Incoming!!! Vox AC30CCH

Re: Incoming!!! Vox AC30CCH

I've wanted one for quite a while, I am not normally so patient but there was no pressing need.

I love my Orange Dual Terror but I really want something that can do a few other things too. I love the tremolo on the Vox and having reverb on an amp will be wonderful. No roadies these days or rarely anyway so as much as I wanted a big combo I would never take it anywhere, too damn heavy. Older and wiser or just older? Idk but I am done with that part.
 
Re: Incoming!!! Vox AC30CCH

Nice amps.....do not use the SB Switch if you are using a traditional tube rectifier.
 
Re: Incoming!!! Vox AC30CCH

Stand-By Switch.
Without getting into the fact that you do not "need" an sb switch.....this one is located on the hot side of the reservoir cap.
Turn stand by On, then off, the reservoir is a big current draw, more than tube diodes can handle, and the rectifier blows. It was a BIG problem wit these amps.
It is much better to just leave the stand-by in the Off position.....or buy a SS Rectifier plug-in, or a "Weber Copper Cap" if you are addicted to the SB.
 
Re: Incoming!!! Vox AC30CCH

Nice! 30watts of VOX tone @ just over 40 lbs.! My AC-30 weighed 74lbs when I had it loaded with Greenbacks, now that I've got it loaded with Celestion Blues it's probably closer to 95 or 100lbs!!! I like that the control panel, it's kinda a hybrid of a AC-15 and a AC-30. How's the reverb, being a head I'm guessing that its digital?

My AC-15C2 Twin (AC-30 cabinet & tank) & AC-30CC2 combo's tanks are both pretty large so stuffing one into that head would be tricky @ best! I guess if you're using digital reverb VOX's is the way to go, definitely one of the best & most natural sounding onboard digital verbs on the market right now, very cool!!!
 
Re: Incoming!!! Vox AC30CCH

42lbs doesn't bug me too much, 70-80 does though, LOL. I'll have to talk to my tech about the standby issue , he knows these amps pretty well. I hadn't heard about this so I'll have to figure that out.

I'll be running it thru my 4x10 most of the time, should sound pretty killer, 2 Ragin Cajins and 2 Ramrods. They eat up everything EL84 like candy.

As for the reverb I won't have the amp in house for a few days but it looks to me like it is a standard spring tray in the box, not digital.

AC30cc3.jpg.html
 
Re: Incoming!!! Vox AC30CCH

Yeah...the Verb is a traditional tank and springs.....the Trem is processed, but it sounds fine.
I still own one of these heads...other than the rectifier problem, they are fine amps.
Talk to your tech about doing the Lyle Caldwell "mods".....it is mostly substitution stuff. If you have an older head, I think you will really appreciate the improvements. It mostly returns values to circa 1966 specs..... can be a real, pleasant game changer for that head.
Good Luck My Friend..... :)
 
Re: Incoming!!! Vox AC30CCH

Thanks, this amp doesn't have to do anything but make me happy. I've always wanted an AC30 so maybe over time I'll do the mods.The ones I've heard sound pretty good without much done to them so, fingers crossed, this one is solid too.

Did you do the mods ZZ?
 
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Re: Incoming!!! Vox AC30CCH

Yes...I did them myself. Nothing too daunting about them.
Most players would probably benefit from at least two.
1. Change plate resistors from 100k to 220k
2. Delete or reduce the bright cap
good luck
 
Re: Incoming!!! Vox AC30CCH

whats this and why?

On these specific amps, the standby switch wasn't thought out too well. When you flick the switch from standby to on, there's a very brief surge of current that will blow through a rectifier tube pretty quickly if you treat it like any other amp. Also (on this specific amp), the tubes are heated enough by the time the rectifier tube is fully heated, so neglecting the standby won't adversely affect tube life. This is just the AC30 reissues with a tube rectifier. Use the standby switch on most other amps or if the AC30 has a solid state rectifier.
 
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Re: Incoming!!! Vox AC30CCH

Oh well you know what I get for an Incoming thread?

An AC30 amp that wasn't worth the wait. Had a blown out Top Boost channel and a few other quirks so I had to pass on it. It is going to a good tech so maybe it'll get fixed but I am leery of taking a shot on it, seems like a can of worms.
 
Re: Incoming!!! Vox AC30CCH

That sucks man, I've been there! In my case it turned out to be the jack but I had the tech do a complete overhaul (new valves, made sure it was basing itself properly, had him check the tone oil & rectifier fluid, EXE), LOL!!! He charged me $150 & I had to ship it because I don't have any techs in my area but if I just wanted him to fix the jack it probably would have been closer to $45?

I figured if I was spending $79 to ship it each way anyhow I might as well just have him do a full diagnostic well he had it? That was five years ago and I've never looked back, never had any issues since, so I'd wait & see what your tech says? It could be something simple and fairly easy/cheap to fix but I also understand why you'd be weary. They are finicky, temperamental things that pop & hiss @ you but if they weren't they wouldn't be AC's???
 
Re: Incoming!!! Vox AC30CCH

Not sure what you mean by "A blown out TB channel".
But that could be as simple as a tube. I had owned one of these since 2008, and just sold it a few days ago.
I have worked on several, most do to the Stand-By Switch troubles, and just one that blew a B+ dropping resistor for no apparent reason.
Any amp CAN be a lemon, but the CC Model was well made by most standards.
Good Luck With Yours
 
Re: Incoming!!! Vox AC30CCH

Don't know how the signal path goes but there wasn't even a whisper of sound on the TB channel, Normal worked fine. If I linked the channels again only the Normal channel responded, the TB channel zero effect on anything.

The amp also seemed to have some issues with Standby, which I assumed it might.

We'll see what happens? I won't know til next year at this point since they said the amp won't be back until some time January.
 
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