The reason I love vox amps is simple, go into any packed guitar center with a bunch of folks blasting amps, I guarantee that despite you not being anywhere near as loud, they will come to tell you to turn down first. They just cut through any mix.
I've been using vox amps since 1968. I use alnico blue speakers, they sound best to my ears but green backs or cream backs sound good too. Thanks for a great review.
I think this is the most well thought out, practical and informative breakdown of this amplifier that I have ever seen… thank you for this amazing content!
@@TheToneLoungehow come 3 months later here I am watching this video and realising I've seen it before and finding my own comments. And again I got something from it. So your job was done but it keeps going round again like the Alex Harvey band. 😂
I traded an Egnater Tweaker 15 head for an AC15C1 and then loaded it with a Blue. Im totally happy, and so was the guy who got the Egnater. The Tweaker (with the American and Marshallesq settings) is a more versatile and higher gain amp than the Vox, however, the Tweaker couldn't satisfy me in the AC setting no matter what I did (even running on el84 power tubes into a Blue loaded 2x12). The AC15C1X is more than versatile! I can use it as the wet / clean side of a wet / dry with a dirty AC4C1-12 loaded with a Blue at home. Or I can take it to the bar and use it as the dry side with a 1967 Bassman as the wet side and I'm completely happy in both situations!
Great review. I’m looking for my first tube amp, and I’m considering the AC15. I’ve looked at a few Fender amps and the Princeton or Blues Jr just don’t do it for me. I unfortunately don’t have a local music store that carries Vox, so I’m watching a lot of TH-cam videos. If I go the Vox route I need to make the decision between the AC15C1 and the AC 15C2. I primarily play Gretsch guitars so I was happy to see you with one here. You’ve given me a lot to think about
The C1 is a great amp. Want it to be even better? Have a good amp tech rewire the tone knobs to work like an original JMI AC-30 tone stack. Then snip the bright caps and replace the first resistor on the normal channel with a 470k to get more gain out of it. After those changes, it'll sound way more like a classic Vox AC30 and take pedals better.
I would do these types of mods on a used amp. If done when the amp is brand new, it will ruin the warranty. I bought mine in 2017, so I would feel confident to get those mods done.
Great review! I agree with your opinion 100%, and I have you to thank for your channel demos! Its the reason I upgraded from a AD15VT, lol. I so glad I moved up, as you say, its an ass kicking amp, and I'm never going to sell it. Cheers!
Hey great video again ! Love that Ac15c1, I have the purple limited edition (think it's from 2011 or 12. A question, you're saying there's no eq on the normal channel, but when playing on the normal channel, turning the Bass Treble and Volume from the boost channel, does have an impact on the sound in the normal channel. Isn't that also playing with the EQ? I bought this amp new 11y ago (but I'm only practicing seriously guitar for 9 months now, when I bought my guitar ans amp, after 6 weeks daughter was born, not much time to play etc...) Now I'm playing daily (sometimes the katana , but the last time really digging my Vox amp). The tubes are still the original factory tubes. Would you recommend to change them ? I really have no idea what tubes I should take if I change them 😅 I have a Fender MIM strat and a Gibson Standard Les Paul. I play most of all my Les Paul. Favorite sounds are Rock / HardRock and now practicing a lot of Quees of the Stone Age / Kyuss songs. Thanks for this great video again ! I'm ready to watch the next one 🤘😁
Get an active AB/Y like the Orange Amp Detonator, plug your A&B into Normal and Top Boost, then hit the BOTH switch. Pedals thru Normal, no pedals on T.B. Fun fun!
I bought my ac15 c1 in 2020 on a whim....just started using it with my new project last month...I use a passive a/b box to switch channels, or just use the normal channel and mess with the TB volume as illustrated by you. Mine has the Greenback, but for maximum coverage, I just started using a semi-open back 1×12 with a V30 for am extention. Couldn't be happier with the result.
Jonathan, your comment section is one of the best for Vox enthusiasts. I swear your videos are the best, but all the experience from comments makes it all the better. I appreciate your time and effort in making sooooo many videos. 🤙🤘🤘✌️
Hi Kell, First off, thank you for the kind words. Second, The Tone Lounge is all about helping fellow musicians. Naturally, their were a lot of questions about Vox amps, so I decided to answer some of them. I never expected to become the Vox Guy lol
I got given this amp as a gift I love it I play at home mostly we’re detached so I can comfortably get the volume to 10 o’clock without annoying anyone it breaks up lovely at that volume. Mine has the celestion greenback in it it’s the only speaker I know and I love it so I don’t have alnico envy because I’ve never played one. I should of laid the money down years ago for a better amp instead of buying so many guitars 😂 Not that my amps weren’t good but this is a level above. All my guitars sound great out of this but it really brings the differences in the pick ups out. I prefer single coils or my favourite is actually p90s over humbuckers but that’s just my preference I’m not saying they’re better. Great informative video and that’s coming from an owner of 3 years already. 👍
I bought a AC15C1 head recently for $500 on reverb, it's for home use but has the reactive attenuator which allows you to dial 15watts down to 7 or a .02watts. I also have a cabinet with a relatively low sensitivity speaker - a greenback, another with a Avatar A25 (Celestion blue type), and a third with a Vintage 30 - which supposedly sound great with Vox. I also have the AC10C1, and a wonderful clone: JMI AC10 head with EF86 channel, but the AC10C1 got me hooked on the Vox sound, top boost it is. I have some great sounding old amps, but usually play through my Vox heads.
Great video! Been using Vox amps for years. Love the AC15 as a small gig amp, but the weight is a concern. Still not as heavy as an AC30 or Twin! And it gets the job done
The reason why it is heavy, it has a greenback and it is made for gigging. I have used mine now for almost 10 years for weekly gigs and it is still going strong. It is sturdy and well build. It's punching above its' weight.
