To my Ear they are VERY comparable . I think the HB sounded a bit Fatter on Clean Tones . About Equal at Lower Gain . Vox wins easily for High Gain . Price-point the HB is a BARGAIN .
The difference in the midrange is big, especially when any kind of drive pedal is engaged. Still, the HB Tube 15 is a steal, and I am sure a Celestion Greenback will restore its midrange usefully ❤ Great review btw, thank you !
I bought the monoprice 15 for 179$ new and replaced the tubes with tung sol, the reverb tank with a Mod 3 spring, and the speaker with a Weber Blue Dog - what a difference! The best sounding amp I’ve owned ! Love it!
@@TheToneLounge I was satisfied with the sound of the amp but saw posts on the Internet where people had replaced these components and said it was a huge improvement and it was
Both sounded good to me. The AC15 was perhaps a bit more clear and sounds more like a 'wooden amp' instead of mdf-plates. The fuzz was a bigger issue and didn't sound that good on the HB. But for the price, it's a very decent amp. btw, I just bought one last week and love it!! 🙂
I bought the monoprice 15 and replaced the tubes with tung sol, the reverb tank with a Mod 3 spring, and the speaker with a Weber Blue Dog - what a difference! Love playing this amp!
Does the mod reverb made that much difference? I used to try a mod tank in mt hot rod deluxe and to me it was not as good as the original acutronics, but that might be and upgrade into the stageright/HB?
@@carlc2597 - Basically replaced everything apart from the cab, electrics and knobs?? And probably spending £300 on the mods? So around £550 - £600 in total including the cost of the original amp?
Wouldn't you be better off, buying a higher quality amp at this point? Unless you got the amp for free, that sounds like a bigger investment than the amp price...
@@guitareMTL I t made a difference, but to be honest ,in hindsight probably not worth the time and money - the original is fine - I still have it I will put it back in and do a comparison!
Nice comparison. I thought the Tube 15 was competitive on many of the comparisons. Where the Tube15 really fell behind was the reverb and fuzz comparisons, to the point where I had to wonder if everything was set up and adjusted on the reverb test (due to noise/ undesirable distortion). I have the current Monoprice version of the Tube15 (currently stock), and for playing at home, it is fantastic. The Monoprice is an unbelievable bargain for $200 US, but I am sure the Vox AC15 has a better build quality. Still, for playing at home...
I agree Chris, overall the Tube15 is a great option. By doing these types of test you can assess why you pay the price that you do on gear. That's not to say that the Tube15 is bad, it just shows its strengths and weaknesses.
I was listening to this whilst messing on my phone and for most times I looked back at the TV it was when I was enjoying the HB! Looking forward to mine being delivered :) Worth noting that the fuzz sounded awesome on the AC15
This was an excellent video. Your A/B switching was the key to it's usefulness. Breaks between amp tones does influence perception. Thank you for your intelligent comparison...gonna have to subscribe and like!!!
Thanks Bradford. That was the aim, to minimize the differences for such a comparison. I wanted to be sure that the A/B happened during one playthrough without any weird pause. It gives amore direct stream of information. Welcome aboard, I hope the content will prove useful to you. Cheers
The big advantage of the Monoprice 15 is the 1w attenuator/setting... For home players, it's amazing. Comes with JJ tubes.. Speaker could be changed for sure, but for that price it's mind blowing
If I am not mistaken the AC15 head has an attenuator. I have no clue why Vox/Korg doesn't put one on the combo version. The Tube15/Monoprice is a heck of a good buy at this particular price point.
@@TheToneLounge It is one of the reasons i didn't purchase an Ac 10 or 15.. it's just way too loud for my usage, but they sound phenomenal... I always have a blast playing through them, and i'm jealous lol
just got my monoprice 15 a couple days ago ,early christmas present , just wanted to say that the one watt mode cuts the volume but not enuff to crank the amp in a bedroom/apartment setting for natural tube distortion it's still quite loud , i have several amps with the power cutting built in and there all the same still very loud even when cut by that much , more ov a sales gimmick , i prefer master volumes but you have to be careful because in the early days they made some amps sound bad ...
@@what1864 Absolutely, power tubes distortion is unattainable inside a house without blowing up the windows. But, preamp distortion (gain) with low volume is still great. Otherwise, pedals exist for this exact purpose.
I own the HB15 mine is the Monoprice Stage right 15 watt and it's a great amp. Granted, the AC-15 definitely sounded better here, and it is a superior amp hands down. However, the AC-15 is also $800 new, $500-$600 used and the HB Tube15 is under $300 with shipping and still does a great job. For $800 there are countless great choices for tube amps, but there really aren't any decent tube amps for $250 that can do what the HB15 does.
I bought a second hand Tube 15 and modded it with better tubes and a cannabis rex speaker. I'm really happy about the result and compared to the cost a Tube 15 is an amazing amp. I also have an ac15 and the clean sounds are just beautiful. The ac15 is way louder and also has a lot more clean head room. If you want the Vox tone then there is no way around the Vox. Bottom line the two amps are very different and actually compliment eachother in a good way. Compared to the price the Tube 15 punches way above its class.
They do work well together. I have a video coming out in a while, where I showcase the stock Tube15 versus what it sounds like with a Greenback. It should be fun seeing what people think.
@@TheToneLounge Had a Monoprice 15 for awhile (same as Tube15?) and put in a 65w Creamback....night & day. Would have kept if I didn't buy a deluxe reverb:).
@@TheToneLounge I would suggest HB they make very little profit on these...considering the spec, assembly costs then the retailers profit. It's under $300 !! there is a catch somewhere..
You compare a M25 Greenback with a Celestion 70/80 here… I have multiple amps and swaped the 70/80 in my T15 with a M65 Greenback and it Sounds really Great!
The Tube 15 has a nice clean sound like the Vox but distorted it is muddy and fizzy. So, I would go for the Vox. It is a classic amp with a great sound in every aspect.
I have both amps and at present I play the Tube15 much more than the AC15. In the room I get a better sound to my ears even if it is a more boxy sound. A video can never reproduce how a guitar or amp will actually sound and feel to you until you play it yourself. How many videos have I enjoyed only to find that the experience playing is not so good! £219 for the Tube15 and £549 for the AC15. After being so impressed with the Tube 15 I bought the Tube5 for £99 and it is amazing too! The Vox is still a great amp!
There is no way to substitute the experience of trying an amp or any given piece of gear, I agree 100%. I make these videos as a means to give, at least, an impression of what the differences may be. As for feel and how it sounds in a room, no way I can make that happen in a 2D format. Yet, I can try and perhaps the video can be useful to someone. ;)
I just bought the AC15 (used) and it’s an absolute beast. I will however soon be replacing the speaker in it as I know it can sound even better. I’m still undecided as to what I’m gonna throw in there but it may end up being an alnico speaker.
Great comparison. Ive seen some speaker swap videos for the HB/Stage Right that would get it a lot closer to the AC15. With that in mind, the price, attenuator and effects loop is enough to push me to the Tube 15.
I think that the reason why the pedals sound different is due to the difference in the amps circuits. You could always tweak them to be closer to the other, but that would require defining which one sounds best...and having both amps on hand at all times.
Thanks for the video. I´ve got the tube 15 and it´s an amazing Fenderesque amp, with not much headroom and low tolerance for pedals but I guess I didn´t find the sweet spot. It´s old school, knobs are sensitive
Hey, I realized something else about the monoprice amplifier. It has a NFB for presence, but no presence control! It has a tone cut circuit similar to a Vox AC30. Have you tried diming the tone knob so as to preserve all the high end, then eq the bass, mids & treble? It might make it less dark!
Wow ! I think i'm in love with the HB Tube 15 In '06, i bought a Fender Blues Jr, out of a box and out the door for $400. Got it home and had trouble dialing it in for bedroom/jam with my stereo volumes. Still used it some but my hours got cut at work so sold it about 8 years ago. I have other amps but The HB seems pretty amazing....lessseee,,,i have a BD in a couple of weeks ;)...
As soon as you started the fuzz, the HB was so cloudy and muffled compared with the Vox which is clear and Glassy, I'm looking for a small indoor Valve Amp myself, and was gonna give the HB a try? pedals aren't really my thing, fuzz especially, a OD, at most, but usually amp Gain only, or clean
The only pedal that I didn't like was the Fuzz with the Tube15. That amp hangs in there, but the AC15 seems to be more toppy and cuts better FYI I have an AC15C1.
I actually prefer the Tube 15, the Vox sounds a little shrill to my ear. Both great amps. Love the format, so often people talk between sound clips and you can't hear the difference, thanks for posting!
I like the sharp AC15 sound more, but not bad at all that HB tube amp. In cleans and reverb I don't hear that much difference but in the other parts I hear a difference. HB is close to the AC15 if you compare with the Marshall origin (other video). In that video the HB tube sounds much more different and sometimes better to my ears. Really nice video, to the point and interesting comparisons.
Thanks, I wanted to showcase what each amp does. I think they are both very cool amps, and both can be used in many settings and applications. I just think that the AC15 is worth the extra money.
For most of the sequences, I couldn't hear a difference in the Vox and the Harley. I think it was with the Rat clone that there seemed to be some distance between, but I wasn't watching the screen, so I don't know which was which.
@@TheToneLounge I probably won't, because I already have several amps: Blackface Princeton, Excelsior, Epiphone Valve Jr. and Hotone "tweed clone", as well as Roland street Cube and Spark, both with good emulations. But if I come up short, I would certainly consider an HB, to go with my 4 HB guitars. In other words, preaching to the choir here.
I have both amps. Tube15 is nice but AC15 is one of the best amps on the market, regardless of price. I have an alnico speaker and the Vox has a bigger cabinet, super clear, defined tone makes my choice very easy. I’d rather buy a used AC15 than a new Tube15. The chime of the AC15. You don’t want to turn it off. 🤩🤩 Easily the best amp I’ve ever had and I’ve had around 20 amps. Tube15. Great budget amp, but it’s mud compared to an AC15. Sorry.
