Vox AC30 CC2

[donalddlaird]

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone has experience with the new Vox AC30 CC2 amplifier. I got mine about a week ago and must admit they sound even better than I thought they would. I know there have been issues over the quallity control of these amps, being built in China etc, but only time will tell. If you've any thoughts please share them with me.

Cheers,

Donald.

PS. Glenfiddich is a lovely whisky

 

[ronster]

One of the guitarists for Ryan Cabrera was hanging out in the studio where we were recording last weekend. He had ordered the AC30 CC with blues directly from Vox, and it arrived while we were there. I've been dying to hear one, so I helped him lug it in.

Imagine our disappointment when the thing crackled and sputtered with every note! We thought maybe a tube had become loose in transit and opened the back - only to find it's impossible to get to anything without a pretty substantial disassembly.

Ronster

www.moonshotradio.com

 

[tmac]

Originally posted by donalddlaird


PS. Glenfiddich is a lovely whisky

I have no idea about the Vox but I'll give a big Amen to the Glenfiddich

 

[waxnsteel]

Other than speakers, can anyone give any explanation of differences between the AC30 CC2X and the AC 30 CC? I've only played the 2X, and totally loved it. Any differences, features other than the speakers? And are the speakers worth another 6 bills? I realize they run about $310 each, but are they the only difference?

 

[wordsonyou]

Mine sounds as good as my HW and JMI NONTB - in fact it has replaced both and easily amongst the best Vox tones I have heard. Despite the supposed and alleged QC issues the company has expressly said (through Mitch Colby) that they have only had problems in .1 percent of all the amps which is standard for all large run manufacturing. That .1 percent is particularly vocal and combined with people's fear over it being made in China has provided a somewhat and limited negative buzz on the net.

Take matchless for example, there are one or two guys that slag them for reliability and they are harder to find on the net. Imagine Matchless sold thousands and thousands of amps in a quarter - suddenly you'd hear grumblings from more than a handful of vocal opponents, while those who are content would not grumble. Further people are less likely to have to pat themselves on the back on various forums for purchasing such an affordable product. Truth is a PCB large run amp is less fun to show off about in public than a military spec'd ptp tank. Long story short - quite a few complaints from vocal people, some with multiple internet aliases who have an axe to grind who have never heard a properly functioning one, and thousands of satified customers in Japan and the USA who don't log on to the computers to praise it. In addition, many who continue to slag it on various forums have flip flopped on whether they like it more than a few time. Do the research and you'll see most of the complaining is coming from a few select people.

Bottom line - amazing tone, low price and better built than any PCB vox amp in the past 20 years.

 

[wordsonyou]

Originally posted by waxnsteel
Other than speakers, can anyone give any explanation of differences between the AC30 CC2X and the AC 30 CC? I've only played the 2X, and totally loved it. Any differences, features other than the speakers? And are the speakers worth another 6 bills? I realize they run about $310 each, but are they the only difference?

Speakers are the only difference - prices change depending on whether it is a head, has a neodynium speaker, has two wharfedales or 2 bulldogs. Otherwise identical. FYI - the only bone of contention I have is that the speakers are hardwired to the chassis as opposed to a 1/4 inch jack, but since I have a head this is not a worry for me.

 

[The P-Man]

Originally posted by wordsonyou
Mine sounds as good as my HW and JMI NONTB - in fact it has replaced both and easily amongst the best Vox tones I have heard. Despite the supposed and alleged QC issues the company has expressly said (through Mitch Colby) that they have only had problems in .1 percent of all the amps which is standard for all large run manufacturing. That .1 percent is particularly vocal and combined with people's fear over it being made in China has provided a somewhat and limited negative buzz on the net.

