Vox AC15-TB

Price Paid: US $900 new

Features: 9
2001 AC-15TB. Single channel, master volume, reberb and trem. Loud enough for gigging unless you play with a monsterously loud band (which i am not knocking at all). Quiet enough for home use.

Sound Quality: 10
With master on ten amp is fairly clean and midrangey until the pre-gain hits about four or five. Then she starts to break up in a very natural way. If the pre-gain is up around 7-8, the amp sounds like a smoothly overdriven 50w marshall with much less volume. When the pre-gain is floored, the distortion is creamy but never harsh or shred-like.

The beauty of this amp is that the pre-gain does not sound processed as it does in most any other amp i have tried. With just a little volume this amp always sounds naturally overdriven, as if it were an amp without a master volume cranked.

Sounds great with teles, strats, gibsons.

What this amp does not do is get super fat metally tones or that clear, tight bottom crystal top fender tone. Definitely a vox all the way.

Reliability: 4
Poorly constructed. Reverb has failed three times in two years. The amp itself has failed once. Amp used mostly at home, too. Gigged with it only 10 times.

Customer Support: 9
So far it has been fixed under warranty. We will see if the present reverb problem is fixed by Korg (parent company) as well

Overall Rating: 8
If not for the breakdowns this amp would be a 10. If lost, I might buy one used. Great for recording and gigging (assuming it works!).

Submitted by Anonymous at 10/24/2002 08:59

Price Paid: (australian)

Features: 9
Current Vox issue. Excellent Single chanel class A tube guitar amplifier based on the famous vox top-boost amplifiers of the 1960's. This is amp is a dream "tone machine" for guitarists looking for 1960's vintage tone vibe. It is the only modern amp I've used which can deliver 60's vibe in the tradition of jefferson airplane, the electric prunes, brian jones era rolling stones, the shadows, beatles, kinks , love who and many others. The controls are deceptively simple as they interact extensively with each other( as do the gain and tone controls on the best vintage amps). Except I would say that this amp has a control section even more responsive than some vintage amps. A multitude of tonal variations(all excellent) are possible by setting the gain structure and tone controls in various positions. All you really need to do is "feel your way".

This amp is made for "vintage tube tone buffs". Its toneality posseses a deeply atmospheric edge. The sound of this amp paints pictures. This amp is particularly good for warm clean sounds and driven moderate tube break-up edges. The AC15TB is a subtle device and probably wouldnt suit players looking for "heavy crunch" with loads of fat bottom end. In actuality, the AC15TB has a beautiful tight bottom end. Once again being characteristic of class A vintage tube gear. I for one dont look for the "heavy metal thang" in amps. The same day I discovered this amp I tried out the AC30TB reissue. Interestingly the AC30TB lacked the warmth of the AC15. I thought the AC30 was booring old poo in comparison to the 15. This was partially because you can drive and control the gain structure of the AC15 at low volume levels due to it having a master volume control. Being both a recording engineer and a recording artist I very quickly came to see the obvious benefits of the AC15TB. If you are looking for sophisticated tube tone at lower sound levels, this unit is perfect for all studio applications.

Sound Quality: 9
I exclusively use vintage single-coil instruments as chime and twang are my signature sounds. I mainly use a 1961 pre-L series fender jazz master and a 1964 1997rose morris 12-string rickenbacker. These are both dynamic complex sounding instruments. All guitarists know that the key to success is matching the right guitar to the right amp. This AC15TB reissue is the perfect "mercedes benz" of tube amps to complement my fine old "cuban cigar" guitars. This amp is not noisy and I dont give a toss how brutal a guitar amps distortion is as I am more interested in using subtle amp breakup to create a tonal edge. If I want distortion I start with a rich amp tone and add a morley , a digitech gsp2101 or a lexicon G2.

Reliability: 10
It looks and behaves like a quality amp. Though it be true to vintage design it would have been nice to have quick access to fuses and tubes. No break downs experienced so far.

Customer Support: N/A
No experience in this department.

Overall Rating: 9
This amp does everything and more when it comes to what I like. Without getting into "star trek territory" I cant think of any suggested improvement to the sound of this amp. I have owned vintage black face fenders, vox's and burns amps. The fender black face reissues are excellent amps. This AC15 does not have as much headroom or full rounded tone of a black face fender reissue. Even so the AC15TB is much warmer and goes places the fenders dont and cant go. The AC15TB has an abundance of true vintage tone. I havent heard any other contemporary amp which sounds so vintage.. Usually the only way to get the tone is to buy a vintage amp and restore it. With the AC15TB I dont have to go thru this process and I've "jumped the fence" from fender to vox. I would give this amp a 10 if I wasnt willing to leave that one extra rating because there is always the hope that you will fall inlove with yet another amp. The AC15TB will be a tough act to follow.

Submitted by Sean at 06/10/2002 23:18

Price Paid: US $750

Features: 9
Pretty simple, one overdriven channel; master volume for clean, input volume for distortion. Treble, bass. How many amps can you name with a built in analogue tremolo? Very Nice Spring Reverb. Only one problem, it is a bit quiet, sure it can beat out a drum, but that's only at full volume, and that means that you get that thick creamy distortion, which for me isn't a problem.....but if you go for that clean sound, then this amp probably is just big enough for a small club, or big one, depending on the size of your PA.

