Guitar World Verdict
Every bit of that legendary sound is ready and waiting to be coaxed out of these amps, and the actual playing experience will surely have you grinning, ear to ear. Our only issue is deciding which size is just right.
Pros
- +
The legendary tone is here!
- +
The effects loop brings the AC30 into the 21st century.
- +
The well-matched reverb expands the tonal options.
- +
AC15 presents that tone in a more portable, rehearsal-sized package.
- +
Effects loop, speaker out and reverb on all three.
Cons
- -
AC30 is heavy, but then it always was…
- -
A half-watt or quarter-watt setting on the AC4 would have been helpful.
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What is it?
As creator of some of the most recognisable sounds in guitar history – etched onto vinyl by legends as diverse as Hank Marvin and Brian May and many, many more – Vox has created a sonic fingerprint that can be heard across countless musical genres.
In the ’90s the brand was adopted by indie bands and the grunge movement alike for its signature chime and bloom, and has subsequently found a home in Nashville, providing that much sought-after ‘edge of break-up’ sound heard in modern country and Americana styles.
It would be fair to surmise that the specific overtones and frequencies these amps produce have proved to be uniquely appealing to the human ear ever since their inception in the late ’50s.
In common with guitar amp standard-bearers such as Marshall and Fender, consistently producing its recognisable tone throughout decades of shifting technology, fashions and economic environments has proved no mean feat.
Just like the aforementioned brands, Vox has had moments of variability, shall we say, so it’s great to see the company now producing this impressive fleet of hand-wired AC classics to get us back to the authentic jangle.
According to Vox, meticulous research and development went into specifics such as the output transformer, rectification and cabinet construction to yield the distinctive sag and bloom of the early versions. Let’s find out if these modern incarnations can summon up the magic of the originals.
AC30X Hand-Wired
We begin our investigations with the classic model. Something about the form factor of this amp just feels right: large enough for club gigs but with car-boot portability. The copper-red top with oxblood diamond grille cloth evokes the cosmetics unique to the Vox brand, referencing the original colours from what may be considered its golden era.
The Top Boost channel one would expect from this model is in evidence, augmented by some great additions to widen its sonic offering. We now have a high-quality spring reverb unit to add dwell and space to the sound, in addition to a bypassable integrated effects loop with switchable level-matching, located on the rear panel.
The valve line-up is taken from the early ’60s AC30 incarnation when ECC83 preamp valves replaced the EF86 pentode, which had been the cause of reliability issues for the company in the late ’50s.
The ECC83 valves used in the preamps of this range impart a direct, energetic upper midrange, in comparison to the deeper and more refined sound of the discontinued EF86. A pair of 12-inch Celestion Alnico Blue speakers has been selected for their ability to pump out the appropriate chunk and chime and sit beside additional speaker output jacks.
AC15X Hand-Wired
In its single-speaker equipped cabinet, the AC15X offers a very appealing size and wattage combination, perfect for recording, rehearsal and smaller gigs.
The two-channel layout has the same reverb and effects loop features shared with the other Hand-Wired models; however, we also have a Boost switch alongside the Bright switch, providing a kick to the lower-gained Normal channel. A single 12-inch Celestion Alnico Blue speaker complements its compact stature.
AC4 Hand-Wired
The baby of the family is this single-channel, Celestion Greenback-equipped unit that is designed to offer a more personally voiced output level, perfect for home use.
We still enjoy the updated features of footswitchable spring reverb and bypassable effects loop together with a stripped-down control layout of dual High/Low inputs, Volume, Treble, Bass, alongside Reverb and Master level control.
