What is the best VOX you have played on?

[jdel77]

I have one and it rocks. I've played AC30's but they have nothing on the AC50 CP2. This is the amp that I will never sell. After the Wharfedales are broken in, this is one sweet amp.

The amp weights 78 pounds. With a road case you are at least nearing the century mark.

Your chiropractor must love you.

 

[macmax77]

the fawn handwired vox. VoxAc30hw2.

But you needed 7 men and a truck to move it.

 

[Meriphew]

My 2002 AC30 TBX. That thing sounds absolutely glorious when cranked up.

 

[fiveightandten]

93 to early 2000s AC-30TBX.

IMO, better than the newer handwired, better than CCs or C2s. The 90's TB and TBX models are up there with well sorted 60's AC-30s. Back when these amps were in current production, they performed a blind listening test at one of the Vox tone fests. The amp that won (what most people preferred) was an AC-30TBX that they pulled right out of the box. 2nd place was a candy panel early 60's amp owned by Don Butler, if I recall correctly.

The AC-30TBX is simply one of the best sounding Vox amps ever made. The construction isn't great (PCB with typical modern cost saving measures). The design isn't great (the tubes sit sideways in the chassis), but it's very reliable and just slays in the tone department. This is a non-master volume amp and was true to the original 6 input TB design, so it doesn't have the versatility of modern AC-30s. But the tone and organic response more than makes for it, IMO.

People seem to have almost forgotten about them, which makes them one of the best kept secrets of the amp world, IMO. Simply an amazing amp.

 

[goldtone]

Mine would have to be the AC15H1TV, followed by the Tony Bruno model, the TB35C. Love them both.

 

[geek-mo]

I have an AC30CCH and an AC30HH. I love both and am especially glad that I stuck with the head/cabinet approach. Easier to carry and swap out speakers, as needed. Thankfully, the Custom series now comes in head format, since that line sounds great as well!

I admit that the HH can get insanely loud, but that's why we have the Fryette Power Station. The cranked sound is killer at any volume.

I'm a Vox fanboi. I love them all!

 

[flopman]

93 to early 2000s AC-30TBX.

IMO, better than the newer handwired, better than CCs or C2s. The 90's TB and TBX models are up there with well sorted 60's AC-30s. Back when these amps were in current production, they performed a blind listening test at one of the Vox tone fests. The amp that won (what most people preferred) was an AC-30TBX that they pulled right out of the box. 2nd place was a candy panel early 60's amp owned by Don Butler, if I recall correctly.

The AC-30TBX is simply one of the best sounding Vox amps ever made. The construction isn't great (PCB with typical modern cost saving measures). The design isn't great (the tubes sit sideways in the chassis), but it's very reliable and just slays in the tone department. This is a non-master volume amp and was true to the original 6 input TB design, so it doesn't have the versatility of modern AC-30s. But the tone and organic response more than makes for it, IMO.

People seem to have almost forgotten about them, which makes them one of the best kept secrets of the amp world, IMO. Simply an amazing amp.

Nah, the P&W crowd know. Nigel, Jeffery, and Michael Pope have one.

 

[blaster]

My AC-10

 

[Jahn]

I had an ac10 twin from the 60s jmi era. Sounded like it was going to explode when you cranked it. Scared me honestly haha. Didn't have any sweet clear tones either. But that cranked scream was unique.

I currently have a 60s Tube Cambridge Reverb from the Thomas organ era. It has the Celestion 7224 in it, the perfect 10" speaker, and it came stock with the early Thomas organ Vox amps. It can do that Beatles chime, and with trickery it can bring out an evil midrange overdrive. Put both the tone knobs to zero and crank the volume. Boom- evil. Love it.

 

[De Batz]

I've not had the pleasure of a huge number, but I have owned two AC50s. The first came with a couple of Foundation Bass cabs with those 18" Audiom speakers - absolutely brilliant for bass, but also quite a bright and present sound for guitar.

This time round, the speaker choices are a bit more conventional, and the volume is a bit more of a problem. It records well, but I can't actually imagine using it live because it goes from nothing to flat out in barely a touch of the volume control. Perhaps with an attenuator I could get a range of sounds out of it at sensible volumes...

 

[fiveightandten]

For anyone interested, here's a link to an AC-30TBX vs AC-30CC2 review I did a while back:
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/i...-30cc2-in-depth-comparison-and-review.926405/

 

[Karl Houseknecht]

Dude, this is extremely damaging to my argument.

LOL!

Also extremely damaging to the music store sales dude who wants you to buy a Class A amp because Class A is "better" than AB. Because "Class A" sounds like it should be the best, right?

 

[Coldacre]

my AC30C2X.

I've put it up against TBX's, HW2's & a CC2. for me it's the Vox sound in my head. the Blues are beautifully broken in (6 years of punishing them at loud volume) and a nice assortment of Mullard, RCA & GE tubes makes this baby sing.

 

[DonaldDemon]

1969 AC30 and 1964 Cambridge Reverb, two stunningly amazing amps and I'm not even a big Vox fan.

 

[Stevo57]

Dr. Z StangRay

 

[topboost]

My '63 copper panel topboost that I bought for 500 bucks in '93. I don't get to use it much anymore. I've moved on to an old Princeton, but it's still the best amp I've ever played through. Some day I'll have the space to put t up on chrome stand and use it as art....

 

[ES330]

Thanks for this. I have one too, which I like a lot, and I was curious why you liked yours.
I think the 'improvements' really are improvements:

- Wider spacing of el84s plus more ventilation does help dissipate heat.
- I don't miss the fact that it doesn't have a 'cut' control. I never saw the point of that and never used it on the earlier Vox amps? Not sure why anyone would want to simulate the sound of an ever thicker wet blanket being draped over the amp.

In fact, I wish that Jennings had gone a bit further with their 'improvements' to the AC30, and got rid of the vibrato effect altogether (which I never use) and replaced the three position tremolo intensity and speed pots with sweeping pots. A MV would be nice too.

Agree, the improvements were improvements !!!!
What I liked about the AC40 was probably the same as why you like the AC40.
The amp just had mojo !!

 

[Otto Tune]

I needed a new amp like I needed to be broke, but I fell for a AC15HWx1.
Alnico blue. Fawn. OMG! it's as clean and crisp as I could imagine with my Tele.
15 watts, 56 pounds. I put it on wheels.

 

[IQbear]

Agree, the improvements were improvements !!!!
What I liked about the AC40 was probably the same as why you like the AC40.
The amp just had mojo !!

Cool! Nice to meet another owner.
i've read that the ac40 doesn't have a choke, but I've no idea what difference if any that would make. I do know that it doesn't make it sound worse
Enjoy!

 

[FFTT]

The Thomas Organ Super Beatle that my dad and I tossed out the 2nd story window of his repair shop into the dumpster below.

The crash was glorious!!