AC15 head vs combo

[BMKE]

Does anyone have experience with both the Vox AC15 head and combo? They're the same price and I'm trying to figure out which is better for bedroom/studio playing. I don't gig and only play in my office/home recording studio but rarely have an opportunity to crank an amp (I have a family, neighbors, etc). Am I better off with the head which has the attenuator or is the master volume on the combo workable enough?

I have an empty guitar enclosure which I intend to fill with, probably, a Neo Creamback (I'd love an alnico gold but they're pretty pricey). I like the idea of getting the combo and having the versatility of the built in greenback (or alnico blue if the X model) or the external creamback whereas with the head I would only have the creamback option. That said, if the combo isn't usable at lower volumes then it doesn't matter how versatile the set up is if I can't use it due to volume constraints.

Any suggestions?

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Well, for studio, I would certainly not use a 1x12.

As with any 1x12, the AC15 combo does sound small when mic'd. It's better than many others (like the Blues Junior), but I would still much rather get an AC15 and run it through a good 2x12 (or IR's) for recording.

I don't see any benefits to a combo over a head and cab setup, personally. I find it easier to split the weigt of an amp between head and cab than have a boat anchor combo which, on top of weighting more than a separate head and cab, sounds worse.

 

[Securb]

Not sure how many and what types of cabs you have. I would lean towards the head to mix and match it with different speakers for recording. This can also be accomplished by installing a speaker jack in the back of the combo. There is also an appeal to a combo seeing it is portable.

 

[Mincer]

I don't see any benefits to a combo over a head and cab setup, personally. I find it easier to split the weigt of an amp between head and cab than have a boat anchor combo which, on top of weighting more than a separate head and cab, sounds worse.

Of course, this is genre-specific.

 

[jeremy]

single speaker combos are probably the most recorded amps in history. even when running a 4x12 in the studio, most of the time there is one mic slapped on one speaker. of course there are tons of possibilities, but thats still a true statement.

between the head and combo... what ac15 models are you looking at? the ac15 custom or ? i have heads and combos and for gigging i almost always use a combo since its easier. if its home and studio use, its less of an issue. a greenback is a great speaker, but the blue is much more the tone i think of when people talk about vox amps

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Of course, this is genre-specific.

I hadn't thought about it, but maybe you're right.

I do know... was it Jeff Beck that uses cranked Pro Jr.'s?

But personally, for ANY genre of music, I would prefer my guitars to sound BIG. At least recorded, but that is my taste, and I'm less picky about in-the-room. But there are very few 1x12 cabs or combos that do that... and I wouldn't say the AC15 combo is one of them.

Maybe I'm not thinking of the high-end handwired AC15, though. But the AC15 I tried was the standard cheapie Chinese one with the Greenback. Great amp. I loved it. But under the mic, it certainly didn't sound like an AC30. I'm sure a good 2x12 with either Greenbacks, or even better, Blues, would get you 75% of the way closer, though. Of course, that's thinking you want the "iconic Vox sound". Maybe I'm ignorant and am missing some iconic tones made with the AC15.

BTW, the Greenbacks they put on the Chinese Vox amps are great, and I would put it up agaings a Blue any day of the week, and that's even coming from a guy who has a 1x12 with a Gold, LOL.

 

[Securb]

single speaker combos are probably the most recorded amps in history

Judas Priest records with 1x12 solid-state Marshalls.

 

[BMKE]

what ac15 models are you looking at? the ac15 custom or ?

I wasn't as specific as I should have been. I'm talking about the AC15C1 (possibly X) or AC15CH.

 

[jeremy]

ive had golds, blues, greenbacks and like them all. blues sound like i want a vox to sound, the others dont. greenbacks sound like what i want a marshall to sound like. golds are their own weird thing, but can sound great with the right amp.

yes, beck used a cranked pro jr in his rig for a while and it sounded great, but it was also blended with other amps live.

sounding big in the studio is much more about the recording than the amp. you can make a 1x8" combo sound huge in the studio. an ac15 isnt an ac30 and will never sound like one, but i dont think its the speaker(s) that are the culprit.

 

[ehdwuld]

for home use the 15 watts is gonna be much louder than you think

5 watts is freaking loud in a 12x15 room

you want something with attenuation so you can choke it down
the volume knob doesnt do that properly

all tube amps sound better when above half way

any five watt amp above halfway will bother folks in the house

I had the same issue

my Tweed Carvin Belair is a glorious amp but is anemic at bedroom levels

I first got a Bugera G5 with a switch to go from 5 to 1 to 0.01 and it was awesome till the cheapness set in
it quit

i recently replaced it with the H&K Tonemaeister 20
it has a switch for watts from 20 to 5 to 1 to 0 no speaker required for silent operation internal load

and built in RedBox emulation for direct recording

the TM20 is in the same price range and sounds great
much more features and taylored more to what you want to do

its the same as I use mine for
Home Office/Studio

 

[Rex_Rocker]

all tube amps sound better when above half way

That's overgeneralizing. Every master volume is designed differently. Not everyone is playing the same style of music. And even if they are, everyone has a different perception of how much poweramp coloration they want.

Most people seem to agree the OG 5150's sweet spot is around 2.5-3.5 on the master, for example.

 

[ehdwuld]

That's overgeneralizing. Every master volume is designed differently. Not everyone is playing the same style of music. And even if they are, everyone has a different perception of how much poweramp coloration they want.

Most people seem to agree a 5150's sweet spot is around 2.5-3.5 on the master, for example.

is that the only part you disagree with?

fairly long post

lotta generalizations and myth in there

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Judas Priest records with 1x12 solid-state Marshalls.

