I have done a lot of decent size church gigs with this amp and it was perfect. You can always get a better speaker. They also make a head/cab version of the AC4TV/ It is odd how I never missed the bottom end, though I like Marshalls too.
The AC4 was always meant to be a practice / home amp. But with the 12 inch speaker you can do more. I added an Alnico Blue to mine, made it an open back and re-tubed it. It really sounds great and it's quite functional. It's not as loud as my AC15s bit still sounds sweet.
The Vox AC4 series of amps are great for what they are, and I've upgraded mine with a greenback speaker. I also have a hand wired AC15 because I can't get enough of that Vox tone that I grew up with in the '60s.
Sounds like a great little amp in your hands. You certainly know how to get good tones out of it, I think this amp does a good job at getting that Vox sound at practice volumes. Cheers and thanks for the quality demo!
Keeper. I got one for the bedroom after trying to get a vox tone from a yamaha thr10. Couldn't get that tone. Sold the thr and now I'm a happy bunny!. Nothing wrong with your tone on this vid.
I love mine....I adore its clangng sound....very The Who like...(yeah I know they used hi Watts lol) ...I sometimes plug in a line 6 m13 ...but mainly just plug straight in gain up full and control it with the guitar controls...it does what it does really well...valid point you made though about reverb...if it had that it'd be perfect
Mine has the "tone cut control"... I clipped the 2 bright caps and put them on switches. Keep them for the les pauls, pull them out of the circuit for strats. And I have the 10 inch speaker (ac4c1-bl) I love the amp, but only for that one thing it does.
@@JasonAyalaSpare why not just buy a second ac4 and have stereo? Use one dry and one wet/ reverb-delay-stereo chorus. 2 ac4 amps should be loud enough for gigs. At least 3db louder than one ac4
@@JasonAyalaSpare It came with the speaker in it already and some JJ tubes... might play around with those. And I picked it up for 850$ CAN. Pretty good deal
For me one of the best sounding and most flexible real tube amps in this price range, at least, if you run it through a good cabinet (minimum 21o or 212) or a good cabinet IR. On the one hand a nice Vox typical tone, but if you watch the schematic, it rather is some sort of Vox / Plexi hybrid amp. Not the worst choice, especially the hotter sounds remain more dynamically than the ones of a real AC-30 fully blown up and still offer much more gain and this at more decent levels. Also works very silent for a tube amp.
I'm sure the 4 is more of a real tube amp than my ac 10, is to an amp technician, but I like it. All I need is overdrive, delay, and a looper. 3 pedals through the front.
Cool Demo/Review Thankyou. I have a Vox Valvetronix VT40+ and love it, very interesting amp with many options. Have been thinking of an AC4 and found this very interesting. Cheers
Interesting thing about this Vox, you can mod the the volume pot with a capacitor and it can become a tone cut. But now you have a non-master volume amplifier
The Vox sound is hard to get outside of the real thing; I had an AC10 for years, which is one of the only models that dosent sound like a Vox,- but it's cool all by itself. IMO, this is a great wet/ dry, low volume choice if you don't want to sound like everyone else.Change the speaker, and you're all good.
For playing in a band I would get the AC15, unless you are playing fairly softly. It's good for jam sessions, but it won't fill a room without some help from a PA.
@@JasonAyalaSpare while the AC10 is VERY fun and inspirational to play as an everyday amp, sounds and feels huge when you play it….it just has an artificial tone to it that I immediately pick up on when mic’d and then on UA-cam. Listen to some of the AC15 vs AC10 recordings….or any of the other AC10 vs XYZ videos. There’s a tinny metallic cludginess (for lack of better description) that I pick up on with the AC10. (AC10 has solid state aided drive in the circuit) It’s funny…. If you asked me, “what would you want to play through every day?“ I would say an AC10, for sure. But then if you ask me, “would you record it“? I would say no way. AC4 records brilliantly from what I’m hearing even just on UA-cam. Pure, direct and full tube tone.
Not sure how you play yours with a tele, playing mine with a strat made me fall out of love a bit with it. Way too bright & too much shrill for those guitars IMO. I clipped the bright caps and it's a lot better, ordered some JJ tubes that should darken the sound a bit more. Sounds great with my Gretsch though.