This unit is a semi-sealed design with a vented panel across the rear that should provide a little more focus to the sound, if at the expense of some three-dimensional sound projection. Let’s take a listen…
Specs
VOX AC30X Hand-Wired
- PRICE: $2,499/£2,199
- ORIGIN: Designed in UK, built in Vietnam
- TYPE: All-valve dual-channel combo with spring reverb
- VALVES: 4x ECC83/12AX7, 1x ECC81/12AT7, 4x EL84, 1x GZ34 (rectifier)
- OUTPUT: 30W
- DIMENSIONS: 705 (w) x 263 (h) x 567mm (d)
- WEIGHT (kg/lb): 32/70
- CABINET: Plywood
- LOUDSPEAKER: 2x 12” 8ohms Celestion Alnico Blue
- CHANNELS: 2
- CONTROLS: Normal Channel: Volume, Bright switch; Top Boost Channel: Volume, Treble, Bass; Reverb: Tone and Level; Master: Tone Cut, Volume (master)
- FOOTSWITCH: For reverb (included)
- ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Effects loop, speaker output
- OPTIONS: None
- RANGE OPTIONS: The AC30 Custom costs £979 with Celestion G12M Greenbacks and £1,599 with Alnico Blues
VOX AC15X Hand-Wired
- PRICE: $1,699/£1,599
- ORIGIN: Designed in UK,
built in Vietnam - TYPE: All-valve dual-channel combo with spring reverb
- VALVES: 4x ECC83/12AX7, 1x ECC81/12AT7, 2x EL84, 1x GZ34 (rectifier)
- OUTPUT: 15W
- DIMENSIONS: 610 (w) x 260 (h) x 550mm (d)
- WEIGHT (kg/lb): 22.8/50
- CABINET: Plywood
- LOUDSPEAKER: 1x 12” 16ohms Celestion Alnico Blue
- CHANNELS: 2
- CONTROLS: Normal Channel: Volume, Bright switch, Boost switch; Top Boost Channel: Volume, Treble, Bass; Reverb: Tone and Level; Master: Tone Cut, Volume (master)
- FOOTSWITCH: For reverb (included)
- ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Effects loop, speaker output
- OPTIONS: None
- RANGE OPTIONS: The AC15 Custom (with Greenbacks) costs £679. It’s also available as the AC15 Custom Twin with dual Greenbacks at £789
VOX AC4 Hand-Wired
- PRICE: $1,099/£929
- ORIGIN: Designed in UK,
built in Vietnam - TYPE: All-valve single-channel combo with spring reverb
- VALVES: 2x ECC83/12AX7, 1x EL84
- OUTPUT: 4W
- DIMENSIONS: 405 (w) x 260 (h) x 450mm (d)
- WEIGHT (kg/lb): 13.5/29
- CABINET: Plywood
- LOUDSPEAKER: 1x 12” 16ohms Celestion G12M Greenback
- CHANNELS: 1
- CONTROLS: Volume, Treble, Bass, Reverb Level, Volume (master)
- FOOTSWITCH: For reverb (included)
- ADDITIONAL FEATURES: Effects loop, speaker output
- OPTIONS: None
- RANGE OPTIONS: The fourth amp in the Hand-Wired line-up is the AC10 (£1,179)
- CONTACT: Vox
Usability and sounds
Having experienced the majestic tone of classic ’60s AC30s and also some later, perhaps slightly less wondrous incarnations, it will be very interesting to hear how close Vox has been able to get to its own hallmark sound. In contrast to the sparkle of Fender and the crunch of Marshall, players go to Vox for the classic ‘chime’.
It’s a simple description for a set of complex phenomena that result in an enveloping halo of warmth and high-end sparkle without brashness or harshness.
Eagerly plugging in a Strat with medium-output, vintage-style single coils to the Top Boost channel of the AC30X, a recognisable bloom and sparkle greets our ears. Subtle degrees of dynamic gain are produced by balancing the channel volume with the master volume – a hallmark of the model that is very much in evidence on all three models.
Opening up the master volume unleashes the EL84’s characteristic firepower; it’s a lively response that gives way to beautiful note bloom and glorious harmonic feedback at high levels.
The footswitchable reverb certainly earns its place on these amps with a lengthy dwell and subdued tonality, delivering an unobtrusive yet glorious ambience
The bold power and headroom of this 30-watt flagship are a real wonder to behold at full volume where the amp begins to become one with the guitar as a single, singing voice.
The footswitchable reverb certainly earns its place on these amps with a lengthy dwell and subdued tonality, delivering an unobtrusive yet glorious ambience well suited to the AC character.
The unique ability to offset the Treble control with the Tone Cut control on the 30- and 15-watt models opens up a rich world of top-end tailoring, too. A nudge of the Tone Cut control and our Telecaster’s bridge pickup was singing beautifully, fully devoid of that dreaded ice-pick tone, while our ES-335-style guitar regained some wonderful clarity with a lower Tone Cut setting.
Warmth and body are synonymous with this circuit, and Vox has managed to reproduce the glorious AC30 midrange here in all its majesty across all three models.
Obviously, the four-watt 1x12 speaker model will not produce the physical experience of air movement, but it’s perfectly scaled down to impart all the desired chime and bloom.
The core tone of all three amps delivers that magic air around the notes that not only sounds sublime but yields an effortless touch response that you’ll have to prise yourself away from.
Verdict
Verdict: ★★★★★
While boutique amp makers have built a variety of amplifiers inspired by or based on the Vox circuit – widening the palette in a variety of ways with a plethora of expanded features – Vox itself has managed to reformulate its own unique DNA with this handsome family of Hand‑Wired amplifiers.
These amps are still significantly cheaper than well-known US boutique offerings
The addition of spring reverb and effects loop, expanding the possibilities for delay and modulation effects, is well implemented without any impediment to the core sound. The design and build quality is impressive, and the efforts Vox R&D has put into replicating the power section performance of the originals, with less interference, has paid off sonically.
The retail price is significant in comparison to that of the more modest Custom models in the Vox catalogue, but these amps are still significantly cheaper than well-known US boutique offerings.
Guitar World verdict: Every bit of that legendary sound is ready and waiting to be coaxed out of these amps, and the actual playing experience will surely have you grinning, ear to ear. Our only issue is deciding which size is just right.
Hands-on videos
Guitarist
Vox
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