The AC15 has been my first amp I don't get tired of playing it at all. I've owned far too many amps to list here, but I can guarantee that it's my favourite amp below $1000! Nothing imho touches it.
@@ijamsum Of course. But here in Sweden, used AC15:s in good condition costs 340 euro and a Tube15 costs 220 new. AC15 has great reverb, Greenback speaker, much bigger transformers, two channels and great tremolo 🤓
Is it just me or is the audio from the Tube15 tilted to the left, almost like a weird stereo image or some strange phase issue, whereas the AC15 is dead center mono? It’s the same on at least a few of the other comparison videos, but perfectly fine on the solo demo of the Tube15.
@@TheToneLounge I just had to check the audio from the video using a goniometer plugin. The audio from the Tube15 is definitely not in mono. I really like your videos and I’m telling you this just to make you aware of the issue, not to bash on you. I don’t know if something happened in editing or in the encoding, but having one amp in mono and one in stereo kinda throws you off when trying to compare the two. I tried to link to a screenshot of the goniometer, but it looks like that comment got deleted.
No worries Henrik! I appreciate the feedback. I don’t have a clue what happened to the audio in that video. I’ll have a look at my recording setup, perhaps it’s an audio bounce issue on my end or something odd with the video upload. Sometimes things fly under my radar. 🤪
@@TheToneLounge that seventy-80 speaker is garbage. Best deal going for a greenback style speaker is a mojotone bv25m Or a wgs green beret If you want a greenback made in USA for less than the Chinese greenback
The HB Tube 15 is pretty much the exact same thing as the Monoprice Stage Right 15w tube amp, which I have and love! But the Vox is brighter and has much better clarity. The Vox AC15 is going to be my next purchase.
It's also the same as a Laney Cub 15. Like same PCB. Different tubes and speaker though. The early ones even said Laney on them. Probably bought the design as the Laney is discontinued.
@@TheToneLounge Unfortunately changing the speaker doesn’t make it even close to AC15. Tube15 has mini transformers compared to AC15 and the cabinet is too small. Both things are hard to upgrade. With an external speaker cabinet with a Greenback it’s closer but you can still hear a bit of harshness and less “body” in the sound from Tube15. And at least here in Sweden a used AC15 is only 100 USD more than a Tube15. It’s the AC15 that is the bargain amp. Only negative is it’s heavy. Other than that it’s amazing. Take a look at That pedal show for instance. They were amazed about AC15. Changing speaker in a Tube15 means it’s the same price as a used AC15 in great condition.
No, that's for sure. Changing the speaker in the TUBE15 does improve the quality of the tone for sure, though. I think that the Tube15 is not well matched with the Seventy-80.
Nice review. I still don't get what niche they saw at Thomann's since there are so many great sounding small amps (mostly solid state), takin into account that the tube15 is mostly designed to be played by itself for it's a bit muddy as a pedal platform. So any problems with it a year after?
I've read that this is the same circuit as the Laney Cub, but can't say for sure. I had the amp for two years and had no issues. I sold it a few months ago, as I needed to buy more gear for my studio.
Until the fuzz experiment the two amps sounded very similar. Then, with fuzz they sounded almost too different to believe. Was the effect loop used on the HB? Maybe the pedal itself was overloaded by the effect output? Cheers! (my first amp ever was a VOX T60 bought at the Bargain Centre, Ealing, in 1970. God knows who its previous owners were. I am portuguese living in Portugal)
Hi Jim, No I did not use the FX Loop. When testing speakers and amps, I always use heavy distortion and fuzz. It really helps reveal the voicing of that amp/speaker combination. When doing so, you are adding extra harmonics and clipping which can reveal the differences between two pieces of gear. Whatever differences are audible, are due to the differences in circuits and the speaker choices. That's not to say the the HB is not as good of an amp as the AC15, it just demonstrates how differently it reacts. Love Portugal, can't wait to go visit there! Até Logo!
I have a monoprice 15w so I’m biased, but I really like the sound of the 15w’s natural break up without pedals. To me, it sounded much more authentic (whatever that means? Idk sounds right). I guess depends on what you want from an amp. The monoprice could be great for country or indie/punk, but anything with lots and lots of gain maybe go for the Vox?
Yeah, tone is really a matter of preference. I think both amps are cool, and the Tube15 can really hold it's own. As for what style of music it is best suited? Again, all a matter of preference.
There is only so much brightness that can be added. In fact, I tend to play this amp with the treble cranked. Even then, it still sounds a bit muffled with single humbuckers.
It sounds like the AC15 is a little less midrangey and the highs are crisp and are very clear. But on the other hand for a rebranded monoprice amp that’s extremely budget friendly It sounds good enough you can always fix the muddier sound with a boss eq and a speaker swap to match the AC15 and you would still have $$$ to spare. Excellent demo by the way I like these kinda vids.
Thanks Alexander! I agree, a few tweaks and the HB becomes a much better amp. I think the main issue with it is most likely the input impedance. It works well with single coils but sounds too dark with humbuckers. With the right EQ and speaker, that can be fixed for sure.
Wish you would have patched the vox speaker onto the T15 external output, it would have helped eliminate the scooping and nailed down the real differences... It sounds like an AC15 with cheaper speaker.
Cool comparison. In general the VOX sounds more brilliant and the tube 15 has more fat, more bottom in the tone. I like that much. At the overdrive mode, the VOX stays clear defined, the tube 15 gets rather muddy, it seems like carrying too much power. Compared with the price the tube 15 is the absolutely winner in general.
It's even better when you can compare them in person, that what you can go deep and test everything out yourself. The Tube15 is a good amp and can definitely hold its own. Have you tried either of these amps?
I feel like the tube 15 sounds more resonant clean, and the distortion sounds more open and natural. To me the AC15 sounds slightly plastic while distorted and I feel like the notes fade away quicker in the clean.
The AC15 has a lot more clarity. If you're playing in a band it will occupy it's space a lot beeter, the Tube 15 has a lot more mud. Speaker upgrades can help though! Nothing wrong with either samp.
I would replace the speaker in HB. After that, nobody can tell by listening to the recording what amp was used. HB is fully useable for recording good sounding tracks. Personally I don't like that VOX at all
Ive got a Monoprice Stage Right 15watt. Changed the chinese tubes to jj's. Was going to change the speaker as well but after an adequate amount of break in time it really blossomed. I have read that its a copy of a Laney Cub. Ive played on a AC15C1 at a store. Love it! Sounds incredible.
Yeah, it is reported to be pretty much the same circuit as the Laney Cub. I've never tried the Laney so I can't compare. The AC15 is indeed a great amp. Which one would you pick between the two?
@@TheToneLounge The AC hands down. The stage right was my first step into the tube amp pool. Had played all my life on SS. Ive played small clubs, backyards, parks. Most of the time i had a mic in front going into the house system. When i first played on a tube amp i fid with great skepticism. However, the warmth and reaction to my playing was so evident that any skepticism i had was washed away the longer i played. Then i decided i needed to try others. The Vox AC15C1 was instant love. I love it more than the 30. To me its better. However, i am very inteterested in the Marshall Studio 20 watt series. Specifically the Plexi model. But ive never played pn one and ive been told by people that own the real sized models that you need to crank Marshalls to get everything out of the amp. I dont know if this holds true for the smaller models. Have you had any experience with the Marshalls? The AC30?
@@nickjimenez4262 I owned an AC30C1, came out in the early 2000's, and although I liked it I didn't love it. As for Marshall amps, I've owned a few over the years but they always sound great when others play them. When I do, they sound thin and ice picky.
@@TheToneLounge You know im afraid of that. Im trying to set up a recording studio in my basement. The Vox 15 and Deluxe Blues Reissue are going to be my staples for recording. Perhaps my desire for the Plexi is misguided. When i read about the players that i would like to emulate there are not alot of Marshall players in the mix. Gilmour, Santana, Townsend, Vaughn. The cost might stop me from ever owning one. To much to spend on something i might like. So if i understand you right you like the 15 better than the 30 as well?
A youtuber suggest a great setting for Fender Champ amps which seem to apply here as well. Turn the tone controls all the way off, turn the volume up. So try the following for the Monoprice. Set TONE to 5 (or higher), Set BASS to 0, MID to 5 (or higher), TREBLE to 0. Set Gain to 10, Volume to 5 (or higher). By keeping the Bass and Treble at zero and playing with the Mids this creates a whole new amp (JCM 800 ish ??)
I did a video showcasing what it sounds like with a Greenback. The majority of the people preferred the Seventy-80 over the GB. I have not tried it with a V30 yet.
Shalom! With no pedals, my choice is Tube 15. In that comparison Vox sounds too bright for me. So, if you are Walter Trout or Stevie Ray Vaughan, my recommendation is Harley Benton. With pedals, AC15 beats that toy with no doubt. But. Maybe it's the matter of amp and pedals settings, increase treble or something else.
It's really down to the factors you enumerated. The guitar, player and pedals will all influence how the amp reacts. I'm a Vox guy, so my vote goes to the AC15. That being said, the Tube15 is no slouch either.
I have the Monoprice and the reverbstopped working after about a year. Replaced the tank still doesn’t work. It sounds muddy with a Les Paul as well. Just bought the blue AC15C1 from Sweetwater, on sale for $599. It’s just a much better amp imo. The Monoprice new is half the price but also half the amp.
@@streetpi1010 I like mine so far, it is a larger louder heavier amp so think about those things before you pull the trigger. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how good it sounds a low volume. There are also plenty of videos online about how to dial up the best sound. Honestly it was hard to pass on the Sweetwater deal.
I think that both these amps are capable of similar things, but I do have a bias towards loving the AC15 more. It's a heck of an amp at this price, you really can't go wrong with it.