I couldn't tell you what the "Vox Sound" is, but the 15c and 30c sound AWESOME with Green Backs. Get the power amps working and it's instant RnR. I can get Beggers era Thrice tones all day and it's Glorious.
I Love the Vox ac15. It works great with or without pedals. It lacks two things for me. No fx loop and doesn't go beyond classic rock gain wise. One more drawback is that It's very heavy for It's size. If you dont play metal you would love it.
I wanted to share a funny experience. Yesterday I decided to start playing my ac15c1 after not playing it for a while. Listening, I thought to myself how muddy it sounded and why would it ever need a tone cut knob? Well, it turns out that you really need the master volume at or above the nine o’clock position to get into chimey Vox territory. I have access to a schematic I found on the internet and I see why. Both the master and tone cut sit in parallel between the phase inverter and output tubes, so those controls interact with each other. Setting the master at noon and adjusting the main input volumes made all the difference. Just something to be aware of if you are thinking about trying out an ac15c1. ❤ mine for sure.
Vox makes some of the most misunderstood amps. Many people have issues with their amps sounding too dark or too bright. It all goes with what you were saying. It's good to try mocking about with the Master volume and hear the difference that it makes.
Hi. Technically, Normal and Top boost are not the same channel. TB runs in a separate path and has an extra gain stage and preamp EQ which the Normal channel does not. Both normal and top booat share the same output section and both have a final EQ shapping in the tone control which is placed in the output section. That is true. What Vox did in the preamp was to provide them the same Vox flagship tone, so, sometimes they're both almost interchangeable, depending on settings. Top boost has more EQ flexibility but feels more firm in response. Normal channel is the most simple one. Love them both on my AC30.
Excellent thoughts. Regarding tube changes. When I had an ac15c1 I removed all my screws and put velcro in its place, since I experiment a lot with NOS tubes. I think KORG just wanted a plug n play acquisition when buying VOX. It's a shame they don't take more pride in evolution and making it all it could be. VOX is stuck in a time capsule inside and out. Looks like an English grandma's old fashioned radio lmao (I like it, but it could use a slight refreshed look while still nodding to it's history). A one trick pony but oh what a trick. I wouldn't be surprised if they added an FX loop / power attenuator one fine day just as a cash grab but who knows with Korg. I don't know if they're lazy, have too many eggs in their basket, take a "if it aint broke don't fix it" stance or just respect the tradition too much You can definitely get them for reasonable prices. I just upgraded to an ac15ch head ($650 USD shipped on Reverb), bought a cheap but very nice cabinet (ebay $180 USD. Soundtown 1x12) and a used celestion blue speaker from Sweetwater ($265) as a cost effective way to get that sweet VOX tone (So $1095 USD total to my door). It's worth all the hassle of it's shortcomings. I use a 16 ohm Captor X with it. Why can't / won't anyone else make an amp with that sweet chime? It can't be that hard. I love heavenly pristine cleans, my first amp ever was an old school Roland 120 Jazz Chorus (Metallica used that on "Nothing Else Matters" which is one of the best clean tones ever recorded), but the heavenly VOX chime is superior to even that in my opinion (and takes pedals better), at least with a Strat in the 4th pickup position (neck/mid) and as a side note, I spent so much money buying pickups to see what got the best chime/tone lowest noise with the VOX. Easily tried over 20 different popular pickups and by far the best neck / mid pups were Dimarzio Area 58 in the neck (Slow Dancing in a Burning Room tone) and either a Dimarzio Area 67 (rwrp) in the mid, or another Area 58.
@@TheToneLounge - Sadly no. Oldest one was from the 90s but I did try a ton of NOS tubes on it from the 50s/60/s70s. I hear they're amazing if maintained properly (fragile with age)
I had the older AC30 Custom Classic Head. I currently own one of those Vox "Bruno" amps (6V6s, blackface/tweed hybrid, designed by Tony Bruno) and as much as I love it especially with the Gold alnico speaker I put in it, I want that actual Vox tone again. I was hoping maybe the AC15 would do the trick. I see the AC30 has an effects loop so maybe I have to go that route again.
First my complements for this movie. You really cracked the “code”. I have an AC15 since 1,5 years. I also made a change from Greenback to Alnico Blue. This wasn’t so easy. The Greenback was glued and I damaged it. After mounting the Alnico Blue I had a noise. I had to bring it to a technician. He changed 2 bulbs for better ones and had to correct the bias. At the end in my situation directly buying a Alnico Blue would have been easier. I didn’t know anything of the AC15 at that moment. The AC15 as a pedal platform I prefer the normal channel. I always use the Rat. The Big Muff is also pretty good. I don’t like the Tubescreamer as much. It takes away the warmth. The Marshall Guv’nor is in my humble opinion to warm. What I use in my pedal board is the MXR phase EVH, Boss Delay DD3 and Compressor CS3. A spike several times with a sound technician who worked 2 times with Pink Floyd. David Gilmour used the bigger brother AC30 a lot in the Delicate sound of thunder period. He had 2 behind stage. With the pedals I mentioned you get close with the right Strat. He advised me those.
I've never heard of a speaker being glued to the enclosure. I hope that this wasn't done by Vox, because this is a really silly thing for them to do. What year is your amp?
Hey man, I’m not a Vox sound fan for my playing and have no plan on buying one but your style is so good I couldn’t help but watch this video. Great job!
