80daytripper
TDPRI Member
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Vox AC10C1 Owners Club
- Thread starter StormJH1
- Start date
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RetroTeleRod
Poster Extraordinaire
Just got mine in this week. What a great sounding amp!
80daytripper
TDPRI Member
I will probably check through this massive thread, but what are your best settings for this amp?
How do you especially dial it in for low volume home playing or small venue gigs - how do you set gain and volume, with or without OD or boost pedals etc? Please share your info.
How do you especially dial it in for low volume home playing or small venue gigs - how do you set gain and volume, with or without OD or boost pedals etc? Please share your info.
The amp sounded OK to me when I got it. But just 'OK' - it was a little brittle and lacked dimension. I am a fan of JJ's so I tried those right off the bat (within a day of having the amp) and the difference was terrific.
If you can swap a speaker in an amp, then you can certainly swap tubes! If you are not sure which tubes to try, folks like TubeDepot and Eurotubes can help. They usually have info on their sites regarding which tubes sound good in specific amps, and if not, a quick note the owners will get speedy repliesJust be careful poking around in there: the high voltages can hurt!
The Vox really does take pedals well: that Harlow in my pic, for example, really beefs up the tone.
The EQ on this is not the easiest to use. I think an EQ pedal would help ...do you know anyone who's tried one ? have you ?
I purchased a used AC10C1 for a School of Rock project Rick Batson (Suicidal Tendencies) and I are doing for the local community here in Bali.
I had low or no expectations as I was literally purchasing this for a bunch of 10 to 14 year old kids to bang on.
I was pretty taken back by the tone and the volume.
I just put JJ power tubes and Electro Harmonix 12AX7s in this little banshee and ran it through an Orange 2 X 12 open back with V30s today. My lead singer was using it for a 60s model telecaster with pretty tame pickups and this little dude was keeping up with my 60 watt amp with Creamback and V30 like nobodies business.
He had the distortion at 1 ish o'clock and volume at 9:00 ish o'clock and it was keeping up with me with my pre amp all the way up and volume at 12:00 ish o'clock.
Amazing tone and sound.
I thought about running it through the Jackson 1 X 12 with Alnico Gold, but think the Orange cabinet with Vintage 30s is perfect for it. The Tele and my 2103 Custom Shop Les Paul sound amazing through it.
I had low or no expectations as I was literally purchasing this for a bunch of 10 to 14 year old kids to bang on.
I was pretty taken back by the tone and the volume.
I just put JJ power tubes and Electro Harmonix 12AX7s in this little banshee and ran it through an Orange 2 X 12 open back with V30s today. My lead singer was using it for a 60s model telecaster with pretty tame pickups and this little dude was keeping up with my 60 watt amp with Creamback and V30 like nobodies business.
He had the distortion at 1 ish o'clock and volume at 9:00 ish o'clock and it was keeping up with me with my pre amp all the way up and volume at 12:00 ish o'clock.
Amazing tone and sound.
I thought about running it through the Jackson 1 X 12 with Alnico Gold, but think the Orange cabinet with Vintage 30s is perfect for it. The Tele and my 2103 Custom Shop Les Paul sound amazing through it.
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RetroTeleRod
Poster Extraordinaire
I play at pretty low volumes in a small church. I set mine like this and then boost with overdrives. The Barber Gain Changer on the low gain/fat mids setting gives me a great clean that cuts through the mix.
Blue David
TDPRI Member
I have an AC10 with a creamback- G10 45 watt 16 ohm.
Unsure if I am totally happy with it as is.
I have 2 EH EL84 in now and a EH12AX& in the PI and a sovtek 5751 in the preamp. very chimey, clean...
However once I get to 1 o'clock... there is no more increase in volume. its plenty loud at that point... just no more.
I am considering a Weber DT10P.
I want less brightness and a bit more bottom... A greenback is more $$.
I will sell one of the speakers onceit is settled.
Any experience with the DT10P? reviews or opinions appreciated.
Orlandodhl1
TDPRI Member
I have to replace the guitar input jack on a friends AC10C1. Just received this jack from Studio sound. It's part J-503GW. Problem is if I mount it flush with circuit board the input won't line up with hole in front panel. Original jack was on an angle but that might be because amp was dropped with cable attached. If I mount it level the pins aren't long enough to fit in solder holes. Anyone ever have to replace jack or if someone has a picture of jack mounted to board that would be great, thanks. The 2 pics are from original jack and new jack not soldered in yet
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Orlandodhl1
TDPRI Member
So I was able to make the new jack fit but looking at the bottom of pc board the EMI/RFI GROUND WASHER that makes contact with chassis has a trace that leads to nowhere.
