All user reviews for the Vox Cambridge 30R

Pramp 'the' lamp, a 12AX7 gain medium, which couple channel 2
an HP 10 "Celestion bulldog 8ohms (+ hp output outside)
2 channels with a boost
tremolo
spring reverb

USE

Turn buttons and other snap, no medium setting.
The shot of the two cranks, it's not terrible (one for reverb and channel 2 and the other for tremolo)
Yes it is very simple to use!
In surlev repeats a pass on a table, but not repiqu concert should not exaggerate

SONORITS

The 10 hp is full of mediums, as there is no medium settings, it is necessary to twist the bottom or equa love the basic sound of the combo, which is very easy
Low 10 it is

the reverb and channel 2 will give more nuances beyond 6
The reverb is very nice I think. The tremolo I do not know how to use ....
The crunch is pretty cool, moreover with ts-808 or even a BigMuff front is super manly.

NOTICE GLOBAL

Ah that's what combo, the elongated size gives it a certain allure. And the good vox have a nice fabric (not like the new Metal.)

The bill is good, although the corners protgs not get damaged.
What is unfortunate is that it is slightly surpassed because of Valvetronix the cambridge 30 is good but not essential, and for "the same price," some prefer num section America and more.

Purchased used on ebay for $152.00, had brown-out problems.

I tried one out at Guitar Center that sounded good for the small amount of cash. I was impressed how 30 watts projected from this amp. The (2) 10' Celestions seemed fuller than the single speaker version. I have some Thomas amps from the 60's but this one was lighter with a decent spring reverb. The overdrive channel sounded great with my Charvel Model 1 axe. Good saturation with the tube preamp.

As I mentioned this amp was in need of repair due to the brown-out condition. After searching some sites on the net I read a review that identified the problem as the opto-coupler in the tremelo circuit. This was the major contributor to the amp being discontinued! After replacing that part the amp rocks!! If you have this amp or the Cambridge 30 (1) 10" version-thats your fix. Too bad Vox used one crappy component in a nicely concieved amp. One minor gripe is you need (2) footswitches to operate mrb,tremelo,reverb, & overdrive.

See above. Other than the opto-coupler its a nice amp for under $400.00. I did add some AC-30 vents from North Coast Music in the rear panel. Heat is a problem with the stock units.

I'm not in a metal band so I have used this amp to gig with without any problems. Its got enough power, espescially with a (2) 12" extension cab as I used it. I do think they should have put corner protectors on since they always take the hits. Added some stock Vox pieces myself-looks cool! Was going to sell it but changed my mind. Its easier to move than my Buckingham or Super Beatle & I don't want to risk my 1965 tube Cambridge in the clubs.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I bought this VOX Cambridge 30 Reverb combo amp at Guitar Center (Seattle) at a close-out sale price of $179. I was looking for a good quality practice amp for under $200 and this amp fits the bill perfectly. I tried out several other amps in this price range: Crate GFX-15 (very good), Fender Champion 30, and the smaller 15 watt VOX Pathfinder. In terms of great vintage tone and over-all sound, the Cambridge 30 was a no-brainer. Also, a great steal at $179...normally sells for $299.

I play a Fender 62 Custom Telecaster Reissue, and this amp is perfect for it's classic vintage tone, especially if you like playing Beatles, Stones, Kinks, etc. Also very good for more modern stuff like R.E.M, U2, and Nirvana (clean stuff, ie, Come As You Are).

The Reverb on this amp is absolutely killer. The clean channel is very bright and clear with a bell-like chime with no background noise or hiss. Perfect for jangly Beatles or R.E.M. stuff.

Channel 2 has a gain and mid-range boost. You can dial in all sorts of bluesy-tones by adjusting the volume and gain controls accordingly. I particuarly like the overdrive boost...you can get great vintage tube sounds (like 'The Who Live At Leeds' sound). Back off the boost a bit and you can recreate that classic Stones 'Brown Sugar' type of distortion.

This amp is NOT suitable for METAL Styles...you'll need a quality distortion box if that's what youre looking.