Thanks for all your time and input for this vid & all your content. Just bought a new AC16C1. Thoughts on the Ruby tubes? Better to go from GB to BB or V30's instead of a different tube brand? Cheers
Thanks for the great in-depth review. I agree with pretty much everything you say about the amp. I recently bought an AC15C1 for a specific project and found it to be a good overall amp. But, some aspects I didn't like were that it sounded a little too bright and ice picky and I found the stock reverb to be very tinny. So, like every other piece of gear I own - I made mods. Replaced OEM tubes with JJs, 5751 in V1 and ECC83s in V2 and V3. EL844 power tubes. MOD 8EB2C1B reverb tank. The results were good. The tube compliment mellowed the spikes and just evened out the tone. The 5751 and EL844s are slightly lower gain so if more gain is your objective, this is a no-go. The MOD reverb has a medium decay and is more usable even when fully cranked. Just wanted to share the journey.
Me too, on the boredom w/ this "true Vox sound argument. I find Vox to be one of the few amps faithful to its uniqgue and Vintage tone. I'm fine w/ the Greenbacks. EXCEPT I swapped out 16 ohm VintAGE 30'S on my AD-15 for 8ohm Greenbacks, as I found it too bright on the Orange (yeah, that one - Hahah!). You've always been good at recommnedations, and advice. So, in your opinion... Do you think the higher tone Vintage 30, may be preferable to the good ol' Greenbacks? Don't be afraid to share advice. You've always given great advice, when it comes demytistifying the Vox AC-15. Have you tried out the Vintage 30, and if so what was your take on it vs, the Greenbacks. I was going to sell the V30, bit now... (Just to add Vintage 30's are fantastic on Bass amps. They cut through, and add a cetain level of clarity that other speakers don't. It's been considered ideal for recording Bass, at the very least).
I had the V30 in the AC15 for over year, and it performed great. It's smoother on the top end and less chime but overall more modern sounding. More like a Bad Cat ot Matchless with the V30.
@@TheToneLounge Much appreciated. I'm a little torn as you make the V30' sound enticing.I think I'll stick w/ the Greenbacks. That's the tone I fell for , after all. Greart vid. I was about to reluctantly sell my AC-15 to put towards a Super Jumbo Acoustic. This vid is a sign. Keep the Vox.
Hello. I watched your videos about Vox ac15 but I couldn't find ac15 anywhere in the country I live. However, I found a place that sells a brand new AC30C2. I'm undecided about buying it. Is it too much for home use or is it usable? Thanks for answering.
I've heard the nice chime sound of the edge "still haven't found what I'm looking for" from an ac15, any chance you could show sample settings and whether blue or greenback is best for that?
Have you seen/heard the last public live show (not counting Apple rooftop) where the Beatles used these new 120W Vox amps? I can't recall the name/model but it was 1965 (or 66?) when they'd just finished Revolver. Casino guitars. Sounds amazing! 15min gig, it's on TH-cam
Gday mate, let me start with a huge thank you for all the effort you put into your Videos. Nice 4622T too! Like you mentioned I also used to find Marshall amps just didn't fit my playing (I appreciate what others can do with them). Tried a vox ac15 with a green back and fell in love... Then I tried the ac15c1x... Needless to say I put some money down that day. It was on sale here in Australia for just over $800 us. I also found I perfered the sound of a Telecaster through the Vox... Sadly my Strat must make way as I find I'm always playing my Gretsch now. When it comes to which model, in put, speaker or pedals I think it always has and will always will be personal and what the song requires. I got a couple of questions, if you've made a video on them already I'd appreciate if you could link me to them. Any chance you've had the opportunity to compare the Chinese made Alnico Blue speaker(which comes with the amp?) compared to the UK made one? If so what are your thoughts? What tubes and speaker did you use in this video mate? I've had no issues just looking to upgrade it through the year. Lastly do you have any videos on your studio set up? My Bluetooth speaker can't keep up with my Vox haha and I'd love some recommendations on if I can get something to play via my laptop? Cheers and sorry for the novel message
Apparently, they had some issues with the Alnico Blues and the AC amps in 2004 when they first moved production over to China. They quickly sorted these issues out and now you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the mic Vox labeled Blues and the mib Celestion branded ones. Cheers!
I have not compared the Chinese made Blues with UK ones, but if it's any indication, Brian May uses currently made Blues in his Vox amps. So, they must not be so bad. For this video I used mainly the WGS Black & Blue, but also used the Greenback. As for tubes, it's not something I put too much emphasis on. Right now I have EHX preamp tubes and JJ power amp tubes. I've tried many permutations and there is little difference in tone to my ears.
@@kosmicwizard thanks for your reply mate. Looks like I'll hang onto my current speaker until it dies before replacing it. I bought my Vox ac15c1x new only last year so it shouldn't have any issues 🤞
Here's another perspective on the "is it loud enough" question. If you are playing with a really loud band, mic it up. Period. For many of us out here, we need an amp that is loud enough to play the small gigs un-mic'd and then can still be mic'd in the sweet spot when playing larger venues. Sounds like this amp fits that bill pretty accurately.
It does fit that bill. Now, of course it all depends on how loud your band mates are and what style of music that you play, but this for the most part is a giggable amp.
@@TheToneLounge - I think my point is, I've always thought about the power question as "can my amp be as loud as my band." Turns out, that doesn't matter. Why? Because you can mic your amp and use a monitor to hear yourself. What matters far more is two things: 1.) tone, and 2.) enough stage volume that it can be felt. I'd rather be a little quiet, but be able to dial the amp to the breakup zone in any venue I play in and just mic it to get the addition volume front of house and in my face via a monitor.
