Vox AC15H1TV Handwired

2008 model, Amp is versitile in some ways, will not do metal or anything really heavy without the addition of a high gain distortion pedal and a closed back cab...but with these will still be passable.
It has 2 channels with options for high or low gain, EF86 channel and standard topboost channel.
Has enough volume for gigs, although with my Les Paul can start to breakup pretty early when the volume gets over 1/4

This amp sounds great!!!
I use a Les Paul Standard with a number a couple of distortion pedals, Crowther Hot Cake/ G2D Custom overdrive and a tubescreamer clone....all of them sound good through this amp. Only comment would be I have to dial out the higher freq on the G2D to hit the sweet spot as it can get a bit harsh. I play in a rock/pop band and also at church and it suits this perfectly. Can get a nice vox chimey clean or if cranked (on the EF86/ pentode mode) a thick creamy overdrive....it is a bit loud when the amp is cranked to this level though and not really useable live (a real shame as it is a very nice/unique overdrive) I didn't buy this amp for its drive sounds though, I bought it for its clean vox chime.
The EF86 side is really nice, but I sometimes switch to the topboost side for a change because it is also very useable and gets slightly more bass if dialed in. You can run both channels together for a combination of both which is a nice compromise.

You can watch a demo here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLsYSX39UBw
All in all it does most things well, with the exception of metal...if you want to do metal buy a dual rec or 5150, don't buy this!

Haven't had to many issues with the exception of a buzz or almost like a signal drop out when hard strumming with high output humbuckers. I have replaced the 12AX7 tubes and havn't noticed it since, so to be fair to vox it may have been the cheap tubes that came with the amp...it has tung sol's in now and is going better than ever.

Havn't had to deal with vox yet

I would dprob replace this if stolen...or I might go with a Night Train as they look like a very similar sounding amp but in a tiny head format....
I have owned quite a few amps in my 10 year guitar playing history including Peavey Classic 50/ Mesa Rocket 44/ Mesa Single Rec/ Mesa Dual Rec/ Marshall 2550 head/ Orange Tiny Terror
And those were all good amps and served a purpose...but for right now this amp suits me just fine! If I started playing hardcore again I would prob go and buy an Orange Rockerverb50 stack but as there is no real need for that right now this is just perfect.

this is a 2008 - the blond version ( combo with the alnico blue) I am a vox freak and have owned a 60s AC30 when I was kid, A Korg ( early 90s ) version of the AC 15 and an AC 10 twin. I had use of this handwired version for 2 weeks. Certainly loud enough for rock cover band - I always have appreciated Vox vibrato circuits - no vibrato on this one.

I just really love the tone of a tele bridge PU into treble booster into the right class A EL84 amp. I have played 40 years - now in cover pop-rock band - play all the campy stuff people dance to ( that's why we get gigs) - my personal favorite sounds are 60s brit. This amp comes pretty close - it does have the EF86 quality I love - BUT in this particular version it is "boxy" sounding and lacks the sweetness of great Vox amps

I don't know - I didn't buy one.

don't know

I have become convinced that that really over-the-top Vox shimmer requires three things ( all three ) 1. EF86 channel 2. two or more speakers. 3. good tubes and workmanship. The AC15 handwired is boxy because of the single speaker thing - My AC15 has the same issues ( one speaker and no EF86 ) I wonder if the head version of this amp combined with a two 10 or two 12 open back cab would get it right? If I'm right then it would sound great - I think the workmanship on this is good - but also needs replacement tubes. The magical amp for me is still my 65 AC10 twin. There is something about the 2 speaker thing that opens up the tone and sweetens the trebles - not boxy. A good AC 30 with twin 12s and an EF86 gets it right also - BUT I can't carry one of those upstairs any more. My AC10 is only about 50 lbs and 12 watts so I can crank it ( unlike a 30 ) I would like to own a backup for this amp someday - that's why I keep checking out other EF86 amps

Not many features but it is easy to dial in many useable tones, especially if you bridge the channels, lots of choice here. Personally less is more to me so this amp works for me so far.

As soon as I received the amp, and mine is the limited Mahogany one, i was happy with the look and fired it up to see if it worked and it sounded good. I use multi amp set up, two Black faced Fender Reverbs, this amp fit right in, I was worried at first about no reverb but with the Fenders it is great. These amps are a bit on the noisy side, but i put in some nice NOS RCA 5751 tubes and it quieted right down. The clean tones are in there and the overdrive it can achieve is excellent, very" chimy". so far I am loving the sound of this amp and I havn't even begun to dial all the tone possibilities.