Oh yeah, this amp comes with built-in Tremolo also. Nice feature, especially if you like CCR...turn up the tremolo and you can sound just like 'Born On The Bayou'.

Overall I adore this amp, and the great tones I can get out of it...it also has that classic VOX appearance also, complete with the diamond-quilt grill cloth, and funky chicken-head controls.

The nothing I really don't like about this amp. If I had to nit-pick, I wish the 12AX7 pre-amp tube was more accessible...you have to remove the entire chassis to access it. No big problem, as I wasn't planning on replacing it soon anyway, but probably will one day just to see how it affects the overall sound.

The VOX Cambridge 30 Reverb appears to be built very solid. Be nice if it had corner protectors, that's about all I can think to improve the cabinet (And making the pre-amp tube more accessible).







Anyway, this amp is perfect for practice and jam sessions, recording, and small venue performances. If you play electric guitar and you're in the market for an inexpensive 30 watt amp with a great vintage 60's Brit-Rock tone, the VOX CAMBRIDGE 30 Reverb is a great choice.

(and TRY to find ANY combo amp with a GENUINE 10" CELESTION speaker, built-in reverb AND tremolo, a 12ax7 pre-amp tube, clean and overdrive channels, mid-range boost, and 30 watts power rating for under $200)lr

Michael Behuniak, Mar 2002
Seattle WA

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Mars Music, (in Midwest) purchased 01/06/02. Price: $349.95.

Reverb and tremelo have that classic Vox sound. Unit is attractive, lightweight, compact, 'retro-looking' with the old style knobs and Vox cloth.

After brief use at 1/2 volume (live), my clean sound went away and I was left with a distorted high-end, lack of power, no headroom and basically an unusable stage volume. Channel 1 seemed to be stronger than the other (tube) channel, like others have said. In short, if this amp sounded (warm) like it did when it was first powered up, I would have been happy. Instead, it was unusable at even a modest stage volume.

Well constructed overall, nicely finished.

This is a great amp for someone who needs a practice amp, possible studio rig (though I question how long it would maintain it's sweet Vox sound after warming up). Not enough output, decent value otherwise. Not for live performance, certainly.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I payed $500 plus taxes in canadian dollars for this amp at Toombs Music in Charlottetown PEI Canada. My reason for buying was that I had been playing guitar for 6 years through a practice amp and I wanted to move up to amp that would be easy to transport, look and sound good, and would be loud enough to jam with a band, but isn't that what everybody is looking for in an amp?

The amp has a very handy optional footswitch for $60 canadian which can switch between reverb, vibrato, and also switch between clean, overdrive and an overdrive boost setting. The clean side sounds very nice and sparkling clean even when the volume was set on ten. The vibrato also sounds very good. The amp sounded very loud for only 30 watts rms, though for some reason the clean channel sounded a louder than the overdrive channel, even when both were cranked. The amp is very easy to use and would be great for a second amp for somebody. You can get a pretty good range of tones from this amp too.

Though the clean channel sounded very good, the overdrive channel did not. The word that comes to mind is bland. not very much prescence or low end in channel two(overdrive channel). When playing at low levels, the clean channel is also very noisy as well.

The amp itself was built very sturdy and seems like it could endure a lot of kicking and spitting on, etc. The included celestion bulldog 10 inch speaker sounds very nice indeed. I remember reading something somewhere about how bulldog speakers sound good but don't last very long. The amp is very light which is a bonus and it has an open back which makes it easy to store peddles and cords inside of it. The Vox is very nice to look at, looking just like an ac30 but just a little bit smaller. It was very intuitive and easy to catch on too. It has a headphone out(which sounds terrible), a external 8ohm speaker out, a line out, one input and two footswitch inputs. The footswitch has 2 buttons on it and if you plug it into the first footswitch input it gives you control over vibrato and clean/overdrive while the second footswitch input gives you control over the reverb and overdrive 1/overdrive 2.