So I've lost my job and my unit I have to sell up 90% of my equipment. I'm torn on keeping my AC15 or not. It's so heavy for me now, i am a 51-yrold male in poor health so it's always stayed in my room. The place I'm moving to is smaller. I can maybe keep my two amp heads, my Blues jnr and/or Laney Cub12R. Instead of the AC15 i might keep my Laney VC30 210" UK made w/Jensens. Most pedals must go. All guitars except for my Gretsch, one Strat, and my Alvarez 335. Maybe nor even one of my two Strats. Sell both and keep one of my T-style (CV Tele Thinline or Schechter PT Special 2 T-Deluxe type). My SG "Frankenstein" will stay.
First off, Matt, sorry to hear about your job. That's a hard hit. As for what gear to keep, the best thing to do is really think about your needs, and don't worry about regretting parting ways with any piece of equipment. We tend to want to have all the options all the time. The reality is that we sometimes have far more than we'll ever need. That Laney VC30 would get you those Vox tones and then some. I'm moving back to Canada next summer, and I have to sell-off a bunch of gear too. I'm trying to narrow down what I truly love as opposed to what I think I may need in the future. It's not an easy task, but once you have it figured out, you can part with the gear without too much second guessing yourself.
Tough, sorry you're going through that. I would keep the Laney cub12r only. I hate blues jr and think that you would get pretty good money on the used market for the vc30 and the ac15. I would sell a strat and keep a half dozen pedals, personally. Hope things improve for you.
@@kosmicwizard agree, I own maybe 200 pedals. I'll keep 10-20 I'm keeping my HiWatt T20 head W/112 cab (V-Type). My other head is a Soldano designed Jet City JCA20H. I paid $280AUD and he gave me a full set of replacement valves. I also have two Strauss combo amps. One will definitely go, it's big and heavy
Fan from Hong Kong😃 i planned to buy a vox ac15c1 but they were sold out in the store. Finally they tell me that there is a c2 coming. Even the size is so big I still bought the vox amp. The sound from this amp is so attractive. The big problem is finding a place for it😂 I hope the C2 can also well use in my small house!
@@TheToneLounge Weber MiniMass. I connect External SP to the attenuator. This cuts the signal to the speaker. From the attenuator I have a 3’ speaker cable routed through the gap on the back of the amp. It’s connected to the 2nd set of prongs on the speaker. When the attenuator is not in use plug the new speaker cable into either jack on back of amp. Real simple and neat. I can send pic.
⚡ 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼𝘀:
🔴 VFP series: th-cam.com/play/PLeAo3au6SN1kfdYcyp8bvHttqkPinQ2Wt.html
🔴 AC15 series: th-cam.com/play/PLeAo3au6SN1mEE4I1YYC2GtP7Y9sZ4VKT.html
The reason I love vox amps is simple, go into any packed guitar center with a bunch of folks blasting amps, I guarantee that despite you not being anywhere near as loud, they will come to tell you to turn down first. They just cut through any mix.
Very true, only time I could hear myself well in GC was through a VOX or Supro to their credit.
Yeah, Vox have a special frequency range that they tap into that just cuts through the mix.
It's especially nice to cut through when you're playing single coil pickups I prefer P90s and they are a dream through the ac15
@@brianwood7237 basically everything
I've been using vox amps since 1968. I use alnico blue speakers, they sound best to my ears but green backs or cream backs sound good too. Thanks for a great review.
It seems like a proper workhorse amp, no frills, no gimmicks, no extras, just solid tone for gigging guitarists at any level.
That's exactly what it is! ;)
What gigs? 😢
I think this is the most well thought out, practical and informative breakdown of this amplifier that I have ever seen… thank you for this amazing content!
I was about to sell my c1. After watching a few of your videos and then having another go at the sound and settings. Ive decided to keep it. Thanks.
I'm very happy to hear this. My job here is done.
@@TheToneLoungehow come 3 months later here I am watching this video and realising I've seen it before and finding my own comments. And again I got something from it. So your job was done but it keeps going round again like the Alex Harvey band. 😂
Vox has a lovely Rich sound.And the amps look beautiful.Thanks for the wisdom.Great video.
My pleasure!
I traded an Egnater Tweaker 15 head for an AC15C1 and then loaded it with a Blue. Im totally happy, and so was the guy who got the Egnater. The Tweaker (with the American and Marshallesq settings) is a more versatile and higher gain amp than the Vox, however, the Tweaker couldn't satisfy me in the AC setting no matter what I did (even running on el84 power tubes into a Blue loaded 2x12).
The AC15C1X is more than versatile! I can use it as the wet / clean side of a wet / dry with a dirty AC4C1-12 loaded with a Blue at home. Or I can take it to the bar and use it as the dry side with a 1967 Bassman as the wet side and I'm completely happy in both situations!
That's the thing, finding how to implement it with your other amps can yield so really awesome results!
Great review. I’m looking for my first tube amp, and I’m considering the AC15. I’ve looked at a few Fender amps and the Princeton or Blues Jr just don’t do it for me. I unfortunately don’t have a local music store that carries Vox, so I’m watching a lot of TH-cam videos. If I go the Vox route I need to make the decision between the AC15C1 and the AC 15C2. I primarily play Gretsch guitars so I was happy to see you with one here. You’ve given me a lot to think about
If you play mainly at home, I would go with either one of them. If you gig a lot, and play with a loud band, go with the 2x12.
Played a million gigs with ac15 and always, the amp is great, period!
The C1 is a great amp. Want it to be even better? Have a good amp tech rewire the tone knobs to work like an original JMI AC-30 tone stack. Then snip the bright caps and replace the first resistor on the normal channel with a 470k to get more gain out of it. After those changes, it'll sound way more like a classic Vox AC30 and take pedals better.
