Vox Cambridge50

I just got back from spending a several hours, first at the local GC, then at Clawson's Music. Neither one of them had the Cambridge50. GC did have the Mini Super Beetle, so although I've test driven it several times before, I briefly did again. As I've said before, I may yet break down and buy one someday, because the tones are good, and they're just so stinkin' cute! But as is--without a second cab with an 8 ohm speaker--it's not the amp I'm looking for. I don't think the MSB25 by itself is any louder than my Pathfinder 15Rs.

So I went on to Clawson's Music. As I said, they didn't have it either, but the person I dealt with didn't want to order it. He muttered something about not ordering from them as a rule because of having to do a minimum order of amps/product. The only thing Vox he had in the store was the Pathfinder 10, and he said they'd had them forever and can't get rid of them. So I guess going to Clawson's for Vox was a mistake. Sad, because I like dealing with them for the most part, and I like supporting local.

So to give them a chance, I tried what he had in stock, even though I really had my heart set on the Vox. He pulled out the Fender GT100. He kept trying to tell me how easy it was to dial in, but to me scrolling through 200 presets is just confusing. Then I tried the Champion 40. I had test driven the Champion 20 years ago, and liked it pretty well for what it was. The voices were basically Tweed, Blackface British and Metal. The Metal I'd never use, and since I'm such a Vox guy, I spent my test driving time on the British voice setting, to see if I could get it to sound like a Vox. Close but no cigar.

He wanted me to try a Katana 50 MkII, but they were sold out of them. He wants me to come back when they get them in, but I dunno. As much as I want to give them the business (wait...that sounded wrong), I think I know what I want. I'll probably either go back to GC tomorrow to order one, or else order one online from Sweetwater.

 

As I understand it, NuTube is vacuum fluorescent display tube technology repurposed for audio application. A key word there is "repurposed." VFD technology is something like half a century old now, so although the application is new, the technology is not. It has a service life expectancy that is a known characteristic of the technology. According to Korg's FAQs page...

Now, that means if I were to play through the amp 3 hours per day every day of the year, the Nutube is expected to last for 27 years. I'll be lucky if I live that long! Even if the Nutube only lasted half that long, I'd still say I got my money's worth for a $300 amp.

I don't know if anyone else out there is making Nutubes by another name, although I've seen articles where others have done this on an individual scale. Doesn't seem to be something that's not reproducible. And as far as I can tell, Korg isn't going anywhere. So I'm not really worried about the Nutubes.

 

Okay, UPDATE...

I pulled the trigger!

No, I didn't find one locally, so I've taken a chance and done the "buy before you try" thing. And actually, it's really not much of a gamble, because I ordered it from the local Guitar Center, so I can try it for 45 days and then decide. I rarely ever do this, but I'm guardedly optimistic that I'll be happy with the amp and it'll work for me. And if not, then there is that return option.

So, with an expected 3-5 business days ship time, I could have it the middle of next week at the earliest. I will post a NAD thread after I get my hands on it and have my first impressions.

Thanks to everyone for your participation in this thread. You've provided encouragement, insights and good questions to consider, and it helped.

 

f4l, that was my understanding as well, a triode is a tube. As for the failure rate of the Nutube as compared to a traditional preamp tube like a 12AX7, I have no information on that. It's an unknown factor, to me, at least, for the moment. Obviously I wasn't concerned enough about this to keep from pulling the trigger. If over the next year or two, if the Nutube in the Cambridge50 needs replacing every 6 months (using the possible scenario you posited), then I will consider the technology and the amp a disappointment. But since we're talking $300, I won't loose too much sleep over it. I'll chalk it up to experience, and keep on using my Pathfinder 15Rs. And maybe buy a Peavey Bandit or Studio Pro.

You've both expressed well some of the same sentiments I feel about this. From what I've heard in videos of MV50 ACs and the Cambridge50, and from my own experiences test driving the Mini Super Beetle (which I've done now 4-5 times), the AC tones in these new Vox amp offerings are good. Not surprising that Vox would know how to voice/model an amp to sound like one of their amps. After playing through/gigging with Vox Pathfinder 15Rs for the last 7 years, that is the most important sound to me. A close second to that was Vox' "Boutique" voicing. They've been doing that one for years (ToneLab, Valvetronix), and I like it. (Is it a dead ringer for a Dumble amp? Don't know, don't care.) I like what I've heard in dem/review vids thus far of the Boutique voicings on the Cambridge50, and I have no reason to believe that I won't like it in this amp as well.

So I expect to like the AC30, AC30TB, Boutque CL and Boutque OD voicings on the Cambridge50. I'm hopeful about the Deluxe CL and the Brit1959 as well, but honestly I'll probably mostly use the Vox and "Dumble" voicings, and probably never use the higher gain amp models. I can get along with two effects at a time just fine, and just 8 effects is plenty for me. I've already got the Vox VFS2, so being able to go from manual/panel mode to a created User preset and back again via the click of footswitch button will work for me as well. And throw in a "Line" voicing for acoustic/electric, power scaling for anything from bedroom volume levels to rehearsing to gigging, an on-board tuner, AUX In and headphone out, and I just can't see me not liking this thing.

 

As I've said, "I've already got the Vox VFS2," which is their 2-button footswitch, so no extra expense for me. If I find I really take to creating and using preset User programs, then I may consider ponying up for the Vox 5-button footswitch, the VFS5. But I expect that two buttons accessing two user programs will be plenty for me.

Oh, and speaking of expense, GC had a 20% off coupon. I didn't know about it, but the young man waiting on me knows me by name, and just voluntarily applied it to my order/purchase. So with tax, out the door it cost me $303.09.

 

You're right, the math doesn't work out. I never claimed to be no mathumatishun. I ordered it through the local GC, and like I said, I didn't even know about the coupon. The sales guy, Jason, just applied it and then mentioned it offhandedly. I thought he said 20% off, but I'm probably mistaken about the discount rate. Either way, it's like I got it for the going rate plus $3.09 in tax, or shipping, however you want to look at it. Either way, I'm happy.

 

When I checked my email this evening, I found a message from GC confirming my purchase, and the printed info solved the mystery of discount discrepancy we talk about here earlier. Apparently, Jason said $20 discount, but I misheard it as 20% discount. So, $299.99 - $20 = $279.99 + $23.10 tax = $303.09.

 

Well, I'm not in it to change anyone's mind. At this point, I just hope that this purchase works out. Since I couldn't find one to test drive first, I went the route of ordering from GC so I can return it, if need be. I pulled the trigger on this yesterday, so I guess you could say I took a leap.

I will be reviewing it, and if I can get my wife's help, I'll do video reviews. And if it impresses me, I will be starting a Cambridge50 Owners club thread over in the Amp Owners Clubs section.