Take matchless for example, there are one or two guys that slag them for reliability and they are harder to find on the net. Imagine Matchless sold thousands and thousands of amps in a quarter - suddenly you'd hear grumblings from more than a handful of vocal opponents, while those who are content would not grumble. Further people are less likely to have to pat themselves on the back on various forums for purchasing such an affordable product. Truth is a PCB large run amp is less fun to show off about in public than a military spec'd ptp tank. Long story short - quite a few complaints from vocal people, some with multiple internet aliases who have an axe to grind who have never heard a properly functioning one, and thousands of satified customers in Japan and the USA who don't log on to the computers to praise it. In addition, many who continue to slag it on various forums have flip flopped on whether they like it more than a few time. Do the research and you'll see most of the complaining is coming from a few select people.

Bottom line - amazing tone, low price and better built than any PCB vox amp in the past 20 years.

I'm seriously contemplating buying one of these amps on the strength of the general praise they seem to be getting. Could you (or anybody else) comment on how close they can get to the Edges (U2) tone. For me, this is the classic Vox sound and it seems like a quite bright tone. Claims that this amp, and the HW AC-30 are quite dark in tone worries me that they might not nail the sounds I'm after.

 

[wordsonyou]

Originally posted by The P-Man
I'm seriously contemplating buying one of these amps on the strength of the general praise they seem to be getting. Could you (or anybody else) comment on how close they can get to the Edges (U2) tone. For me, this is the classic Vox sound and it seems like a quite bright tone. Claims that this amp, and the HW AC-30 are quite dark in tone worries me that they might not nail the sounds I'm after.

It's quite funny. Here on TGP the complaint has been they are too dark and on the plexi palace boards people complain that they are too bright!
They are as bright as an old JMI topboost which is bright enough for edge style tones - just slap a space echo type effect in front play d cord formations high on the fretboard and you are 80 percent there to edge land - the rest is fine tuning. I have been a fan of many of the Vox incarnations since JMI - I liked Korg UK and I liked the Rose Morris Anniversaty editions from 1991, but in terms of getting those TB early 60's tones, this is the closest Vox has gotten there since PTP VSL. BTW, Bono was using a 4-12 CC cab with a CC head at Live 8 FWIW. Edge was using some post JMI, pre Rose Morris Vox AC30, so I think almost any Vox with the right effects and tweaking can get you to edgeland, but none more economically than the CC.

 

[The P-Man]

Originally posted by wordsonyou
It's quite funny. Here on TGP the complaint has been they are too dark and on the plexi palace boards people complain that they are too bright!
They are as bright as an old JMI topboost which is bright enough for edge style tones - just slap a space echo type effect in front play d cord formations high on the fretboard and you are 80 percent there to edge land - the rest is fine tuning. I have been a fan of many of the Vox incarnations since JMI - I liked Korg UK and I liked the Rose Morris Anniversaty editions from 1991, but in terms of getting those TB early 60's tones, this is the closest Vox has gotten there since PTP VSL. BTW, Bono was using a 4-12 CC cab with a CC head at Live 8 FWIW. Edge was using some post JMI, pre Rose Morris Vox AC30, so I think almost any Vox with the right effects and tweaking can get you to edgeland, but none more economically than the CC.

Great, just the answer I was looking for, thanks! Looks like I'll have to check one out myself

 

[wordsonyou]

Originally posted by The P-Man
Great, just the answer I was looking for, thanks! Looks like I'll have to check one out myself

Good luck on the vox search!

 

[e-flat]

I've had mine for about 3 months now, and I am loving it. I further tweaked it to my taste by adding EI EL84s, some Telefunken 12AX7s, a Mullard GZ34 for reliability's sake, and a 15 watt Weber Alnico Silver Bell. I have read much of the complaints/ bitching on the net, as well as some of the flip-flopping on the Plexi Palace forum and personally can't relate at all. There are however two gripes I have that I believe bear revealing:

1) The amp is an absolute nightmare to work on, tube swap, tweak, etc. To swap tubes, you have to not only remove the entire chassis, but you also have to UNSOLDER the speakers to do so. To swap speakers you also have to pull the chassis because the speaker basket (and access to the screw in 12 o'clock position) is partially obstructed by the chassis.