I would do these types of mods on a used amp. If done when the amp is brand new, it will ruin the warranty. I bought mine in 2017, so I would feel confident to get those mods done.
Great review! I agree with your opinion 100%, and I have you to thank for your channel demos! Its the reason I upgraded from a AD15VT, lol. I so glad I moved up, as you say, its an ass kicking amp, and I'm never going to sell it. Cheers!
I'm glad that the content is helpful, I took quite a gamble just focusing on Vox related videos lol
@@TheToneLounge yeah, but you carved out your niche and filled it nicely!
Hey great video again ! Love that Ac15c1, I have the purple limited edition (think it's from 2011 or 12.
A question, you're saying there's no eq on the normal channel, but when playing on the normal channel, turning the Bass Treble and Volume from the boost channel, does have an impact on the sound in the normal channel. Isn't that also playing with the EQ?
I bought this amp new 11y ago (but I'm only practicing seriously guitar for 9 months now, when I bought my guitar ans amp, after 6 weeks daughter was born, not much time to play etc...)
Now I'm playing daily (sometimes the katana , but the last time really digging my Vox amp). The tubes are still the original factory tubes. Would you recommend to change them ? I really have no idea what tubes I should take if I change them 😅
I have a Fender MIM strat and a Gibson Standard Les Paul. I play most of all my Les Paul. Favorite sounds are Rock / HardRock and now practicing a lot of Quees of the Stone Age / Kyuss songs.
Thanks for this great video again ! I'm ready to watch the next one 🤘😁
My pleasure! There is plenty more for you to watch on the channel. Cheers
Get an active AB/Y like the Orange Amp Detonator, plug your A&B into Normal and Top Boost, then hit the BOTH switch. Pedals thru Normal, no pedals on T.B. Fun fun!
I bought my ac15 c1 in 2020 on a whim....just started using it with my new project last month...I use a passive a/b box to switch channels, or just use the normal channel and mess with the TB volume as illustrated by you. Mine has the Greenback, but for maximum coverage, I just started using a semi-open back 1×12 with a V30 for am extention.
Couldn't be happier with the result.
He's a great Flyer
Jonathan, your comment section is one of the best for Vox enthusiasts. I swear your videos are the best, but all the experience from comments makes it all the better. I appreciate your time and effort in making sooooo many videos. 🤙🤘🤘✌️
Hi Kell,
First off, thank you for the kind words. Second, The Tone Lounge is all about helping fellow musicians. Naturally, their were a lot of questions about Vox amps, so I decided to answer some of them. I never expected to become the Vox Guy lol
I got given this amp as a gift I love it I play at home mostly we’re detached so I can comfortably get the volume to 10 o’clock without annoying anyone it breaks up lovely at that volume.
Mine has the celestion greenback in it it’s the only speaker I know and I love it so I don’t have alnico envy because I’ve never played one.
I should of laid the money down years ago for a better amp instead of buying so many guitars 😂
Not that my amps weren’t good but this is a level above.
All my guitars sound great out of this but it really brings the differences in the pick ups out.
I prefer single coils or my favourite is actually p90s over humbuckers but that’s just my preference I’m not saying they’re better.
Great informative video and that’s coming from an owner of 3 years already. 👍
I bought a AC15C1 head recently for $500 on reverb, it's for home use but has the reactive attenuator which allows you to dial 15watts down to 7 or a .02watts. I also have a cabinet with a relatively low sensitivity speaker - a greenback, another with a Avatar A25 (Celestion blue type), and a third with a Vintage 30 - which supposedly sound great with Vox. I also have the AC10C1, and a wonderful clone: JMI AC10 head with EF86 channel, but the AC10C1 got me hooked on the Vox sound, top boost it is. I have some great sounding old amps, but usually play through my Vox heads.
Great video! Been using Vox amps for years. Love the AC15 as a small gig amp, but the weight is a concern. Still not as heavy as an AC30 or Twin! And it gets the job done
Totally agree! I wish it wasn't so heavy. It does sound incredible though.
The reason why it is heavy, it has a greenback and it is made for gigging. I have used mine now for almost 10 years for weekly gigs and it is still going strong. It is sturdy and well build. It's punching above its' weight.
I've put a WGS Black&Blue in mine, and it's even heavier now.
I couldn't tell you what the "Vox Sound" is, but the 15c and 30c sound AWESOME with Green Backs. Get the power amps working and it's instant RnR. I can get Beggers era Thrice tones all day and it's Glorious.
There you go! Working the power amp tubes is a big part of the equation. I love Thrice. Artist in the Ambulance was such a great album.
@@TheToneLounge Artist is CLASSIC. The remastered vocals are fantastic, Dustin's big boy voice is as brutal as they come.
I Love the Vox ac15. It works great with or without pedals. It lacks two things for me. No fx loop and doesn't go beyond classic rock gain wise. One more drawback is that It's very heavy for It's size. If you dont play metal you would love it.
Yeah, this circuit was invented at a time where rock was fairly new, so it does have it's limits in terms of gain. I still love it though.
Me too and I learned a lot from you @@TheToneLounge
I wanted to share a funny experience. Yesterday I decided to start playing my ac15c1 after not playing it for a while. Listening, I thought to myself how muddy it sounded and why would it ever need a tone cut knob? Well, it turns out that you really need the master volume at or above the nine o’clock position to get into chimey Vox territory. I have access to a schematic I found on the internet and I see why. Both the master and tone cut sit in parallel between the phase inverter and output tubes, so those controls interact with each other. Setting the master at noon and adjusting the main input volumes made all the difference. Just something to be aware of if you are thinking about trying out an ac15c1.
❤ mine for sure.