Not on Firepower.

 

[ehdwuld]

he wants an AC15
whats that like at low volume?
bet it is the same as my el84 Belair

 

[Rex_Rocker]

he wants an AC15
whats that like at low volume?
bet it is the same as my el84 Belair

No, yeah. On that, I am 100% with you. The Vox magic is turning them up.

My own personal comment was more coming from a studio standpoint. You can still turn it upt and have it sound great dead silent if you plug it into a load and run some IR's. Which, TBH, might work for bedroom use as well.

And for that, you don't need a combo, which just takes up space, is heavier than a head, and doesn't sound better than using either a good IR... or a better/bigger cab.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

an ac15 isnt an ac30 and will never sound like one, but i dont think its the speaker(s) that are the culprit.

"Culprit" is a bit too general, IMO. You're right, an AC15 won't sound like an AC30, but a good cab gets you much further than you'd think. Plug an AC15 into a good birch cab with a solid construction and two 8 ohm Blues, and I bet It'd sound more like you'd expect an AC30 to sound than plugging in a handwired AC30 into the little 1x12 MDF cab the cheapie AC15 comes with.

Those lunchbox amps that are so in fashion right now sound great partly because everyone is running them into a good cab. You see people saying "yeah, look at my 20W Marshall, it sounds huge!", and then you realize they're running it into their 1960's.

I have an Orange PPC112 (relatively well-regarded 1x12) with several different "good" speakers in it that I left home, I've tried mic'ing up my friends 1x12 Mesa Recto cab, and right now, I have a Krank 1x12 (birch ply sides and pine baffle) with a Celestion Gold in it, and none of them have sounded all that great mic'd up, TBH. I've also had the horrible Vox Night Train 1x12 cab and a Peavey Vypyr 1x12 that I swapped a Celestion G12-35XC into. Nope. No luck.

All useable in-the-room sounds, but more effort to mic up (and make them sound good) that it's worth. JMO, of course.

Again, I am recommending this into the assumption that studio work is what the OP wants to do. Yes, you can make a combo amp sound huge in the recording, but it's honestly not an effort I think would be worth it when plugging a head in a good cab gets you there much quicker and which much less effort. JME.

And again, I'm just going into the assumption it's the Chinese AC15 with the tiny MDF cab we're talking about here. I have not tried the handwired AC15 (which I honestly wouldn't have much faith in either) or the AC15 2x12 combo.

 

[BMKE]

No, yeah. On that, I am 100% with you. The Vox magic is turning them up..

So, knowing that I can't crank them, do you think I'm better off with the combo with a lower master volume or the head with, presumably, a higher master volume but with the built-in attenuator keeping the volume in check.

For reference, I am referring to the current production models. The classic series. Which it to say the ones made in Vietnam. As far as I can tell all Voxes are made there. At least all of the ACs PCB or hardwired. Also, from what I've seen the handwired ones aren't made very well and are overpriced. Obviously, there are better amps out there than the standard AC15s but at the price point, I think they're one of the best. Plus, I dig the Vox sound (and look).

The cabinet I have is nothing special but isn't a POS either. It's a seismic audio cab. Nothing to write home about but for the money, I think it's a good value. I guess I'll know better once I actually put a speaker in it, ha.

The combos can be hand for around $500 used or $800 new. The heads seem harder to find used and run the same $800 new as the combo.

 

[beaubrummels]

If you want a VOX sound, just get the VOX combo. If you get the head and use another manufacturer's cabinet with some other speaker, you're just going to get VOX-influenced sound that won't be like anything you've heard before. The combo will sound like a VOX at low volume, but they brighten up and chime more if you can push the level a bit. If you must run it low, there are other ways to get some brightness out of it at low level, like treble booster pedals or a clean quality EQ before the amp.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

So, knowing that I can't crank them, do you think I'm better off with the combo with a lower master volume or the head with, presumably, a higher master volume but with the built-in attenuator keeping the volume in check.

For reference, I am referring to the current production models. The classic series. Which it to say the ones made in Vietnam. As far as I can tell all Voxes are made there. At least all of the ACs PCB or hardwired. Also, from what I've seen the handwired ones aren't made very well and are overpriced. Obviously, there are better amps out there than the standard AC15s but at the price point, I think they're one of the best. Plus, I dig the Vox sound (and look).

The cabinet I have is nothing special but isn't a POS either. It's a seismic audio cab. Nothing to write home about but for the money, I think it's a good value. I guess I'll know better once I actually put a speaker in it, ha.

The combos can be hand for around $500 used or $800 new. The heads seem harder to find used and run the same $800 new as the combo.

My bad. Vietnamese, not Chinese, you're right. I didn't mean to sound like the AC15 (Chinese, Vietnamese, or otherwise) is bad. It isn't. I have no use for a Vox, personally, but I REALLY like how those AC15's sound, especially run into a good cab. Plus they're LOUD. The weakest link in the one I've tried I've always thought was the cabinet. The speaker is great. The amp is great. It's just the cab that's kinda... meh.

Oh, the head comes with an attenuator? Then I'd choose that, no question.

BTW, I may come off as a snob arguing that a 1x12 doesn't sound good recorded. I don't mean to sound like that. I've just not had good luck with any. I still have two because they do have their uses, especially for live or, especially, bedroom use. But if you do want to record an AC15 through one, you should at least be able to crank it to get the most of it, IMO.

 

[ehdwuld]

Vox makes a 1 watt AC combo