I Have some concerns about reliability issues, but I believe that if you replace all the crummy tubes with real good ones, all the tubes that is, it should hold up just fine, always turn it off when not playing. Remember EL-84 tubes run hot and don't last as long as their larger brethren.

No opinion as I just got the amp.

I looked at a zillion amps and can only hope I made the right choice, however having said that I have no doubt about the tone this amp delivers, so right choice on that score. These are made in China, and are not built inside as sturdy as I would have liked, I am a trained amp tech and think I will be able to work on this amp just fine after I get used to it, I just got it. I ordered all the NOS tubes and will take the chassis out when they arrive, at that time I will learn all there is about the construction and layout, but this amp really sings, not as well made as I would have liked, nothing is perfect but with a bit of effort can be made to fit the bill as far as construction goes. Also re sale will hold up as it is a Vox, newer makes fall off drastically in value even if they are well made. I give it an 8 only because of the construction issues.

I've played out with the Vox AC15H1TV twice now. Both times I had guitarists from the bands playing after us compliment me on the sound of the Vox: "That Vox screams." "That Vox really has character -- makes my Mesa Boogie sound like a generic piece of crap."

The ability to switch from 15 watts to 8 watts is my favorite feature. Also terrific is that you can bridge across Channel 1 and Channel 2 with a patch cable, and run both channels together. Then, within channels there are two inputs -- one that's 6 decibels louder. What this all boils down to is amazing flexibility.

Perfect for playing small clubs, even medium sized clubs. Larger clubs you go through the PA anyway, so it's actually suitable for most venues.

I've played Gretsches and Telecasters through Vibroluxes and Deluxes for more than 40 years. Blackface, blueface both. But for the first time in my life I'm playing in a trio, and at showcase clubs in New York City and so needed an amp that delivers more lower mid-range, and breaks up at lower volumes than my trusty Vibrolux -- (I sold the Deluxe to get the Vibrolux).

The Vox gave me exactly what I was looking for.

I'm on my second one. I bought the first amp online -- an amp which I suspect was first purchased by one of the reviewers here -- the one who trashed rated the amp with dismally low "1" ratings in nearly every category. This reviewer posted essentially the same scabrous review on the online store site as he did here. There were two amps advertised as "warehouse resealed" at a lower price, and I ordered one. It sounded great for three weeks, then I took it to practice in a rehearsal studio. I cranked it and it sounded great for an hour and a half, then began to crackle and sputter.

All it needed was a new power tube, but I sent it back. For a couple of months I used the Vibrolux at gigs, and of course, encountered the same issues that prompted me to check out other amps in the first place.

I tried all sorts of amps -- I really liked the Blackstar 15 watt amp. Then I realized it's a slight variation on the Vox AC15H1TV: same tubes, same basic idea. A little out of my price range though. I went back to an uptown music store, tried out the Vox again and decided to order a brand new one. Because the BlackStar amp company makes a big deal out of their point-to-point soldering, even going so far as to show you the inside of the amp -- of which they are justifiably proud -- when I got the new Vox, I opened it up to check out the soldering, the layout, etc.

It's a peculiar layout -- with the preamp tubes in the back in a box and the output tubes in the front, hanging down so that you can actually see them glowing through the speaker cloth. But it's professionally soldered, the joints good and clean. Mine has Sovtek tubes which is fine for now, although I'll look to replace them with something a bit better when I need to.

So far customer support has been fine. The online store took back the "warehouse resealed" amp without any fuss. I told them it was defective and just like that, they sent me a label to send it back for free.

As for Vox, I sent an email to them asking if I could purchase the cover that comes with the mahogany model. Got a nice email back recommending I try Tuki covers as they did not have any extra on hand. I got the Tuki cover and am very happy with it.

Like I said, I've been playing for 40 years using mostly Fender equipment, so I was hesitant to go with a Vox. Like many players, I'd heard stories about Vox amps catching on fire, blowing up, crapping out, etc., etc. So it was with my heart in my throat and my hand on my wallet that I went back for the second Vox.

I love it. It's exactly what I was looking for at a price I could afford.

I've got a Vox AC15H1TV. Great sound and quite versatile.
There's one big problem: as far as it gets hot (like after 40 minutes on a gig), the sound start loosing it's qualities and sounds like crap after a while.

Very good. If it gets hot, it sounds like crap.

Quite reliable so far. But I wish, I could really use it live.

I don't know. I didn't have any issues so far...

I've been playing in different bands for 10 years. About 200 gigs so far. I do also play a silver face fender deluxe reverb from the 70's.