I've got a short attention span, and sometimes I couldn't really tell the difference. One thing I did notice though, was that despite the amount of flash guitar players out there, the simplest things still kick ass when played well. Subscribed. Tell a lie, I think I prefer the tube 15. 🤔
I'm not good enough of a guitar player to bedazzle people with shredtastic leads. So, I prefer keeping it simple. It makes comparisons easier on the ears. Glad to have you as part of the TTL community. Cheers
Good job on the comparison. I agree with borojammin below on where the Tube fell short for the same reasons. I've had a couple of Vox amps (30, 15 & 10) and they are also particular with what pedal is used. Some far better than others. I've used pedals with a Vox that sounded terrible. The same 'could' hold true for the Tube 15. Cleans were both nice. On the gain (not fuzz) the Vox sounds bigger but also less definition. The Tube 15 sounded more focus with less noise. If money is the consideration in Vox I'd go with the 10W. As said you have to decide what the amp is for. The tube at $300 compared to $700 is a steal for home use and practice. If you are playing at a small gig? Maybe not.
For what it sells for, the Tube15 is a great value. I mean, there aren't very many all tube amplifiers in this price range. The AC15 is, at least to me, a more serious amp. It holds it's value on resell and can be seen on many stages across the world. They are reliable and have proven that over many years. The Tube15? That remains to be seen. For home use only, I would go for the Tube15 or the AC10, as you mentioned.
Merci beaucoup pour cet excellent comparatif. Pour moi : Le "C15" sonne bien plus clair et plus aigu que le "tube 15". La sonorité du "C15" est très "Britannique" et rappelle le son des Beatles... Très agréable, mais cher... J'ai commandé le "tube 15" non seulement pour son prix, sa sonorité (en rapport de son prix), et la boucle d'effets qui me permet de connecter mon looper et d'enregistrer sur des "backing tracks". Mais également le réglage 1 watt pour travailler à la maison sans perte de qualité audio. Encore merci et bravo ! Pierre.
Pour le prix, le tube15 est un excellent choix. C'est une question de gout, évidemment, mais le haut-parleur d'origine n'est pas le meilleur pour cet ampli. Le Celestion V30 ou Greenback sont d'excellent choix si vous n'aimez pas le Seventy-80.
@@TheToneLounge Merci beaucoup pour votre conseil. J'attends de le recevoir et l'essayer déjà dans sa configuration d'origine. Ensuite je prendrai une décision concernant le HP. Merci encore pour ce test. Cordialement. Pierre.
@@TheToneLounge Hello. I'm going to buy the Tube 15. But i have to wait 9-12 weeks to the amp is in stock at Thomann again. I live in Sweden and we have very fast shipping from Germany to Sweden. Im only a bedroom guitarist and are an old beginner (52) years young. My first electric was the CST-24 from Thomann. Now I have 4 guitars and one bass guitar. I think the Tube 15 will fit my needs. Have a nice evening.
Clean tones were very comparable. The overdriven tones, not so much with the Vox having more definition, but it's not a fair comparison unless you use the same speaker in both amps. Try putting the Celestion GB in the Tube15 and let's hear it again please.
They are little different animals. Vox reigns in mid high registry and Tube 15 aka Laney Cub is darker. Due to that, Vox sounds great with pedals that have low frequency distortion content like dirty rat or fuzz. Tube 15 needs pedals with tight bass and highlighted higher mid registry. I like Tube 15 clean sounds as it is not shrill as Vox, but still Vox can be perfectly dialed in. I would use Vox for Pop, Rock sounds and Tube 15 for darky jazz and modern rock + metal (with competent distortion pedal like revv, be-od or dark flame). Other thing that on different footage we hear that exchange speaker in Tube 15 to Greenback makes this amp recover mids. Nice review
Wow! Jonathan, does that Vox ever sound killer with the Empress fuzz! I have to buy one. With the HB15 it totally lacks high-end clarity and just sounds like a puddle of muck! The 3 pedals you played after the fuzz, all sounded great through both amps, but the HB15 lacks clarity and some high frequency punch. Can you please play them both through the same 1x12 cab, loaded with a greenback or a v30? Perhaps that would level the playing field?
The AC15 is obviously brighter and it is best if you try to use the tone controls to make them sound as close as possible. I didn't think that the Tube 15 sounded as good distorted but bass cut and a bit brighter might have fixed that issue.
@@royalmarine1011 I bought an Avatar 2x12 loaded with Celestion alnico bluebacks and compared the blue to the green, needless to say the blue is in the ac15 and I bought a G12H30 70th anniversary which is a much better pair with the other blue in the 2x12 than the green was. I play an Egnater Tweaker 15 head running on el84s through the 2x12 clean and crank up the ac15 for some overdrive, it's wonderful!
@@royalmarine1011 no problem! The Egnater typically runs on a pair of 6V6s. I got yellow jacket uni adapters that change 8 pin to 9 pin sockets, and run J/J EL84s in it.
Great vid. Way to hit the strings like you mean it. The tube 15 held its own. But the ac just seemed to like pedals a tad more, especially the fuzz. Maybe the Harley could be tweaked to sound as good, but based on this, ac took it by a nose. Does that justify the price diff? Prolly not. Next question is build quality. Which is more reliable? Prolly the vox.
The price difference can only by justified by the buyer. Personally, owning both amps, I would say that the HB is worth it's price for sure. It's a good amp. A speaker swap and better tubes can make a difference. Maybe be not a significant one, but it makes a difference for sure. In terms of reliability, hard to say. I find the AC15 hard on tubes compared to my other amps. I can't really speak to that of the HB. I think the biggest difference is whether you are seeking the Vox sound or that which the HB is capable of.
I have the monoprice 15w (same amp as HB) you can here the smaller boxiness of the cab vs AC15 and 70/ 80 speaker. I put a 8 ohm 75 H in it with huge difference plus a V1 Tad 5157 V2 Tungsol 12AX7 and V3 Sovtek 12AX7 LPS with TAD EL84 STR power tubes amazing transformation.I sometimes use it as a head thru a 2x12 Em Swampthangs or my 4x12 V30s wow ! And I got it for $180 when AC15 and Blues Jr's were 500+ the Celestian V-Type is a great less expensive swap.
@@TheToneLounge I only had the Ac15 for two days but it sounded lifeless and one-dimensional. I brought it up to higher volumes and played it with numerous guitars. Even the Reverb and the tremolo sounded synthetic. It was really hard to get any of my guitar cords in the high input jack so that was the main reason that I returned it. That bad jack was a blessing in disguise. The Bugera V-22 I bought in 2012 sounded much better. Maybe the Vox would have sounded better after 2 or 3 months of the amp settling in and the Greenback getting broken in.
@@TheToneLounge I wound up getting a Dsl40cr and it is the most Lively and responsive amp that I've ever owned in my 50 years of playing different amps. Though I would have to say that my 64 Bassman 50 head is a real close second to the Marshall.
I have the monoprice version, and a ac10. The AC sounds amazing in comparison with just les paul, cable, and amp, but... The mono/Benton with a ts9 in front is just fine (to me anyways)! The AC needs nothing in front to sound great, i can't get enough of that little ripper! I will keep both amps though... That mono is worth the cheddar 7 fold if you want to get out of the solid state realm for not many bills though!
Very good point. To my ear, the HB (despite the EL84s) sounds more Fender-ish. This probably explains why the TS9 sounds cool with it. Yes, the HB needs a bit of love, but it can be sweetened a bit with a proper speaker and the right pedals.
Yeah, the little black shrink tubes that help keep the tube bracket in place were missing. Since I didn't have any on hand, I pulled a MacGuyver and put electrical tape.
THERE YA' GO! Beautiful Reverb off the 15. I know that was the last topic, not this one. I get how you'd like to have more control that pedals offer, but "control" is probably one of the biggest problems w/ modern music. The whole appeal w/ the Vox is that classic tone that modern amps don't have. As someone who put a lot of thought into their pedal board my Vox is the one amp where I find myself wondering what pedals do I really need? Just a conversational point, as you guys have a very personal ethos to your channel w/ your viewers. ON TOPIC - What's the deal w/ Harley Benton? I'm stil waiting for some sort of catch to their line. Like, "It's made from people" or something. They just seem too good to be true. We all know how that ends up. (not to sound jaded)
My take on the HB brand is that they are just basically re-branded products from well established manufacturers. Their pedals are basically Joyo pedals, their amps are basically the Monoprice amps and I don't know for sure about their guitars, but it's probably some offshore company that already builds a ton of guitars for just about every company out there.
Thanks for the comparison. I think in some settings or with some pedals they are on par, in other settings or with other pedals the AC15 sounds better. The AC15 has more treble, on my Tube15 I always have treble and tone at nearly maximum. What I like at the Tube15 is the effects loop and the low wattage setting. And the price. You can buy 3 Tube15s for the price of one Vox AC15 C1. Is the Vox AC15 worth the price? I think so. It is a good amp with a top speaker. Nevertheless, I prefer to buy a second Tube15 and play in stereo ;-)
It would have been great to see what settings you had on each amp. They sound very different, especially if you had everything at noon, for example, but they are also super tweakable. This is especially apparent when you used fuzz. Maybe an idea for the next time :-)
@@TheToneLounge yeah, as I said, I thought as much. That doesn't really make much sense, I think, because the tone knobs in the Vox go from 0 to 10 and the ones in the Harley Benton go from -5 to +5. So actually you did a comparison with the tone at 5 in the Vox and at 0 with the HB
@@juanjan__ no, the Vox having the EQ at 12 is the same as the Harley Benton. It's neither boost or cut. The EQ on the Vox is very different tovthat on the HB. It's not just boosting bass and treble, it's shifting the mids as well. Putting the Vox EQ at zero would leave you with a band-pass frequency with heavy mids. With amps, one way or the other, there really is no such thing as "flat EQ". The tone stack affects the tone one way or the other.
I think it's more different flavors than any significant difference in tone *quality*. I suspect the main difference is simply due to the fact that the Vox has a better speaker, but to my ears there isn't a 'more than double the price' level of difference in the tone. As far as pedals, to me the fuzz sounded marginally better on the HB, but high gain had a little more bite on the Vox. But ultimately, for the price of the Vox you can basically buy the HB and put together a solid budget pedalboard with HB mini-pedals, so for home use it seems like kind of a no-brainer, financially.
