Vox AC30CC 112 Combo

I have got ny AC30CC1 for a few years now. Bought it immediately after they came out. I think this was in 2005.

The features are: two independent channels with independent inputs and a switch to link both channels together. Bright switch and volume control for the "normal" channel, treble, bass and volume control for the "top boost" channel as well as a switch to choose between "standard" and "modern" EQ, tremolo speed and depth, reverb amount and tone as well as a "dwell" switch, master volume and master tone cut. You can choose to connect external speakers either muting the internal speaker or not, you can switch between 30 watts and 22 watts operation and choose between two different biases. There is an effects send/return with a true bypass. Reverb and tremolo can be switched on and off with a footswitch.

Not enough features? Too many features for me. It took me a while to find the best settings for all these switches.

Nevertheless the amp is not as versatile as a dual or triple channel modern amp, of course, for distortion you need a booster or overdrive/distrotion pedal. That??s why I give the amp only an 8 for this category.

It??s an AC30!!! Either you love this sound or you don??t. If you love this sound you won??t give your AC30 away for the most expensive boutique amp on the market. The AC30 simply has its own unique tone and a directness you won??t find anywhere else. Fenders might offer nice clean tones, Marshalls and Laneys might be great for distorted sounds, but no other amp can produce the "sparkling", bright, crunchy sounds of the AC30. Just remember: The Beatles, Hank Marvin, Rory Gallagher, Brian May - very different playing styles - always the same amp.

Before choosing the CC1 I compared all options and came to the conclusion that while the CC2X might be more true to the vintage original, the CC1 has the most focused and most beautiful tone of the three available options (CC1, CC2, CC2X). What is more I prefer amps with a single amplifier for recording.

It??s a tube amp. And it??s a noisy tube amp. And it??s a tube amp that needs care and service. Right now mine is humming awfully. Replacing the valves did not change this very much. I will have to consult a technician. This is vertainly no fault of the production in China, it is simply a result of this very delicate construction.

I am playing for 27 years now and work as a professional music teacher. I play an American Vintage ??57 Stratocaster (Reissue), a Burns Marvin and some Rickenbacker guitars. There is no better combination than a RIC and a VOX. If this amp was stolen or lost I would replace it immediately. There is no alternative.

Always wanted a Vox and got a good deal on this model when they were blowing them out. Two channels, but no switching. All tube, fairly versatile sound. I play guitar, organ and clavinet throught this amp. Sounds great on Clav.

Good sound, very clean, responds well to pedals, distortion bluesy to harder sounding. Reverb is terrible.

Had a bad speaker when I first got it. Now after about a year and a half it started blowing main fuses. Don't know why, but I've seen that same comment about this amp several times now!

Don't know.

I would get a Fender instead.

One 12 inch speaker, 4 EL84 tubes, 3 12ax7's, a rectifier tube. Master volume, top boost channel and a normal channel. Reverb and tremelo to round out the knobs. A few other features... but mostly tone. I think the amp is the most versatile - in that what you put in front of it is what you get out of it. The amp may not have all the bells and whistles that the space shuttle has, but it takes a guitar signal and amplifies it in a very musical way. Dynamics can be be played and heard. Pedals change the sound in the way that they were intended. Plug a Les Paul in and you hear an unmistakeable Les Paul sound. The same happens for Rickenbackers, Stratocasters, Telecasters, and whatever other instruments you might plug in.

I play in a cover band and I am very pleased with how consistently good this amp sounds. No matter what venue/club/hole-in-the-wall we are in, I can generally get the tone I got before with out touching a dial or switch. This saves me a lot of time and hassle when setting up. So whatever this amp lacks in dials, switches, speakers, flashing lights, etc. it gets extra points for consistency. The tone is not the best Vox AC30 sounds ever - but they are pretty convincing for a modern day amplifier - not made in England.

The name is why I bought the amp (honestly). But the tone is why I have kept it. I have bought and sold a lot of Fenders and Marshalls since, but the Vox always stays. For me it is the most musical guitar amp. The highs sparkle, the mids growl, and the lows have a focused punch. Very British sounding in away that only EL84's can be. I play a lot of covers ranging from Beatles to Greenday, The Who to Wilco, the Police to the Shins, some Monkeys, and some Rush. A little jazz a-la Thelonius Monk and even some attemps at Fernando Sor with an acoustic-electric Classical. No matter what - the sound comes out in a sonically pleasant way. Sound descriptions are pretty subjective... as beauty is in the eye of the beholder - so I will stop here in an attempt to not pontificate on a subject I don't fully understand. Best advice.. try one out if you can, only you will be able to tell if it is right for you. I am only giving this a 9 after I changed the tubes to JJ's (stock tubes were just awful). I still think an AlNiCo speaker would sound better, but the stock NeoDyn does pretty good.

I was very pessimistic about reliablity on this amp.. it has tubes and was made in China.... However, it has been surprisingly reliable. I have burned out the power tubes about once a year, but the rest of the amp has been flawless. So for this Vox gets a gold star from me. On the down side, changing the tubes is no small task. Wish the could have been more accessable. So again, 9 points - 10 if they could have made changing tubes easier.

Fortunately, have not had to deal with support. I have only had to replace well used tubes.

I have been playing for about 20 years. I play a Les Paul most of the time, along with a Rickenbacker 360 and a Fender Stratocaster. Mostly pop/alternative. I love how easy it is to get delicious usable sounds out of this amp. I hate that the switches and knobs are not made of better quality - and a 30+ watt Alnico speaker would have been nice. I chose this amp over the Fender Custom Vibrolux, Marshall DSL 401, Marshall JTM 30, and Fender Blues Jr. None of them had the tone for which I was looking. It's too bad Vox does not make this model anymore. It's the closest thing to a lite weight AC-30. Hopefully, they will introduce similar models in the future. Until then, this amp does not leave my possession. I have already sold a couple other Vox jems that I wish that I had not parted with. I give this an overall rating of 9. Plenty of tone, plenty of mojo. Who knows.. it could be a future vintage must-have amp someday.

manufactured early 2007, bought it in April '07 newer model with detachable speaker cable/reverb tank leads. Extremely versatile for low to medium gain styles, 60's, rockabilly, jazz, classic rock etc. Effects loops very uselful, low noise. Mostly home use, can be very loud, suitable for pub/small club use.

Absolutley gorgeous sounding, sounds 'alive', at high gain sounds remarkably like a vintage Marshall, much nicer at gain levels less than 12 o'clock, sweet, juicy with sparkling chiming highs, and surprising bass fo a 1x12. Sounds incredible with gretsch, rickenbacker, strat, casino, tele, 335. SG and Les Paul sound better through higher gain amps IMO, but still acceptable. Normal channel beautifully rounded, fun with treble booster and high gain - thanks brian! I probably use top boost channel more though, that 60's garage/freakbeat/psychedelic vibe is just fantastic. The channel link option i rarely use, good for higher gain styles, must try the SG again...

Extremely well built for a PCB amp. Much better than my Marshall. QC issues scared me greatly when buying this amp, but apparently even in the 60's guitarists joked that you need to bring a fire extinguisher when using an AC30. They run hot, fortunately I like the vintage 'warm' setting more than the hot, nice to have the option of upping from 22 to 33 watts on the necessary occasions. I think the biggest issues I seem to have read about are the reverb tank (i really like the reverb, it is OTT if necessary but it sounds good to me) and blowing the rectifier (rectum fryer) valve resulting in mains fuse repeatedly blowing, and premature valve failure, and poor quality preamp valves on the early ones. I fully expected something to go wrong, and sure enough after about 3 months regular use the rectum fryer blew it's gasket. The pre and power amp valves seem pretty OK as stock, i think they were teslas if i remember correctly, but the rectum fryer was a crappy sovtek. There are quite a few screws to take out to slide the amp tray out, but it's a really simple job to replace blown valves, the speaker/verb tank lead attachments make this a breeze. Remember that this voids your warranty, but you have to learn to do it if you want to spend some time with these beauties. I have rudimentary experience with electronics, but have learned a lot from useful websites like plexipalace, and have a lot more confidence in opening the backs of these things, using full safety precautions. I have some back up valves, infant mortality valve failure seems to be a feature of crappy chinese valves (although I beleive unsurprisingly that the chinese are getting much better at making them), and highly recommend Watford valves if you live in UK/Ireland. I put in cryogenically treated valves about a year ago, use this amp perhaps 2-5 hours a day and have had absolutely zero problems.
I fear the chinese AC30s are getting most of their bad reputation for reliability from these ****** valves, not for the quality of construction, which is as I say much superior to bletchley's finest hunks of junk.
Bottom line is if you love the sound of these amps, buy one, expect valve failure and learn to fix it.
Have to mark this down because the stock valves aren't great.

