Vox: AC30CC or ValvetronixAD120VTX?

  • Thread starter Thread starter michigan~
  • Start date Start date
M

michigan~

New member
Hi,

I've been checking out both the new AC30 and the Valvetronix line from Vox. I love the sound, and after comparing them to many other amps, I'm sure that I want to purchase one of these, but I can't decide which one.

I want to stress that I think the Valvetronix sounds great, and I enjoy the different sounds it can produce, but I know the AC30 is probably the better amp in the end. I would be extremely happy with either of these amps.

Can anyone provide insight that might help me make a decision? This seems to be a flexibility vs. sound question. Or maybe I'm completely wrong.

edit- I am referring to the top of the line Valvetronix model as well.
 
I was looking at those two amps about 3weeks ago.
I went with the AC30, because i wanted a nice valve amp for recording.
It sounds damn nice when cranked, and sounds really good in band context they can fit well in the mix.

I ended up getting it for $1320AUD, about 700 bucks cheapier than the AD120

What do you plan on using for live or recording? If you are going to be playing gigs..
i'd get a tube amp and buy outboard effects. Dont get me wrong thou i still liked the AD120.
Have you looked at the Traynor amps, they are deff worth looking at IMO

Good luck with the decision :)
 
Thanks. I should mention that I will be playing gigs, recording, and playing at home with this amp :eek:

This means that volume is an issue. With the AD120VTX I can change the output 60 or 30 watts. I can't crank the AC30 usually, it's really loud.
 
Personally I have a 30 watt Valvetronix.. it sounds really good, is easy to record, and if I'm playing live I just mic the thing and run it through the PA anyways.
 
AC30, hands down. It is THE classic Vox amp, and for damn good reason. If you need to tame the levels, get an attenuator, like the Weber Mass or the THD Hotplate.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Light said:
AC30, hands down. It is THE classic Vox amp, and for damn good reason. If you need to tame the levels, get an attenuator, like the Weber Mass or the THD Hotplate.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
Click to expand...

I think the AC30CC has a wattage control. I had a VT. Thought it was the cats meow for a while, but got sick of it and ended up getting an AC30 clone in then end _Laney VC30-112. Pretty much a vox with footswitchable overdrive channel. IMO, just as a good as a ac30 and more versatile.

Vox is my fav sound, but the Cambridge series had huge problems with reliability, the VT series had tonnes of problems, and the AC30CC on *armony Central has been coming in with lots of horror stories of its own already.

Seriously, consider a Laney Vc30. People have even done A/B comparisons (that I've read) with the Ac30 and said it was 98% as good, 100% as good, or even better. It is a workhorse, and is about 300.00 bucks used.
 
I love the Laney VC15 and VC30 to bits. I have a VC30 210 in the shop and I would dearly like to crank it to get the most out of the damn thing .... but clean has sparkle and jangle just like you want it to, the reverb is good, and the drive is where you need to start pushing it.

Assembled in the good ol' U of K. :)
 
Light said:
AC30, hands down. It is THE classic Vox amp, and for damn good reason. If you need to tame the levels, get an attenuator, like the Weber Mass or the THD Hotplate.
Click to expand...


This isn't the AC30 we all know and love, this is the AC30CC...which has some digital-smigital stuff if I recall.
 
well..

Outlaws said:
This isn't the AC30 we all know and love, this is the AC30CC...which has some digital-smigital stuff if I recall.
Click to expand...

Oh, its the AC30 alright, and there is no digital in it, just some analog solid state components (Reverb and Tremelo circuits - easily by passed). The important thing is that is has the tubes in all the right places....
 
Outlaws said:
This isn't the AC30 we all know and love, this is the AC30CC...which has some digital-smigital stuff if I recall.
Click to expand...


No, it doesn't. It has a few unfortunate things added, but nothing digital. They added a Master Volume (bad bad bad), an effects loop (not needed, but relatively minor), blendable channels (I can't imagine the circuit for THAT sounds traditional) and reverb (also not needed, and more problematic tone wise).

Oh, and the whole thing is on a PCB instead of being hand wired point-to-point (well, on an eyelet board, at any rate). It's kind of a shame, really, as the hand wired AC30 they were making up until about a year or two ago was really killer. As good, or at least nearly as good, as the vintage ones. I don't, personally, have anything against PCB's but they are usually done pretty cheaply, and at the price for the AC30CC, that is probably the case here. You can't really blame them, though. If you have ever seen the eyelet board for a hand wired AC30, they are just scary big. And there are TWO of them. Oh, and there are two chassis in there too. I really want to build an AC30 clone, but I am just not even kind of up to the task. It is one of the most complicated guitar circuits out there.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
I have something against PCB's. The way they do them these days with all the surface mount stuff ...... they're prone to fractures solder joints and end up having problems. All the Fender stuff nowadays is like that ..... it may look like the old stuff but inside it's way different.
I have 13 amps and the ones that give me problems are all new. My od point to point stuff works every time but the new stuff ..... every year or two I'll have to open it up and fix it.
 
Well, most PCB amps are more than likely trying to keep the cost down, but a quality PCB board is every bit as good as handwired....and 100x more consistant from amp to amp. Just look at Bogner or THD. They both use PCB boards. The THD specifically is some thick shit...with thick traces (if you can even use the word 'traces' at that point lol). But to compare a mass produced circuit to a handbuilt circuit isn't fair though...one cost about twice as much.
 
absolutely ....... and I wasn't talking about PC boards per se as much as I was talking about the way they're used in the mass market amps.
 
I'm leaning toward the Valvetronix because I've tried it out again and I like it. The effects aren't perfect, but good enough for live sound in my opinion. Any other comments that could change my mind?
 
Light said:
I really want to build an AC30 clone, but I am just not even kind of up to the task. It is one of the most complicated guitar circuits out there.

Light
Click to expand...

Have you ever considered building only the top boost channel? that simplifies it quite a bit... There are many people who do clones without the tremelo channel..
 
gusfinley said:
Have you ever considered building only the top boost channel? that simplifies it quite a bit... There are many people who do clones without the tremelo channel..
Click to expand...


Yeah, and I am probably going to do so one of these days. The problem is, I really LOVE the tremolo channel, and that is one of the main reasons I want to do it. Actually, I would do the Normal and the Top Boost channels, and just skip the trem channel.

I actually did make the amp I am using right now (which I love), and I really like the fact that I can say I made my entire signal chain - well, I bought the pickups and the speaker, but I made the guitar and the amp. I'm even in the process of remaking my Wah pedal, because it sucked, and I am also making my self an A/B/Y pedal with a true bypass buffer that is kicked in when I am in the Y position going to both channels of my amp (I hate when the pickups get loaded wrong. It just doesn't sound right, hence the buffer).


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
I had an AC30 but found it limiting, great sound but in the end traded it in on my Fender, best thing I could have done 'cept getting a second one which is about to happen.
 
noisedude said:
I love the Laney VC15 and VC30 to bits. I have a VC30 210 in the shop and I would dearly like to crank it to get the most out of the damn thing .... but clean has sparkle and jangle just like you want it to, the reverb is good, and the drive is where you need to start pushing it.

Assembled in the good ol' U of K. :)
Click to expand...

Damn straight. I love my Laney VC30-112 to bits too. All the jangle and chime I could want, and some sweet footswitchable overdrive.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top