Just a hole. Anyone know if it's some kind of jumper that is missing? The amp fell over with guitar cable attached and besides breaking off jack threads maybe it did more damage inside?
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If you want to 'tinker' then before doing anything else, cut a rectangular slot in the back and expose the power tubes. also, put a baffle between the said valves and speaker magnet. I covered this in a separate post
do you find it bass heavy?
dsouza
TDPRI Member
I just ordered a VOX AC10C1 to go along with my Fractal Audio System and USA Fender Strat Special. The AC10 should be arriving Monday. I have an AC4C1 as well. Don't know yet if I should get rid of it or it should serve another purpose.. I mean it's a smaller amp but perhaps I can use it as backup when my AC10 is in the shop for tube repairs every so often. Cheers! Adrian
MikeBee
TDPRI Member
dsouza
TDPRI Member
I don't see any message in your response besides my quote???
swervinbob
Friend of Leo's
Ive got the Creamback version. I use it with a load box and record with it using a 2x12 with blues impulse respons.
john_cribbin
Friend of Leo's
Sold my AC4 a couple of weeks after getting the AC10. It really has no place alongside the AC10 IMO.
You should be doing your own tube changes on this amp. It's a one screwdriver job, no bias to check or reset. Just pull and replace.
dsouza
TDPRI Member
Hey my AC10 arrived and WOW it's incredible! Only one problem. It seems too loud even at close to 0 watts in my condo. Something is off. I have used AC10s many times and I can usually take them to 1-1.5 watts in a condo. Why is it that its literally set to master volume just above audible (it looks like master is almost turned to ZERO) and it's so rich and loud? I heard something about needing to break in AC10's? Does it have something to do with the tubes they put in there or the preamp? Any help appreciated..
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dsouza
TDPRI Member
I ended up putting up with the volume at even 1/2-1 watt on the AC10 in my small studio room.
It seems when people are watching me perform the volume gets decreased anyways as the people in the room absorb the sound (like the furniture).
Overall how many people feel recording off the AC10 is superior to recording off the AC4? I have both amps so no one needs to tell me one is better than the other.. I don't discriminate against my AC10 or it's baby brother.. haha..
I just feel sometimes when I record off the AC10 it's not as clean sounding as the AC4. And when I record off the AC4 it's too trebly compared to the AC10.. So both have their advantages and disadvantages. I decided to keep both for now.
Overall I love my AC10.. It sounds RICHER, BASSER , and FULLER than the AC4. The AC4 sounds like a bright little amp but not much sustain or power. Still in a studio in my condo there is little difference as we're talking about running both at about 1/2 watt to 1 watt. If I were to take my AC10 out to a larger venue it would outperform the AC4 simply because it's designed for that purpose.
Do any of you feel recording off the AC10 with the Sm57 pointed straight at the center of the amp is better than recording off it with the SM57 at a 45 degree angle? I know for ambient work experts recommend using a 45 degree angle of the mic to the amp. But for more rock and roll I was wondering if it's really optimum? Especially with the AC10.. Any advice from guys with experience recording?
It seems when people are watching me perform the volume gets decreased anyways as the people in the room absorb the sound (like the furniture).
Overall how many people feel recording off the AC10 is superior to recording off the AC4? I have both amps so no one needs to tell me one is better than the other.. I don't discriminate against my AC10 or it's baby brother.. haha..
I just feel sometimes when I record off the AC10 it's not as clean sounding as the AC4. And when I record off the AC4 it's too trebly compared to the AC10.. So both have their advantages and disadvantages. I decided to keep both for now.
Overall I love my AC10.. It sounds RICHER, BASSER , and FULLER than the AC4. The AC4 sounds like a bright little amp but not much sustain or power. Still in a studio in my condo there is little difference as we're talking about running both at about 1/2 watt to 1 watt. If I were to take my AC10 out to a larger venue it would outperform the AC4 simply because it's designed for that purpose.
Do any of you feel recording off the AC10 with the Sm57 pointed straight at the center of the amp is better than recording off it with the SM57 at a 45 degree angle? I know for ambient work experts recommend using a 45 degree angle of the mic to the amp. But for more rock and roll I was wondering if it's really optimum? Especially with the AC10.. Any advice from guys with experience recording?
