What happened to the AC-30?

[JakeK]

I just saw this newly designed AC-30...whaddup wiv dis?

http://www.voxshowroom.com/northcoast/v ... c30c2.html

The back looks all...non-AC-30 like...someone explain to me what happened and why, please?

[collin]

It's a new model.

Just read the paragraph on that page in gray:

What are the differences between the new Vox AC30C2 amp and the AC30CC2 amp that Vox recently discontinued?

The AC30C2 has a new, lower price when compared to the AC30CC2.


The AC30C2 has two channels, Top Boost and AC-30 Normal. Each has dual inputs (a total of four inputs). The AC-30CC2 had only two inputs.


Both amps have foot switchable tremolo and reverb.


The AC30C2 has tubes that may be changed without removing the amp chassis from the cabinet. The AC30CC2 required the removal of the amp chassis to change tubes.


The AC30C2 does not have a tube rectifier, it has a diode bridge for rectiification. The AC30CC2 had a tube rectifier. How does this affect the tone and durability of the amplifier? When driven hard, a tube rectified AC-30 exhibits some compression in level due to power supply sag. The effect of this power supply sag is considered by many to be an important part of AC-30 tone. However, there is another side to the story. The tube most likely to fail in an AC-30 is the GZ34 rectifier. When it fails, the amp blows a fuse and stops working. Both the fuse and the tube must be replaced to corect the problem. As there is no GZ34 rectifier tube, this problem cannot happen in the AC30C2. Additionally, the diode bridge rectifier used in the AC-30C2 allows the amp to be somewhat louder than the tube recified AC-30CC2.


The AC30C2 amp uses Celestion Greenback speakers, The AC30CC2 used Wharfedale GSH12-30 speakers.


The VFS2A foot switch for the AC30C2 amp is an extra cost option. It was an included accessory with the AC30CC2.


The AC30C2 amp cabinet is made of MDF (particle board), the AC-30CC2 amps were made of 13 ply baltic birch plywood. Rather than offer a complete baltic birrch replacement cabinet, North Coast Music is offering an $80 upgrade to a 13 ply baltic birch (speaker) board covered in your choice of either brown or black diamond Vox grill cloth.

[jps]

Don't drop the new amp! MDF even for the speaker baffle? New and improved really means cheaper to produce. Diode rectification is indeed louder, at the expense of tone.

[paologregorio]

MDF is horrible, and the AC30 doesn't need to be any louder; I usually play my H2 and my CC2X at half power, and I barely breathe on the volume control of my vintage AC30. the only smart thing they did was relocate the components. vox should have gone the route of leaving the rectifier tube socket in the circuit and used a plug in SS rectifier, the way Fender does with the `59 Bassman RI; let the consumer decide-tube rectifier, or Weber copper cap substitute. Dumb!!!

[JakeK]

So, Paul, since you are a big AC-30 enthusiasts, can you tell us which of your AC-30's is you favorite? Is this new one worth the money? And are the HW and the CCX2 just as loud as one of your Fender Twins?

[paologregorio]

So, Paul, since you are a big AC-30 enthusiasts, can you tell us which of your AC-30's is you favorite? Is this new one worth the money? And are the HW and the CCX2 just as loud as one of your Fender Twins?

Favorite? To make a short answer long, the `73 was my longtime favorite, then I used the CC2X for about a year most of the time, then went back to the `73, but mostly just because the grey fawn tolex looked cooler. Now that I have the H2, it's my main amp, because I really like the "pentode" mode on the TB channel, as well as the EF86 channel; both have more bottom end than the standard AC30 TB channel has; then again the H2 has creme colored tolex, which looks super cool, and I always like to use gear that looks a little different. Ask Kenny about that; he has AC30s in just about every color tolex the amps have ever been offered in. There is a way to get more bottom out of a standard AC30, which is to combine the TB and normal channels via a short cable between the the inputs of each channel.

Kenny knows more about AC30s than I do; it would be interesting to read his thoughts on this thread. At NAMM he was the one who pointed out that the new amps had a SS rectifier to me. Kenny has every era Vox AC30, IIRC, while I have no JMI or 90s Korg era amps-hey, I only have so much $...and space. I also started buying additional amps later than Kenny did.

I probably wouldn't buy one just because I don't like MDF-my `73, which I had rewired to JMI era Top Boost specs, complete with tube rectifier, came with an MDF cabinet, which held up pretty well for awhile, but it was getting a bit wiggly before I had the replica cabinet built for the amp. Baltic Birch ply is a lot more alive and resonant sounding; I noticed a big difference the first time I played the amp inside its new cabinet.

For what it would cost to make this amp "right" (tube rectifier installed-if possible, and a real cabinet built for it, plus at least one alnico speaker-I hear the combo of an alnico and a wharfie's quite cool) I could probably have a custom amp built.

I'm not sure I'd be able to tell the diference between the tube and SS rectifier, other than I might notice something sounds different-maybe.

My AC 30 seems like it's as loud as a Twin. In any case, it's louder than I need it to be; I use the low power option/mode on my H2 and CC2X models that have the feature. Otherwise I just use the volume control.

[8mileshigher]

Jake, perhaps you've seen it mentioned on a couple of other threads here on the RRF. A good reference source for stuff on Vox amps is the Plexi Palace Vintage Amps forum. (They have seperate sections/Forums by specific Amp brands.... Marshall, Fender, etc.)

