Marshall DSL20CR vs Vox Custom AC15

U

UTGrad

New member
I’m going after that classic rock sound with my Epiphone LP and deciding between the new DSL 20W Marshall or the VOX AC15.

I like that the Marshall channels can be foot switched and it has a head phone jack. The Vox appears to have some great clean and crunchy tones but not sure it has a head phones jack.

For 70s era rock which would you prefer for quality? I’ve also heard on bass notes there is a rattle or hiss with some AC15s.

Thanks.


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Re: Marshall DSL20CR vs Vox Custom AC15

c,c,c, combo breaker!

out of those two the DSL would be better *in theory* but I don't care for the DSL15, it sounded very bland and buzzy to me with 6v6 and it looks like the new 20W CR has el34s which should help but it still has the green CLEAN mode and the red channel lead 2 sound which are the opposite of which channels I would love to see in a small DSL: green crunch and red lead 1.

Most AC15 are a better amp all around to me, vs the DSL20CR, but they're gonna be more jangly, spongier, brighter, and with less bass than I would say is useful for a 70s "classic rock tone" unless it's just for home and studio and even still it's not an amp with deep bass. Like it would sound more british invasion/pop/british blues rock kind of classic rock and jangly beatles, early stones early yardbirds early the who, that sound more than like Cream and Kiss and AC/DC who needed big marshall amps.
 
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Re: Marshall DSL20CR vs Vox Custom AC15

Marshall clean is well... Marshall clean. It’s not pristine and has to be driven to get that Marshall sizzle. The AC on the other hand is naturally cleaner and tends to stay fairly clean (as compared to the Marshall). I prefer more headroom (AC) and dirt pedals.


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Re: Marshall DSL20CR vs Vox Custom AC15

That said I’d love to have a DSL but I wouldn’t part with my AC30CC2 to have one.


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Re: Marshall DSL20CR vs Vox Custom AC15

Marshall gets my vote, although I would also prefer it have Red Channel 1 too.

I have the DSL40C, and it's great with the half power switch to help tame the volume some. It doesn't turn it into a whisper quiet amp, but it does help with OD tones at more reasonable volumes. I picked mine up for $400 used with the C19 bright switch mod already done and with a Creamback 65 speaker.
 
Re: Marshall DSL20CR vs Vox Custom AC15

Is it worth the upgrade to swap out the speakers?


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Re: Marshall DSL20CR vs Vox Custom AC15

If your going after classic rock sound then the Marshall Origin 20 would probably be a better choice than either.

Is it worth the upgrade to swap out the speakers?
Click to expand...

In the case of older DSL40C, yes. In the case of 10" speakers, go for 12" if possible. The Origin 50 comes with the 12" Celestion V type though, which is a good sounding speaker.

I'm not sure that the two channels of the new DSL20 are the same voicing as the DSL15.
 
Re: Marshall DSL20CR vs Vox Custom AC15

I’ve been searching the Origins all morning. The 50 is calling my name!


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Re: Marshall DSL20CR vs Vox Custom AC15

Obsolete thread now, but just for peoples information, I read on another forum a report by the owner of both the new DSL20HR and a older DSL15, that the channel voicing of the new DSL20 doesn't match up to the older 15.

According to the report, the Green channel can do both crunch and cleaner depending how you dial it in. It's also warmer and more organic.

The Red channel is closer to the lead 1 on the old JCM2000 DSLs according to the report.
 
Re: Marshall DSL20CR vs Vox Custom AC15

Lake Placid Blues said:
Obsolete thread now, but just for peoples information, I read on another forum a report by the owner of both the new DSL20HR and a older DSL15, that the channel voicing of the new DSL20 doesn't match up to the older 15.

According to the report, the Green channel can do both crunch and cleaner depending how you dial it in. It's also warmer and more organic.

The Red channel is closer to the lead 1 on the old JCM2000 DSLs according to the report.
Click to expand...

Man I need to start charging folks that post on my obsolete thread [emoji3].


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Re: Marshall DSL20CR vs Vox Custom AC15

Lake Placid Blues said:
Obsolete thread now, but just for peoples information, I read on another forum a report by the owner of both the new DSL20HR and a older DSL15, that the channel voicing of the new DSL20 doesn't match up to the older 15.

According to the report, the Green channel can do both crunch and cleaner depending how you dial it in. It's also warmer and more organic.

The Red channel is closer to the lead 1 on the old JCM2000 DSLs according to the report.
Click to expand...

This is good news. To be honest I would prefer this arrangement to the big DSL. Cuz really? A modern channel switching amp, with a Plexi-ish channel, but you can't footswitch between clean and gain modes in it. And a hot rodded 800 style channel, but you can't footswitch between crunch and lead. And at anything less than stage volume the channels have such different tones that almost no one I've heard from seems to like it as a channel switcher! Instead it's like having 4 really different amps in one box.

If the DSL20 cut that down to more like having two different amps in one box that are worthless to switch between I think that's a HUGE improvment
 
Re: Marshall DSL20CR vs Vox Custom AC15

FuseG4 said:
This is good news. To be honest I would prefer this arrangement to the big DSL. Cuz really? A modern channel switching amp, with a Plexi-ish channel, but you can't footswitch between clean and gain modes in it. And a hot rodded 800 style channel, but you can't footswitch between crunch and lead. And at anything less than stage volume the channels have such different tones that almost no one I've heard from seems to like it as a channel switcher! Instead it's like having 4 really different amps in one box.

If the DSL20 cut that down to more like having two different amps in one box that are worthless to switch between I think that's a HUGE improvment
Click to expand...

Yup, most people, including myself, when playing the old DSLs tend to play them as single channel amps.
 
Re: Marshall DSL20CR vs Vox Custom AC15

Lake Placid Blues said:
Sorry about that. I thought you had ended your search.
Click to expand...

Haha no problem. I’m waiting for my ship to roll in and then there will be a trip to Guitar Center.

I hate to ask another question but what pedal would y’all recommend if switching from green to red channels is not going to sound all that great.


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