Never contacted vox/korg. Bought online from the UK, so didnt want to risk shipping back for repair, knew there would be potential problems so learn to fix it!

Been playing nearly 20 years. Also own orange tiny terror (good quality stock valves, short signal path and balls to the wall fruity/crunchy sound) but this is better. Also Marshall TSL 100 watt 4x12, good amp for higher gain, more controlled than the vox at these levels (is this always a good thing?) but 2 dimensional compared to the vox's 3.
Love the sound completely, but wish it had better valves as stock (worth another 50 to 100 quid for lessening the hastle) but otherwise fantastic value quality amp. Only marked down to 9 because of the valves.

I purchased this amp in april 08 and its had about 30-40 hours use at home only, it now keeps blowing the vox mains fuse, has any one any ideas..?

vox ac-30cc1 one 12" speaker..chinese....i love the size...its not too heavy...i have gigged and recorded with it several times..standard features of this model...

ok....i have 2 opinions.....i got my amp with the stock 12 " neo dog speaker....this is hands down, the worst sounding speaker ever made...this amp sounded dead and like cardboard....,i hated it...i was very sad.....i pulled the speaker....trashed it....put in a high dollar celestion gold 50 watt alnico...the new one.....amp suddenly sounded like heaven on earth...the difference was unreal...what great tone!!!!...and good volume too..the amp is very quiet....i took it in the studio...it amazed everyone...me too.,.,..i have since put some nos westinghouse el-84 tubes in it...and some good preamp tubes.....it just sounds gorgeous...i must warn you, the amp is not easy to get in to, to change the tubes.....you have to get in there with a screw driver and take out several screws.....but once you get it apart, you will see that it is really a clever design, but it would be very hard to do any changing tubes on stage...you can forget that...but i am sure the next time i go inside it, i can do it much quicker, now that i see how they built it...it seems a very solid design...and the preamp tubes sit down in snug little holes and the face sideways, so not much chance of them coming loose...i hated the idea of a chinese amp, but the design is by vox...and i think the amp is aok...

i gig without a backup....but who knows?..its too new an amp to tell yet....but so far so good...

i bought it used...for very cheap.....if it breaks, i dont know where to take it...

i wanted an ac-30 for long long time....i couldnt lift one...so i never bought one.....this one, while not a feather weight , is manageable...by my feeble self.....and with the speaker change, i have to say this is one of the best sounding amps i ever heard...the tremolo and reverb and great....the clean sound is just super...and the overdrive is great when you set it that way...this amp delivers all the classic beatles tones and then some,,..hats off to vox....i got mine for cheaper than a lot of little small practice amps....so i am very happy..although i must warn you, the grill cloth will try to fall off..i had to staple mine to the baffle to keep it from drooping any farther....but not a big deal to me...i go for the sound

I bought this amp new from a retailer on ebay about a year ago. You can read earlier threads for the breakdown of features. I play mostly in a pretty edgy church and pair the AC30 with a Mesa F50, both 1x12 open backs. I find it has plenty of power - if you're mic'ing into a PA you really only need enough volume to monitor which this has plenty of. I'm giving it 9 here because it has what I need, although to be classified as "extremely versatile" it would need an arsenal of features.

Here's where I'm totally diggin' this thing. The tone is freaking awesome - round and warm, but sparkley and mojoie (is that a word). I go back and forth between the top boost and normal channels - I haven't landed on a final preference yet...they are both very nice at what they do. I opted for the AC30CC1 which has only (1) 12" speaker as opposed to the more common (2) speaker design. The CC1 is lighter, breaks up a bit earlier than the CC2, and was quite a bit cheaper - I love it.
My main guitar is a Gretsch Duo Jet 6128T - great fit with this amp. Surprisingly, I haven't had any significant issues with noise - EXCEPT when I use certain pedals in a certain order (not uncommon with pedals). This amp just seems to be a little more finicky about pedal placement than some others I've had.

Ok, here's where reality sets in. Within 6 months the reverb tank broke - I took it apart and found the spring busted on one end with no hope of repair - replacement tanks run about $40.
Also, 2 days ago it started blowing the mains fuse - no idea why - I run a surge suppressor on it. I'm afraid this one might cost me a bit.

I've only sent emails and have received vague responses several days later...but at least they responded each time.

I've been playing about 6 years. I get paid to play now, but still feel like a rookie sometimes. I would buy it again in a heartbeat except they are now out of production which I hope will keep the resale value up in the future.

I figure that mine was made sometime in December of 2004.
This amp is plenty versatile... you just might find yourself walking over to it, to change settings after every song.
Could use a foot switch to change channels... but this is easily remedied by an AB box. The normal channel could use some eq... I've never needed it.. but i'll bet some people have... guess you could use an AB and then an EQ pedal through the fx loop. Then again, this is a VOX AC30... and they've pretty much always been the same way, and I'm not asking them to change anything.
This amp DEFINITELY has enough power for me or anyone else!

AWESOME. this amp is the best sounding one there is.
I find that it can get you in a perfect overdrive zone without sounding bloated or fizzy. It really shows the character of the guitar you're playing with... which is great for my chambered Les Paul... but can be a drawback for some cheaper guitars... like my '75 Marauder... you can hear how thin the alder is... you can hear the bolt-on neck... heh.

The sound is very rock n' roll with good humbuckers or p90s... but my girlfriend's dad's 80's japanese strat made this thing sound like a blues machine!

I'm going to have to deduct points from this because due to the fact that some flaws in the construction of the cabinet have been making the whole box rumble. (a nail missing it's target... chassis on a little loose... plywood split where the reverb tank is screwed down)

I can't afford a backup... so yeah... i play without one. The tubes haven't ever been replaced.. and I'm planning on doing that this week... not because of any sound issues.. just because I think it needs to be done...

never had to deal with them.

I've been playing for 15 years and have owned a Marshall JCM 900 (with the 5881s... great sound... deserves more credit than people have been giving it lately) a Fender Blues Jr. (decent for a warm bluesy fender tone, but not much else) and some peaveys... but THIS is THE amp for me! (at least it's basic design)

If it were lost or stolen I'd replace it with another AC30 style amp... any of the CCs... maybe a Valvetech Hayseed... or possibly a new JMI model (if i was rich)... but as it stands, I love this little guy.

I love the sound. It's what I've always wanted. I'm not keen on the construction... although it looks slick.. there are some flaws under the hood.
I believe that that is the difference between an AC30 made in Jolly Old England by guys making a decent wage... and those poor lads over in China.. who make $40 a year.
That's kind of the struggle with every bit of gear we buy these days though isn't it? Making our paychecks stretch out a bit by buying products from the mass quantity production lines of the far east at the expense of our skilled neighbours being kept out of the job...
but I digress... the AC30cc1 sounds awesome.

Despite having lots of little knobs and switches to tweak, this amp is extremely easy to use. Try as I might I couldn't find a setting I DIDN'T like. The Normal Channel is nice and warm, not TOO clean, like a church-going girl with some naughty secrets. The top boost channel has that Brit invasion sound DOWN. If you like the over-driven tones of The Beatles, Clapton (Bluesbreakers era) the Yardbirds etc, this amp will deliver all that. The best thing though is being able to blend the Normal and the Top Boost channels. You can get all the note-articulation of the cleans, with all the shaggy haired attitude of the distortion at the SAME TIME.