I've owned both. The Harley Benton, IMHO, is the better sounding amp. The Vox is better made, but I honestly wish I had sold the Vox and kept the Harley Benton instead of vice verca. The issue that I had was that I have a number of amps that do the Marshall thing well. And the Harley Benton lacked the clean headroom to gig with. The HB runs at pretty low internal voltages throughout the amp, so it tends to overdrive rather early. But at practice volumes, or for drummerless jam sessions, its a great little amp.
@@TheToneLounge Absolutely. Though I never recorded with mine. It just didn't hold up against something like my Marshall SL-5 for that kind of low volume recording. But I have the odd luxury of owning a fairly sizeable tube amp collection. One could also remedy this with something like a Hammond 270DAX mains transforner, which would bring the plate voltage up from about 300V to a more bucksome 360Vdc. Two resistors would need replacement to alter the biasing network for more negative voltage. It would also raise the preamp voltages considerably, and get the amp out of early clipping in the first 3 stages, and hair-trigger cold-clipper saturation. The existing OPT should be able to handle the increased output from 15 to 18W. And the preamp will saturate quite a bit later. Which would suit this amp, as the distortion texture gets mushy through the last quarter turn of the gain knob.
I use a big muff fuzz,pie i believe, sorry I am not home,though it has fuzz it actually just adds more o.d. plus fuzz. Gosh darn, its so hard where i live, you have to purchase something to take it home and hear it, before you decide if you even like it, and hopefully am able to return it. No they want you to play in their wooden walls of electric or acoustic,where everything vibrates and plays way better from background noises.
I have the stage right I paid $199 for it and for the money stage-right is a lot better you get that old sound out of the stage right and the 1 to 15 watt is fantastic and it takes pedals very well
I use a Harley Benton (Joyo) AC Tone in front of the Harley Benton Tube 15 and the sound is fantastic... It feels like I'm playing with my Vox AC 30... (I replaced the speaker celestion for a Wgs ET 65)
@@TheToneLounge That is exactly how I use my Tube 15 - with an AC Tone in the loop. The voice knob will take you from AC15 all the way to AC30 tones, it's great. I've tried it in front of the amp, which is good but I think it's way better in the loop. I keep the gain on the amp at 1, and using an attenuator keep the master volume between 12:-00 and 3:00. I also am running a Weber Blue Dog 12" 30 watt in an extension cab rather than the stock 70-80. Bliss! Also wanted to mention that in this comparison video, I thought most of the tone difference was from the speakers and not the amps. The Greenback adds such a distinctive tone, it's unmistakable.
AC for the win more headroom, better speaker, takes pedals much much better, classic brit vibe where as the tube 15 is much darker and breaks up way too quick but it could be a awesome mod project for a fraction of the price it has potential. Many folks bought it just for that a cheap mod project.
Der Vox hat mehr obere Mitten und Höhen und etwas mehr Verzerrungen in der gewählten Einstellung....Da ist aber die Frage wo standen jeweils die Höhenregler und wird durch 4 bis 5 dB mehr Höhen ab ca. 3 kHz der Benton genaudo klingen wie der Vox....wahrscheinlich ja ! Der Unterschied ist der Frequenzgang und der Verzerrungsgrad...mehr nicht....
The Stage Right by Monoprice could work for a low volume 4 piece. Wish it had a extension speaker out that didn't cancel the onboard speaker. I pump it up an extra 3db with a Behringer 7 band eq pedal in the loop.
The AC15 does everything better. They're close enough on reverb and clean tones but anything with drive or distortion seems to make the tube15 lose any articulation. The AC15 sounds just as dirty but it keeps it's clarity where the tube15 just sounds really gnarly and low fi. That's ok for some stuff, but I think the AC15 just plain sounds better. No big surprise since the Vox costs more than 3x as much and has an English made greenback compared to the HB's Chinese made 7080. I got the monoprice version of the HB years ago, and it was an awesome value and a huge step up from the little solid state amp I'd been using for practice. I'd like to hear this comparison with both amps going through a cabinet. The HB is just a clone of the Laney Cub 15, so I bet they'd come out a lot closer.
I'm definitely sold on the AC15. It's by far one of the best tube amps in this price range. The Tube15 is also very cool and does not have many competitors at it's price point, which makes it the obvious choice.
Both amps sound exactly alike, glad I bought the monoprice it's a sweet amp for the price, now I have extra money to upgrade the speaker and add a 3 spring reverb tank, going with a cannibus Rex and a Mod reverb tank, so for basically $375 dollars with the upgrades,you are not going to find a better amp,these amps have been compared to a fender blues Jr too, same tube layout,but more features than the junior, like the effects loop and foot switchable reverb,thanks for the review.
I'm glad that this validated your purchase decision. Modding the Tube 15, in this case, is a "no-brainer". Thanks for sharing, your mods might inspire others. Cheers
⚡ 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼𝘀:
🔴 VFP series: ua-cam.com/play/PLeAo3au6SN1kfdYcyp8bvHttqkPinQ2Wt.html
🔴 AC15 series: ua-cam.com/play/PLeAo3au6SN1mEE4I1YYC2GtP7Y9sZ4VKT.html
To my Ear they are VERY comparable . I think the HB sounded a bit Fatter on Clean Tones .
About Equal at Lower Gain . Vox wins easily for High Gain . Price-point the HB is a BARGAIN .
The difference in the midrange is big, especially when any kind of drive pedal is engaged. Still, the HB Tube 15 is a steal, and I am sure a Celestion Greenback will restore its midrange usefully ❤
Great review btw, thank you !
I bought the monoprice 15 for 179$ new and replaced the tubes with tung sol, the reverb tank with a Mod 3 spring, and the speaker with a Weber Blue Dog - what a difference! The best sounding amp I’ve owned ! Love it!
Very cool. What made you choose these mods?
@@TheToneLounge I was satisfied with the sound of the amp but saw posts on the Internet where people had replaced these components and said it was a huge improvement and it was
@@TheToneLounge I'd rather pay more money for a better amp.
Should of paid a bit more in the first place for a decent amp ? 🤔
Both sounded good to me. The AC15 was perhaps a bit more clear and sounds more like a 'wooden amp' instead of mdf-plates. The fuzz was a bigger issue and didn't sound that good on the HB. But for the price, it's a very decent amp. btw, I just bought one last week and love it!! 🙂
Congrats on the new amp!
killer review, awesome playing!
to the point!
I bought the monoprice 15 and replaced the tubes with tung sol, the reverb tank with a Mod 3 spring, and the speaker with a Weber Blue Dog - what a difference! Love playing this amp!
Does the mod reverb made that much difference? I used to try a mod tank in mt hot rod deluxe and to me it was not as good as the original acutronics, but that might be and upgrade into the stageright/HB?
@@guitareMTL I thought it made a huge difference much deeper reverb
@@carlc2597 - Basically replaced everything apart from the cab, electrics and knobs?? And probably spending £300 on the mods? So around £550 - £600 in total including the cost of the original amp?
Wouldn't you be better off, buying a higher quality amp at this point? Unless you got the amp for free, that sounds like a bigger investment than the amp price...
@@guitareMTL I t made a difference, but to be honest ,in hindsight probably not worth the time and money - the original is fine - I still have it I will put it back in and do a comparison!
Nice comparison. I thought the Tube 15 was competitive on many of the comparisons. Where the Tube15 really fell behind was the reverb and fuzz comparisons, to the point where I had to wonder if everything was set up and adjusted on the reverb test (due to noise/ undesirable distortion). I have the current Monoprice version of the Tube15 (currently stock), and for playing at home, it is fantastic. The Monoprice is an unbelievable bargain for $200 US, but I am sure the Vox AC15 has a better build quality. Still, for playing at home...
I agree Chris, overall the Tube15 is a great option. By doing these types of test you can assess why you pay the price that you do on gear. That's not to say that the Tube15 is bad, it just shows its strengths and weaknesses.
I was listening to this whilst messing on my phone and for most times I looked back at the TV it was when I was enjoying the HB! Looking forward to mine being delivered :) Worth noting that the fuzz sounded awesome on the AC15
This was an excellent video. Your A/B switching was the key to it's usefulness. Breaks between amp tones does influence perception. Thank you for your intelligent comparison...gonna have to subscribe and like!!!
Thanks Bradford. That was the aim, to minimize the differences for such a comparison. I wanted to be sure that the A/B happened during one playthrough without any weird pause. It gives amore direct stream of information. Welcome aboard, I hope the content will prove useful to you. Cheers
i have a tube 15 and it became my favorite amp, all of olds sounds of the 70'S rock is in with many overdrives.
not so good with fx pedals
The big advantage of the Monoprice 15 is the 1w attenuator/setting... For home players, it's amazing. Comes with JJ tubes.. Speaker could be changed for sure, but for that price it's mind blowing
If I am not mistaken the AC15 head has an attenuator. I have no clue why Vox/Korg doesn't put one on the combo version. The Tube15/Monoprice is a heck of a good buy at this particular price point.
@@TheToneLounge It is one of the reasons i didn't purchase an Ac 10 or 15.. it's just way too loud for my usage, but they sound phenomenal... I always have a blast playing through them, and i'm jealous lol
just got my monoprice 15 a couple days ago ,early christmas present , just wanted to say that the one watt mode cuts the volume but not enuff to crank the amp in a bedroom/apartment setting for natural tube distortion it's still quite loud , i have several amps with the power cutting built in and there all the same still very loud even when cut by that much , more ov a sales gimmick , i prefer master volumes but you have to be careful because in the early days they made some amps sound bad ...
Yeah, it's still much too loud, even at 1 watt.
@@what1864 Absolutely, power tubes distortion is unattainable inside a house without blowing up the windows. But, preamp distortion (gain) with low volume is still great. Otherwise, pedals exist for this exact purpose.
I own the HB15 mine is the Monoprice Stage right 15 watt and it's a great amp. Granted, the AC-15 definitely sounded better here, and it is a superior amp hands down. However, the AC-15 is also $800 new, $500-$600 used and the HB Tube15 is under $300 with shipping and still does a great job. For $800 there are countless great choices for tube amps, but there really aren't any decent tube amps for $250 that can do what the HB15 does.
