SORTED - Looking for Vox 'chime'

Castro · April 2019

Happy Friday to you all

I'd like to get a small amp which offers the classic Vox 'chime'. By small I mean mostly for studio/home use, so preferably low wattage or attenuated.

Obviously I am considering Vox amps but I'd love to know of any other brands that offer a great little EL84 amp that can deliver similar sonic loveliness.

I like the Morgan AC20 and Divided By 13 JRT 9/15.

Any other recommendations?

Cheers

Castro

Fuengi · April 2019

Have a look at the Yerasov GTA 15, usable at home, very low noise, nicely built.

theflyisback · April 2019

Sounds obvious but a vox ac10 is a mighty amp for the price. Think they sound better than the 15s too.

Macca_25387 · April 2019

Vox Ac15 hw version would be my pick. I tried the Morgan and still went for the Hw 15. Fair few quid cheaper aswell.

ICBM · April 2019

Vox AC10 or AC15. If you want a Vox sound why get something different?

Lebarque · April 2019

Plenty of booteek options too: Matchless, Bad Cat, Audio Kitchen, Carr

stickyfiddle · April 2019

Bad cat - anything with an EF86 channel.

Jeremiah · April 2019

ICBM said:

Vox AC10 or AC15. If you want a Vox sound why get something different?

I would be put off a lot of Vox amps by the weight - the AC10 is not too bad at 12kg, but the AC15 is 22kg which seems like a lot. Even the head weighs more than some 1x12 combos.

ICBM · April 2019

Jeremiah said:

I would be put off a lot of Vox amps by the weight - the AC10 is not too bad at 12kg, but the AC15 is 22kg which seems like a lot. Even the head weighs more than some 1x12 combos.

That's because they have good solid cabinets and decent-sized transformers.

Castro · April 2019

I'm liking the look and weight of the AC10C1.

Castro · April 2019

And the price!

theflyisback · April 2019

AC10s really are great and underrated. Not loud enough to compete with a loud band in a loud rehearsal I would say, but superb at home and certainly for studio recording which is where I’ve encountered them. Perfectly rounded and can be cranked perfectly at a volume that doesn’t sound like it’s making the amp ill. The audible equivalent of a nice warming snifter of single malt!

Ive always found the 15s to be annoyingly stuck in between. Loud enough but not in a way that spreads nicely like a 30. And the c2 version is pushing ac30 prices.

Im on the lookout at something this size and power myself for home and I’m talking it back to the top of my list as we speak.

kswilson89 · April 2019

The Vox AC15HW1X is nothing short of outstanding, one of the best amps I've ever played. But it may be a bit loud for home use, what about the 4 watt version?

Castro · April 2019

Just watching AC4 demos as we speak.

terada · April 2019

Don’t underestimate how loud 4 tube watts can be. Got rid of my ac4tv for exactly that reason

ICBM · April 2019

I never liked the AC4TV, the more recent AC4C1 is much better.

You won’t be able to crank any of them up at normal home volume though.

CHrisP86 · April 2019

MJW Roadstar 18.

Best chime I’ve ever had from an amp.

ToneControl · April 2019

best value is the v1 HW white AC15, bloody amazing
You need the celestion blue, and the EF86

Dominic · April 2019

the AC4 is awful in my opinion

Kebabkid · April 2019

A Divided here for you . You know what they can do and you have the added bonus of 6V6.
This amp works for home or gigs.

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/116794/divided-by-13-jrt-9-15-head-choice-of-2-heads-purple-available-only#latest

darthed1981 · April 2019

ICBM said:

I never liked the AC4TV, the more recent AC4C1 is much better.

You won’t be able to crank any of them up at normal home volume though.

Yeah I was trying an AC4 in a shop and it needs to be louder than you can play in a shop to sound any good, let alone how loud I can play at home!

Fuengi · April 2019

I owned an AC4 and it wasn't good. I think the hand wired ones are a lot better but they are expensive.

thermionic · April 2019

There are two types of AC4 iirc, one with vol, tone and gain, and one with top boost type bass and treble controls. I’m guessing that the top boost gets closer to the typical Vox sound.

darthed1981 · April 2019

For home use, perhaps the well regarded models in the Vox Handbag?

ICBM · April 2019

I owned two original 1960s AC4s - which are hand wired and have EF86s - and they weren’t good either! They look pretty, that’s about it... but the modern ones are different circuits.

The AC4TV is the one with volume, tone and a built-in attenuator - it sounds muddy and un-Vox-like. Not quite as bad with very bright single coils, but really not good. The AC4C1 has the Top Boost controls and master volume - much better. It also now comes in a 12” speaker version, but I haven’t seen one and I don’t know if the cabinet is deep enough to take a Blue.

The AC10 also unfortunately can’t take an Alnico speaker, there isn’t enough clearance between the magnet and the power valves.

Dominic · April 2019

pm sent

www · April 2019

Laney L5T-112? I recently bought one of the older models (pre-digital reverb) and it's phenomenal. I think I paid just over £300 too

Stuckfast · April 2019

Quite a few bands I've recorded have brought modern AC15s along and I have never liked them anything like as much as an AC30, they've mostly sounded a bit muddy and uninteresting. I always wonder if some of the AC30 'chime' comes from having two speakers.

ICBM · April 2019

I had an AC15TBX and I never really liked it either. Not at all like an AC30.

Winny_Pooh · April 2019

Ef86 is overrated IMO. I never gor it to break up musically in my matchless build. Was always too raspy until I replaced it with a 12ax7.

Cirrus · April 2019

Stuckfast said:

Quite a few bands I've recorded have brought modern AC15s along and I have never liked them anything like as much as an AC30, they've mostly sounded a bit muddy and uninteresting. I always wonder if some of the AC30 'chime' comes from having two speakers.

Most of the circuit is the same. I mean, I agree with you totally, but it does mean the differences can be narrowed down - Parallel EL84s on each side of the (bigger) output transformer? Physical cab size meaning different resonant frequency/ midrange phasing from the sound coming out the open back? Two speakers rather than one? All of the above?

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SORTED - Looking for Vox 'chime'

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