingPost

The overpowering VOX characteristic is the chime to it's overdriven sound. The chime is present in their clean tones as well, and VOX cleans are good, but you normally buy one to crank it (kind of like a Marshall). They are a British voiced amp, but don't have the gain of a Marshall. Stock, they have a very good "grind" to them.

Great explanation WhippingPost.....a lot of people think that the vox is a class A amp...it is not but it has a bit of that type sound (hiwatt)....it has to do with how negative feedback is dealt with inside the circuity (if I remember right)...a great sound and a great amp (I do own one)...it has a lot of presence that just rings out

Originally Posted by kernelofwisdom

Got one with the blue speaker, which i recommend. Great amp. Absolutely great. I find it cannot hang though if the boys turn up the marshalls. However, if you deal in reasonable volumes or PA, it's a great amp. And you can actually carry it around!

I have used the vox with both ceramic and alnico speakers and the alnico do "punch" more but, I also really like it with ceremics...(I tend to play cleaner)

[Nicky]

Just got this AC15 Heritage...love the EF86 preamp channel, and the extra ECC83 valve (which drives the Top Boost circuit). And the Celestion Blue speaker!

[st.bede]

nsureit...you are always making me jealious.....

[Nicky]

Originally Posted by st.bede

nsureit...you are always making me jealious.....

Don't be...just come on down to Dallas and jam with me and my mates!

[brettk7]

Originally Posted by Zack Pomerleau

I wanna get a Vox AC-15 and was wondering what people thought of it or should I got for a Laney copy?

Vox has damaged my Les Paul (Wah-Wah fell on Guitar, first dent) and Valvetronix fell on my Stratocaster (should have lied it down! first ding!)Well, I rock don't I?

I don't really like Vox.

Not that it don't sound good... BUT, the quality isn't there. In my old band, my other guitarist used one and it was CONSTANTLY having problems. I mean, pretty much constantly.

His Vox gets the award for the most unreliable amp EVER.

[WhippingPost]

Originally Posted by brettk7

In my old band, my other guitarist used one and it was CONSTANTLY having problems. I mean, pretty much constantly.

His Vox gets the award for the most unreliable amp EVER.

That's part of the Vox charm.

But, honestly, I haven't had any problems with mine at all. Well, none that weren't caused by me, anyway.

[gui524]

Hmm how to describe a Vox ... creamy creams and creamy crunch ... great amp for blues/jazz/classic rock

[brettk7]

Originally Posted by WhippingPost

That's part of the Vox charm.

But, honestly, I haven't had any problems with mine at all. Well, none that weren't caused by me, anyway.

I DO love the Vox tone.

Not all of them are bad, it would be impossible (well... not impossible, but they can't be as bad as say... GIBSON haha) for them to all be bad. He might of had a dud or something.

[Splattle101]

I was under the impression that a lot of the problems with the AC30s were easily solved by installing a couple of fans in the rear of the cab.

[gmacdonnell]

IMHO, the Laney is a good amp, but not really anything like a real Vox.

And I haven't ever had or heard of any problems with the Custom Classics or the new handwired series. They enlarged the vents and that seems to have solved the problems. I have two vintage AC30's and haven't had any serious problems with them. I use a regular fan on them if I have them on for hours, but the newer Voxes are as reliable as any new production amps, with a little care they should last decades.

The Vox Custom Classics are just great amps for the price. They sound incredible, have loads of useful features and are well built.

Go for the Vox. Even if you can afford the Celestion Blue, get the cheaper one, and then if you have the money later, get the Blue. (It's actually about the same price to do it that way, and you could always sell the Vox speaker to offset the cost.)

A Vox + Les Paul or ES-335 =

They do everything from country and jazz, to Beatles/U2 pop, to 60's blues rock, to 70's Brian May badass hard rock, to Radiohead weirdness.

A great, versatile amp, for not much money. everyone should have one!

[Gunner]

I have a small SS Vox and just recently got the AC30 Head and 2X12 Cab and it sounds amazing. No problems yet and I don't know of anyone with a Vox who would say they're unreliable.

[franciscog_chin]

I own a vox ac30cc2, I love it! I never did try the vox ac15 though.

[Belzeebub]

How would a Vox AC15 or AC30 hold up with say, metal or progressive rock? The demos so far have only been blues type rock.

[franciscog_chin]

I dont think it will do metal, Ive never really tried a distortion pedal.

[zplapplap]

Originally Posted by Belzeebub

How would a Vox AC15 or AC30 hold up with say, metal or progressive rock? The demos so far have only been blues type rock.

I've used my brother's early 90's AC15 for years and, like someone said in another post, it sounds great for almost everything. It is fantastic. Metal players won't have much use for it.

[Belzeebub]

Originally Posted by zplapplap

I've used my brother's early 90's AC15 for years and, like someone said in another post, it sounds great for almost everything. It is fantastic. Metal players won't have much use for it.

what about putting a Metal Muff or Boss Metal Zone-type effect infront of the amp on its clean channel?

[zplapplap]

I've used a RAT 2, Big Muff PI, and an OCD in front of the AC15 and it got all of the crunch and definition that I needed. I think the amp handed the pedals well. In the end, I probably still don't use gain levels that metal players regularly use. Also, I can't tell you how it would sound with active PUPS.