Perfect..You hit the nail right on the head..I sure wish he was playing a Fender rather than a Squier.
My Squire is modded with some boutique pickups and Obsidianwire harness.
@@TheToneLounge that Squier sounds (and looks) awesome
@@woodscopywriting thanks. The mods were well worth it.
Great demo and like both AMPs... but the BEST was the Squier Strat ! Really impressed me !
Yeah, I modded that Strat with better pickups and it's a massive improvement.
I bought a second hand Tube 15 and modded it with better tubes and a cannabis rex speaker. I'm really happy about the result and compared to the cost a Tube 15 is an amazing amp. I also have an ac15 and the clean sounds are just beautiful. The ac15 is way louder and also has a lot more clean head room. If you want the Vox tone then there is no way around the Vox. Bottom line the two amps are very different and actually compliment eachother in a good way. Compared to the price the Tube 15 punches way above its class.
They do work well together. I have a video coming out in a while, where I showcase the stock Tube15 versus what it sounds like with a Greenback. It should be fun seeing what people think.
@@TheToneLounge Had a Monoprice 15 for awhile (same as Tube15?) and put in a 65w Creamback....night & day. Would have kept if I didn't buy a deluxe reverb:).
@@TheToneLounge Would love to see that vid, cant wait.
@@nickjimenez4262 Coming in a few weeks.
@@TheToneLounge I would suggest HB they make very little profit on these...considering the spec, assembly costs then the retailers profit. It's under $300 !! there is a catch somewhere..
Vox sounds miles better. The difference is enormous. Wanted to get HB but now not so sure anymore :D
You compare a M25 Greenback with a Celestion 70/80 here… I have multiple amps and swaped the 70/80 in my T15 with a M65 Greenback and it Sounds really Great!
Vox is 3 times the price, though...
The Tube 15 has a nice clean sound like the Vox but distorted it is muddy and fizzy. So, I would go for the Vox. It is a classic amp with a great sound in every aspect.
The AC15 is definitely a worthy purchase. Have you ever tried one?
I couldn't hear much difference. Like the looks of the Vox better but not $500 better. I have a tube 15 arriving today! Thanks for the video!
I'm curious what if you switch the speaker in the HB, whether we can expect change in the sound, in a positive way. 🤔
ua-cam.com/video/0SwO67vbMuU/v-deo.html
I have both amps and at present I play the Tube15 much more than the AC15. In the room I get a better sound to my ears even if it is a more boxy sound. A video can never reproduce how a guitar or amp will actually sound and feel to you until you play it yourself. How many videos have I enjoyed only to find that the experience playing is not so good! £219 for the Tube15 and £549 for the AC15. After being so impressed with the Tube 15 I bought the Tube5 for £99 and it is amazing too! The Vox is still a great amp!
There is no way to substitute the experience of trying an amp or any given piece of gear, I agree 100%. I make these videos as a means to give, at least, an impression of what the differences may be. As for feel and how it sounds in a room, no way I can make that happen in a 2D format. Yet, I can try and perhaps the video can be useful to someone. ;)
I just bought the AC15 (used) and it’s an absolute beast. I will however soon be replacing the speaker in it as I know it can sound even better. I’m still undecided as to what I’m gonna throw in there but it may end up being an alnico speaker.
Here you go: ua-cam.com/video/ldespBN0MLs/v-deo.html
Great comparison. Ive seen some speaker swap videos for the HB/Stage Right that would get it a lot closer to the AC15. With that in mind, the price, attenuator and effects loop is enough to push me to the Tube 15.
The Tube15 has features that a lot of people want on the AC15. Too bad that Vox stick to their guns on this matter.
The cleans match basically perfectly but the pedals are so different. If the pedal’s output setting were adjusted would they match a little closer?
I think that the reason why the pedals sound different is due to the difference in the amps circuits. You could always tweak them to be closer to the other, but that would require defining which one sounds best...and having both amps on hand at all times.
Thanks for the video. I´ve got the tube 15 and it´s an amazing Fenderesque amp, with not much headroom and low tolerance for pedals but I guess I didn´t find the sweet spot. It´s old school, knobs are sensitive
The AC15 has a cutting edge but after I swapped out the speaker on my Stage Right to a very efficient Wizard - the SR 15 cuts through better.
What made you choose that specific speaker for your amp?
@@TheToneLounge For one, I happened to have it kicking around, and secondly, I figured it would increase loudness....which it DOES.
@@yomommaahotoo264 is it that loud?
I have always been interested in the Wizard, never had the chance to try one.
@@georgefromgreece4119 Yes loud....and a might shrill - bit you can tame that with your equalizer.
@@yomommaahotoo264 thank you so much for your response!
Rock on!
Hey, I realized something else about the monoprice amplifier. It has a NFB for presence, but no presence control! It has a tone cut circuit similar to a Vox AC30. Have you tried diming the tone knob so as to preserve all the high end, then eq the bass, mids & treble? It might make it less dark!
I sold that HB a while back, so I can't test that out for you. Sorry!
Thanks for the content. Nice to get some middle of the road reviews and not just high end hardware (that you will never utilize if not gigging).
My pleasure Dan. There are plenty more content like this on this channel. ;)
Wow ! I think i'm in love with the HB Tube 15
In '06, i bought a Fender Blues Jr, out of a box and out the door for $400. Got it home and had trouble dialing it in for bedroom/jam with my stereo volumes. Still used it some but my hours got cut at work so sold it about 8 years ago. I have other amps but The HB seems pretty amazing....lessseee,,,i have a BD in a couple of weeks ;)...
Yeah, for this kind of money, you can't go wrong with the HB. Were I stuck in a situation where this was my budget, I'd be happy to rock this thing.
As soon as you started the fuzz, the HB was so cloudy and muffled compared with the Vox
which is clear and Glassy, I'm looking for a small indoor Valve Amp myself, and was gonna give the HB
a try? pedals aren't really my thing, fuzz especially, a OD, at most, but usually amp Gain only, or clean
If you don't use any pedals, then the HB will fit your needs perfectly. It is much better on it's own anyway.
The only pedal that I didn't like was the Fuzz with the Tube15. That amp hangs in there, but the AC15 seems to be more toppy and cuts better FYI I have an AC15C1.
I actually prefer the Tube 15, the Vox sounds a little shrill to my ear. Both great amps. Love the format, so often people talk between sound clips and you can't hear the difference, thanks for posting!
Glad you enjoyed the video. A lot of people seem to enjoy the Tube15. Nothing wrong with preferring that option.
I like the sharp AC15 sound more, but not bad at all that HB tube amp. In cleans and reverb I don't hear that much difference but in the other parts I hear a difference. HB is close to the AC15 if you compare with the Marshall origin (other video). In that video the HB tube sounds much more different and sometimes better to my ears. Really nice video, to the point and interesting comparisons.
Thanks, I wanted to showcase what each amp does. I think they are both very cool amps, and both can be used in many settings and applications. I just think that the AC15 is worth the extra money.
For most of the sequences, I couldn't hear a difference in the Vox and the Harley. I think it was with the Rat clone that there seemed to be some distance between, but I wasn't watching the screen, so I don't know which was which.
Well, why pay more if a difference wasn't discernable? The HB is a cool amp! Let me know if you get one.
@@TheToneLounge I probably won't, because I already have several amps: Blackface Princeton, Excelsior, Epiphone Valve Jr. and Hotone "tweed clone", as well as Roland street Cube and Spark, both with good emulations. But if I come up short, I would certainly consider an HB, to go with my 4 HB guitars. In other words, preaching to the choir here.
Right on! I didn't need this amp either, but curiosity got the better of me lol
Great video!! And now the same thing with humbuckers, pleeeease!! 😊
I have both amps. Tube15 is nice but AC15 is one of the best amps on the market, regardless of price. I have an alnico speaker and the Vox has a bigger cabinet, super clear, defined tone makes my choice very easy. I’d rather buy a used AC15 than a new Tube15. The chime of the AC15. You don’t want to turn it off. 🤩🤩 Easily the best amp I’ve ever had and I’ve had around 20 amps.
Tube15. Great budget amp, but it’s mud compared to an AC15. Sorry.
The AC15 has been my first amp I don't get tired of playing it at all. I've owned far too many amps to list here, but I can guarantee that it's my favourite amp below $1000! Nothing imho touches it.
@@TheToneLounge You’re absolutely right. ✌️🤩
@@MrBossei If only we all had the money for the Vox AC15 that would be awesome !
@@ijamsum Of course. But here in Sweden, used AC15:s in good condition costs 340 euro and a Tube15 costs 220 new. AC15 has great reverb, Greenback speaker, much bigger transformers, two channels and great tremolo 🤓
Is it just me or is the audio from the Tube15 tilted to the left, almost like a weird stereo image or some strange phase issue, whereas the AC15 is dead center mono? It’s the same on at least a few of the other comparison videos, but perfectly fine on the solo demo of the Tube15.
Some have said they heard a tambourine, now the stereo image is off. I’m not sure what people are listening but it’s all in mono.
@@TheToneLounge I just had to check the audio from the video using a goniometer plugin. The audio from the Tube15 is definitely not in mono.
I really like your videos and I’m telling you this just to make you aware of the issue, not to bash on you.
I don’t know if something happened in editing or in the encoding, but having one amp in mono and one in stereo kinda throws you off when trying to compare the two.
I tried to link to a screenshot of the goniometer, but it looks like that comment got deleted.
No worries Henrik! I appreciate the feedback. I don’t have a clue what happened to the audio in that video. I’ll have a look at my recording setup, perhaps it’s an audio bounce issue on my end or something odd with the video upload. Sometimes things fly under my radar. 🤪
I didn’t check the price of the HB but it seemed like a decent amp. Definitely less open than the AC15. It was like a blanket was sitting on it.
The Seventy-80 speaker sounds like poo in this amp. It sounds much better with Greenback. That video is coming in a few weeks.
@@TheToneLounge that seventy-80 speaker is garbage.
Best deal going for a greenback style speaker is a mojotone bv25m
Or a wgs green beret
If you want a greenback made in USA for less than the Chinese greenback
Nothing a good EQ pedal, Speaker swap and a BBE Sonic Stomp pedal won’t fix. Even with all that the HB Tube15 will still be cheaper than the AC15.