This would be a good amp for somebody who has been playing for 2 years and wants to start jamming with a band. Just loud enough to play with a drummer but not loud enough to rock an arena by far. I shouldn't be so hard on the overdrive channel because it doesn't really sound that bad, it could just sound better. It sounds to me like Jimmy Pages tone from the days of Led Zepplin would be easily achievable with this amp. Overall I am happy with this amp and though it might not sound as good as a Marshall it still rocks out and has a lot of cool features built into an affordable package. Bottom Line:
If you like Led Zepplin then this is the amp for you!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Purchased at Rhoads Music, Elizabethtown, PA. Paid about $300.

Channel One sounds great. The tremolo is terrific: very creamy, nails the '60s sound. The reverb is also good, not too obtrusive. Of course the amp looks great. It is also very lightweight.

So far it has been very reliable as well.

Channel Two (the tube channel) is, as many have reported, a bit muddy. The MRB is pretty much unusable as delivered. It *is* possible to get a good sound out of this channel by adjusting the Gain and Volume controls. Oddly, this channle doesn't seem to have the output of Channel One (solid state) even when the Gain and Volume are maxed.

Seems well made, solid. Have had no problems.

I think this hybrid amp is a good value for the money. While certainly not an AC-15 or AC-30, it does have a "Vox-ey" sound and is easy to use and carry around.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Tube preamp - transistor power amp, 30 watts, 2 speakers Celestion Bulldog 10 "
- Clean channel: volume - bass - treble
- Saturated channel: volume - Gain - Bass - Treble - Mid-boost - OD1-OD2
- Reverb and tremolo which can adjust the speed and depth

Negative: each channel has volume, but no master

UTILIZATION

Very simple: zero setting (see above). It looks like a AC30 is so basic. One branch is a little hack, and presto, you have the sound.

SOUNDS

I use it with a little Gordon Smith (http://www.fairplay.demon.co.uk/) or an Epiphone ES 335 equipped with Seymour Duncan P90. Clear sound a little crunchy, beautiful. No need for additional effects. The vintage sound is perfect for my style (brit, pop, rock). Fans of hard and heavy, I'm afraid it is not your amp.

I teamed mine with a power amp of 100 watts. And it became a real machine for slaughter! He buries any Marshall.

For those who do not know, these little amps are equipped with a source of optical coupler failed. The amp loses all his abilities when it is hot. Simply replace the part (+ or - € 50.00) by a specialist, and that's it.

OVERALL OPINION

I dreamed of a small Vox, and here I am in love. I probably paid dearly for this amlpi used, and to do customize, but the result is this: I have a Vox combo (as they are beautiful!) With a super powerful sound of hell tiny light as a feather. What more? Anyway, I did well to get rid of my Marshall.

Hybrid amplifier (tube preamp)
30w power (actually a little sup)
effect: reverb a nice even though I loved more by effects acciones footswtch but ...

UTILIZATION

Operation is simple, no need to get the grain manuel.Pour wished I find it takes quite a push, at low volume it runs out of breath!

SOUNDS

Question I was surprised at its first use: it spits a lot is Grallon (yuck lol), the clean sound is not worth a Fender and it is not the cleanest (meaning limited as filthy ... the rest) but it has its charm, a slight buzz that does not displease me! In distortion we must push it again and shortness of breath, but the hand of the scratch is for many, by attacking some it sounds wickedly hard rock or rock and roll (do not ask him to add a metal pedal). I let go to play some riff to AC-DC and that's happiness!

OVERALL OPINION

... In short a sound that has the character typed blues / rock, a little dirty and very British (all the charm of vox). One thing I like is the time it leaves the place to scratch s express to you to ring the amp!
in short, a brave little that (with the fender cleaner, sound American) is perfect for rock shows (I do not regret having sold my marshall too loud and heavy metal! me my thing is the good old rock Padre of the 70's)

This is a 30 watt which seems to deliver more
It's a hybrid amp with a preamp year lamp
All the necessary conections are present
A tremolo quality as the reverb
All with "LE" Vox design, as then the Beatles, much more class than the new design chrome, sleek and cold.

