Anyone tried the new Vox ac4 handwired yet?

[Uncle Daddy]

After a forever wait, they're finally hitting the stores. If this demo is anything to go by, I'm not sure the wait was worth it.

 

[notmyusualuserid]

What, if any, differences are there between this and the AC4HW1?

https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/guitars/vox-ac4hw1-561948

 

[Joe M]

Tried one in one of my local shops, hated it. Boxy and very mid-rangy. I really didn’t give it much of a chance by fiddling with the controls, but sure didn’t like it with minimal adjustments. Maybe if I had taken more time with it I would have liked it better.

And, notmyusualuserid, I think the only difference in the newer version is the addition of reverb.

Edit to add: Just watched the video; the one I played sounded just like that. I don't know how anyone could like that sound.....

 

[Uncle Daddy]

What, if any, differences are there between this and the AC4HW1?

https://www.musicradar.com/reviews/guitars/vox-ac4hw1-561948

Reverb.

 

[theGecko71]

I dunno maybe it’s his mic setup. My old ac4tv sounds….better….

 

[VintageSG]

The previous AC4HW1 sounded pretty good. Not something I'd go for, but can't deny it had charm.
The AC10, to my ears, blows this one out of the water, then takes pot-shots on the way down.
Maybe it's the mic. Maybe it's the demo setup. I hear nothing that would tempt me.
I visited the Vox website. Oh boy. Marketing have been busy.
The 'reengineered' power supply = dropping the EZ81 for a solid state. No biggie, it's a single ended amp, but the claims for it?
The cabinet claims.. 'Meticulously replicated the material thickness' = we used ply.
With two 12AX7 handling everything, I do wonder how the loop and reverb have been implemented.

My AC Tone into my Laney LC15 sounds more 'alive', less 'boxy' and way more 'Voxy'
Colour me not impressed.

 

[theGecko71]

I can't believe that video is representative of the new ac4 hw tone, though. Vox wouldn't put out a handwired amp that sounded that crappy would it? It's impossible.

As I said above, my ac4tv sounds better. And I have an ac10c1 that has sparkle and life in spades, but I was considering selling it to help fund buying the new ac10 hw. I haven't played one yet, but the idea of an ac10 with a greenback, spring reverb, and the aesthetics and repairability (is that a word?) of handwired.... And for a relatively low price....

 

[printer2]

A hand wired Vox you say?

 

[corliss1]

For years I've been saying "no one puts a bad review or bad demo online because then they won't get asked to review anything ever again."

Well....so much for that theory. That actually sounded bad.

I would like to try the AC10 at some point when shops get them in.

 

[Uncle Daddy]

With two 12AX7 handling everything, I do wonder how the loop and reverb have been implemented.

There's a thread on TGP that has a few gutshots, and there are clearly some transistors to drive the reverb, and what looks like a small pcb to drive the loop.
Ok then.

 

[theGecko71]

There's a thread on TGP that has a few gutshots, and there are clearly some transistors to drive the reverb, and what looks like a small pcb to drive the loop.
Ok then.

So, tubes and handwiring for amp and preamp, plus SS rectifier, reverb, and loop? Meh, why not just keep my much cheaper AC10c1. True the digital reverb is a tad uninspired, but I can always use a reverb pedal…

 

[VintageSG]

There's a thread on TGP that has a few gutshots, and there are clearly some transistors to drive the reverb, and what looks like a small pcb to drive the loop.
Ok then.

Ta.

 

[Dukex]

I'm sure it sounds fine in real life. Not everybody likes the AC4 (in any of its versions).

I've had an AC4tv, AC4C1, and currently an AC4HW1 (7 yrs). I liked them all, but the AC4tv was my least favorite (not as versatile IMO). Some folks live them.

I still have the AC4HW1 and use it often, even though I also have a boutique-built 64 Princeton Reverb and 57 Tweed Deluxe.

 

[theGecko71]

AC4tv def not versatile, but I grew to appreciate it more AFTER I got an AC10. There's something pleasant about it--especially in stereo with the AC10! I used to think "this thing sounds small and boxy," and next to the AC10 it does, but somehow after getting the AC10 I missed the AC4tv boxiness.

 

[Joe M]

I'm sure it sounds fine in real life. Not everybody likes the AC4 (in any of its versions).

I'm sorry, but in my real life experience, it sounds just like the video....not very fine....different strokes for different folks. And, FWIW, I love the sound of an AC10 and AC15, so I'm definitely not anti-Vox

 

[theGecko71]

This sounds better, honestly... but danged similar to my AC4tv....

 

[peteb]

After a forever wait, they're finally hitting the stores. If this demo is anything to go by, I'm not sure the wait was worth it.

The first two minutes of the video sound fine, on the neck pickup, except the headroom is limited.

 

[Uncle Daddy]

Gutshots on p43-

VOX Drops HUGE News (New Handwired Amps)

I think that they look great and I'm glad to see that the grill cloth is brown and not black, like on the website.

www.thegearpage.net

 

[msalama]

Ok then

Is that so bad though? Folks say semiconductor-driven reverbs can be done right and sound good too, so am not certain this is necessarily a dealbreaker TBH. How much did these cost again?

 

[Uncle Daddy]

Is that so bad though? Folks say semiconductor-driven reverbs can be done right and sound good too, so am not certain this is necessarily a dealbreaker TBH. How much did these cost again?

The ac10hw is less than a pcb Princeton Reverb.

Been reading about a few returns already, mainly for hum, and one for a cab that was quite out of true.