@@TheToneLounge I've heard this with the Green and the Alnico Blue, both make this a pretty much no compromise amp.
Wow, the AC-15 smoked the Tube15 when fuzz and overdrive were applied. Really enjoyed the comparison.
The AC15 is a little beast
The HB Tube 15 is pretty much the exact same thing as the Monoprice Stage Right 15w tube amp, which I have and love! But the Vox is brighter and has much better clarity. The Vox AC15 is going to be my next purchase.
It's also the same as a Laney Cub 15. Like same PCB. Different tubes and speaker though. The early ones even said Laney on them. Probably bought the design as the Laney is discontinued.
I am chocked how bad the tube15 was. Compressed and muddy. You may find ac15 too bright, but at least it had headroom and clarity.
The HB needs some TLC. The stock speaker sounds bad in this amp, so a speaker swap would be a major improvement.
@@TheToneLounge Unfortunately changing the speaker doesn’t make it even close to AC15. Tube15 has mini transformers compared to AC15 and the cabinet is too small. Both things are hard to upgrade. With an external speaker cabinet with a Greenback it’s closer but you can still hear a bit of harshness and less “body” in the sound from Tube15. And at least here in Sweden a used AC15 is only 100 USD more than a Tube15. It’s the AC15 that is the bargain amp. Only negative is it’s heavy. Other than that it’s amazing. Take a look at That pedal show for instance. They were amazed about AC15. Changing speaker in a Tube15 means it’s the same price as a used AC15 in great condition.
No, that's for sure. Changing the speaker in the TUBE15 does improve the quality of the tone for sure, though. I think that the Tube15 is not well matched with the Seventy-80.
I listened Rob Chapman test with stock speaker and wouldn't agree that it sounds bad. It sounds great.
It's a matter of taste. I find that speaker to be the wrong fit with this amp, but if you find it a great fit then the video served It's purpose. 😉
Nice review. I still don't get what niche they saw at Thomann's since there are so many great sounding small amps (mostly solid state), takin into account that the tube15 is mostly designed to be played by itself for it's a bit muddy as a pedal platform. So any problems with it a year after?
I've read that this is the same circuit as the Laney Cub, but can't say for sure. I had the amp for two years and had no issues. I sold it a few months ago, as I needed to buy more gear for my studio.
Until the fuzz experiment the two amps sounded very similar. Then, with fuzz they sounded almost too different to believe. Was the effect loop used on the HB? Maybe the pedal itself was overloaded by the effect output? Cheers!
(my first amp ever was a VOX T60 bought at the Bargain Centre, Ealing, in 1970. God knows who its previous owners were. I am portuguese living in Portugal)
Hi Jim,
No I did not use the FX Loop. When testing speakers and amps, I always use heavy distortion and fuzz. It really helps reveal the voicing of that amp/speaker combination. When doing so, you are adding extra harmonics and clipping which can reveal the differences between two pieces of gear.
Whatever differences are audible, are due to the differences in circuits and the speaker choices. That's not to say the the HB is not as good of an amp as the AC15, it just demonstrates how differently it reacts.
Love Portugal, can't wait to go visit there! Até Logo!
I have a monoprice 15w so I’m biased, but I really like the sound of the 15w’s natural break up without pedals. To me, it sounded much more authentic (whatever that means? Idk sounds right). I guess depends on what you want from an amp. The monoprice could be great for country or indie/punk, but anything with lots and lots of gain maybe go for the Vox?
Yeah, tone is really a matter of preference. I think both amps are cool, and the Tube15 can really hold it's own. As for what style of music it is best suited? Again, all a matter of preference.
Adjusting the amp settings would have compensated for the HB's darker sound?
There is only so much brightness that can be added. In fact, I tend to play this amp with the treble cranked. Even then, it still sounds a bit muffled with single humbuckers.
Can't wait I have the Monoprice and AC15.
I’m looking forward to hearing what people think.
It sounds like the AC15 is a little less midrangey and the highs are crisp and are very clear. But on the other hand for a rebranded monoprice amp that’s extremely budget friendly
It sounds good enough you can always fix the muddier sound with a boss eq and a speaker swap to match the AC15 and you would still have $$$ to spare. Excellent demo by the way I like these kinda vids.
Thanks Alexander! I agree, a few tweaks and the HB becomes a much better amp. I think the main issue with it is most likely the input impedance. It works well with single coils but sounds too dark with humbuckers. With the right EQ and speaker, that can be fixed for sure.
Just bought the Tube 15, nice amp.🤘🏽👍🏽
What's the catch w/ Harley Benton, though? I'm still waiting b/c there has to be something. It is a great sounding amp.
@@terrywitzu7874 I ‘m playing the tube 15 without pedals. Sorry just 1 reverb footswitch. 😚
Wish you would have patched the vox speaker onto the T15 external output, it would have helped eliminate the scooping and nailed down the real differences... It sounds like an AC15 with cheaper speaker.
Love the AC15, but would have been interesting to see the comments if this were a blind test.
Maybe someone will make such a video at some point :)
Cool comparison. In general the VOX sounds more brilliant and the tube 15 has more fat, more bottom in the tone. I like that much. At the overdrive mode, the VOX stays clear defined, the tube 15 gets rather muddy, it seems like carrying too much power.
Compared with the price the tube 15 is the absolutely winner in general.
It's even better when you can compare them in person, that what you can go deep and test everything out yourself. The Tube15 is a good amp and can definitely hold its own. Have you tried either of these amps?
That reverb on the vox…super lush
That tube15 is phenomenal. Great video!
Thanks Mark. Glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers
I feel like the tube 15 sounds more resonant clean, and the distortion sounds more open and natural. To me the AC15 sounds slightly plastic while distorted and I feel like the notes fade away quicker in the clean.
The AC15 has a lot more clarity. If you're playing in a band it will occupy it's space a lot beeter, the Tube 15 has a lot more mud. Speaker upgrades can help though! Nothing wrong with either samp.
I would replace the speaker in HB. After that, nobody can tell by listening to the recording what amp was used. HB is fully useable for recording good sounding tracks. Personally I don't like that VOX at all
Would have been cool if you connected them both to an external speaker as the speaker will be making the most difference
That video is in the works. ;)
@@TheToneLounge hey man where is the video
I have not filmed it yet 😉 Coming soon!
Where did you connected the pedals to the Tube 15? Front input or FX loop? Thanks John
All in the front. The FX loop is typically used for time based effects.
Ive got a Monoprice Stage Right 15watt. Changed the chinese tubes to jj's. Was going to change the speaker as well but after an adequate amount of break in time it really blossomed. I have read that its a copy of a Laney Cub. Ive played on a AC15C1 at a store. Love it! Sounds incredible.
Yeah, it is reported to be pretty much the same circuit as the Laney Cub. I've never tried the Laney so I can't compare. The AC15 is indeed a great amp. Which one would you pick between the two?
@@TheToneLounge The AC hands down. The stage right was my first step into the tube amp pool. Had played all my life on SS. Ive played small clubs, backyards, parks. Most of the time i had a mic in front going into the house system. When i first played on a tube amp i fid with great skepticism. However, the warmth and reaction to my playing was so evident that any skepticism i had was washed away the longer i played. Then i decided i needed to try others. The Vox AC15C1 was instant love. I love it more than the 30. To me its better. However, i am very inteterested in the Marshall Studio 20 watt series. Specifically the Plexi model. But ive never played pn one and ive been told by people that own the real sized models that you need to crank Marshalls to get everything out of the amp. I dont know if this holds true for the smaller models. Have you had any experience with the Marshalls? The AC30?
@@nickjimenez4262 I owned an AC30C1, came out in the early 2000's, and although I liked it I didn't love it. As for Marshall amps, I've owned a few over the years but they always sound great when others play them. When I do, they sound thin and ice picky.
@@TheToneLounge You know im afraid of that. Im trying to set up a recording studio in my basement. The Vox 15 and Deluxe Blues Reissue are going to be my staples for recording. Perhaps my desire for the Plexi is misguided. When i read about the players that i would like to emulate there are not alot of Marshall players in the mix. Gilmour, Santana, Townsend, Vaughn. The cost might stop me from ever owning one. To much to spend on something i might like. So if i understand you right you like the 15 better than the 30 as well?
A youtuber suggest a great setting for Fender Champ amps which seem to apply here as well. Turn the tone controls all the way off, turn the volume up. So try the following for the Monoprice. Set TONE to 5 (or higher), Set BASS to 0, MID to 5 (or higher), TREBLE to 0. Set Gain to 10, Volume to 5 (or higher). By keeping the Bass and Treble at zero and playing with the Mids this creates a whole new amp (JCM 800 ish ??)
Thanks for the tip! This will most likely help a few people. Cheers
The HB is a Laney Cub12R clone.
I have one of the earlier Cubs and it's an excellent amp. Benefits from a Vintage 30 speaker
I did a video showcasing what it sounds like with a Greenback. The majority of the people preferred the Seventy-80 over the GB. I have not tried it with a V30 yet.
Same watts but the HB seems so much more compressed. Still, phenomenal price
Yeah, the HB sounds like that partly due to the Seventy-80 in there. Junk speaker.
Shalom!
With no pedals, my choice is Tube 15. In that comparison Vox sounds too bright for me. So, if you are Walter Trout or Stevie Ray Vaughan, my recommendation is Harley Benton.
With pedals, AC15 beats that toy with no doubt. But. Maybe it's the matter of amp and pedals settings, increase treble or something else.
It's really down to the factors you enumerated. The guitar, player and pedals will all influence how the amp reacts. I'm a Vox guy, so my vote goes to the AC15. That being said, the Tube15 is no slouch either.
Toy?
Fuzz on Vox was better> The rest, not so much :)
I have the Monoprice and the reverbstopped working after about a year. Replaced the tank still doesn’t work. It sounds muddy with a Les Paul as well. Just bought the blue AC15C1 from Sweetwater, on sale for $599. It’s just a much better amp imo. The Monoprice new is half the price but also half the amp.
