Vox AC4TV vs. Peavey JSX Mini Colossal

[skyblue]

Discuss pros and cons of both amps please. I've finally bitten the bullet after 10 years of unstructured self-study and signed up for guitar lessons, and I need a low-wattage tube amp so that I can practice anytime I want without giving the missus a headache, lol.

The lowest wattage amp I have right now is a Classic 20, and by the time I finally get the tubes to saturate, it's already WAY too loud to play around the house. Don't need to expose the neighbors to my mediocre playing, hahaha.

 

[GeLoFi]

Please avoid the JSX mini at all costs, I ordered one a few weeks ago and sent it back the day after I received it. It was just terrible, thin, raspy, muddy. I've heard great things about the AC4, check out the 8" version sold by GC if you need that form factor.

 

[gidude73]

I am interested in this too .

 

[Fred132]

Another vote for the AC4TV.

 

[skyblue]

btt

 

[localmotion411]

Not everything by Peavey sucks, but that thing does. Vox all the way.

 

[Holliman]

Blackstar HT5 smokes both of them. A little more expensive, but way more practical.

 

[evbrad2007]

I just picked up an AC4TVH that I'm running through a 1x12 Greenback loaded cab....man, it's a super fun little beast. I've also tried the Blackstar...very,very good for the $ but a really very different sound than the Vox; more versatile than the Vox I think as a channel switcher, but it won't do the Vox chime 'n grind...

 

[Mikey01]

Please avoid the JSX mini at all costs, I ordered one a few weeks ago and sent it back the day after I received it. It was just terrible, thin, raspy, muddy. I've heard great things about the AC4, check out the 8" version sold by GC if you need that form factor.

I was gonna ask ya to expand on your dislike for the amp but you left nothing to say.

 

[Sniper-V]

Peavey JSX Mini Colossal is a horrible amp, just sucks at everything. I wonder what was going through the R&D's and Satch's mind when they released this.

The Vox AC4TV on the other hand is a fantastic sounding little amp. Great cranked Vox tones at volumes. I feel its one of the better sounding amps Vox makes currently.

 

[DavidLopezJr]

Check out Fender Champs, Marshall Class 5. The link in my sig has a gallery of a bunch of small tube amps from members on here.

 

[steve108819]

Another vote for the Vox, but get the 10", not the 8"

 

[theruley]

vox = good

 

[stratotone]

Even a 4-5 watt amp is going to be stupid loud if you start saturating the tubes... just FYI. Might want to get a small attenuator to go with it, or just get a small attenuator for your classic 20.

Pete

 

[jaclo]

Please avoid the JSX mini at all costs, I ordered one a few weeks ago and sent it back the day after I received it. It was just terrible, thin, raspy, muddy. I've heard great things about the AC4, check out the 8" version sold by GC if you need that form factor.

Ditto on the Peavey MC. I sent mine back the same day. Seemed like a toy to me. Hated the plastic feel of it as well. It's touted as sounding vintage, at least they could have made it look and feel vintage, maybe also if it had a 10" speaker. Then it may have been worth $300.

It wasn't a complete flop. Just wasn't anything great. Definately not the tone you hear on youtube vids. It is not a high gain machine.

My 70's Vibrochamp sounds hugh for a small amp. This thing sounded tiny. As it is I would have kept it for 150.00.

 

[Stinky Kitty]

Late to the game...my mini smokes the Vox I owned and sent the Blackstar HT-5 packing. Sounds better than the Super Champ XD I owned as well so that's long gone. Maybe I got a Wednesday afternoon amp and everyone else, a Monday morning jobber. Seems like this little ditty is a "love it or hate it" mini. I know a few cats who swear by 'em. It might be one of those type of amps that just "works" with certain guitars or pickups. They sound horrible when used with actives but with Dimarzios...oh yeah. As for pedals...it eats 'em alive. Toss a Subdecay Blackstar through this thing and it's amazing.

 

[stompboy]

The JSX is pretty bad. The line out is excellent for recording but what use is that?
Vox I thought was great and the Blackstar but the one that completely blew me away was the Peavey Windsor Studio. All tube, simple to use, built in power soak, auto rebiasing so you can swap out the 34 for a 6L6, KT etc. Well worth a look.

 

[Marshall Man]

I sent my JSX back as well, could not get a good sound out of it.

 

[Stinky Kitty]

The Mini Colossal uses a specially designed Weber speaker which is notorious for taking a long time to break in. The first mini I played at Sam Ash long ago I didn't particularly care for. The pre-owned one I bought sounds killer. Others who own this amp have made similar remarks. Plenty of threads in the Peavey forum discuss this very topic of the stock Weber. I wouldn't summize that is the result of all whom found it unworthy but usually amps which have such a fierce following do so as a result of a time spent.

 

[Stinky Kitty]

For historical search engine purposes. A properly broken-in Peavey JSX Mini Colossal with a hint of gain pushing the front end. Since I own this little bedroom monster, I wanted to add further perspective on how righteous it sounds when seasoned with time and sprinkled with a pedal or two from a youtuber with some nice chops. I stumbled on this fella awhile back and thought it would add some perspective to the thread, though I realize we all have our own tastes.
Equipment used:
Gear Used:
Peavey JSX Mini Colossal
DIY Distortion Pedal
Danelectro Transparent OD
Boss DD3
Aria Pro II ES-335