vox ac30

scalino65

Hi, would some kind soul be able to school me in my options for getting the classic ac30 sound please? Is it possible to get a head unit that will give me "that" sound? Specifically, is there a modern version that does it or will i have to go vintage?
Many thanks
Will

Cirrus

I think the 'cc' series head is the best bang for the buck, and the basics of the circuit are closer to the vintage ac30s when you set aside the useful extra features. The HW head is also great, but much tighter and cleaner sounding.

lustycourtier

Cirrus said:

I think the 'cc' series head is the best bang for the buck, and the basics of the circuit are closer to the vintage ac30s when you set aside the useful extra features. The HW head is also great, but much tighter and cleaner sounding.

I’d take the C series all day over the CCs

ICBM

I much prefer the CC to the C - much more 'Voxy'.

Teacherphil

Custom classic. Although Im not quite sure what you mean by "the vox sound". Vox AC30 to me means classic rock.

scalino65

Hi, by ac30 sound I'm thinking of 60s british beat stuff like the kinks. Also, I'd like something secondhand/ as cheap to buy as possible!

ICBM

scalino65 said:

Hi, by ac30 sound I'm thinking of 60s british beat stuff like the kinks. Also, I'd like something secondhand/ as cheap to buy as possible!

AC30CC for definite. It has a couple of useful features which help, the filtering switch (set to 'vintage') and the biasing switch (set to 'hot'). The AC30C is tighter and more 'rocky' sounding, better if you want the more 70s Brian May/Status Quo AC30 sound.

The AC30CC head isn't super cheap, but you should be able to find one for around £400.

scalino65

Many thanks, will start having a look about.

DJH83004

If you do manage to locate one, ask when the GZ34 rectifier valve was last changed, and if not recently treat yourself to a new JJ GZ34, they are great amps but heavy on rectifiers.

scalino65

Many thanks, will look out for the gz34. Off to the bay to check....

spark240

@scalino65 ...my Vox V125 Lead head may well be on sale soon...alleged to be an AC30 on Steroids...;-)

ICBM

spark240 said:

@scalino65 ...my Vox V125 Lead head may well be on sale soon...alleged to be an AC30 on Steroids...;-)

"Alleged" indeed .

While I understand your desire to sell it - and I hope it finds a good home with someone who wants it for what it does - sounding anything like an AC30 is not that .

It's actually difficult to think what other kind of Vox it does sound like - it's quite a unique amp. Probably the only connection with a British Invasion sound is that Paul Weller used one for a while in The Jam, and he also played a Rickenbacker...

Cirrus

lustycourtier said:

Cirrus said:

I think the 'cc' series head is the best bang for the buck, and the basics of the circuit are closer to the vintage ac30s when you set aside the useful extra features. The HW head is also great, but much tighter and cleaner sounding.

I’d take the C series all day over the CCs

The only thing you could comfortably argue is better about the C series are the choice of speakers. In head format, all you've got is cheaper construction, solid state rectifier, pointless old-school input arrangement, despite appearances harder to access valves... I could go on. 

If you prefer SS rectification, fair enough...

GavRichList

ICBM said:

scalino65 said:

Hi, by ac30 sound I'm thinking of 60s british beat stuff like the kinks. Also, I'd like something secondhand/ as cheap to buy as possible!

AC30CC for definite. It has a couple of useful features which help, the filtering switch (set to 'vintage') and the biasing switch (set to 'hot'). The AC30C is tighter and more 'rocky' sounding, better if you want the more 70s Brian May/Status Quo AC30 sound.

The AC30CC head isn't super cheap, but you should be able to find one for around £400.

I’ve got an AC30CCH (head) as my backup amp. Very fine sounding it is too. 

spark240

ICBM said:

spark240 said:

@scalino65 ...my Vox V125 Lead head may well be on sale soon...alleged to be an AC30 on Steroids...;-)

"Alleged" indeed .

While I understand your desire to sell it - and I hope it finds a good home with someone who wants it for what it does - sounding anything like an AC30 is not that .

It's actually difficult to think what other kind of Vox it does sound like - it's quite a unique amp. Probably the only connection with a British Invasion sound is that Paul Weller used one for a while in The Jam, and he also played a Rickenbacker...

So my description was fairly accurate then..?

The definition of alleged is some claim or something of which you should be wary and unconvinced. ..;-)

ICBM

spark240 said:

So my description was fairly accurate then..?

The definition of alleged is some claim or something of which you should be wary and unconvinced. ..;-)

Exactly . It is a fairly common claim though!

There's an Ebay (I think) seller who has the combo version of one of these and has been trying to sell it as an "AC30" for years, despite it clearly being - and loads of people telling him, which he simply refuses to accept - a V125.

The irony is that although in general less desirable and valuable than an AC30, it's far rarer - especially if you add modern versions of the AC30 into the mix - and hence to someone who does actually want one, probably more interesting.

spark240

TBH Im thinking of hanging onto it just to have an all valve ( well almost) amp in the room, but well see, I have a few to shift still ! 

Voxman

You might also want to check out an AC30CC1  - it's a 1x12 combo which came with a Celestion Neodymium speaker. This one's on EBay for £295, no offers yet, 14 hrs to go.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vox-AC30-CC1-1x12-Custom-Classic-Amp-limited-edition/253280937907?hash=item3af8b867b3:g:sfkAAOSwOjpZd1Wd

Phil_aka_Pip

DJH83004 said:

If you do manage to locate one, ask when the GZ34 rectifier valve was last changed, and if not recently treat yourself to a new JJ GZ34, they are great amps but heavy on rectifiers.

They are, mainly because the standby switch allows the filter caps to discharge on standby, so there is a huge inrush of power whan you take the amp off standby, which kills the GZ34. Don't use the standby switch, or get someone who knows what they're doing to alter the wiring so that the filter caps stay charged when the amp is put into standby.