I would definitely NOT buy it again.

I love the basic sound. I hate it, because it looses it's qualities when it gets hot.

Although this amp has minimal features it is very easy to dial in a wide variety of excellent tones. I play lead guitar in a loud 5 piece post-rock band and although this amp is only 15 watts it keeps up easily. I play with the amp just on the edge of breakup when using a thinline tele with fairly low output pickups and drive it into creamy overdrive with a boost pedal. I also play a 335 equipped with Bareknuckle Mules, the amp really sings when played with the higher output humbuckers of this guitar. As I'm sure you are already aware this amp really has no bells and whistles but if what you are after is fantastic tone then it has everything you need.

I use the EF86 side of this amp almost all of the time. This is however no slight on the Top Boost channel which provides all the classic Vox chime and sparkle you could ever want. I also own an AC30cc2x and an AC15TBX (bit of a Vox-aholic). The top boost absolutely demolishes the TBX and while not as punchy as the 30 the ability to get creamy overdrive at loud but not deafening volumes is a bonus for me. The EF86 channel is really something else. It is fat and articulate and highly responsive to your playing. The brilliance control and bass shift allow for plenty of sound sculpting. By putting the bass shift to position 2 and the brilliance to position 1 I can get great cleans with the guitar volume rolled back then either roll up the volume or boost for a beautifully full overdrive. This amp is never going to do super clean or high gain but it excels at classic Vox and why else would you want a Vox?

This amp has like all Voxes past and present has had questions asked about its reliability. I bought the amp new about 10 months ago, so far I have only had to replace the EF86 valve. This was after about 6 months, I replaced it with a Phllips Dario Miniwatt and have had no problems since. I guess time will tell. EF86's in combos are notoriously troublesome but so far I am happy.

I have dealt with Vox (Korg UK) on several occasions they have always replied to email however their responses have not always been that helpful. They do now have a new website with a forum where questions seem to be answered pretty well.

As I previously stated I have an AC30cc2x and an AC15TBX, I also own an Orange AD30 (fantastic amp), and an Epiphone Valve Junior. I have played on many different amps over my 15 years guitar playing. Right now this is my favorite. If I wasn't such a kleptomaniac the other Voxes would definitely be finding themselves on Ebay. If it were stolen or lost they would be straight on there and I'd buy another in a flash.

this amp sounds awsome and is easy to dial in those creamy tones ok made in china (isnt everything these days) and doesnt pose a problem with me as amps can break down wherever they come from i use this amp for playing early shadows stuff to blues ,rock just about anything really. no effects loops or anything like that to colour the sound just a good old basic amp the way it should be if you want an amp with all the modern gizmos then i would buy something else .

as i said above this amp has great tone natural break up for blues and all the crunch even better with digital echo but awsome with a tape echo very natural in every aspect couldnt live without it now now i have other handwired boutique amps and effects which cost a lot of cash and this one is right up there with them maybe not on the power rating but for the studio and small venues then great (you can always mike it up for big venues) which i would no problem

Now heres the problem im a pro player and although i have loads of amps i can play through i bought this and within 3 days it was dead lol im not bothered about it as the store i got it from just said to bring it in but as i have just got it i want to use it lol i know the maqins fuse is blown so i replaced it with the same fuse type and it came to life again but no sound but before this happened the 63 channel was very noisy as i said the store have told me to bring it to them but i just hope it dosent need to go back to vox as its the easiest transportable amp i have i would have alook my self but dont want to vailidate the warranty but im sure with better valves mullards or jj teslas then this amp will last the pace easily other than that it would have been a high mark for them

Havent had to deal with them as im dealing with the store im sure it will get sorted or i get a new amp simple

I love this amp as i have said i have loads of high end stuff the only thing i have to say is that it would have been better if they had made the cosmetics like the original ac15 amps and im not sure there is suitable ventalation for the valves even though ithe vents hidden behind the grill cloth but is it enough ??? if they had made the cab the original way (and colour)then this wouldnt be an issue as even my jack in the socket was getting hot !!!!!

Fairly basic, two channels that have different character to them, no master volume, no FX loop, etc. Lots of EQ and power options, though. You can go through the EF86 channel for a fatter, sweeter sound, or through the top boost channel for a crispier, jangly tone. You can run both the power tubes and the EF86 tube in triode or pentode mode, and there are low-cut switches on the EF86 channel that give you a lot of options and help the amp work well with different kinds of guitars. This amp isn't about a bunch of features, it's about simple tube tone. I have the head-only version, not the combo, because I wanted the flexibility of using different speakers and I already had a 1 x 12 cab.