What sold me was the clean sound, it sparkles. I was just fooling around in the store, lookin' at a few amps. I started with a Fender '59 Bassman Reissue, went on to a Kustom '32 and finally the Vox. The clean tone straight from guitar to amp was just what I've always been looking for. It sounds like the tone I've heard in my head since I started playing 15 years ago. I switched on the top boost channel, rolled the gain up and the master down (store-friendly volume) and did a quick run-through of Cream's "Badge" and I HAD to have this amp. I play funk/blues/psychedelic rock in my band, so I'm usually using a lot of effects. I haven't plugged my pedal-board in since I got this thing.

Okay on to the negatives- it's REALLY heavy for a 30-watt 1x12 amp, so unless you have a roady, consider that. The channels aren't footswitchable. I didn't have much of a problem though, cause I blended the two channels, and turned the volume down on the guitar; when it came time to solo I switched to my Strats hotter bridge pickup, cranked the guitar volume and wailed. Cleaned right up when I turned it back down. I now have a line selector switch hooked up, and one cable going to each input, problem solved. This baby sustains like I used to need effects pedals to get. The reverb is nice and lush, and very adjustable too.

This amp won't give you a "metal" distortion so it's not for the shredders out there, Zakk Wylde fans will be let down. But I'd say it does a fine job picking out the nuances of different guitars. I have a Strat with single coils, a Les Paul with humbuckers, and a Melody Maker with a P90, and this amp suits them all, unlike some Fender amps which get kinda flabby in the lows with higher output humbuckers.

I've had it about two weeks, no complaints yet, seems rock solid, and well held together. Beats my USA-made Peavey Classic 30 by a landslide, in terms of build quality.

Haven't needed them yet.

Personally, not only is this the tone I've been waiting my whole guitar-playing life for, it was at a price that won't wipe you out either. To find a Fender or Marshall of comparable quality tone you have to spend a LOT more. But this is NOT a "budget" amp, it's a first class piece of gear.

It WOULD be nice if it had footswitchable clean and drive channels, but the ability to blend the two channels MORE than makes up for that. I wouldn't mind side handles on top like the larger 2x12 version has, cause this thing is pretty heavy. I always prefer my amps' control panels to be out front so I can see each knob clearly. Also this one has no numbers around the knobs, which throws a little bit of guess-work into dialing in settings you've used previously. But all these are MINOR blemishes on an otherwise GORGEOUS amp.

Vox AC 30 112, neodog celestion! It has got what you see, two chanels, tremolo, reverb... just take a look at it in VOX webpage.

THE ONLY THING that is missing is a channel switching but cu can buy a channel switch box and its done!!!

The best you get, for me... I dont have words to describe it, just go and give it a try. The NeoDog celestion speaker is awsome!!! just go and try it to feel the perfection 1st hand!!

I havent got any problem yet!

I havent got any problem yet!

Man... this is THE AMP!!! This is one of the BEST amps you'll get. I play for 10 years, am a audio engeneer and producer for 5 years! I have played with ENGL, Marshall, H&K... althoug the others are good but this blows the others to a side!!! You can play whatever you want with this putting in front some pedals to modulate the sound when needed or depending on the sound that you want and this MONSTER will do his job.

Just give it a try... you'll be addicted to it!

All of the features of this amp have been covered in previous posts so I won't eleborate any further on them.

This amp captures the tone it was designed for...classic AC30.
While it is not a super clean amp ( the clean tones have a bit of "hair" on them) it is a perfect match with teles, strats, rics and gretches. It also mates well with classic humbucker guitars Gibsons, Hamers etc..
I'm mostly use it with teles playing new country, classic Rock and blues. The ideal amp for what I'm doing.
It takes pedals extremely well.

This replaced a Dr. Z Maz 18 Jr. I had. I prefer the tone of this onver the Dr. Z

Time will tell and I always take backup tubes to a gig. I've always done that with whatever amp I've owned over the years.
Even though it was made in China, contruction is on par with USA production amps I've seen.

Never had to deal with them

I love the tone of this amp! I bought it when the Vox dealers were blowing them out for $699. At that price and for this tone its a no brainer! I'm thinking of getting a second one I like it so much!

Features are listed below - won't go into details

It's a Vox - say no more!! It's a match made in heaven with my Rickenbacker 360 and BHM Red Special. I use an Electrolead Treble Booster with my Red Special to get 'That Tone!' and I get the classic Ricky/Vox 'jangle' when playing clean - PERFECT!! I changed the excellent Neodog speaker for the new Celestion 50w 'Gold' the other day there and this further enhances the perfect sounds from my guitar/amp combinations.

No problems so far - built and weighs like a tank, but with all tube amps problems can arise.

Have not dealt with the company

I've been playing now for 10 years and this is the amp of my dreams. The enhanced features and versatility are a great bonus over the standard AC30's. Price wise it is fantastic! - the 'Vox sound'
that is piece of musical history, for less than ??600!!The only downside to this amp is the weight of it!- it will keep you fit moving it around though! My previous amps included a Marshall Valvestate and a Vox 30w Cambridge - In the age of digital amp modelling nothing comes near to the sound of a tube amp in action - ROCK ON!!

Chinese AC30CC1 with 1x12 NeoDog Speaker
Twin blendable channels
Effects loop
Hot/warm valve selector
Classic/modern smoothing
Valves

I originally bought an AC15CC and was fairly happy with it until it kept blowing a fuse. I took it back to the shop and the nice man lent me this AC30 Custom Classic while mine was sent off to be repaired. After playing through it for about 30mins I went back to the shop and bought it. Wow. This thing sounds amazing, it howls like a beast. Perfect for classic rock ACDC Led Zep Black Sabbath etc. Sounds more marshally than I expected at high gain. Cleans are lovely with that classic Vox chime. Blend the 2 channels and it sounds great. Play around with the smoothing and valve temp switches at the back and you can get a range of sounds.

No problems so far. Hard to play in the summer as it acts like an oven if you're in a small room.

Have only good things to say about VOX dealer. But then again, he's a friend of mine which is why I got this amp in the first place.

I've been playing for 20 years and it's my first valve amp. I have an epiphone les paul with Gibson 498T & 496R pickups and generally use no other effects. If it was stolen I would probably get another one, but maybe upgrade to the twin alnico blue speaker variety.

This amp has basically all the features I need,a master volume,tremelo and reverb.Since I love the AC30 tone AND that this amp has these additional features it seemed like the right amp for me.I had some reservations about feeding the demise of the west by purchasing another globalist corporation product but it seems that more and more it's becoming difficult if not impossible to avoid this trend unfortunately.I bought a somewhat older production model though.

Ok,here's where I have a problem,although much of the blame rests on my own shoulders.I purchased the amp used on ebay because $780 used was a stretch on my budget but more affordable than $1000 new,hence the reason I purchased it used online.This was a mistake because I bought a sick amp.The pre-amp OD is somewhat weak,fizzy and muddy compared to other stock models I've tried.I figured I had bad pre-amp tubes which wasn't a big deal because I intended to replace the cheap chinese tubes anyway.The russian power tubes hummed alot but that wasn't a big issue as i intended to replace them too.Well after spending $70 on 2 new tung sol 12ax7's and a matched quad of jj el84's I got more pre-amp crunch and gain and the hum disapeared.Unfortunately the fizzy,muddy distortion remained.By this time I was stuck with the amp.I went over the schematics and found what appeared to be some incorrect resistor values.I also found the amp to be missing a resistor and cap on the board to chassis ground.NICE!!!I contacted korg and initially they stated that there were no circuit changes outside of the trem circuit(which I myself had to mod just to get adequate speed from it) so I proceeded to install the resistors I supplied myself to bring it to spec hoping,that since it was in the signal chain,that it may solve the problem.Nope,same sound.I received another email a week later and they stated that there had been a few other changes and that my amp had the correct values.I was bummed because this circuit is pretty complex and i don't think I'll be able to track down the root cause of the sound issue.It's unfortunate that korg could not have been more helpfull because the chassis was virgin/IE unopened when I had purchased it so the issue is a defective part,improper assembly or qc issue.Almost forgot,one of the 3 reverb springs was was broken and this too was the first time it had been opened.NICE!!!It works but I have to crank it to get a decent level of reverb and the quality probably suffers too.