UTILIZATION

Could not be more simple. It's less headache than amp modeling (which in any case it is seeking a vintage Vox unadorned)
Always handy to the side of the Vox only bass and treble buttons (no need for more)
We quickly found the sound we want to have when choosing this type of amp. (Since it has often chosen for its musical direction ... Rarely has the metal case)

SOUNDS

It is suitable for all styles of music from rock and roll roots more than the current through the blues (see jazz but now I do not know because I do not play jazz on my guitar)
I play a telecaster reissue 1952 and is "super" ... Need I say more ...
It is particularly at ease on the grunge type sound and it's personally what I was looking so they're not alone.
It sounds Vox input and that's just ... magic! As an old recipe of grandmother who would be successful all the time

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 1 year. (It is no longer produced and that's a shame because I would do the same choice, and above all I do not like modeling ... especially if it is to be positioned in the Vox, both directly to the amp copied)
I love a tile appearance of another time, his desire to burning fat, just snapping three agreements or to shout to have a note Rory Gallagher in the lead (among others).
Thanks to the preamp is very light very close to an AC 30 (except it's cheaper and it will cost cheaper lamps)
Given the quality of all elements of this amp, the tremolo breathtaking quality, great reverb, the HP celestion, the lamp system etc ... The award is given! I regret not having proffité when he was still in production and I would reiterate a used one if necessary without hesitation. In my opinion this is a gem whose popularity will only continue to climb To be continued ...
I frankly did not find negative even looking good.
I hope that Vox will change tack and return to hybrid amplifiers as well designed as was the Cambridge Reverb, leaving a little aside the modeling amps that make something of a gadget in hand. This is an excellent alternative from the Vox AC30 too expensive and all the amps that do not sound ugly. (It is rather in the first class ... A better prices)

- Hybrid Amplification with the precision of the transistor and the heat and the dynamics of the lamp.
- The amplifier delivers an output of 30W on paper (to 3 / 4 Volume I covered a Marshall 100MG to 8 on the volume) the volume of output depends on many microphones for making the test volume is monstrous with my EMG active.
- The connection base is available, the amplifier has an analog spring reverb has excellent quality comparable to that of electro-harmonix tremolo vintage and one running on the same principle.

UTILIZATION

The configuration is very Vox with medium booster, booster gain, equalization Vox also have a very bizar increase the volume knob. In terms of equalization quickly found his business offers a very large number of diverse and varied sound quite easily, and refined over time.

SOUNDS

Ah! sound, at last! A joy, it took me over 4 years to find that sound.
By clean we obtain according to the position of the microphone:

In-bridge pickup gives a very clean fender twin slamming typed by adding a slight reverb gives excellent sound for reggae, ska and other music-dominance against temps.Une very nice shine and a perfect foil.
-On the handle and central position, in plays on the equalization gives a very clear, round and warm, without being too runny, I use it for many parts of arpeggios, the simplest is listening to U2's Beautiful Days is the typical sound vox (with delay that said
Warning: the volume in clean parrait more powerful than the volume distortion (1 / 2 volume clean = 3 / 4 volume distortion)

In disto:
- Then happiness is the sound Rock by reference, on the bridge pickup volume is enormissime and highly accurate gain by pushing the harmonics and rain naturally occurring when the note fades away any remaining controllable which is very pleasant is good for solo sound is bright with the tone characteristic of at vox in dimin gain a little one falls on the AC / DC, very British sound with a lot of medium and treble.
Powerchord in the distortion makes me think a lot of MESA BOOGIE bottle rocket with a little less gain, however, but it is very near, the sound is really powerful.

PS: I recall that I use EMG active pickups (with preamp) and thus a very large output level, the lamp is a preamp MESA BOOGIE which gives me a particular grain.