@@JasonAyalaSpare yeah, also have a greenback on the way. Had it for a few years now, hoping the new speaker, tubes and mods will revive my love for it. A lot of people build open backs for them too, it gets pretty hot if its been on for a couple hours.
@@JasonAyalaSpare So, amp glow up day - Greenback G12M 16ohm installed along with JJ12ax7 & EL84 - both bright caps removed from volume control and gain control. Straight swap on the speaker even though the guy that recommended it to me said he had to move the power transformer - it comes close but theres clearance between it an the speaker magnet. Impressions - well, impressed! Instantly changed this amp, much darker, thicker tone - less shrill but still nice and bright turning up the treble (never done before on this amp!) instantly changed this amp to a keeper for me, tone is much more mature and closer to the AC4's bigger siblings. Goes from dark and creamy to raspy and gnarly. All in all for £100 for a greenback (second hand), new tubes and cutting the leg of 2 resistors - 100% reccomend. I was considering selling this to fund a blues jr. Will I still get one? Probably, love the fender sound. Will I sell the AC4 when I do, after these mods? So far, probably not!
@@JasonAyalaSpare I notice your using a mexican standard tele the best in my opinion ceramic pick ups, for me the holy grail tele! That's why it sounds so good I have one, have tried them all yours is the one ! I like p90's as they brighten up a Les Paul, could be the amp for me Cheers
Get the fryette load box, it takes the output and converts it to line level, with an effects loop then back into a 50 watt clean power amp to make it as loud as you want
@@xgdgdjdhdhdhd3493 honestly, I have never once used my effects loops on any amplifier. I wonder if other guitarists are the same way? Thinking they want the effects loop, yet never using it?
Great demonstration of tone. My Supro went down at my las😢gig and I immediately snapped an AC4 Id seen advertised at 25% below market value. I got the same tones and had the same criticisms. I feel it functions more like a pedal than an amplifier. It’s really good at delivering the sound it makes, but there aren’t a wide variety of tones. My Supro just needed a power tube, so I’m back in the game. I’ll probably keep the VOX because it’s pretty and I got it cheap. I have an Epiphone Valve Jr. that I’ll sell now, since the AC4 is far superior.
Well done video mate! I'm about to grab one of these. It should make a good practice amp and a nice compliment to my AC 30.
I have done a lot of decent size church gigs with this amp and it was perfect. You can always get a better speaker. They also make a head/cab version of the AC4TV/ It is odd how I never missed the bottom end, though I like Marshalls too.
The AC4 was always meant to be a practice / home amp. But with the 12 inch speaker you can do more. I added an Alnico Blue to mine, made it an open back and re-tubed it. It really sounds great and it's quite functional. It's not as loud as my AC15s bit still sounds sweet.
Ya , I agree that 808 kicked things up a notch in a groovy way. I dig it.
The Edge from U2 had no problem slamming the front end of a distorted Vox with delay and reverb. His tone is legendary
But he;s not using this amp. He's running into an AC30. Different beast. This little guy does sound nice though.
@@davidcudlip6587 same concept man
Any digital delay in front of the amp it’s going to sound horrible, I have this amp and I use analog and sounds awesome
The Vox AC4 series of amps are great for what they are, and I've upgraded mine with a greenback speaker.
I also have a hand wired AC15 because I can't get enough of that Vox tone that I grew up with in the '60s.
Sounds like a great little amp in your hands. You certainly know how to get good tones out of it, I think this amp does a good job at getting that Vox sound at practice volumes. Cheers and thanks for the quality demo!
Thank you 🎸
Keeper. I got one for the bedroom after trying to get a vox tone from a yamaha thr10. Couldn't get that tone. Sold the thr and now I'm a happy bunny!. Nothing wrong with your tone on this vid.
Thanks, I tried to emulate that tone using pedals, but it never came close.
Man that thing sounded beautiful when you were playing the Joan Osborne passage!
It works great with that guitar.
I love mine....I adore its clangng sound....very The Who like...(yeah I know they used hi Watts lol) ...I sometimes plug in a line 6 m13 ...but mainly just plug straight in gain up full and control it with the guitar controls...it does what it does really well...valid point you made though about reverb...if it had that it'd be perfect
I have 3 drive pedals that i like through this amp, Fulltone OCD,, barber direct drive and Okko diablo
I'll have to try my OCD through it.