Decent clean sound,barely decent overdrive but on the whole more flat sounding than other AC300cc's.I tried all sorts of speakers,tubes,guitars,etc...I just have a lame amp.

I purchased it withhout warranty but *clearly* the amp should not have left the factory like this concidering all of it's obvious problems.They should have offed to take it back if for no other reason than to investigate the construction issues and lack of QC oversight.They should have compensated me in at least *some* way but that wasn't to be.Outside of 3 replies they were useless.

I owned a Tophat vibratrem when i purchased this amp and I also purchased a JB Lectrolab R600C reissue amp online with the intent of cherrypicking between the three and selling the other two.JB amps basically ripped me off entirely by sending no amp whatsoever.After spending almost $1400 on these two amps I'll be lucky to get $600 for the AC30CC1 which puts me back where I started but with an $800 debt.

Now for todays lesson...DON'T PURCHASE WITHOUT ACTUALLY PLAYING FIRST.

I believe this is a 2005 model.. This is the 1x12 combo version. I got the amp after a long process of trying to find the perfect "clean" amp that had "that" tone that I was wanting for country music - Think Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Gary Allen, ect... My 1970 Fender Deluxe was almost too clean for what I wanted, I wanted a "rawer" on the verge type of tone (that also worked well with pedals) and I found it in the AC30cc1. The FX loop was another good strong selling point. I've read several complaints about the reverb and tremolo not working too well at loud volumes, but I've had no problems with it and I think they both work fine for what I do/need.

This is a 2 channel amp, but only one channel is accessable at a time unless you manually walk up to the amp and flip a switch or swap the cable in to the other jack (not footswitchable).

I wish this amp had an FX loop bypass/activate option via a footswitch.

Some of the features are: Normal and Top Boost channels, Custom or classic EQ, Reverb tone, dwell and a hi/low gain switch on the reverb, tremolo speed and depth, channel volumes and a master volume, a bright switch on the normal channel, and a cut knob that takes the highs out the more you turn it up. On the back there is a hot/cool bias switch, classic/modern switch, FX loop with a buffer switch, footswitch (trem and verb) jack, and speaker outs for an external cab.

The tone of the amp is very "Voxy" for lack of better words. It can go from a clean chimey & warm tone to a clean warm - dark tone and then if you crank the channel volume it can get raunchy with that 70s rock breakup without the excessive volume thanks to a master volume.

I run it with a blend of both channels (top boost and normal) with the normal cranked up a bit higher so I can get a bit of grit when I dig in to the strings but it still sounds very chimey and clean in the middle position on a tele, but not brittle. There's times it can almost sound very acoustic sounding.

I have a Mesa Boogie Road King (4 channel amp) and I thought my cleans were great and could do everything I wanted them to, until I ran a 2 amp set up a few weeks ago and used the AC30 for my clean and country stuff and I then realized why the AC30 is such a popular amp. The cleans on this amp are almost 3-D when compared to the Road King and even my old Fender Deluxe.

I A/B this with my Road King and they share the same pedal board which consist of 2 Tubescreamers, a Seymour Duncan pickup booster and a tuner and the AC30 sounds great being pushed by a tubescreamer. I also got a Line 6 DM-4 (distortion modeler) to use when I ONLY use the AC30 and need to have a bit more distortion for the heavier stuff...... and the AC30 can handle it pretty good too!!!

FYI: I got it used and the original owner had already swapped out the stock speaker for a Weber Alnico Blue speaker and JJ preamp tubes, so I can't compare it to a stock AC30cc1.

I've heard and read all the horror stories, lets just say I'm keeping my fingers crossed pretty hard!!

I did open it up when I first got it to install the tubes...... This is the most difficult amp to re-tube out of ANY of the 24+ I've owned over the years!! I'd hate to try and trouble shoot a tube issue while at a gig. The screw heads did want to strip out pretty easy when I was putting it back together, so those need to be replaced next time I open it up.

Basically I have no opinion on this topic, but no problems in almost a months and the original owner said he played it every weekend for almost a year and had no problems.

I plan on changing the handle too... that thing hurts when carrying the amp. My 125 pound Road King is easier on the hand than this 55 pound amp, all because of the design of the handle.

???????????????

All the amps I avoided because I only thought they were for "old foggies" or "gear heads" are now becoming my favorite amps. This AC30cc1 has changed my mind about the British sound and I now see why it has been one of the most popular amps for over 40 years and everyone from the Beatles, U2, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Elton Johns guitarist all the way over to the "All American Rejects" use this amp. It can be as clean as you want it or as gritty as you want it, and if cranked up enough it can even do classic rock and maybe even old AC/DC-ish type of crunch tones.

Over all one of the sweetest sounding amps I've ever owned, and my Dad is jealous - He's talked about AC30s since I was a little kid (I'm now 34, he's 60). Not as many features as I'd like, which makes it harder to use live but the tone makes it worth it... (still got my fingers crossed).

Features are listed a few hundred times on this site and available online. You know the drill...
But I believe my amp is a 2005 - I play a variety of musical styles - big fan of the U2/Edge tone, Love blues grind a la Stevie Ray and Robert Cray, and I crave the Dave Gilmour tone that he's oh so famous for. In a nutshell, I can NAIL each of these tones hard with this gorgeous little amplifier.

Fender MIA Lonestrat Strat, Epiphone Les Paul Custom, Gibson SG...
Strat for the Edge/u2 and Gilmour tones perfectly, Les Paul for nice rock/hard rock chunk and the SG for general rockin and rollin. This amp is amazingly quiet with all of the guitars mentioned above. Like many others posting on this site, I use a combination of the normal channel and the top boost channel. Takes a while to find the individual tones and blend them in. If your looking for even more variety, invest in an A/B box so you can use the normal and top boost channels as two seperate ones. Gives you more options... I keep my BIAS switch at the HOT setting and I get more clean headroom. But if I want more grind, I turn up the top boost volume and let it sing. At this point, i would just use the guitar volume knob rolled back for general clean tones. I also use a Vintage TS-9, Boss SD-1, EH Big Muff into this beast, with a Boss DD-20 programable delay in the effects loop. I can grind hard with the gritty/dirty TS-9 and I can nail early U2 ones with the SD-1. Try a variety of dirt pedals with this amp as it has a BEAUTIFUL clean channel to build a solid foundation for pedals.

Brand new, Did not get a chance to gig with it yet. Only time will tell how sturdy and well built this amp truly is.

Have never dealt with vox, and I hope I never have to really.

AMAZING AMP!!! WELL WORTH THE CASH AND THE TONE IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS

This is my second review of the amp after having used it in the band live.

I use this with a strat and tele. It is VERY quiet. The amp has a very warm, papery and crunchy sound. Almost like the CTS or alnico speakers in a Fender amp but glassy fat and punchy like a Vox. The reverb is a little cheesey. Not like a Fender tank but it works. The distortion sounds warm and midrangey like a class A 1958 Deluxe but not like a Marshall with scooped mids. It works for any style of music and I mean ANY style. I have played guitar since 1963 and I simply have never heard an amp that sounded this good AND was this versatile. I play it on the low watt setting in a blues rock and acid rock band. I use an OD-1 for leads and a jackhammer pedal for rhythm. The jackhammer makes it crunch like a Marshall. The clean sounds are fat and full. Can you believe one of these sat on ebay for 3 weeks and finally sold for 700. I think people are blowing it off because it has 1-12" speaker and they think that is weird for an AC-30. You simply must hear this amp! In my last review I gave it a 9. I simply must give it a 10 having used all it's features in a live setting.

Don't know

Don't expect any service. Service is extinct.

Although it still is a little heavy to carry it is nothing compared to other amps that will get this loud. It will even sit on a small ultimate stand. I just don't know how Korg gets this sound with Chinese tubes! I think people are closed minded and blowing it off because it has 1-12" speaker. Typically 1-12" doesn't work as well as other speaker sizes and configurations. This amp however defies that myth. The bottom end is almost as fat and round as the 2-12 AC-30TBX celestion reissue I sold. But I like the bottom of the CC1-12 better as the 2-12 was a bit overbearing when playing live. To be really picky though I wish it had a channel switching pedal and a more tube-like Fender reverb but that is really not that important when you use pedals. And as I said the reverb will get you by.