Vox makes some of the most misunderstood amps. Many people have issues with their amps sounding too dark or too bright. It all goes with what you were saying. It's good to try mocking about with the Master volume and hear the difference that it makes.
Hi. Technically, Normal and Top boost are not the same channel. TB runs in a separate path and has an extra gain stage and preamp EQ which the Normal channel does not. Both normal and top booat share the same output section and both have a final EQ shapping in the tone control which is placed in the output section. That is true. What Vox did in the preamp was to provide them the same Vox flagship tone, so, sometimes they're both almost interchangeable, depending on settings. Top boost has more EQ flexibility but feels more firm in response. Normal channel is the most simple one. Love them both on my AC30.
Thanks for the in-depth information. Much appreciated. Cheers
You speak the truth!
Excellent thoughts. Regarding tube changes. When I had an ac15c1 I removed all my screws and put velcro in its place, since I experiment a lot with NOS tubes. I think KORG just wanted a plug n play acquisition when buying VOX. It's a shame they don't take more pride in evolution and making it all it could be. VOX is stuck in a time capsule inside and out. Looks like an English grandma's old fashioned radio lmao (I like it, but it could use a slight refreshed look while still nodding to it's history). A one trick pony but oh what a trick. I wouldn't be surprised if they added an FX loop / power attenuator one fine day just as a cash grab but who knows with Korg. I don't know if they're lazy, have too many eggs in their basket, take a "if it aint broke don't fix it" stance or just respect the tradition too much
You can definitely get them for reasonable prices. I just upgraded to an ac15ch head ($650 USD shipped on Reverb), bought a cheap but very nice cabinet (ebay $180 USD. Soundtown 1x12) and a used celestion blue speaker from Sweetwater ($265) as a cost effective way to get that sweet VOX tone (So $1095 USD total to my door). It's worth all the hassle of it's shortcomings. I use a 16 ohm Captor X with it. Why can't / won't anyone else make an amp with that sweet chime? It can't be that hard. I love heavenly pristine cleans, my first amp ever was an old school Roland 120 Jazz Chorus (Metallica used that on "Nothing Else Matters" which is one of the best clean tones ever recorded), but the heavenly VOX chime is superior to even that in my opinion (and takes pedals better), at least with a Strat in the 4th pickup position (neck/mid) and as a side note, I spent so much money buying pickups to see what got the best chime/tone lowest noise with the VOX. Easily tried over 20 different popular pickups and by far the best neck / mid pups were Dimarzio Area 58 in the neck (Slow Dancing in a Burning Room tone) and either a Dimarzio Area 67 (rwrp) in the mid, or another Area 58.
Sounds like you have plenty of experience with these amps. Have you ever tried a vintage Vox? If so, what did you think of it?
@@TheToneLounge - Sadly no. Oldest one was from the 90s but I did try a ton of NOS tubes on it from the 50s/60/s70s. I hear they're amazing if maintained properly (fragile with age)
you know i could have sworn you'd done an ac15 review before yet here we are! haha
Nope! I could have sworn that I had done one too, but I never did until now.
I had the older AC30 Custom Classic Head. I currently own one of those Vox "Bruno" amps (6V6s, blackface/tweed hybrid, designed by Tony Bruno) and as much as I love it especially with the Gold alnico speaker I put in it, I want that actual Vox tone again. I was hoping maybe the AC15 would do the trick. I see the AC30 has an effects loop so maybe I have to go that route again.
Yeah, why Vox insists on only putting the FX loop on the AC30 is beyond me.
First my complements for this movie. You really cracked the “code”.
I have an AC15 since 1,5 years. I also made a change from Greenback to Alnico Blue. This wasn’t so easy. The Greenback was glued and I damaged it. After mounting the Alnico Blue I had a noise. I had to bring it to a technician. He changed 2 bulbs for better ones and had to correct the bias. At the end in my situation directly buying a Alnico Blue would have been easier. I didn’t know anything of the AC15 at that moment.
The AC15 as a pedal platform I prefer the normal channel. I always use the Rat. The Big Muff is also pretty good. I don’t like the Tubescreamer as much. It takes away the warmth. The Marshall Guv’nor is in my humble opinion to warm.
What I use in my pedal board is the MXR phase EVH, Boss Delay DD3 and Compressor CS3.
A spike several times with a sound technician who worked 2 times with Pink Floyd. David Gilmour used the bigger brother AC30 a lot in the Delicate sound of thunder period. He had 2 behind stage. With the pedals I mentioned you get close with the right Strat. He advised me those.
I've never heard of a speaker being glued to the enclosure. I hope that this wasn't done by Vox, because this is a really silly thing for them to do. What year is your amp?
Nicely done... all observations and commentary is consistent with mine. thanks
Great to hear! What speaker do you have in yours?
@@TheToneLounge Greenback... but always tempted to put a Celestion Blue in it : )
Love the Settings images.
Hey man, I’m not a Vox sound fan for my playing and have no plan on buying one but your style is so good I couldn’t help but watch this video. Great job!
Thanks. What amp are you rocking?
super review concept and super information and super explanation, super vocal performance (and i am not english native speaker)
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for the positive feedback too. Cheers
Thanks for all your time and input for this vid & all your content. Just bought a new AC16C1. Thoughts on the Ruby tubes? Better to go from GB to BB or V30's instead of a different tube brand? Cheers
You will see more of a difference with the speaker you choose over 2 different current production tubes. Cheers.
Tubes will make a very, very small difference in your tone. A speaker swap will have the most drastic effect.