I've used this amp live and in the studio with a Telecaster, a Gibson Johnny model, and a Luna hollow-body. It sounds pretty great with all of them. Not a ton of headroom but it gets LOUD for 15 watts. It works well run fairly hot with the guitar dialed down for clean, cranked up for some drive. Very natural distortion, with the classic Vox tones you would expect.

I have used this amp one one session and one gig so far, without backup, and it worked perfectly. But first, I did replace the power tubes with JJ EL84s, and the top boost preamp tube was noisy so I replace it too. This amp is getting a bad rap because they ship with crappy tubes, but THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE AMP. Mine works great. Learn to replace tubes, people! Having said that, it was pretty stupid of Vox to ship these amps with crummy tubes in them, as it would have made more sense for them to use good tubes and avoid these bad reviews which have to be hurting their sales a bit. Pretty short-sighted and stupid marketing... penny-wise and pound-foolish as the saying goes. I haven't had the amp that long but I'm giving it an 8 for reliability as so far it has been without problems.

Haven't had to deal with it. No warranty on mine because I bought it second hand. I don't see too many problems with it, but if I was playing it loud all the time, I might try to mod it by giving the tubes a little better ventilation.

I've been playing as a pro for over 30 years. I've always wanted a little amp like this to get those classic British-invasion tones I heard on records growing up. This amp delivers. It's not the best sounding amp I own (my other amps are worth $2500 (Jamison combo) and $5000 (original tweed Bassman)but then it does something completely different that those amps, it sounds great for what it is. I wanted an amp that wasn't as loud as my others, that I could crank up, and the Vox is perfect for that. It worked great on the session I did

i believe this amp was made in 2007.
15W all tube - (2)EL84, (1)EZ81, (3)12AX7, (1)EF86
alnico blue celestion, 15ohm 12 inch.
it's a 2 channel amp, one being an EF86 channel from '58 and the other a 12AX7 channel supposedly based on the 63 top boost. the channels are independent, but if you've got a short cable, you can jumper them together and EQ channel 1. there is no effects loop, it's all front end like a vintage amp. there is no headphone jack, but this amp is meant to do loud, so if it did have a headphone jack i'd blow my eardrums.
i think a standby is a good idea. there are times i wish it had a tremolo or a reverb, but i can get a tremolo pedal, and if i wanted reverb i'll play it in a church.
another reviewer said he wished it had heating vents. it seems to have a long oval cut in the baffle which would serve as a heating vent so that heat can dissipate through the grill. though i don't think this is as effective as vents built into the top.
but as vintage EL84 are, the hotter they get, the better they sound.

there is not one feature i do not use, but there are some features that i set and forget. this would be the pentode/triode switch in channel 1; it's always set to pentode. and the top cut switch is almost always set to 12 o clock.

as far as versatility goes, this amp has it. when i play someone else's songs, songs i know were recorded through a vox with an alnico blue, i know this amp will deliver with the exact tone (rem sounds good through this; playing like the edge sounds great through this - ESPECIALLY with a really good delay pedal; and of course the beatles(and your bird can sing just sings)

i use this amp at home and occasionally when i jam with my friends. but it's heavy to lug around, almost 50# so it's mostly at home. sometimes i power down to 7 watts, but this amp can still deliver.

the stock tubes were shoddy, and i replaced them. i felt there was noise coming from the tubes so i took it to my local guy, who said that they all need to be replaced and were on their way to shorting out my amp, so i changed the power tubes, the rectifier and V2, V3 with jj's and put a NOS mullard 12AX7 in V1 of channel 2 and an NOS mullard EF86 in channel 1.

i should also mention that there are two speaker input jacks under the chassis, wired in parallel, switchable between 8 and 16 ohms. so when you want to use an extention cab (to make that AC15-twin-sound-ala-lennon-at-the-cavern) make sure to switch it to 8.
i do this with a divided by 13 1X12 fitted with a celestion G12H30 and it complements it so well.

i use this with a 2002 gibson les paul custom.
i use it with a 2002 korean epiphone dot with kent armstrong pickups - a paf style in the neck and a jb type in the bridge.
i use a 62 fender strat with this amp as well.
and through some processing, i use this with a gibson compact jumbo as well.
this amp suits everything i play perfectly.
the amp can be noisy, but i've got a lot of electronic equipment plugged into wall sockets and into power strips and a computer in the room, so yeah, of course it will pick up all that emf. and of course that 60 cycle hum, but that's something everyone deals with. if you engage the top cut, you'll knock out some of that noise. high output pickups that are unshielded will contribute to the sound too.
the controls are just a treble a bass volume in channel 1 and on channel 1 volume and presence and bass shift. for the EF 86 channel, if i want more headroom i play around with the presence and switch the bass shift and lower the volume or i plug into the input with the lower db rating.