2005 model s/n 522. This amp has a great sound for most any type of rock - Beatles through earlier Metallica. It has 2 channels Top Boost and Normal that can also be linked via a switch (same as a Plexi but no cable needed). There is no channel switching but you can use an aby box. I guess it would be nice to have a Master Volume for each channel if you wanted to switch from dirty to clean and actually be able to match the volumes, but for me I really don't need it. The reverb unit sucks on this amp - it is cheap, cheap, cheap, so it is now in the garbage. I had a lot of trouble with vibration noises coming from the cabinet and they were all related to the reverb unit. They should have used an Accutronics unit instead of the Belton (Korean made). With that said this amp really does not need reverb unless you want it when playing clean. This amp is plenty LOUD!! I read one review where someone said it was great but it got buzzy when turned all the way up so they got rid of it (an Idiot). In this day & age of PA & Monitor systems I can't imagine anyone needing to turn this up past 12:00 and it sounds great even at the lowest volumes. It has some nice features including hot or warm bias, Vintage (loose) or Modern (tighter),true bypass Effects Loop. These work well and are subtle so don't expect a radical difference.

I play a Gibson Les Paul Std (stock), Fender Tele & Strats (Hot Rails in the bridges). I play Rock from the 70's to current and this amp is Exceptionally Good at it. That is saying a lot considering it's playmates are Marshall(w/ 4x12 Cabs) 2550 Silver Jubilee , JCM 900, 1987x Plexi reissue, and a Mesa f-50 combo.

The amp is about the same noise level as the Plexi, which means it is a noisier than average but it is not a problem. The Top Boost is by far the better channel as I find the Normal channel on the blah side. My favorite setting though is linking the channels with the brilliance switch on. Like with any good tube amp you get most of your variety by using the volume on your guitar and a boss sd-1 or ts-9, etc. You can get great clean sounds with this amp if that is what you are looking for. For that matter you can get pretty much anything you want except for metal.

This is a flat out great sounding amp. I have not played any Boutique amps so I have to give this a 9 for now, it still might be a 10.

I have read about all the horror stories and there is truth to the cheap screws, cheap reverb unit,and short speaker wire. The screws are not a problem if you use a good screwdriver (hand), but they should have used much better. Throw the reverb unit away and replace it if you want reverb. I soldered additional wire to the existing speaker wire and installed slide on clips. The cabinet & covering are decent but are not in Mesa's league and probably not Marshall's either. I have the stock tubes in there still and they are fine. Don't shy away because of the horror stories of motorboating sounds and whatever. Most of these are just bad or loose preamp tubes and it is not a big deal to replace them.

I would have to have a backup to gig with this amp only because it takes about a 1/2 hour to change the tubes. On my other amps I just carry backup tubes. I have had the amp for 5 months and it gets played at least 5 hrs a week and have had no problems yet. I have not played clubs with it yet.

Don't know

I gave it a 10 because it is a fantastic value, no question! Of my amps it is between this and my Plexi if I had to pick the single best crunch tone. It would be the f-50 for versatility - awesome amp for playing clubs. I am not aware of an amp with as good a tone as the ac
30cc for anywhere near the price.

2005 version made in china, solid and superbly put together. 2 channels - normal and top boost with 1 -12" Neodog speaker, reverb and temolo.

I was looking for an amp with one great sound and sufficient headroom for competing with a drumkit. This fit the bill perfectly.

My main guitar is a PRS custom 24 with Seymour Duncan Phat Cat pu'ps. This runs through a Keeley modified Tubescreamer, Radial Tonebone classic, Keeley compressor and Electro Harmonix Small Clone chorus.

The AC 30 has great clean tones but also develops a nice grind as you turn up the volume knob (preamp). I did find that at 11 o'clock on the volume knob the amp developed a bit of an unpleasant undertone that disappeared around 1 o'clock. I switched the first 12AX7 tube on the left side (looking from the back of the amp) for a 12AT7 and now the gain is reduced somewhat but the undertone is gone and the volume knob now offers a broader sweep through the 'just breaking up' tones. With the stock tubes the amp will generate some tasty high gain tones a'la Marshall, but don't think that this 1-12 combo will ever replace a 4x12 cab for metal.

The tubes that come with the amp seem to work very well. I did swap them for some NOS 12AX7 tubes and a set of JJ EL84's. There was a small improvement in the tone but not as much as I had noticed doing the same swap in other brands ie: Fender and Traynor.

The Neodog is a very good speaker. Crisp and punchy with only a trace of the harshness that can plague speakers with ceramic magnets. I highly recommend it. I did have a chance to compare it to a new AC 30 with the 2 Alnico Blues and there is a noticeable difference between the two. The Alnico Blues don't have quite as much top end but in trade they are syrupy sweet and smooth at all times. The AC 30 with the Alnico Blues is one amp you can plug straight into with no pedals and it will sound gorgeous. The Neodog needs just a bit of tonal tweaking from a pedal to work for me. No big deal when you consider the difference in price.

I would rate the amp with the Neodog speaker a 9 - great sparkle and sweet bluesy tones are a snap. With the Alnico Blues the amp just sings - a 10 for sure.

Built like a tank. I have dropped it with no ill effects other than a dent and some missing vinyl.

Have had it 4 months so far with no problems, not a lot of time but I will guess that it will last.

Have not dealt with the company so no idea.

I have been playing classic rock and blues for over 30 years through a long list of equipment I wish I still had. This is one of the finest sounding amps I have ever used. The only improvement you might consider is breaking the bank for the Alnico Blue speakers - they are sweet.

I have never played the original AC 30 so I have no idea how it stacks up there, however I have compared it to some vintage Fenders and more recent amps and this AC 30 is hard to beat. All the shimmer of a Blackface Fender and the high gain grind of a vintage Marshall.

The various switches for combining the 2 channels or changing the tone EQ do make small differences but not enough to really change the basic sound.

If you're looking for an amp with a great tone, at a very reasonable price, this is a perfect place to start. I love this amp.

Brand new. Can probably suit almost any style of music.

This amp is the best kept little secret in the music world. It is nasty good sounding and a little lighter than the solid wood 2-12 models and predecessors. When I bought this amp I was looking for something bigger and louder than my Fender blues junior but that wasnt as heavy and loud as my 2-12 AC-30 TB/X. When I heard the cc1 I sold my 1400. 2-12 AC-30 TB/X mint Korg reissue 2 days later on ebay. Seriously. With all the features on the cc1 It would have been stupid to keep the old fashioned 2-12 model. When is the last time you used more than one input on your amp at the same time? Although the 2003 reissue TB/X was a bit fatter and rounder in the bottom end it just wasn't worth the 72.5 pounds and it was way too loud to gig anywhere! I now put the cc-1 in 22 watt mode (instead of 33) and it is a nasty blues machine. On the 33 watt setting it is clean or bluesy and the sound wants to jump out of the box it is so aggressive and spanky. The sound cracks out of this thing yet is very loose, expressive and responsive to the player. One of the previous reviewers said you set it so that the volume knob on your guitar controls the clean/distortion edge. It does this beautifully like a tube amp should. Watch out boutiques!! The only reason Im not rating it as a solid 10 is it has a little bit of a 5K hz bite that is slightly edgy. i.e. a little too brilliant and there doesn't seem to be much compromise in the eQ but Im still fooling with mixing between the normal and brilliant channels which can be combined. You can get any sound you want from this amp. It is also a well kept secret--that this amp is made by KORG!

Too new to tell, I just hope it lasts.

No company offers good service anymore. And the reason is because we don't demand it. I'm expecting nothing.

If it were stolen or lost, I would commit suicide. I have owned the best amps ever made. I have even owned multiples of the good ones. Im talking 64 twin's 58 Deluxes, Marshall's 64 super reverbs, Hiwatts. I haven't played it with my acid rock/blues band yet but I think it may actually be the first amp that can truly be used at a small practice or any size gig. I would give up a good woman for this amp.