Thought about an AC15 for a long time, just yesterday saw the Blue version in Sweetwater, really liked the dark blue color. Decision time.
@@streetpi1010 I like mine so far, it is a larger louder heavier amp so think about those things before you pull the trigger. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how good it sounds a low volume. There are also plenty of videos online about how to dial up the best sound. Honestly it was hard to pass on the Sweetwater deal.
I think that both these amps are capable of similar things, but I do have a bias towards loving the AC15 more. It's a heck of an amp at this price, you really can't go wrong with it.
@@TheToneLounge I’ve been watching a bunch of your videos on the Vox amp. Enjoying them, thanks for the content.
My absolute pleasure. Cheers
I've got a short attention span, and sometimes I couldn't really tell the difference.
One thing I did notice though, was that despite the amount of flash guitar players out there, the simplest things still kick ass when played well. Subscribed.
Tell a lie, I think I prefer the tube 15. 🤔
I'm not good enough of a guitar player to bedazzle people with shredtastic leads. So, I prefer keeping it simple. It makes comparisons easier on the ears.
Glad to have you as part of the TTL community. Cheers
And I guess both are Vox designs in that they both don’t have negative feedback circuits (unlike Marshall and Fender).
The TUBE15 is said to be a Laney Cub 12. I am not well acquainted with the Cub 12, so I can't say for sure if it has roots in the Vox realm.
@@TheToneLounge As I remember Laney was more on the Marshall side with a touch of Hiwatt.
Good job on the comparison. I agree with borojammin below on where the Tube fell short for the same reasons. I've had a couple of Vox amps (30, 15 & 10) and they are also particular with what pedal is used. Some far better than others. I've used pedals with a Vox that sounded terrible. The same 'could' hold true for the Tube 15. Cleans were both nice. On the gain (not fuzz) the Vox sounds bigger but also less definition. The Tube 15 sounded more focus with less noise. If money is the consideration in Vox I'd go with the 10W. As said you have to decide what the amp is for. The tube at $300 compared to $700 is a steal for home use and practice. If you are playing at a small gig? Maybe not.
For what it sells for, the Tube15 is a great value. I mean, there aren't very many all tube amplifiers in this price range. The AC15 is, at least to me, a more serious amp. It holds it's value on resell and can be seen on many stages across the world. They are reliable and have proven that over many years. The Tube15? That remains to be seen. For home use only, I would go for the Tube15 or the AC10, as you mentioned.
Merci beaucoup pour cet excellent comparatif.
Pour moi : Le "C15" sonne bien plus clair et plus aigu que le "tube 15". La sonorité du "C15" est très "Britannique" et rappelle le son des Beatles... Très agréable, mais cher...
J'ai commandé le "tube 15" non seulement pour son prix, sa sonorité (en rapport de son prix), et la boucle d'effets qui me permet de connecter mon looper et d'enregistrer sur des "backing tracks". Mais également le réglage 1 watt pour travailler à la maison sans perte de qualité audio.
Encore merci et bravo ! Pierre.
Pour le prix, le tube15 est un excellent choix. C'est une question de gout, évidemment, mais le haut-parleur d'origine n'est pas le meilleur pour cet ampli. Le Celestion V30 ou Greenback sont d'excellent choix si vous n'aimez pas le Seventy-80.
@@TheToneLounge Merci beaucoup pour votre conseil. J'attends de le recevoir et l'essayer déjà dans sa configuration d'origine. Ensuite je prendrai une décision concernant le HP.
Merci encore pour ce test.
Cordialement. Pierre.
The Tube 15 sounds way more open and less muffled to my ears on clean :)surprisingly!...On pedals the tube 15 struggled.
I think that it's awesome if that is the sound you preferred. At this price, you really can't go wrong.
I really liked the sound of the Tube 15. Nevertheless is the sound of the AC15 very good to. Great review and thank you very much.
Glad you liked it! Which would you pick?
@@TheToneLounge Hello. I'm going to buy the Tube 15. But i have to wait 9-12 weeks to the amp is in stock at Thomann again. I live in Sweden and we have very fast shipping from Germany to Sweden. Im only a bedroom guitarist and are an old beginner (52) years young. My first electric was the CST-24 from Thomann. Now I have 4 guitars and one bass guitar. I think the Tube 15 will fit my needs. Have a nice evening.
it's never too late to have fun and learn something new. The guitar is such a fantastic instrument. You chose well! Let me know when you get the amp.
@@TheToneLounge Absolutely, I will 👍🇸🇪👍 meanwhile I have a lot of fun with my Spark from Positive Grid.
Clean tones were very comparable. The overdriven tones, not so much with the Vox having more definition, but it's not a fair comparison unless you use the same speaker in both amps. Try putting the Celestion GB in the Tube15 and let's hear it again please.
I'll see what I can do. This might be a fun video. Cheers
They are little different animals. Vox reigns in mid high registry and Tube 15 aka Laney Cub is darker. Due to that, Vox sounds great with pedals that have low frequency distortion content like dirty rat or fuzz. Tube 15 needs pedals with tight bass and highlighted higher mid registry. I like Tube 15 clean sounds as it is not shrill as Vox, but still Vox can be perfectly dialed in. I would use Vox for Pop, Rock sounds and Tube 15 for darky jazz and modern rock + metal (with competent distortion pedal like revv, be-od or dark flame). Other thing that on different footage we hear that exchange speaker in Tube 15 to Greenback makes this amp recover mids. Nice review
Wow! Jonathan, does that Vox ever sound killer with the Empress fuzz! I have to buy one. With the HB15 it totally lacks high-end clarity and just sounds like a puddle of muck!
The 3 pedals you played after the fuzz, all sounded great through both amps, but the HB15 lacks clarity and some high frequency punch.
Can you please play them both through the same 1x12 cab, loaded with a greenback or a v30? Perhaps that would level the playing field?
I might do that in a future video for sure. ;)
just buy celestion g12 speaker... 70/80 is not that great, but it is ok for that prise ofc
I am not impressed at all with any empress pedal , there taste in good guitar tone is horrible !
The AC15 is obviously brighter and it is best if you try to use the tone controls to make them sound as close as possible. I didn't think that the Tube 15 sounded as good distorted but bass cut and a bit brighter might have fixed that issue.
The Tube15 is a good amp. Its main issue is that it's dark, especially with humbuckers.
@@TheToneLounge My question is if it is still dark if you turn the treble way up or did you leave it at 12:00? Where they all at 12:00?
Do you have any external speakers I was curious about getting some that work in conjunction with the ac15
I bought the Harley Benton G112 (w/V30) and it works great with the AC15 imho. Can't go wrong for that price.
@@TheToneLounge Thanks alot will check it out
@@royalmarine1011 I bought an Avatar 2x12 loaded with Celestion alnico bluebacks and compared the blue to the green, needless to say the blue is in the ac15 and I bought a G12H30 70th anniversary which is a much better pair with the other blue in the 2x12 than the green was.
I play an Egnater Tweaker 15 head running on el84s through the 2x12 clean and crank up the ac15 for some overdrive, it's wonderful!
@@kosmicwizard Thanks for the info What tubes you running
@@royalmarine1011 no problem! The Egnater typically runs on a pair of 6V6s. I got yellow jacket uni adapters that change 8 pin to 9 pin sockets, and run J/J EL84s in it.
Crazy how the harley benton is holding it's own
Great vid. Way to hit the strings like you mean it. The tube 15 held its own. But the ac just seemed to like pedals a tad more, especially the fuzz. Maybe the Harley could be tweaked to sound as good, but based on this, ac took it by a nose.
Does that justify the price diff? Prolly not.
Next question is build quality. Which is more reliable? Prolly the vox.
The price difference can only by justified by the buyer. Personally, owning both amps, I would say that the HB is worth it's price for sure. It's a good amp. A speaker swap and better tubes can make a difference. Maybe be not a significant one, but it makes a difference for sure.
In terms of reliability, hard to say. I find the AC15 hard on tubes compared to my other amps. I can't really speak to that of the HB. I think the biggest difference is whether you are seeking the Vox sound or that which the HB is capable of.
I have the monoprice 15w (same amp as HB) you can here the smaller boxiness of the cab vs AC15 and 70/ 80 speaker. I put a 8 ohm 75 H in it with huge difference plus a V1 Tad 5157 V2 Tungsol 12AX7 and V3 Sovtek 12AX7 LPS with TAD EL84 STR power tubes amazing transformation.I sometimes use it as a head thru a 2x12 Em Swampthangs or my 4x12 V30s wow ! And I got it for $180 when AC15 and Blues Jr's were 500+ the Celestian V-Type is a great less expensive swap.
Swapping the speaker makes the biggest difference.
That’s all the input you had to offer by the end?
If you have any questions, ask away.
I like the sound of the tube 15 better. I bought an ac15 C1 and couldn't return it fast enough.
What did you not like about it?
@@TheToneLounge I only had the Ac15 for two days but it sounded lifeless and one-dimensional. I brought it up to higher volumes and played it with numerous guitars. Even the Reverb and the tremolo sounded synthetic. It was really hard to get any of my guitar cords in the high input jack so that was the main reason that I returned it. That bad jack was a blessing in disguise. The Bugera V-22 I bought in 2012 sounded much better. Maybe the Vox would have sounded better after 2 or 3 months of the amp settling in and the Greenback getting broken in.
@@TheToneLounge I wound up getting a Dsl40cr and it is the most Lively and responsive amp that I've ever owned in my 50 years of playing different amps. Though I would have to say that my 64 Bassman 50 head is a real close second to the Marshall.
I have the monoprice version, and a ac10. The AC sounds amazing in comparison with just les paul, cable, and amp, but... The mono/Benton with a ts9 in front is just fine (to me anyways)! The AC needs nothing in front to sound great, i can't get enough of that little ripper! I will keep both amps though... That mono is worth the cheddar 7 fold if you want to get out of the solid state realm for not many bills though!
