Vox ac30....which one?

snowblind

Now now. "Special" is the correct term for this item perhaps but maybe after more than a decade it could be laid to rest?

Cirrus

Dodge said:

Go spend some time at https://www.voxshowroom.com/

Edited highlights:

1.  JMI original - 60-67.  Proceed with caution.  Wonderful amps, but lots of shocking examples of things that are non-original, old amps in modern cabinets etc.  Seek the advice of someone with knowledge if you're parting with lots of money.

2.  VSL/VSEL - 68-9 these are more or less the same as the original circuits and are decent.

3. Birch-Stolec era - 1970-73. PCB construction and a fire hazard.   Avoid.

4. Dallas Arbiter - 1973-79.  Early examples were handwired but with no valve rectifier and had alnico silvers.  Later ones had PCB's, Fane speaners.  Avoid the PCB ones, but the early ones are decent.

5. Rose Morris - 1979-93.  Nothing special here, I'd probably avoid.

6.  Korg era - 1993+.  The 94-04 Marshall made reissues are excellent.  Decent quality and close to the original circuit, and sound excellent.

I think all bar the Korg era have hard wired speaker cables so attenuators will require a bit of work - but the Korg ones have 'proper' speaker jacks.

For post UK made Vox, I defer to @Cirrus who knows much more about these.

I'd second everything here about the classic UK made amps!

I really like the 2005-2010 CC series, but only with mods - stock, they have issues. The speakers are nothing special, they blow rectifiers if you use the standby switch, and they're voiced bright and tight. So... if you are handy with a soldering iron and don't mind changing the speakers, they're the best because they're built well, have lots of options that are well implemented, and have all the basics in the right place.

Part of the trick with AC30 circuits is that the classic '60s amps sound great because they're struggling; the power transformers are way under spec, get hot and sag voltage, and the filter caps barely do the job. The more modern iterations "fix" those issues and besides losing some mystical mojo also end up running valves too hot, which makes them lean towards harsh.

gumbothewiddler

Another vote here for korg era.

I had a korg era AC15 which was great and I’d imagine the AC30 from that period to be similarly great. They are getting harder to find though. 

billando

I have a newer master volume ac15 with alnico blue that i like...bearing in mind any ac30 non master i got would have to be attenuated to get the overdriven sound i want and attenuating sucks a little tone the more you attenuate (it just does no matter what attenuator is used) would i be as well just sticking with the ac15? It is loud enough for our gigs. Or would an older attenuated ac30 be superior?

gubble

Surely the answer is this one?

ICBM

billando said:

I have a newer master volume ac15 with alnico blue that i like...bearing in mind any ac30 non master i got would have to be attenuated to get the overdriven sound i want and attenuating sucks a little tone the more you attenuate (it just does no matter what attenuator is used) would i be as well just sticking with the ac15? It is loud enough for our gigs. Or would an older attenuated ac30 be superior?

A master volume AC30 would be better. You still get the option of cranking it and attenuating if you want, but you have more control over whether to and how much.

AC30s just sound bigger and (in my opinion) better than AC15s at any volume. If you want to keep the volume down a bit, get one with Greenbacks not Blues.

jmf1928

If cost is less of a consideration, the 60th anniversary UK made amps are stellar. There's still one around somewhere unsold as well. Not cheap but made here to 1965 top boost specs and attenuator friendly. I will never part with mine.