Doesn't have so many features. Just two channels, not foot-switchable (bit of a pain) but you can mix the two signals for extra tonal range; also has built-in tremelo(speed/depth controls)and reasonable reverb (for my needs). Still, if what you're after is a good sounding amp for your basic sound, who needs more?
Only 30 watts, but it's plenty loud. It has a switch to reduce the output to 22 watts (which also extends tube life.)I use that setting for rehearsals and our "powerhouse" drummer says I'm too loud! Playing club gigs mostly, so 30 watts of valve amp is enough (I just mic it up for the bigger venues).

Playing a 1978 standard Fender Telecaster, I can't find a sound I DON'T like with this amp. From crystal clean (but warm and creamy) to a lovely crunchy sound, and playing with the master volume and channel volume you can set the headroom to your liking so it breaks up where you want it, getting quite dirty if necessary. Can't get real distortion but I didn't buy it for that. That's what pedals are for, though I don't use many. I use an Ibanez ts9 to push the overdrive into that more dirty/loud sound for solos and a Boss delay for that 50's retro sound on some songs. Playing blues/r'n'b/fifties and sixties rock 'n' roll in one band, "indie"/punk songs in another and the amp (with or without the pedals turned on)sounds great for both. (though the ts9 gets more use in the latter group).

I bought this amp some 8 months ago and have gigged and rehearsed with it on a fairly regular basis since then with no problems at all. I also have an old Fender transitor amp as a back up but I've not needed it. Still, it's early to say if it's gonna prove reliable in the long run. I wonder if there will still be ac30cc amps kicking about in thirty years like there are the original old combos now. It remains to be seen, but the originals could be temperamental. They say the tube life is an average of two years, I imagine that if it's gonna give me grief it will be further down the line, so the 9 I give it in this category is for the first 8/9 months. I deduct one point for the screws which hold the carrying handle on coming loose, causing a horrible buzzing which had me worried until I located the source of the sound.

Have had no need to contact them really, apart from I e-mailed them about trying to register the product on their web-site (would'nt accept it for some reason) and to ask when/where/how the hell I can get a vinyl cover/case for the amp and they haven't replied.

If you want that distinctive AC30 sound at an affordable price, get it tomorrow. I have absoluteley no regrets about buying this amp and I tried a fair few valve amps (Laney/Fender Hot-Rod Deluxe, to name but 2) before settling for this one because of the warmth and range of its tone. I've been playing for over 25 years and have used the same guitar all that time (the trusty '78 Fender Tele refered to earlier) but with a varity of different amps - valve and transistor - and this is the sweetest sounding amp I've owned. The only things I'd like to see improved would be a footswitch to change between the two channels and a switch on the amp to turn the reverb on and off (you can only do it with the foot-pedal, though you can of course just turn the dials to zero!). However, I can live without them given how happy I am with the sound I can get.

The notorious Chinese 2005 model with one Celestion Blue Bulldog 12 inch speaker. Specifically chosen this one so I can carry it alone. I play classic rock mainly, the rythm parts mainly. It has a non-footswitchable Normal and Top boost channel that can be blended via a switch on the amp. Footswitch only for Reverb and Tremolo. The lack of footswitchable channels is actually the only thing I miss. I now solved it with a BOSS AB switch which works quite well but does not allow the blending option. All tube, master volume, effects loop and some switches for bias and power reduction. Also various Ohm settings for extra and/or additional speakers.
I tried all settings but the Vintage and Hot settings give the sound I've been looking for and probably anyone would buy this amp for. The volume is impressive, no problem at all for any gig size. For the practise room the master volume comes in handy, but this amp was not built for low volumes. Low volumes flatten the sound a bit. The tone switch cuts the overall highs which is very usefull to adjust the sound to your taste and/or guitar.
The one thing that really pissess me off is that the user panel is faced backwards. It's something you'll get used to, but if you decide to modernize an amp then why not adjust this as well? Fender also keep doing this, incredible. At least Laney's got this right on the LC-models.
Another strange feature is the Standby setting: the ON (standby) position here allows playing and the OFF mutes? Beats me.
Anyhow, this is all quickly forgotten when you hear the sound...

I only use a '94 Stratplus with Gold Lace Sensors, Boss BF2 flanger (as chorus), Jen CryBaby wah and ProCo Hot Rat2. I put it all on a board between guitar and input, powered by a 1SPOT adapter and daisy chain: works great, never tried the effects loop.
The sound is what this amp's made for. It's just great, brilliant, defined, full, both warm and hot. The definition and response is fantastic, you just hear EVERYTHING you do, both good and bad... It's great in combination with the PRS and Line6 of the lead guitarist in my band.
The crunch is just perfect for me, that typical 'high-end breaking' VOX is renowned for. I can exactly reproduce Joe Walsh's sound in 'Life in the fast lane' where he also uses a Strat with Gold Lace Sensors. Also the picking intro of 'Sweet Home Alabama' sounds great.
Must admit it takes a lot of trying with the volumes to get a good clean/crunch setting, but it's very rewarding.
The clean stays clean at crazy volumes. The distortion is not metal, but very full and defined. I now use the Rat (Tube Screamer may be better?) to quickly get a lead sound without having to turn my favourite channel volumes on the amp. I still have to practise with this.
I cannot judge the difference with the 212 version, haven't compared them. But I don't miss anything. The headroom of this 1 Celestion speaker is great, it has a surprisingly open transparant sound for a 1 speaker configuration.
Compared it with a Fender Blues Deluxe. Compared to the Vox it sounded as if there was a plastic bag pulled over it. I loved the Laney LC15 but it was just to small for gigs, it has an almost Vox sound.

No problems sofar. Apart from the chassis the built however does not feel very reliable. The input sockets are very loose and also the A/C power socket allows easy unwanted walk-outs. The knobs are fine but not very responsive. The FS-2 footswitch is an empty metal box with two leds and poor quality switches, but it works well. Good thing here is the cable with two male jacks allowing to attach the thing to your pedalboard without the cable.

No experience yet.

This amp is all about sound. You quickly get great sounds, but it takes time to control the amp, finding the right settings and being able to switch sounds. The AB-switch works great and is indispensible on stage, at least if you want to change sounds.
The plastic golden VOX logo is as 'kitsch' as it gets, but together with the old checkered table cloth front it has the vintage look you either hate or love.
I love it.

I really enjoy the Tremolo, it sounds great and can be very psychadellic.
The reverb is decent, not the best, but good to have.
The amp does have two channels, Top Boost and Normal, and they both sound great. I like blending the two, i get my best tone with that. The only complaint is that if it had a footswitchable channel selector that would be good. But aside from that, it's got great features.
Also, I i think it would be nicer if it could get a little bit louder.

I mainly play my American Tele Deluxe through this, and it sure sings. It sounds great! It's got that great tube feel, and you cant help but wanna crank it up all the way. When you turn up the individual channel volumes all the way up you get a really nce driven tube overdrive. Once you have the volumes all the way up you can keep it quiet with the master volume and you can make it clean by rolling off the volume on your guitar without losing much volume. I originally had the problem of switching from the driven tubes to the beautiful clean, but just rolling off the guitar volume lets you do both.
This amp is quite versatile, it'll play you beautiful cleans, great crunchy bluesy stuff, great driven hard stuff, just about anything. It will not play metal though. It really depends on what guitar you use too. My PRS will get a nice newer drive with it, and the tele a nice crunchy classic rock feel, I love both.

I don't know how reliable Vox/Korg is. I got the warranty, so there shouldn't be a problem with that.

I wouldn't know, sorry.

I love this amp! It isnt great on the really really hi gain stuff or metal, but it covers just about everything else.
I also play a PRS CE22 and a Marshall AVT150 Half stack, those two are used for heavier stuff.

Features as listed in prevous reviews.

I don't use the reverb, it's pretty weak. I use a Boss RV 5 instead.

The tremolo works well but I don't use it. It is nice to have however.

I've been playing 35 + years. Did the bar scene for years. Back in the day I had a Marshall 50 watt MV combo and other assorted Fenders.