Thanks for the great in-depth review. I agree with pretty much everything you say about the amp. I recently bought an AC15C1 for a specific project and found it to be a good overall amp. But, some aspects I didn't like were that it sounded a little too bright and ice picky and I found the stock reverb to be very tinny. So, like every other piece of gear I own - I made mods. Replaced OEM tubes with JJs, 5751 in V1 and ECC83s in V2 and V3. EL844 power tubes. MOD 8EB2C1B reverb tank. The results were good. The tube compliment mellowed the spikes and just evened out the tone. The 5751 and EL844s are slightly lower gain so if more gain is your objective, this is a no-go. The MOD reverb has a medium decay and is more usable even when fully cranked. Just wanted to share the journey.
Very informative. Thank you. I’m still not completely clear about the different input channels, tho.
Me too, on the boredom w/ this "true Vox sound argument. I find Vox to be one of the few amps faithful to its uniqgue and Vintage tone. I'm fine w/ the Greenbacks. EXCEPT I swapped out 16 ohm VintAGE 30'S on my AD-15 for 8ohm Greenbacks, as I found it too bright on the Orange (yeah, that one - Hahah!).
You've always been good at recommnedations, and advice. So, in your opinion...
Do you think the higher tone Vintage 30, may be preferable to the good ol' Greenbacks?
Don't be afraid to share advice. You've always given great advice, when it comes demytistifying the Vox AC-15.
Have you tried out the Vintage 30, and if so what was your take on it vs, the Greenbacks. I was going to sell the V30, bit now...
(Just to add Vintage 30's are fantastic on Bass amps. They cut through, and add a cetain level of clarity that other speakers don't. It's been considered ideal for recording Bass, at the very least).
I had the V30 in the AC15 for over year, and it performed great. It's smoother on the top end and less chime but overall more modern sounding.
More like a Bad Cat ot Matchless with the V30.
@@TheToneLounge Much appreciated. I'm a little torn as you make the V30' sound enticing.I think I'll stick w/ the Greenbacks. That's the tone I fell for , after all.
Greart vid. I was about to reluctantly sell my AC-15 to put towards a Super Jumbo Acoustic. This vid is a sign.
Keep the Vox.
MXR + AC15= Way Cool! And that's my math lesson for today.
Very cool!
Hello. I watched your videos about Vox ac15 but I couldn't find ac15 anywhere in the country I live. However, I found a place that sells a brand new AC30C2. I'm undecided about buying it. Is it too much for home use or is it usable? Thanks for answering.
@soren9639 An AC30 can be a bit much in an apartment, but if you own a house then it's fine
Terrific video! Many thanks.😀👏👏👏👏👏
Glad you enjoyed it
I've heard the nice chime sound of the edge "still haven't found what I'm looking for" from an ac15, any chance you could show sample settings and whether blue or greenback is best for that?
Excellent video.
Hi Jonathan. Gr8 review as always. Could you also review AC10 please?
I'll see about getting one to review.
@@TheToneLounge thanks so much
I love my AC15 best amp I have ever owned .
It's a real tone monster!
A Gretsch and AC15 - someone after my own heart
The good old orange boss DS1 distortion works well on the normal channel for high gain.
Have you seen/heard the last public live show (not counting Apple rooftop) where the Beatles used these new 120W Vox amps? I can't recall the name/model but it was 1965 (or 66?) when they'd just finished Revolver. Casino guitars. Sounds amazing!
15min gig, it's on TH-cam
I've seen clips but never paid attention. I'll go have a listen again. :)
@@TheToneLounge there is a great remastered video on TH-cam now
@@TheToneLoungeth-cam.com/video/7nmxyYqNDp4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=_xU4mJvrHl_Urz5k
Live at circus Krone Germany 1966
They were using solid state super Beatle amps. That was the name of them.
@@joemasse4568 thanks!
Gday mate, let me start with a huge thank you for all the effort you put into your Videos. Nice 4622T too!
Like you mentioned I also used to find Marshall amps just didn't fit my playing (I appreciate what others can do with them). Tried a vox ac15 with a green back and fell in love... Then I tried the ac15c1x... Needless to say I put some money down that day. It was on sale here in Australia for just over $800 us. I also found I perfered the sound of a Telecaster through the Vox... Sadly my Strat must make way as I find I'm always playing my Gretsch now.
When it comes to which model, in put, speaker or pedals I think it always has and will always will be personal and what the song requires.
I got a couple of questions, if you've made a video on them already I'd appreciate if you could link me to them.
Any chance you've had the opportunity to compare the Chinese made Alnico Blue speaker(which comes with the amp?) compared to the UK made one?
If so what are your thoughts?
What tubes and speaker did you use in this video mate?
I've had no issues just looking to upgrade it through the year.
Lastly do you have any videos on your studio set up?
My Bluetooth speaker can't keep up with my Vox haha and I'd love some recommendations on if I can get something to play via my laptop?
Cheers and sorry for the novel message
Apparently, they had some issues with the Alnico Blues and the AC amps in 2004 when they first moved production over to China. They quickly sorted these issues out and now you would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the mic Vox labeled Blues and the mib Celestion branded ones. Cheers!
Don't waste money on new tubes until the ones you have in it go bad.
I have not compared the Chinese made Blues with UK ones, but if it's any indication, Brian May uses currently made Blues in his Vox amps. So, they must not be so bad. For this video I used mainly the WGS Black & Blue, but also used the Greenback. As for tubes, it's not something I put too much emphasis on. Right now I have EHX preamp tubes and JJ power amp tubes. I've tried many permutations and there is little difference in tone to my ears.