2) Hopefully Vox/Korg has addressed the reverb tank probs they've had ... Got mine from North Coast Music, and it arrived with a non-functioning reverb tank. Contacted NCM, and they were awesome. Got a new tank out ASAP. The springs in the tanks have been breaking from shipping abuse, which I think indicates that Vox should pack em better. The replacement reverb tank which NCM shipped had some rubber grommets in the mounting holes, and hopefully these will help any vibration issues or reverb tank fragility.

I love the tone of the amp (even before tweaks) and have adjusted to get it right where I want it. I present these gripes in a constructive way, just to be considered by anyone who is interested in checking one out. I am still VERY glad I bought this amp, and think they are a great deal for $1000. The Master Volume sounds OK below 9:00, but once you get it past there it just opens up (Gig volume for the band I'm in is around 10-11 ovlock on the dial in a medium/smallish club) . From 12:00 to full up, its effects are not very noticeable to my ears.
Hope this helps.

 

[wordsonyou]

Originally posted by e-flat
I've had mine for about 3 months now, and I am loving it. I further tweaked it to my taste by adding EI EL84s, some Telefunken 12AX7s, a Mullard GZ34 for reliability's sake, and a 15 watt Weber Alnico Silver Bell. I have read much of the complaints/ bitching on the net, as well as some of the flip-flopping on the Plexi Palace forum and personally can't relate at all. There are however two gripes I have that I believe bear revealing:

1) The amp is an absolute nightmare to work on, tube swap, tweak, etc. To swap tubes, you have to not only remove the entire chassis, but you also have to UNSOLDER the speakers to do so. To swap speakers you also have to pull the chassis because the speaker basket (and access to the screw in 12 o'clock position) is partially obstructed by the chassis.

2) Hopefully Vox/Korg has addressed the reverb tank probs they've had ... Got mine from North Coast Music, and it arrived with a non-functioning reverb tank. Contacted NCM, and they were awesome. Got a new tank out ASAP. The springs in the tanks have been breaking from shipping abuse, which I think indicates that Vox should pack em better. The replacement reverb tank which NCM shipped had some rubber grommets in the mounting holes, and hopefully these will help any vibration issues or reverb tank fragility.

I love the tone of the amp (even before tweaks) and have adjusted to get it right where I want it. I present these gripes in a constructive way, just to be considered by anyone who is interested in checking one out. I am still VERY glad I bought this amp, and think they are a great deal for $1000. The Master Volume sounds OK below 9:00, but once you get it past there it just opens up (Gig volume for the band I'm in is around 10-11 ovlock on the dial in a medium/smallish club) . From 12:00 to full up, its effects are not very noticeable to my ears.
Hope this helps.

I agree with absolutely each one of your constructive critiques. Like I said I was able to bypass the problems you raise since mine is a head and therefore less prone to shipping damage and also easier to work on also since there is a speaker out jack. But each concern you raise is valid. Everyone buying a combo should install a 1/4 each speaker out jack and intstall a longer speaker cable imho. That is such a weird flaw for the amp to have, how much cost could it really have saved I wonder? I wonder now that the China plant is up and running if there are other AC30 or AC15 models in the works?

 

[waxnsteel]

Anyone tried the 1X12 version? Opinions?

 

[54GT]

Just got the AC30CC head last week and spent the weekend trying it out. Hooked it up to a cab with a Vintage 30 and a g12h30, and then one with a Blue and a g12h30. I was really surprised by how good this thing sounded with either set of speakers. I would vote with the camp that says it can be a little bright, but it is very tweakable. Nice warm cleans, great crunch and lots of stops in between with both Teles and LPs. I don't use reverb much or tremolo at all, so the fact that they are fair at best not a big deal for me.

A/B'd it with my Kingsley, and while it doesn't have the depth and complexity (?) of that amp, it does what it does really well. Great bang for the buck so far -- but I am still in honeymoon phase.

 

[wordsonyou]

Originally posted by 54GT
Just got the AC30CC head last week and spent the weekend trying it out. Hooked it up to a cab with a Vintage 30 and a g12h30, and then one with a Blue and a g12h30. I was really surprised by how good this thing sounded with either set of speakers. I would vote with the camp that says it can be a little bright, but it is very tweakable. Nice warm cleans, great crunch and lots of stops in between with both Teles and LPs. I don't use reverb much or tremolo at all, so the fact that they are fair at best not a big deal for me.