Now, I play in a Christian praise band. We are not the avearge praise band. We play LOUD and we recycle a lot of old rock songs as instrumentals. We really have a ball. I also play in a Christian blues band.



The Praise band has a two hour practice once a week and we play two services each Sunday. The AC 30 does get hot but I have not had any breakdowns. I realize it's not 4 sets a night in a club, but it's what I do. The amp sounds great straight and it also sounds great with my pedals. I have not made any changes in the electronics and I doubt that I will as I'm not electronically inclined.

I play Gibson Les Paul Historic models and I also have a Firebird V that I also use. The AC 30 CC1 makes all of my guitars sound great. It especially sounds awesome with the Firebird V. Crystal clear highs, great mids and the bottom doesn't get muddy. The Firebird sounds like a Strat on steroids.

I was skeptical about this amp when I first considered buying it. I read a lot of posts on several other forums and the early models seemed to have a lot of problems.

To date, I have not had any trouble with this amp.I feel confident enough to gig without a backup if necessary. ( although I always have a backup amp where ever I go )

Haven't had to deal with Vox / Korg.

Over the years I played through all of the great amps, Twins, Bandmasters, Super Reverbs, Marshalls, Silvertones, Bassmans, Ampeg V2's etc.

Currently I have a Marshall JTM 45 RI in an 18 watt cabinet, a 68 Bandmaster piggyback, a 68 Bandmaster in a custom cabinet with a 15" 1966 Jensen Concert series speaker, Gibson Goldtone GA 30 RV and my AC 30 CC1. The AC 30 sounds different from the other amps in my collection. That's why I have the different amps; they all have their own special tone. Somebody once asked me which one of my amps was my favorite. My reply? " The one I'm playing right now."

Anyways, if my AC 30 were lost or stolen I would buy another one without hesitation. I would highly recommend the AC 30. IMO, it will handle any type of music in any venue.

Purchased new from Vox 06/05. Most of us are familiar with the features by now, but in case you aren't go here:http://www.voxamps.co.uk/products/ac30/ac_30cc.htm, to learn all you need. I have to say that for my playing preferences it has all I need (and a little more...). I use this amp in the studio and for club gigs, and it has plenty of juice (as I matter of fact I have the bias st on the lower power setting because it "warms" the sound a bit; takes off a bit of the high end.

Although I have a bunch of differnt guitars, I used a trusted old tele (stock late 50's pickups), and a likewise old strat for my sonic evaluations. I play sort of a straight-ahead type of heavy folk-rock thing (mix equal parts Byrds and Zep!?); nothing too "shreddy" (it's a word now, I guess...). I originally had this amp up for sale on e-bay, but didn't have any takers ( nobody hit the reserve price); so...I decided to give it another try before I gave it up to someone else, and I'm glad I did. Thing is, I think this may be a truly misunderstood piece of equipment. First of all, I didn't give it a fair shake first time around. I was a bit spooked by some of the other reviews and it colored my expectations. So, I opened it up, took a look around and changed all the tubes (J/J's for the El-84's & EH for the 12 AX7's). BIG DIFFERENCE! Seriously folks, the power tubes that come with the amp are actually quite good and don't really need replacing (Electro Harmonix 84's; sound good AND take the heat of the oven known as AC30...), but the crap Chinese tubes have gotta go (Very Microphonic; lots of mechanical noise, especially at higher gain settings.)After that I just ran the amp through all the paces anfd was very impressed. Also, at first I couldn't really get the "Custom/Standard tone switch to make that much difference. Then I turned both tone controls all the up (where they become highly interactive, and the backed off on the treble to about 3 o'clock, and THEN flipped the switch around and you can see (hear, that is...) what it does: Very versatile! This is funny: at one point I'm sittingf there diggin' on this great amp when all of a sudden, a eally strange series of hums and whirs and cliks starts comming out of the amp! I thought, "Oh crap!" Just when I was thinking irt was a 10! Then i realizes what was creating the interference; My Cellphone!!! Turned it off, noise went bye-bye. All-in-all, I love this thing can get everything out of it that I want, y'know? (and that's all that matters.

How do I know. I've been using it about 4 hours a day, a minimum of 5 days (including rehearsals), so far so good. And for those people belly-aching about "cheap Chinese manufacture" and all the rest of it, I don't know what version of this thing you stumbled into, but mine's made very well, indeed. I think if a boutique builder tried to do this amp, it would probably be three grand (or more) with all the point-to-point nonsense ( I own several...and this compares very favorably in tone and construction...), which can be but isn't neccessarily a guarantee of quality OR good tone...Also, anyone who owns (as I do) an original AC30 can tell you that (depending on who and where the chassis and cabinetry were built and "married" together...) the amp is usually a crazy patchwork of components inside (If Tim Burton designed & built an amp, it would look like these...)that ALL MAKE THE CRAZIEST SOUNDS YOU EVER HEARD (...from time to time).

Don't know; hope I never have to use it. They (Vox) have authorized service centers around which I've availed myself of before (AC306/TBX; now there's an amp that has issues: whaddya want, Marshall built them for Vox in their spare time ).

I really like it a lot; grows on me more every time I plug into it. Love the way it sounds; of course, nothing is as beautiful as a Vox AC; and the more I compare it to some of my other boutique amps (Top Hat Club Royale 2-12, Older Vibrolux, Fender Bassman reissue, AC30TBX, etc, which re all Great Amps, the more I really appreciate the the tone of this thing!

The Chinese built Vox AC30 CC1. Front panel controls: Inputs x 2

(Top Boost & Normal);
Input Link Switch for blending channels;
Normal Volume;
Brilliance Switch;
Top Boost Volume;
Treble;
EQ Standard/Custom Switch;
Bass; Reverb Controls (Tone, Mix, Dwell Switch);

It's got all you ever needed.
Tremolo Speed & Depth;
Tone Cut;
Master Volume;
Standby Switch;
Power Switch

I finaly got my AC30CC1. And spent 12 hours with it so far, I just gotta say this. I was astounded by the quality of the amp as I pulled her out of the box. I looks, feels, smells ( yes, smells ) like my Korg re-issue. The basketweave tolex is nice, the fit and finish is all Vox, and nothing but. They did a great job in reproducing the amp here.

The blendable channels are just nothing short of amazing ! This is were I was most pleased.... !!!! I set the normal channel with 1/2 bass and set the brilliant
channel to crispy clean glassy sound. Linked together they produce a sweet TONE that is INCREDIBLE ! I am almost upset at how good the tone is from this amp. For less than half the price of what I paid for my 1998 re-issue.

The reverb is unlike a fender reverb, it is different , but very usuable. It adds a touch of dimension to the sound. I like it very much. The vibrato is gone. But ho used it ? The tremolo is deep and rich as expected. People looking for a fender like reverb will be disapointed though. But this is the new AC30 !!!

The TONE is crisp and jangly. Very 1980's U2ish which is the music I mostly play. Very bouncy Vox tone. I set my output to 8 ohms. and set the bias to vintage warm. WOW, the TONE ! I love the celestion neodog inside there. I wonder if I will even change for the alnico blue ( but probably so ) only thing this amp is a 30 watter, a 15watt G12 blue would most likely blow at high volumes. I will also check into the weber vintage series alnico blue. They produce a 30 watter that has great reviews. The Celestion Century g12 'neodog' is a great speaker choice for this amp. I ran it to my G12h30 speaker cab, and no, the g12 century sounded more alnico blue'ish...

To anyone who ever wanted a Vox AC30. Don't hesitate and run to the store to snap one of these up ! This is to answer to prayers for the people on the list that weren't able to fork up two grand +++ $$ for a re-issue or JMI. Thanks Vox !

Time will tell about the chinese realibility of the amp. But throughout time, the AC30 was never about reliability, it is about TONE !

Never dealt with them.