Very good point. To my ear, the HB (despite the EL84s) sounds more Fender-ish. This probably explains why the TS9 sounds cool with it. Yes, the HB needs a bit of love, but it can be sweetened a bit with a proper speaker and the right pedals.
Is there a reason the tubes have tape on them?
Yeah, the little black shrink tubes that help keep the tube bracket in place were missing. Since I didn't have any on hand, I pulled a MacGuyver and put electrical tape.
THERE YA' GO! Beautiful Reverb off the 15. I know that was the last topic, not this one. I get how you'd like to have more control that pedals offer, but "control" is probably one of the biggest problems w/ modern music. The whole appeal w/ the Vox is that classic tone that modern amps don't have. As someone who put a lot of thought into their pedal board my Vox is the one amp where I find myself wondering what pedals do I really need? Just a conversational point, as you guys have a very personal ethos to your channel w/ your viewers.
ON TOPIC - What's the deal w/ Harley Benton? I'm stil waiting for some sort of catch to their line. Like, "It's made from people" or something. They just seem too good to be true. We all know how that ends up. (not to sound jaded)
Oh yeah, the stock reverb tank on the Tube15 is trash.
My take on the HB brand is that they are just basically re-branded products from well established manufacturers. Their pedals are basically Joyo pedals, their amps are basically the Monoprice amps and I don't know for sure about their guitars, but it's probably some offshore company that already builds a ton of guitars for just about every company out there.
great marshall tone for the Harley Benton, but forget OD pedals lol. Just use the OD of the tubes ! AC15 is vox sound ^^ and sound good with pedals !
Thanks for the comparison. I think in some settings or with some pedals they are on par, in other settings or with other pedals the AC15 sounds better. The AC15 has more treble, on my Tube15 I always have treble and tone at nearly maximum. What I like at the Tube15 is the effects loop and the low wattage setting. And the price. You can buy 3 Tube15s for the price of one Vox AC15 C1. Is the Vox AC15 worth the price? I think so. It is a good amp with a top speaker. Nevertheless, I prefer to buy a second Tube15 and play in stereo ;-)
Sounds like this would be a great inexpensive stereo rig.
It would have been great to see what settings you had on each amp. They sound very different, especially if you had everything at noon, for example, but they are also super tweakable. This is especially apparent when you used fuzz. Maybe an idea for the next time :-)
Its because the ac15 has a mor expensive and better speaker
@@nikolaikvarme4006 that is true, but has very little to do with my comment regarding settings
I checked my recording notes for you, everything was at 12. 😉
@@TheToneLounge yeah, as I said, I thought as much. That doesn't really make much sense, I think, because the tone knobs in the Vox go from 0 to 10 and the ones in the Harley Benton go from -5 to +5. So actually you did a comparison with the tone at 5 in the Vox and at 0 with the HB
@@juanjan__ no, the Vox having the EQ at 12 is the same as the Harley Benton. It's neither boost or cut. The EQ on the Vox is very different tovthat on the HB.
It's not just boosting bass and treble, it's shifting the mids as well. Putting the Vox EQ at zero would leave you with a band-pass frequency with heavy mids.
With amps, one way or the other, there really is no such thing as "flat EQ". The tone stack affects the tone one way or the other.
I think it's more different flavors than any significant difference in tone *quality*. I suspect the main difference is simply due to the fact that the Vox has a better speaker, but to my ears there isn't a 'more than double the price' level of difference in the tone. As far as pedals, to me the fuzz sounded marginally better on the HB, but high gain had a little more bite on the Vox. But ultimately, for the price of the Vox you can basically buy the HB and put together a solid budget pedalboard with HB mini-pedals, so for home use it seems like kind of a no-brainer, financially.
Great points! Someone will find this useful for sure. Thanks for sharing! Cheers
Can we have a comparison with a greenback on the tube 15?
Looks like you found the other video ;)
@@TheToneLounge i was talking about vox vs tube 15 with the same speaker 😆🎸
@@gilbertosantiago2210 My bad lol
@@TheToneLoungenp, awesome content my friend 🎸
Sounds like more headroom for the ac15. For the price, man, the HB15 cannot be beat!
Absolutely! Have you ever tried the Tube15?
I've owned both. The Harley Benton, IMHO, is the better sounding amp. The Vox is better made, but I honestly wish I had sold the Vox and kept the Harley Benton instead of vice verca. The issue that I had was that I have a number of amps that do the Marshall thing well. And the Harley Benton lacked the clean headroom to gig with. The HB runs at pretty low internal voltages throughout the amp, so it tends to overdrive rather early. But at practice volumes, or for drummerless jam sessions, its a great little amp.
Yeah, the HB makes for a great home practice amp but it is also really good for home recording.
@@TheToneLounge Absolutely. Though I never recorded with mine. It just didn't hold up against something like my Marshall SL-5 for that kind of low volume recording. But I have the odd luxury of owning a fairly sizeable tube amp collection.
One could also remedy this with something like a Hammond 270DAX mains transforner, which would bring the plate voltage up from about 300V to a more bucksome 360Vdc. Two resistors would need replacement to alter the biasing network for more negative voltage. It would also raise the preamp voltages considerably, and get the amp out of early clipping in the first 3 stages, and hair-trigger cold-clipper saturation. The existing OPT should be able to handle the increased output from 15 to 18W. And the preamp will saturate quite a bit later. Which would suit this amp, as the distortion texture gets mushy through the last quarter turn of the gain knob.
Harley benton Tube15: I changed speaker (vintage60) spring tank and tubes (SovTek).It's a $ 990 amp now
Are you happy with it?
Yes. Still!@@TheToneLounge
I use a big muff fuzz,pie i believe, sorry I am not home,though it has fuzz it actually just adds more o.d. plus fuzz. Gosh darn, its so hard where i live, you have to purchase something to take it home and hear it, before you decide if you even like it, and hopefully am able to return it. No they want you to play in their wooden walls of electric or acoustic,where everything vibrates and plays way better from background noises.
I have the stage right I paid $199 for it and for the money stage-right is a lot better you get that old sound out of the stage right and the 1 to 15 watt is fantastic and it takes pedals very well
They are both great at what they do. The Tube15 is hard to beat for this kind of money.
I use a Harley Benton (Joyo) AC Tone in front of the Harley Benton Tube 15 and the sound is fantastic...
It feels like I'm playing with my Vox AC 30...
(I replaced the speaker celestion for a Wgs ET 65)
Have you tried using your AC Tone as a preamp in the FX Loop?
@@TheToneLounge That is exactly how I use my Tube 15 - with an AC Tone in the loop. The voice knob will take you from AC15 all the way to AC30 tones, it's great. I've tried it in front of the amp, which is good but I think it's way better in the loop. I keep the gain on the amp at 1, and using an attenuator keep the master volume between 12:-00 and 3:00. I also am running a Weber Blue Dog 12" 30 watt in an extension cab rather than the stock 70-80. Bliss! Also wanted to mention that in this comparison video, I thought most of the tone difference was from the speakers and not the amps. The Greenback adds such a distinctive tone, it's unmistakable.
AC for the win more headroom, better speaker, takes pedals much much better, classic brit vibe where as the tube 15 is much darker and breaks up way too quick but it could be a awesome mod project for a fraction of the price it has potential. Many folks bought it just for that a cheap mod project.
Yeah the TUBE15 is a cool platform to start with, I much prefer the AC15 overall.
Der Vox hat mehr obere Mitten und Höhen und etwas mehr Verzerrungen in der gewählten Einstellung....Da ist aber die Frage wo standen jeweils die Höhenregler und wird durch 4 bis 5 dB mehr Höhen ab ca. 3 kHz der Benton genaudo klingen wie der Vox....wahrscheinlich ja ! Der Unterschied ist der Frequenzgang und der Verzerrungsgrad...mehr nicht....
At fuzz and distortion AC15 is the king, everything else Tube15 is kind of better - especially when you remember the price of the amp.
Is the tube15 loud enough for a classic rock band un mic'd
I can't say for certain, perhaps someone else will chime in?
The Stage Right by Monoprice could work for a low volume 4 piece. Wish it had a extension speaker out that didn't cancel the onboard speaker. I pump it up an extra 3db with a Behringer 7 band eq pedal in the loop.
AC15 for stage, Tube15 for bedroom. Since I may never reach a stage, I'll take HB for now -- heading to Thomann website ... brb.
For the price, the HB is definitely worth it!
Vox Pathfinder + pedals or tube15 for clear sound?
That is hard for me to answer as I have no experience with the Pathfinder. Perhaps someone can chime in?
@@TheToneLounge Thanks. I will be grateful for the answer. Greetings from Russia.
Is the tube15 similar volume to the ac15 when cranked
In terms of dB, I can’t say for certain. In terms of perceived loudness, I think the AC15 is louder.
The AC15 does everything better. They're close enough on reverb and clean tones but anything with drive or distortion seems to make the tube15 lose any articulation. The AC15 sounds just as dirty but it keeps it's clarity where the tube15 just sounds really gnarly and low fi. That's ok for some stuff, but I think the AC15 just plain sounds better. No big surprise since the Vox costs more than 3x as much and has an English made greenback compared to the HB's Chinese made 7080. I got the monoprice version of the HB years ago, and it was an awesome value and a huge step up from the little solid state amp I'd been using for practice. I'd like to hear this comparison with both amps going through a cabinet. The HB is just a clone of the Laney Cub 15, so I bet they'd come out a lot closer.
I'm definitely sold on the AC15. It's by far one of the best tube amps in this price range. The Tube15 is also very cool and does not have many competitors at it's price point, which makes it the obvious choice.
Both amps sound exactly alike, glad I bought the monoprice it's a sweet amp for the price, now I have extra money to upgrade the speaker and add a 3 spring reverb tank, going with a cannibus Rex and a Mod reverb tank, so for basically $375 dollars with the upgrades,you are not going to find a better amp,these amps have been compared to a fender blues Jr too, same tube layout,but more features than the junior, like the effects loop and foot switchable reverb,thanks for the review.
I'm glad that this validated your purchase decision. Modding the Tube 15, in this case, is a "no-brainer". Thanks for sharing, your mods might inspire others. Cheers