Ugly Truth About Vox AC30 Custom Head

Yes, Just before NAMM this year, Vox announces the release of their AC 15 and 30 in a Custom Head.

From Vox:

The VOX AC Custom Series now available in classic head and cabinet set.

Based on the design of the classic AC30, the new VOX AC30CH and AC15CH are now available as a set of amp head and cabinet. Featuring a new reactive attenuator, these AC custom series units provide even more flexibility for live performance or playing at home.

Amp heads and speaker cabinet that inherit the classic VOX look and sound

Just like the other amps in Custom Series, the AC30CH and AC15CH heads utilize 12AX7 tubes in the preamp and EL84 tubes in the power amp.

The V212C speaker cabinet completes the package and features two 12-inch Celestion G12M Greenback speakers for that classic British tone.

The Normal and Top Boost channels each have a dedicated volume control, and the Top Boost channel also provides Treble and Bass tone controls. In the Master section, there’s the distinctive VOX Tone Cut and Master Volume that allow you to obtain a variety of sounds ranging from the extraordinarily sparkling VOX clean tone to a powerful, raw overdrive.

The familiar VOX Tremolo and Spring Reverb from the Custom Series are also found in the new AC30CH and AC15CH. These effects can be switched on/off using the optional VOX VFS2A foot switch.

What is a reactive attenuator?

This is a newly designed attenuator that uses VOX’s Reactor Technology to send speaker drive information to the attenuator, optimising the interaction of the speaker and amp at any volume. This allows the speaker and amp to behave in the same way at stage or bedroom levels, delivering a sense of power and tone that cannot be obtained from conventional attenuators.

So Vox is putting out a head and cab for their flagship amps... again.

They've Already Done This

That's right, Vox have offered heads for the AC30 and AC15 in the past. It hasn't been news, but here it is 2016 and they are back at it. So why now? I've always liked have a separate heat and cab. It allows me to plug into different speakers without any hard work, it separates the work load of carrying an amp, and I think it looks cool. But Vox has offered these very amps in head and cab combos before, maybe they didn't sell well and they stopped for a time. They are back now, but does that warrant any excitement?

They've Changed Things

They've given these amps an attenuator. Vox states that it uses their "reactor technology". If by this they mean the same tech they used in their "valve reactor" amps, then keep these thing away from me. The VR series of the popular AC amps were some of the worst takes on the hybrid amp concept I've ever heard from Vox.

Thing Have Stayed The Same

The Reactor Technology sounds scary, but the fact that they have given the AC15 head an effects loop is disappointing. If they had, I'd might look into changing out my current AC15 combo for a Head and Cab unit. It looks like they didn't take the time to give the little bother any upgrades, besides that attenuator... bummer

These amps might be great, but I guess we will have to wait and see when we can actually get out hands on some of them.