This is addition to my previous review.
I should add that there is possibility to improve the sound of this combo and I did it after couple of weeks.
So hear is my impressions on combo after following changes:

-preamp tubes replaced with Mullard ECC 803s
-loudspeaker (that is indeed very good) replaced with Celestion Alnico Blue
-loudspeaker cable replaced by slightly longer high-end cable

Yes, now it is 10+, slightly brighter, perfect cleans, but very subtle and even better on distorted sounds.
Tubes made mids more open and forward placed, the room if filled with sound even on low levels.
Some reviewers on AC 30 CC2 criticized noisy operations. Should be something wrong with their combo. In modern mode, it is very silent and with Mullards almost completely noise-free, yes in vintage mode due to some wiring sound is slightly changed, but for me it's not better, so just change back to modern mode and no problems.
Alos, some reviewers compared this one with 30-40 years old originals and it's funny and stupid comparison.
When I put same tubes and loudspeaker to vintage AC 30, I got similar, but not better sound.
In my experience 112 has more mid-range and tightier sound than 212 and it's lighter.
It reallt exceels on distorted sounds, I use Tech 21 in loop for distortion generation and when mixed with many tubes in path, at the end all magic is there. No problems to get any brutal sound.

I checked carefully inside of amp and it seems sturdy and built to last. Many people are concerned, but after 3 months of very heavy use didn't find any flaws. I hope it will work long, as I like it very much.

So, my mods costed 520 $ (340 for loudspeaker and 180 for tubes). so more than 50% over the price. Is it worth?
Depend on expectations, but many subtle nuances are improved, sound is even bigger, smoother and I would do it again.

The latest version of venerable AC 30. And the best so far. Well, JMI AC 30 could have some vibe slightly different, but this one rocks really good.
I am amased for price bellow 1k I got incredible combo with huge power, it is loud.
I like reverb, as it is very shy almost not noticable, compared to my beloved reverb on Crate GXL 44.
It is almost noise-free (in vintage mode nosie is slightly higher, but I don't use vintage mode).
It has all, depth, warmth, highs, lows, plenty of everything.
Of course this is noble combo, so for power metal you still need something like Mesa.
3 channels with intereting mixing route.
I just miss possibility to switch channels by remote control, but hey than it would not be AC-30.

I tried it with all guitars I have, PRS Modern Eagle, Parker Fly Mojo, Pensa Suhr Strat, PRS 513 and some others.
It is always huge, nice, kind to ears and soul. On higher level you can feel tone more than hear it.
This is not cheap re-issue. It is reall AC 30 for XXI century.

No idea.

I play for 28 years, on stage and in studio, I have 10 amps, 22 guitars and know what is good sound.
AC 30 is not the best combo I ever heard (in any of its incarnations), but it is damn near to be one of the best.
AC 30 is history and history in such good shape was never so affordable.
Well, I don't know would it be so reliable as my other dependable combos, but we'll see.
Anyhow just warm recommendations.

bought this amp from guitar shop in Lexington Ky that I do refinish work for. It is brand new. I really like the versatility(spanky-clean) to overdrive and anything in between. Probably won't use the "crunch" setting. I play mostly in small venues and really appreciate the settings on the rear to "power down" the amp. Earier AC 30's would have been too loud for my use. This amp has killer tone but does require some study time to get it right. The card Vox sends with 4 different settings is helpful because the "clean"setting on the card is one I would never have tried and as it turns out, it is perfect for a Ric 12 string which I use a lot.

I play a mix of vintage rock to ballad on a Gretsch 6120 DeArmond pickup and a Ric 12 string with "horseshoe" pickups, and a strat with vintage 50's Lindy fralin's. My 60's deluxe reverb blackface can't touch it in the tone dept either in clean or overdrive. Look, this amp is not a Marshall and people who want that sound should probably not buy this one. This amp keeps your guitar sounding like a guitar not like swarm of bees when it overdrives and that is what I wanted. It has the best master volume setup I've ever tried.

Based on other revues I've read on this amp and the fact that mine has a not too noticable but big dent in the cabinet, I feel that Vox should get a better shipping box supplier and maybe another shipper than the goons at UPS. Every knowledgable music guy knows that class A amps are delicate and shipping is hard on any tube amp. I probably wouldn't have bought this amp if I didn't have a buddy who's as ace amp tech. But so far so good. I've only had it two weeks

no dealings- will probably arrange my own repairs if needed

40 years playing time and I only wish I could have started out on an amp like this. If it proves to be reliable, I would by another one in a heartbeat especially for what mine cost. I chose this particular model because of its portability (the 2 -12" combo is too heavy for my use. The ability to lower the power output and response is a real plus for indoor venues. Take some time to explore the features on this amp and you should be happy with it. the interactive tone contols will fool you at first(some settings work best with them completly off)and find two or three sound that work for you and follow directions when switching on and off and when setting the switches on the back panel.

New 2005 combo, hencho in China.
A lot of features compared to my 1965 Ac-30.
Tremelo is nice but a little slow(crimson and clover until yer mates scream STOP!),Reverb is passable at low settings,decay
is to long.Input link is nice for dialing in warmth from normal channel.
Modern/vintage switch for EQ,i don't hear it in either ear.
Half power feature is nice but doesn't seem like a huge volume change.
FX loop-I don't need it although it might get used in the future.
Slip cover,Not included and thats a feature i would use grasshopper:)
Oh yea, i can lift it much easier than the 2x12.
Very important as you approach Geezerhood.

I waited 4 months for this amp to get here so i could retire my old AC-30.
I play all kinds of music,all rooted in blues if i get it my way.Les Pauls,
Ricky 12,Old Harmony with a P-90 and soul you can't buy.
My original JMI is my favorite amp i've ever owned in 25 years of playing.
The list of amps i've had would be to long and we are talking Vox sound,
So i'm comparing it to the real deal.I almost canceled the order after
hearing about so many problems from others.If youv'e owned an original
you know what a pain these things can be,Hot,Tempermental,hissy ,
moody works of art.The AC-30cc is cut from the same cloth and sounds
incredible.I was floored...notes bloom,tight bass out of an 1x12!
It grinds a bit more than my JMI,with a hint of Marshall.And the master
volume works nicely.The sweetest clean sounds! I am very impressed with the Celestion neo-dog.
This amp is Not a copy of an JMI era AC-30.It has it's own vibe and
tone to itself.I do think it's more Vox than many other X-pensive boutique
wanna-be amps.This amp makes me smile when i plug in.

I've had it a couple of weeks and have left it on all the time,stand bye
overnight.I been waiting for problems,so far none.
I will be changing the spkr. leads so i can plug in my UniValve as a back up
for gigs.The cabinet work is perfect and still the most beautifull look to
me of any ampLove me do!Yes it's honeymoon time and i expect problems
cause it's a hot-tube machine.Go spend $$$$ on an old one that you can't
leave the house without a back-up and a fire-extinguisher.

Never dealt with them.
We should add a category to these reviews called Lack of Customer Support.
Thats a whole 'nother rant and i'd be preachin' to the choir.
Please Vox, surprise us all.

I have a few other amps,THD,Fender,off the wall(Harmony-Silvertone)
My original JMI AC-30.Also work in a studio where everything passes through
for recording.If it were stolen i wouldn't be happy,thats why i bought it
because my old AC-30 is irreplacable.No amp is the holy-grail and i'm
always looking for more/different sounds that have their own voice.
This amp has it in spades and for small$$
If i was Matchless/Bad Cat/TopHat ETC....i would beSCARED cause this
amp equals and betters most(soundwise) for a lot less cash.
Build quality isn't the same league as Boutique .
I have a friend with the korg ac-30,another with a korg ac-15.
I was fortunate to have my JMI set up by Mark Sampson and he made it sing.
The AC-30cc is more musical, especially the clean tone than the korg
models.And it is more flexible than any of them.I like it as much as my JMI
for sheer fun.Will it hold up under gig conditions?Only time will tell.
If you have to have" that" Vox sound,buy an old classic IF you can find one
that has the magic(Not all do)
If your open to something a bit different you may be pleasantly surprised
like myself.I give this amp a rating of 9 cause i'm a sucker for tone.
The only amp that desrves a 10 is my JMI VOX AC-30!
If you heard it you'd cry to yo' mama and kick your dog.
It's staying in the studio fanned by virgins,Love me do indeed.