i find that in channel 2 the treble and bass knob are very interactive and i can dial in a variety of tones.

the top cut works for both channels and expands dynamics even more, but like i said, i usually always have it set at 12 o' clock.

and not to overdo it with the generic vox descriptions, but yes, the sound coming through the alnico blue is very organic and chimey with a bell like quality to it.

the amp has to be pushed hard to get that saturated overdriven tone. but use a boost pedal to get that over the top may sound with your single coils. it plays well with most pedals, though i've only used a boss turbo overdrive, a dunlop wah an eventide twin delay and a fulltone fulldrive 2 with it. i'm sure it won't sound harsh with other pedals. i've even used a behringer vamp2 with it and found pleasing results! and with the boss fdr-1 pedal, it sounds like it's in the deluxe reverb territory with less of those terrible highs and more sweet midrange.

it's an old house, on the 3rd floor, close to the wall, so it picks up vibrations from it's surroundings. and since this speaker seems quite sensitive, sometimes it picks up on the vibrations. if i had more room, i'd place it somewhere closer to the center of the room and sit it on something to absorb the vibrations.
or i'll just line the inside with foam.
umm, no.

it's dependable.
i don't gig.
it's new. arrived new 9/07. brought it in twice. both times due to tube issues. the first time i went to jeff blochs in brooklyn, it was because i powered up, light came on, but no sound came out. i was repaired but when i asked why they told me they were sworn to secrecy and couldn't tell me. after finding the old rectifier at the bottom of the cabinet and upon further research i surmised that the rectifier tube was the culprit. the second time i brought it in was again because of the tubes. but this time i replaced them all and the sound is just so lovely.
i give it an 8 because the stock electro harmonx and sovtek tubes were horrible. minus 2 for the tubes, but everything else is just fine.

i've called mike in melville a number of times, not just for this amp, but for a number of vox items i already own as well (da5, plexi-ish amplug, V941 effects buffer) and he's just incredibly helpful. and he sent me a manual for the buffer with is primo.
so kudos to mike.

i don't know what the first dude was talking about.
this thing is great.
some glitches but those were very minor and were easily addressed and remedied.
i love my vox.

no reverb; no vibrato; no channel switching; not even any tone controls on the 1958 side. I'd say that's limited. but you can get pedals to do some of it. personally all i use is a wah pedal right now. i just love the tone of this amp. really.

the amp is a gem. plain talk, straight up. I have used this at a four hour gig in a a 200 person capacity crowd and it was loud enough for the drummer to complain. i did have it up on a chair, though.

so here's the HEADROOM tip: turn the gain up full. reduce the bass on whichever channel you use and install a treble bypass cap on your guitar's volume control. this way you get all the headroom you want with no loss of highs when you roll the volume back to clean up. and when you crank the volume you get a beautiful, roaring overdrive. this works with either humbuckers or single coils.

have you used yours at a four hour gig yet? gets pretty damn hot and, like the originals, will fry the tubes and just about everything else over time... so I took the upper back panel off, removed the bolts on the sides of the cab holding the chassis in, pulled the chassis out 'til I can put one of the bolts on each side back in. This exposes the power tubes and lets 'em breathe. then i put the back panel back on, mostly so I don't get electrocuted. this way the amp runs cool for hours and will help the tubes last about 5 times longer. seems some of these guys here don't realize that if your TUBE amp makes weird noises the first thing to do is replace the TUBES rather than throw away the amp. 'Doh!

take care of your damn amp and don't throw it around. the handwiring job is pretty good. see my note under "reliability". If it sounds funny, start with changing the EL84s. learn how to open it and familiarize yourself with the guts. to not get electrocuted don't have it plugged in when you take it apart.

got a white one; got a mahogany one. both sound like the original - maybe better since you essentially have both the 1958 version and the 1964 version in one. got the mahogany "limited edition" 'cause I took the white one to a gig and realized covering it in white tolex was about the most stupid thing VOX/Korg could have done: if I actually use it it'll be dirty in two gigs. so i got the mahogany. course the chinese can build beautiful cabinets and lacquered furniture. but they did a very ****** job and 3 of the corners on the TV front are funny. but oh, well, it still looks pretty good unless you're completely anal about it.

I included my email if you have questions. i'll try to help.