@@kosmicwizard thanks for your reply mate. Looks like I'll hang onto my current speaker until it dies before replacing it. I bought my Vox ac15c1x new only last year so it shouldn't have any issues 🤞
@@kosmicwizard thanks mate, will save my coin for some pedals instead 🤘
payed 598 Euro (in Germany) in 2021. Best Amp ever! :)
And think I am subscribed to your Channel since then 😅
Here's another perspective on the "is it loud enough" question. If you are playing with a really loud band, mic it up. Period. For many of us out here, we need an amp that is loud enough to play the small gigs un-mic'd and then can still be mic'd in the sweet spot when playing larger venues. Sounds like this amp fits that bill pretty accurately.
It does fit that bill. Now, of course it all depends on how loud your band mates are and what style of music that you play, but this for the most part is a giggable amp.
@@TheToneLounge - I think my point is, I've always thought about the power question as "can my amp be as loud as my band." Turns out, that doesn't matter. Why? Because you can mic your amp and use a monitor to hear yourself. What matters far more is two things: 1.) tone, and 2.) enough stage volume that it can be felt. I'd rather be a little quiet, but be able to dial the amp to the breakup zone in any venue I play in and just mic it to get the addition volume front of house and in my face via a monitor.
Does it have enough headroom for cleans at a band volume before it starts breaking up ?
It depends on your band mates, the style you play and how loud you all play. Generally I would say yes.
So I've lost my job and my unit
I have to sell up 90% of my equipment. I'm torn on keeping my AC15 or not. It's so heavy for me now, i am a 51-yrold male in poor health so it's always stayed in my room. The place I'm moving to is smaller. I can maybe keep my two amp heads, my Blues jnr and/or Laney Cub12R. Instead of the AC15 i might keep my Laney VC30 210" UK made w/Jensens.
Most pedals must go. All guitars except for my Gretsch, one Strat, and my Alvarez 335. Maybe nor even one of my two Strats. Sell both and keep one of my T-style (CV Tele Thinline or Schechter PT Special 2 T-Deluxe type).
My SG "Frankenstein" will stay.
First off, Matt, sorry to hear about your job. That's a hard hit. As for what gear to keep, the best thing to do is really think about your needs, and don't worry about regretting parting ways with any piece of equipment. We tend to want to have all the options all the time. The reality is that we sometimes have far more than we'll ever need. That Laney VC30 would get you those Vox tones and then some.
I'm moving back to Canada next summer, and I have to sell-off a bunch of gear too. I'm trying to narrow down what I truly love as opposed to what I think I may need in the future. It's not an easy task, but once you have it figured out, you can part with the gear without too much second guessing yourself.
Tough, sorry you're going through that. I would keep the Laney cub12r only. I hate blues jr and think that you would get pretty good money on the used market for the vc30 and the ac15. I would sell a strat and keep a half dozen pedals, personally. Hope things improve for you.
@@kosmicwizard my Junior is a heavily modified Mk 4 with a new Lil Texas Neo speaker. I love it
My VC30 is my favourite combo
@@kosmicwizard thanks so much for your kind words. I also went blind in my right eye Soo YAAAAY
😂😂😂
@@kosmicwizard agree, I own maybe 200 pedals. I'll keep 10-20
I'm keeping my HiWatt T20 head W/112 cab (V-Type).
My other head is a Soldano designed Jet City JCA20H. I paid $280AUD and he gave me a full set of replacement valves.
I also have two Strauss combo amps. One will definitely go, it's big and heavy
how do you think this amp sounds with the two notes captor?
Sounds great, I use one with it all the time.
Fan from Hong Kong😃 i planned to buy a vox ac15c1 but they were sold out in the store. Finally they tell me that there is a c2 coming. Even the size is so big I still bought the vox amp. The sound from this amp is so attractive. The big problem is finding a place for it😂 I hope the C2 can also well use in my small house!
Why did you call the tone cut knob "25"?
No idea lol
Can you use ABY switch to plug into both inputs at the same time? If so, what happens?
⚠️You need an ABY⚠️ with your Vox AC15c1!
th-cam.com/video/GcBJoqCS5zU/w-d-xo.html
@@TheToneLounge Ha! I see you've already addressed the topic. Well done. Thank you.
My pleasure.
What about getting the ac15 head and a 1x12 cab wth the same speaker?
That works too. Although those AC15 head must be rare because I've never seen one.
@@TheToneLounge The head might be too wide for the cab, lol. Looking for bedroom levels.
I use a power attenuator at home. It’s perfect
Which one do you use and how is it hooked up to your amp?
@@TheToneLounge Weber MiniMass. I connect External SP to the attenuator. This cuts the signal to the speaker. From the attenuator I have a 3’ speaker cable routed through the gap on the back of the amp. It’s connected to the 2nd set of prongs on the speaker. When the attenuator is not in use plug the new speaker cable into either jack on back of amp. Real simple and neat. I can send pic.
Celestion creamback helps for headroom
Oh? That's interesting and will have to try that out. Thanks for the recommendation.
Fairfield circuitry Barbershop v2
That's another great call.
Peavey delta blues amp has better clean and the 1x15 speaker has better tone definitiion
I never tried that one. I'll keep an eye open for a used one.
@@TheToneLounge trust me you wont be disapointed watch some review videos
This is THE amp. Get a clean used one, put in new tubes, you’re done.
So basically, it's like giving your amp a little makeover and voilà, you've got a rockstar in your living room!
I no longer shop at L&M, their prices are too high
Right? I mean common. $1649 for a made in China Vox ac15 with an AlNiCo Blue? I paid 1000 euros for my 1966 AC50 with cab and trolley.
Thankfully I'm very near done gear shopping, and I'm never too rushed to wait for things on the used market.
@@TheToneLoungeYou got such a killer deal on that AC50! Grats!
Hate the sparkle. Sold mine.
What did you get instead?
@@TheToneLounge Fender Blues Junior
Red llama
Great pedal!