Mine has the "tone cut control"... I clipped the 2 bright caps and put them on switches. Keep them for the les pauls, pull them out of the circuit for strats. And I have the 10 inch speaker (ac4c1-bl) I love the amp, but only for that one thing it does.
Sounds great. Keep it. A speaker swap would be a good idea.
I'm going to upgrade to a AC15 at some stage.
@@JasonAyalaSpare why not just buy a second ac4 and have stereo?
Use one dry and one wet/ reverb-delay-stereo chorus. 2 ac4 amps should be loud enough for gigs. At least 3db louder than one ac4
@@ahhoiboy I just bought an AC30 🤫
@@JasonAyalaSpare
Want to see a video of treble booster vs hotcake vs rat vs Timmy
Best pedals for Vox
Great demo man. They should all be this good!!!
thank you!
Just got a ac4 HW, alnico blue in it and it's fantastic for what it is. Slam the front with pedals and get some groovy tones.
Awesome, did you have the speaker installed or did you get it like that?
@@JasonAyalaSpare It came with the speaker in it already and some JJ tubes... might play around with those. And I picked it up for 850$ CAN. Pretty good deal
For me one of the best sounding and most flexible real tube amps in this price range, at least, if you run it through a good cabinet (minimum 21o or 212) or a good cabinet IR. On the one hand a nice Vox typical tone, but if you watch the schematic, it rather is some sort of Vox / Plexi hybrid amp. Not the worst choice, especially the hotter sounds remain more dynamically than the ones of a real AC-30 fully blown up and still offer much more gain and this at more decent levels. Also works very silent for a tube amp.
Its a keeper, I wish I kept my vox ac4tv with attenuator, it was a pretty sweet voxy sounding amp, I woudl stick a greenback on this one
I'm sure the 4 is more of a real tube amp than my ac 10, is to an amp technician, but I like it. All I need is overdrive, delay, and a looper. 3 pedals through the front.
Cool Demo/Review Thankyou. I have a Vox Valvetronix VT40+ and love it, very interesting amp with many options. Have been thinking of an AC4 and found this very interesting. Cheers
Dick Dale runs reverb into an overdriven amp with great results!
Merci pour cette excellente vidéo ! et vos conseils pour les 3 pédales que vous associez avec cet excellent ampli.
Merci Thierry, je suis ravi que cela vous ait été utile.
Interesting thing about this Vox, you can mod the the volume pot with a capacitor and it can become a tone cut. But now you have a non-master volume amplifier
Interesting.
Sounds better compared to the 10" tv version.
I use wampler tape echo delay and sound fantastic, if you use a digital delay is going to sound crappy
I'd imagine the amp would give the repeats some extra brightness.
I'd imagine the amp would give the repeats some extra brightness.
Best amp Vox ever made!!
I use it for recording mainly, it pairs very well with my fender amp.
Thank you for that. Great review. Do you think it takes a few pedals ok ie reverb and some Trem?
Yes If you run it clean. If you run it dirty you can't use verb.
The Vox sound is hard to get outside of the real thing; I had an AC10 for years, which is one of the only models that dosent sound like a Vox,- but it's cool all by itself.
IMO, this is a great wet/ dry, low volume choice if you don't want to sound like everyone else.Change the speaker, and you're all good.
It will do until I eventually get an AC15
Keep 👌
Sounded cool. What do you want to do with it? Make this the dry of a wet dry set up?!
Possibly
How it compares to your AC30 now?
It sounds great. I’ve played through a few AC4s and some are nasty. Some are great, as is yours. 👍😁👍
It will do until I get an AC15 down the track.
@@JasonAyalaSpare Great idea. I’ve played through a few awful AC4s. The AC15 will be a good alternative to your Deluxe Reverb.
Hey bro! Do you think it is enough for playing in live with a band? Or just for practicing at home?
For playing in a band I would get the AC15, unless you are playing fairly softly. It's good for jam sessions, but it won't fill a room without some help from a PA.
@@JasonAyalaSpare this is my point...using a SM57 and sending to main would work enough?
