Vox AC4TV vs Pathfinder 15R

[travisham]

Hey-o. I'm a little new around here, but I wanted to get y'all's thoughts on what I recognize may (or may not) be a bit of an apples & oranges comparison. I'm looking for a small/cheap amp that nails the Vox vibe, or at least plays in the ballpark. I have seen lots of people raving about the new AC4TV and was fairly set on ordering one, but yesterday I stumbled across some of Feist's live recordings and have since read far too many great reviews on the Pathfinder 15R.

I dig small amps as they not only get points for portability and practice volumes, but I've also found (as many of you have) that any great sounding amp + a SM57 is a giggable amp. The Pathfinder's line out option is pretty enticing too. I'm mostly a rhythm guy and I need something that is effects-friendly (mostly OD and delay). When I play in a band setting I usually don't touch the amp after it's set up as I'll do most mid-song/mid-set tonal adjustments using my Tele's controls and and one or more dirt-boxes. I've noticed that many around here seem to own at least a Pathfinder or an AC4, and some of you guys even have the luxury of owning both! I'm planning on trying to track down both amps at my local GC in the next week or so to compare them myself, but I wanted to see what you guys' experiences have been with these two amps so that I can make a more informed choice. Thanks in advance y'all!

[dqami]

Both are great amps. The pathy you can find used for a cheap price and has a decent reverb.

[Grandma's Tele]

The Pathfinder is a cheaper amp, nice for the price but if you want to compare the AC4TV to another Vox, compare it to the VT30 (or the smaller VT15) and then make up your mind!

I own a VT15 and a VT50. Nice amps!

Just a thought...

Edit:

The VT15 and the VT50 both have a built in attenuator.

[68 Shovelhead]

I have a 15R and have tried the AC4, very different but both are very nice. The 15R has reverb and a dirty channel, the AC4 would need pedals. I suggest you try them yourself, but I doubt you'd be disapointed with either of these amps.
As for the VT series, I know they sound good, but I don't like the layout very well. I recently chose a Roland Cube 30x for my Niece over the VT30, the Roland sounds as good and far easier to use IMO, and based on my history with older Cube's, thier bulletproof.

[superhand]

The Pathfinder is solid state and the AC4TV is all tube and about double the price.

I have an AC4TV and I love it, but I have a tube fetish. Tube and SS are very different animals. Apples and oranges indeed.

[scantron81]

I own a pathfinder 15r. They are great and readily available on the used market for $50-$75. They are great for low volume practice and quiet gigs. You will need to mike it in larger places. I played at the 40 Watt a few nights ago and used my 15r as well as a Fender DRRI. The 15r is fantastic for a solid state amp. I didn't know they were still in production.

[tdu]

The Pathfinder 15r is an exceptionally good sounding solid state amp. You definitely can't write it off as 'just' a solid state amp.

[travisham]

Well tonight I ventured to the closest GC with hopes of trying out both. To my dismay one of the sales guys told me that he hasn't seen a Pathfinder get shipped to his store in a long time. When he check on the store computer to see if any of the other metro GCs had one, it turns out none of them are carrying them either! I did play for a while on the AC4TV as well as the Champion 600. They both had some cool things going for them, but neither really wowed me as much as I hoped. I expected to absolutely fall in love with the AC4TV and was really surprised when it came across as nice but not amazing. Maybe my expectations were too high? Maybe it was the guys next to trying to play nu metal on moddling amps... At any rate, not being wowed by the AC4TV and finding out that Pathfinders are in shorter supply, as soon as I got home a little while ago I got online right away and ordered a Pathfinder. Should be here Thursday-ish.

Incidentally, I had done some googling, found it elsewhere for $99, and GC was able to match it over the phone such that I could use a gift card I had received recently. Booya.

[mistermullens]

Thought I replied to this at work but I guess it didn't take. I think you made the right choice. Pathfinders are really great amps and giggable. Played mine at a very loud jam that was recorded. You may have seen some of the videos if you've read some of my posts, but here's a link to the playlist. I'm the guy in the green shirt left side of the screen playing a white Tele or black '72 Tele Custom. If there's slide on the song, odds are I'm playing it. BTW, I installed a 10" speaker in mine. Great amp, even though mine hasn't gotten much play lately.

This might be the best video that you can really get a feel for the Pathfinder out of the bunch.

[travisham]

Originally Posted by mistermullens

Thought I replied to this at work but I guess it didn't take. I think you made the right choice. Pathfinders are really great amps and giggable. Played mine at a very loud jam that was recorded. You may have seen some of the videos if you've read some of my posts, but here's a link to the playlist.

Thanks for encouragement man. Actually, yours was one of the videos that I came across that helped reassure me that the Pathfinder was good choice. Really nice playing btw!

[Twanginator]

I tried both and chose the Pathfinder for the sound. To me, it sounds more like a mini AC30 than the AC4TV did.