Vox AC4C1-BL

VOX AC4 BL
Very nice and solid look.

UTILIZATION

RAS
The bass and treble knobs do their job well.

SOUNDS

This amp sounds great, not too powerful for use in a small room or studio.
This amp is perfect for rock / blues, anyway this is the kind of music that I play with a Fender Stratocaster american 2004.
Saturating at max gain with a background you do not get a big saturation but just a very nice rock crunch.

So for the metal without pedals

OVERALL OPINION

I've had two months, and I have a sound problem.
A low volume playing softly I lost her after 10 minutes of heating, the sound decreases rapidly and returns after a few seconds. I realize that it is faster if I play harder.
I replaced the three lights (2 x 12AX7 and 1 x EL84) but the problem remains the same, I think there is a contact problem.

As guaranteed I can take it to the dealer where I bought it, hoping it will replace me ....

4W tube combo amp with 1 HP 10 "Celestion VX in a closed cab
On top:
- 1 input jack
- Gain, Bass, Treble, Volume knobs
- 1 on/off switch + 1 red light
At the rear:
- 1 power supply plug.
- 1 external 16 Ohm speaker output
In short, as on the pictures ... The minimum to run the amp according to its target (Vox Top Boost in a small format) with pretty blue cab and cream coloured bakelite handle and vent : Early 60s revival for those who lived it.

No stand-by: it's a pity
No effects loop: you can live without it for simple uses
No medium setting: do not touch to "traditions"; - too bad for those who like to see it evolve over time - as if this circuit was carved in a marble piece (ultimately, it is not very serious)

UTILIZATION

The use is that of a Vox AC: basic in the positive sense of the term: not too much to think about it..
The gain range is wide enough for my taste that dont go up to extreme saturations (I like from clean to crunch).

Bass / treble settings are efficient and help to adapt the sound and suit to the type of your play or guitar.

The volume range is very suitable for use in apartments: this was my main criterion next to real tube sound.. For the moment I have not really pushed up the volume for this reason (appartment), so for rehearsals I do not know if the volume is really enough (A 15 W amp should be better for that, right?)

The manual is really poor: it explains in a lot of languages that the gain knob is used to adjust the gain, that the bass knob is used to adjust the bass etc..
No explanation for the amp maintenance or care, no explanation on changing tubes, no settings proposals. From my point of view and even if it is not very useful for those who already know, I like, as a customer, to be payed attention to : it contributes to satisfy me and it does not increase the price !

The amp has a tendency to heat: a single vent (in bakelite) helps to ventilate. It is not supposed to be a good point for longevity, but it's only an 'a priori' !

In short, as it is the reissue of an amp designed in the 60s (think how long ago it was !), nothing to notice nor to be particularly amazed.

SOUNDS

The sound of this little amp is really not bad at all (that is rather good):

- With a strat you really feel the typical twang and the gain range of this amp is available at a reasonable volume.
- With Gibson & humbuckers the sound turns faster into crunch (but the strength of strikes on your guitar strings will have a great influence on that point)

The sounds are very good and easy to access with the strat: chimey with low end of a 10" speaker. It's a little bit more difficult with a gibson (it takes a little more time to adjust the gain, the tone of both the amp and the guitar). Noting unmanagable but it is a bit less satisfying than with the strat .

The crunch sounds are very nice : as mentioned in a previous opinion, it's a Vox top boost !

I just did some tests with a Digitech multi-effect, disabling the amp simulations: it responds well and now I feel like having better effects.

In fact, I did not expect so much quality and pleasure with an amp playing at neighborhood-compatible volume .

OVERALL OPINION

This amp fits my criteria: a TRUE tube sound to both play in my apartment AND respect the neighborhood, suited for clean jazz sounds sometimes pushed to blues.

A ride in a Paris shop specialized in guitar amplifiers allowed me to benefit from attentive listening and appropriate advice. The proposed choices:
- Fender Blues Junior III (eminence red coat) - I loved the sound and it was definitely my favorite. However, it is twice the price and my weak playing does not deserve it, Besides, this 15W amp, even if it is really manageable in an apartment, made me imagine the frustration of not being able to push up the volume over neighborhood compatible levels.
- Vox AC4 C1: it filled my expectations and it was also a "reasonable" choice both in terms of price and power, and it appears to fully suit to my use.

This amp correctly handles clean sounds (however, not enough headroom to play loud) and can go up to crunch sounds at low volume. It reflects your guitar personality while providing a broad range of settings provided you intend to stay in the vintage styles;. The rendering is great on guitars with single coils (strat) and seems just a bit below for guitars with humbuckers, at least for clean sounds and jazz.

Lot of qualities without being totally perfect (nothing prohibitive to my eyes or to my ears), a marketted prize : this amp is a real answer to my expectations and I feel I was right to be "reasonable" on the day of purchase ... but this is just a subjective opinion.
- Sorry for the poor translation, I did my best. I hope it's better than the fully automatic translation

Amp 4w lamp, two one 12AX7 EL84,
HP 10 "Celestion VX10 closed back
treble gain Bass Masters
An entry

UTILIZATION

plug and play

SOUNDS

This provides a sound ampl very versatile, moving from a small distortion to clean well with hairy race gain usable throughout its length.
I prefer the crunch and lead sounds, the clean lacks a little low.
the eq is very effective and we can correct the frequency easily and intuitively.
This gives a good volume for a small room recess but not strong enough to snooze with a battery, for it is a killer against the studio, with me from now in the majority of my shots next to his cousin, the Fender Champion 600.
it is very versatile and will go until saturations important, surprising departure for a vox amp home for evil but who likes to play on the amp that bend much.
qd is still sound even in vintage but rather what a sound!
He collects all perfectly overdrive pedals if only one remains at less than 12 on the gain knob, I also use my fuzz without problems, the delays and reverbs go without saying.
In fact it's like my amps bcp more powerful but with his bedroom, finally ... almost

OVERALL OPINION

A nice surprise at Vox this year recess as its big brother the greenback AC4HW with its 12 "but at a rate somewhat prohibitive, a nickel finish and unusual blue with gray cloth grill that suits him very well.
great product to have fun with a real good sound, great in the studio all respects impeccable guitar you plug in and great with your pedalboard
10 not all due to lack a bit low but with a size like that it is almost forgiven!

Everything is: master volume, gain, treble, bass: just lacks a standby and it would be without the fault!
4W any lamp with 2x 12AX7 and 1x EL84.
HP 10 'Celestion custom.
Blue finish class.
Grab solid, well finished.
Tend to be very hot: low-airflow design.

UTILIZATION

The master volume is very effective, you just have a clean sound to correct volume and also a nice crunch to moderate volume!
Bass and treble settings are also very effective, we quickly find a great sound, vox we like!

SOUNDS

His typed Vox évintage "So for the music" modern "to forget.
For blues, country, rock, it's all good!
The HP 10 'sounds great, it restores the bass well.
Highs tend to be easy now, do not hesitate to fine tune the treble knob.
The clean can be depending on the settings of treble, warm and bluesy or more slamming, lens (without the Fender either).
The crunch, ba is the vox top boost typed very good.
I think amp microphones prefer simple (strat, tele) and may be less duplication.
4W with 1x EL84, its shoot so if you put the volume gain + 3/4 is very strong and very good, very fuzzy, yum.

OVERALL OPINION

For less than € 300, it's just all good, for me one of the best quality / price ratio on the market today.
Repeated in its clean ensisageable without battery, if not with battery, crunch up his strong volume therefore possible.