Can't help feeling a bit sad and disappointed about Vox...

ICBM

Hattigol said:

... having inadvertently tried a Vox AC10 ...

I played the current version of one of those recently (changing a blown valve), and despite the almost laughably flimsy construction and cheap speaker, it actually sounded pretty nice.

Hattigol said:

It's a brilliant amp and unlike previous Fender valve amps I've had, it drives sweetly at pretty modest levels with the assistance of the master volume.

That's one of the really nice things about the ludicrously heavy one above - the master volume works well down to whisper volume, much quieter than I can get a good sound out of my AD15VT modeller, because that is plagued by background hiss.

I haven't *totally* ruled out buying it yet...

Hattigol said:

Difficult for companies like Vox. Gretsch also spring to mind. They'e known for a certain style which people want. If they stick to it, they get accused of living in the past. If they try and tweak it, they get destroyed by critics...

There are a lot of changes they can ring without doing some of the daft stuff, constant model replacement and unnecessary cost-cutting that Vox has though.

impmann said:

I understand the OP's comments - I'll be honest, I can't understand why they don't stop fucking about and make a proper AC30, using the correct spec components/layouts etc but build them in the Far East to keep the costs sane. If folks are prepared to pay £3k for a worn original, I'm sure there would be a market for vintage correct ones for around half that.

This. A proper reissue of the classic AC30/6 Top Boost - which they haven't made since the early 2000s, and even then it had a different chassis layout. (Not that it really matters.)

But they also had a good 'modern' AC30 in the CC series - which sold well, wasn't stupidly expensive, and if they'd sorted the rectifier/standby switch problem is a reliable amp. But they cancelled it, for some reason.

Compare with Fender who have made the Hotrod series, with only minor revisions to cure known issues, almost unchanged for over 20 years.

Hattigol

Main advantage for me is the ability to get fabulous driven tones out of the AC15 at modest (and I mean very modest) volumes. I fancied it because it has switchability to 7.5 watts but you don't actually need to use it. (Plus it really lacks the warmth of the 15w channel). I'm relying much less on drive pedals and using them more as boosters.

Another great factor is the ability to 'jump' the channels by plugging into one input and then running a patch lead from the other input on that channel into an input on the other channel. I like to blend them so you have a driven sound on one and a cleaner one on the other. Absolutely love it.

Plus it looks the mutt's nuts....(and it even matches my pedal-board).

Hattigol

terada

I had an AC15 nearly a decade ago and it broke within a week, really poor quality. I even tried 4 AC4 combos (they were blue if I remember correctly) that had a master volume and received 4 duds in a row.

Eventually I got one of those head and cab AC4TV models which served me well for a good few years - but was nothing particularly special.

My desktop tonelab however was fabulous, a real shame that they didn't continue with them.

But to be honest I have also had a fender amp go bad, and my local rehearsal place is always short of fender amps as they are almost constantly in for repairs.

At the moment the only amp maker that I'm truly confident in the build is Orange.

ICBM

terada said:

But to be honest I have also had a fender amp go bad, and my local rehearsal place is always short of fender amps as they are almost constantly in for repairs.

Sounds like they new a new tech if Fender amps are repeatedly breaking down.

Although it does depend to an extent on the model, Fenders are pretty reliable in general.

terada

ICBM said:

terada said:

But to be honest I have also had a fender amp go bad, and my local rehearsal place is always short of fender amps as they are almost constantly in for repairs.

Sounds like they new a new tech if Fender amps are repeatedly breaking down.

Although it does depend to an extent on the model, Fenders are pretty reliable in general.

Ha maybe! They were blues deluxes that sounded great when they were working. And loud as hell.