The Vox section on Plexi even recently had a thread (started in May) about the differences between the Custom Classic CC2 series and the new C2 series they introduced at NAMM this year.
http://vintageamps.com/plexiboard/viewt ... 03#p899315
Check it out for interesting commentary and comparisons -- and you'll even recognize a few RRF-ers postings.
Seems most folks are looking at the "changes" for the new C2 series as being cost-driven and are disappointed with things like the MDF particle board cabinetry and the solid-state Rectifier.

[antipodean]

A solid-state rectifier is not a bad thing per se, but it is a travesty to change the specs of a classic amp like the AC30

[8mileshigher]

A solid-state rectifier is not a bad thing per se,

That's true, but the general complaint you see on some of the other Forums is a lot of folks would like to have the option. They want the choice to mod it themselves to Solid State and keep the tube Rectifier socket/circuitry intact, as on the CC 2.

For what it would cost to make this amp "right" (tube rectifier installed - if possible, and a real cabinet built for it, plus at least one alnico speaker - (I hear the combo of an Alnico and a Wharfie's quite cool) I could probably have a custom amp built.

I'm not sure I'd be able to tell the diference between the tube and SS rectifier, other than I might notice something sounds different - maybe.

I think Paul A. makes an interesting observation ---- that if someone wanted to "fix" some of these cost-cutting measures on the new Vox AC30 series, that the outlay would be similar if one was having a boutique amp built.

I guess the only real "test" will be seeing market forces at work. Will the Vintage "Traditionalists" be buying up second-hand CC2s , Heritage Hand Wireds, Top Boosts and JMI models in order to retain more of the old-fashioned characteristics or will Vox successfully sell tens of thousands of these new scaled back AC30s and their half-sister, the Solid Sate AC30 ?

It will also be interesting to see if the corporate entity that owns Wharfedale and the vertically integrated factory in China (that Vox used to brag about), where the CC series were manufactured over the last decade -- goes into direct competition with Korg-Vox, since they recruited one of the Korg-Vox executives. Of course this Wharfedale entity won't have the Vox name.... These various Forums for Vox enthusiasts will be buzzing with gossip and opinions for years to come ...

[scott_s]

Time for more folks to start building their own, methinks. Granted, it's a more complicated circuit than many, but if you're willing to spend some of your time, you don't have to settle for all of the cut corners that production amps have. The Ted Weber company offers a kit that I wouldn't mind building. I already have enough tweed Fender clones.

- Scott

[paologregorio]

Time for more folks to start building their own, methinks. Granted, it's a more complicated circuit than many, but if you're willing to spend some of your time, you don't have to settle for all of the cut corners that production amps have. The Ted Weber company offers a kit that I wouldn't mind building. I already have enough tweed Fender clones.

- Scott

I met the designer of the amp at NAMM, before I heard about the MDF and the SS rectifier. He gave me his card, and we've corresponded about the H2. He appreciated my observations and said to contact him with comments good or bad, becaus, he said, "we do listen." I'm going to email him with some diplomatic critiue about the MDF and lack of a tube rectifier option on the new model. One of the other Vox reps said there might be a hand wired option out later this year, so maybe that's going to be the "nice" one with a real cabinet.

[kennyhowes]

So, Paul, since you are a big AC-30 enthusiasts, can you tell us which of your AC-30's is you favorite? Is this new one worth the money? And are the HW and the CCX2 just as loud as one of your Fender Twins?

You didn't ask me directly, but I will say that my original JMI with back-panel-Top Boost is the best. Amp. Ever.

I don't use it out much because I want to keep it nice.

A close second, the '90s Korg AC30. Same layout, same tubes, it just plain rocks.

[scott_s]

I met the designer of the amp at NAMM, before I heard about the MDF and the SS rectifier. He gave me his card, and we've corresponded about the H2. He appreciated my observations and said to contact him with comments good or bad, becaus, he said, "we do listen." I'm going to email him with some diplomatic critiue about the MDF and lack of a tube rectifier option on the new model. One of the other Vox reps said there might be a hand wired option out later this year, so maybe that's going to be the "nice" one with a real cabinet.

Let's hope so... without sounding too "back-slappy", I think Rick players (a considerable portion of the AC30 market, right?) appreciate quality and authenticity. I do think they ought to wire a socket for the tube rectifier and supply a Copper Cap as default. Then, the players who want a real tube in there can install one.

- Scott

[kennyhowes]

A solid-state rectifier is not a bad thing per se,

That's true, but the general complaint you see on some of the other Forums is a lot of folks would like to have the option. They want the choice to mod it themselves to Solid State and keep the tube Rectifier socket/circuitry intact, as on the CC 2.

I think it depends on what sound you want. I tried the new AC30 at GC a few weeks ago, and in the store it sounded fine and was a lot easier to dial in than a CC.

The real test is how is sits in the context of a band, so I'd like to try one out like that.

[kennyhowes]

Kenny knows more about AC30s than I do; it would be interesting to read his thoughts on this thread. At NAMM he was the one who pointed out that the new amps had a SS rectifier to me. Kenny has every era Vox AC30, IIRC, while I have no JMI or 90s Korg era amps-hey, I only have so much $...and space. I also started buying additional amps later than Kenny did.

No no, I don't have one of each. I have one JMI and four '90s Korg AC30s (one of which is for sale, see "The Others").

I bought a CC and found it too crispy and with too many knobs. Maybe it needed to be broken in.