A/B'd it with my Kingsley, and while it doesn't have the depth and complexity (?) of that amp, it does what it does really well. Great bang for the buck so far -- but I am still in honeymoon phase.

That's great praise! I consider Kingsley to be one of the great amp makers, and I think his deluxe 30 is a masterpiece in complexity and versatility - definitely the deluxe 30 is one of my favorite amps of all time, perhaps number one.

 

[57special]

One thing the Vox does better than the Kingsley (besides sound like a Vox) is the transition from clean to "bluesy" , or "bluesy' to 'rock" with just the volume knob. I'm a big Kingsley fan, btw... thought it sounded better than the Vox HW. For that matter, i think the AC 30CC sounds better than the Vox HW. The Kingsley has a better clean sound than the Vox, IMO, but it has one of the best clean sounds out there of ANY amp... The AC30CC's is certainly adequate. Wordsonyou (rich) has a great little clip showing off the CC's pop sound.
I have a head also, and have no reliability issues, no funny noises,etc., though i find the upside down brilliant switch to be funny.
Have i heard better JMI's before ? YES! Do they cost 3-4 times as much? YES! Do they have reliability issues also? YES , or at least sometimes. The best JMI AC 30 i ever had was constantly blowing up tubes, making strange noises, and generally acting like a prima donna at the Met, while other JMI's sounded less brilliant (actually, the ac30CC could give those a challenge) and were reliable.

 

[wordsonyou]

Originally posted by 57special
One thing the Vox does better than the Kingsley (besides sound like a Vox) is the transition from clean to "bluesy" , or "bluesy' to 'rock" with just the volume knob. I'm a big Kingsley fan, btw... thought it sounded better than the Vox HW. For that mater, i think the AC 30CC sounds better than the Vox HW. The kingsley has a better clean sound than the Vox, IMO, but it has one of the best clean sounds out there of ANY amp... The AC30CC's is certainly adequate. Wordsonyou (rich) has a great little clip showing off the CC's pop sound.
I have a head also, and have no reliability issues, no funny noises,etc., though i find the upside down brilliant switch to be funny.
Have i heard better JMI's before ? YES! Do they cost 3-4 times as much? YES! Do they have reliability issues also? YES , or at least sometimes. The best JMI AC 30 i ever had was constantly blowing up tubes, making strange noises, and generally acting like a prima donna at the Met, while other JMI's sounded less brilliant (actually, the ac30CC could give those a challenge) and were reliable.

I agree that the Kingsley has the best pure clean tone I've ever heard - once you distort it it is a very different animal to the Vox imho. The CC sounds very close to my most recent JMI's but I would never presume to say that it eclipses the best JMI's, but it sure is in the ballpark and perhaps the same league sound wise!

 

[57special]

Hey Rich, what's going on? Any new gear?

 

[SamN]

I have had two and both had to go back. I had an ac30cc2 with the blues. Developed some sort weird parallel note. Kind of like someone playing harmony with you but not in tune. The tech at the store could not fix it, so it was sent back. Then I got an AC30cc1. This one was buzzing and crackling, and definitely had a microphonic tube. Of course to check everything out you have to take the amp apart. I returned it. I guess I must be in that .01% group. I guess I feel the lack of quality control with these amps is real.

 

[wordsonyou]

Originally posted by SamN
I have had two and both had to go back. I had an ac30cc2 with the blues. Developed some sort weird parallel note. Kind of like someone playing harmony with you but not in tune. The tech at the store could not fix it, so it was sent back. Then I got an AC30cc1. This one was buzzing and crackling, and definitely had a microphonic tube. Of course to check everything out you have to take the amp apart. I returned it. I guess I must be in that .01% group. I guess I feel the lack of quality control with these amps is real.

A bad tube is not much of a defect if that was the cause of the crackling - did you try changing it and then trying it?