@@aristidesvillegas7167 It should. I was thinking in terms of no mic. It's loud, but very directional.
@@JasonAyalaSpare thanks bro!
Records way better than the AC10 I’m noticing.
How so, if you don't mind me asking?
@@JasonAyalaSpare while the AC10 is VERY fun and inspirational to play as an everyday amp, sounds and feels huge when you play it….it just has an artificial tone to it that I immediately pick up on when mic’d and then on UA-cam. Listen to some of the AC15 vs AC10 recordings….or any of the other AC10 vs XYZ videos. There’s a tinny metallic cludginess (for lack of better description) that I pick up on with the AC10. (AC10 has solid state aided drive in the circuit)
It’s funny…. If you asked me, “what would you want to play through every day?“ I would say an AC10, for sure. But then if you ask me, “would you record it“? I would say no way. AC4 records brilliantly from what I’m hearing even just on UA-cam. Pure, direct and full tube tone.
Not sure how you play yours with a tele, playing mine with a strat made me fall out of love a bit with it. Way too bright & too much shrill for those guitars IMO. I clipped the bright caps and it's a lot better, ordered some JJ tubes that should darken the sound a bit more. Sounds great with my Gretsch though.
My strat has way brighter pick-ups than my tele. It also sounds good with my Les Paul with P90s.
@@JasonAyalaSpare yeah, also have a greenback on the way. Had it for a few years now, hoping the new speaker, tubes and mods will revive my love for it. A lot of people build open backs for them too, it gets pretty hot if its been on for a couple hours.
@@monolith7183 let me know how it goes
@@JasonAyalaSpare So, amp glow up day - Greenback G12M 16ohm installed along with JJ12ax7 & EL84 - both bright caps removed from volume control and gain control. Straight swap on the speaker even though the guy that recommended it to me said he had to move the power transformer - it comes close but theres clearance between it an the speaker magnet. Impressions - well, impressed! Instantly changed this amp, much darker, thicker tone - less shrill but still nice and bright turning up the treble (never done before on this amp!) instantly changed this amp to a keeper for me, tone is much more mature and closer to the AC4's bigger siblings. Goes from dark and creamy to raspy and gnarly. All in all for £100 for a greenback (second hand), new tubes and cutting the leg of 2 resistors - 100% reccomend. I was considering selling this to fund a blues jr. Will I still get one? Probably, love the fender sound. Will I sell the AC4 when I do, after these mods? So far, probably not!
@@JasonAyalaSpare I notice your using a mexican standard tele the best in my opinion ceramic pick ups, for me the holy grail tele! That's why it sounds so good I have one, have tried them all yours is the one ! I like p90's as they brighten up a Les Paul, could be the amp for me Cheers
Great video bro , I’m gonna subscribe and give your channel a go.
Do you still have the Sheraton and the Vox ?
I have the sheraton, but I recently upgraded to a AC30. Video coming soon.
Is this too loud for room amp guys? I have to be quiet.. can i go with it or i should buy amp plug with headphones..?
I'd probably go to headphone route.
I have one - selling it - doesn't do it for me...
No effects loop ? I'm out!
It's definitely a drawback.
Get the fryette load box, it takes the output and converts it to line level, with an effects loop then back into a 50 watt clean power amp to make it as loud as you want
@@xgdgdjdhdhdhd3493 honestly, I have never once used my effects loops on any amplifier. I wonder if other guitarists are the same way? Thinking they want the effects loop, yet never using it?
@@xgdgdjdhdhdhd3493 Gee you're right, I'm sure you're just making millions with your music! Lol...lol
thanks for saving me from buying this mistake.
All part of the service 👍
why mistake? what exactly you didnt like?
Great demonstration of tone. My Supro went down at my las😢gig and I immediately snapped an AC4 Id seen advertised at 25% below market value.
I got the same tones and had the same criticisms.
I feel it functions more like a pedal than an amplifier. It’s really good at delivering the sound it makes, but there aren’t a wide variety of tones.
My Supro just needed a power tube, so I’m back in the game.
I’ll probably keep the VOX because it’s pretty and I got it cheap.
I have an Epiphone Valve Jr. that I’ll sell now, since the AC4 is far superior.