OVERALL OPINION

This amp really attracted me because of its versatility, power, the typical sound that can be given to its Channel CLEAN / DISTO.
I searched long these features, snapping a clean and warm like the fenders and a powerful ultra distortion such as MESA but with a less refined grain.
The sound remains SO BRITISH allowing both to take old pieces of 70 years with a well rounded and analog reverb and playing on the gain and equalization of land on a more modern sound, which this amp makes it very versatile.

Hybrid poorly designed. It is lugs around an optocoupler worries that creates sound cuts.
It's not just because the stroke volume is incredible. The volume up quickly in the first quarter and almost does not move about the rest!

UTILIZATION

impossible to find a clean sound by turning the knobs in all directions.

SOUNDS

sound super cheap. An old radio produce sound richer and roots.
The lamp does nothing.

OVERALL OPINION

Too many design flaws and manufacturing as well as a cheap aesthetic finish. Fortunately Vox has since resumed again with a good amp but when they released the cambridge they should be in the trough of the wave. Or simply the desire to make sales.
The most serious is the problem of optocoupler that deserved all remember that Vox cambridge!

This is another Vox classic failure of an amp. This is a hybrid amp and the hybrid simply mean that they use digital or solid state for one section of the amp and then a tube in the other section. Some Music Man amps have the hybrid set at the solid state or digital preamp section where the power section is a power tube. This one has a tube in the preamp and then solid state for the power section. This makes the amp feel a little more like a tube amp but really not even close.

UTILIZATION

Features
Output Power 30 watts RMS
Tube Compliment One (1) ECC83
Channel One One Input (Common to both channels),
one volume,
one bass,
one treble.
Channel Two One Input (Common to both channels),
one gain control,
one gain switch,
one treble,
one Mid Range (MRB) Boost switch,
one bass,
one volume,
one tremolo speed,
one tremolo depth,
one reverb control,
one foot switch jack,
Speaker(s) One Vox Custom Celestion Bulldog 10" Heavy Duty speaker
Size 22.5" W x 16" H x 9" D
Accessories VFS2 foot pedal.

SOUNDS

The idea that a tube is going to make it sound like a tube amp is a great idea in theory but it really is simply a marketing tool. Having one preamp tube in the preamp section doesn't give you any more of a feeling of real tubes. This amp sound like garbage and is really a testimony of how this company has come roaring down hill in recent years.

The tone with a preamp will give illusion of a tube amp but the feel feel of a tube amp comes from the power tubes. That is why Music Man and Peavey are able to get their amps to feel more like a tube amp because of the power section.

OVERALL OPINION

These amps were only made for a short period of time. I think these were produced in the late 90's and were made in the Uk still at that point. You can find these on the classifieds pretty easily.

I wouldn't recommend this amp. Get a real Vox Ac30 and don't waste your time of something as silly as this amp. You will thank yourself by passing on this and saving up for used made in England Vox Ac30 or Ac15.

(Originally written by elco7/translated from Audiofanzine FR)
Tupe preamp with one 12AX7 (with average gain) coupled to channel 2.

10" Celestion blue speaker (8 Ohms) plus external speaker output

2 channels with boost

Tremolo effect

Spring verb

UTILIZATION

Knobs and switches, no mid filter.

I don't like the fact that you need two footswitches (one for channel selection and the reverb, and one for the tremolo effect).

Very easy to use!

It has enough output power for rehearsals if you place it on a table. It's not powerful enough for live gigs.

SOUNDS

The 10" speaker produces powerful mid frequencies. Since the amp has no mid control, you'll have to make extreme EQ settings or stick to the basic sound of the amp (like I did).

I set the bass control to max.

The reverb and channel 2 controls produce no effect beyond 6.

But I find the reverb sounds nice. I don't use the tremolo effect...

The crunch sound is nice and it gets really powerful with a TS-808 or even a Bigmuff.

OVERALL OPINION

This combo sounds very good and it looks great. I like the typical VOX speaker covering (much better than the metal one in new models).

Good manufacturing quality but watch out for the corners because they are not reinforced.

This model is a bit obsolete due to the Valvetronix Series. The Cambridge 30 is good but not the best and for the same price people will prefer to get an amp with an additional digital section.