Sound Quality: 10
You can manuever it into a plethora of sounds. My vox, produces the most high quality tone I could want, you can even play an acoustic right through it with pretty damn good tone. It's got a sweet bass to it, and the treble...my god...its got a huge range. Its been known to make the shitiest guitars i've ever heard sound pretty good.

Reliability: 5
ahhhhhh...yes...there was an incident where vox sent out some bad transformers with their amps, mine was a 98 I think, and unless you've experienced this yourself you probably don't know what a Class A transformer costs.... about $170+labour. That was a pretty shitty deal. But other than that no prob...I don't know if vox ever solved their little transformer problem, but it sure as hell happenned to die after the warranty expired.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't dealt with anyone directly. never needed to either.

Overall Rating: 9
it's a classic amp, why else would guys like jimmy page, eric clapton, ed o'brien(radiohead), and about 10,000 other musicians use it.

Submitted by Michael Barakat at 04/14/2001 14:01

Price Paid: US $900

Features: 7
All Tube, Single channel 15 watt with 1-12" Bulldog" speaker. Very basic with Gain, Bass, Treble, Reverb depth, Tremolo speed, intensity and master volume. TONE is the word here, yes I'd like to see an effects loop and maybe a little more volume (it is a loud 15 watts though), that would be "icing on the cake" but the cake itself rocks!
I use this in along with a Tech21 Trademark 60, sometimes either one at a time, or together with a Morley A/B switch box. The Trademark 60 takes care of my heavily overdriven sounds and some Fender emulations, but the Vox is superior for clean to mildly overdriven sounds.
I play small to medium venues-it's almost always miked, but it gets enough
level for the gigs I'm playing as far as stage level.
One thing that I would definitely change-having to remove the chassis to change tubes and removing the back to change a fuse.

Sound Quality: 10
Using it with a stock Strat, Telecaster, and Epiphone Casino, playing 60's influenced power-pop, but also get into old-school Country and Jazz-ish sounds. I plug straight in or maybe just an echoplex in line. Set at 3/4 on gain with master vol full on it gives me just enough rasp that cleans up as I back off on the guitar's volume. This doesn't work so well with the humbucker equipped guitars I've tried (Les Pauls, 335's), the tone
just gets dull with those as you roll back on the volume.
I just can't say enough about the tone--it's the most important thing with any amp I suppose, and it's just incredible on this one. Rich, clear and full.
The reverb doesn't get that Fender depth, but it's a lot smoother and the tremolo is fine (I don't use it a lot though)

Reliability: 6
The first session I had with the amp was fortunately a casual jam, as the amp just shut down on me. The mains fuse had blown-so as soon as Radio Shack opened up the next day I got replacements and so far have not had it occur again.
The amp occasonally emits a faint high pitched whine which I think may be a bad pre-amp tube, though it's not consistent.
I would not gig without a backup-right now that's my Trademark 60-at $900
I can't really afford a second AC15 as much as I'd like one.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
I would definitely buy one again, it's the tone!-nothing sounds near as good to me-except maybe a Tweed Fender.
I wish it gave me more confidence that it won't just blow up ;-) This is based on what I've read though.
No wonder Brian May has so many AC30's-I don't think it's just for volume,
I've read that he switches between them to avoid possible blow-ups.
If I didn't sound as good as it does I wouldn't have bought it-if the sound isn't
110% awesome to you then look elsewhere. I'm giving it a 9 overall for the tone.

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/12/2001 14:00

Price Paid: US $710 used

Features: 9
Considering the original dosn't have much in the way of knobs or reverb,this gets a 9 since you get EVERYTHING needed for the VOX sound. Gain knob in the pre amp,reverb and master volume.Tremelo to die for...all laid out like a good amp should be....simple yet miles above the originals for versitilty. Not that the Old Jimi's weren't good...but at 5k a pop for one in mint condition....I'll take this setup anyday!

Sound Quality: 10
Sounds killer if your a VOX guy and I am. I have a VOX AC30 and I like this better. Won't get the BiG sound or the big low end two Alnico's give...got weber bluedogs in my AC30. Thing is I like the gold label spker in this version but will move up to a blue alnico soon I guess.In the meantime you can get Beatles,Tom Petty....fantastic STONE'S tones from the BRIAN JONES period!!1 And all guitars sound differant as to say this amp is really many amps in one.But that is the magic of VOX and this AC15 which is just the top boost channel from the AC30 in a smaller box!!! Tone for ages....sustain and meeeow class A heaven with my favorite bias...cathoid...it sings. P90's sound very early stones like...think jumping JACK Flash ect...single coils have a totally differant effect. My Gretch Tennessean sounds like George Harrison to the bone. Even my Albert Lee signature wails but I do feel that strat freaks would be better off with a low watt fender....but then you just get the Fender sound. When I use my LP studio lite with 57 classic's this amp sounds very much like a little blues breaker...add a TS9 tubescreamer and it's a JTM/plexi almost....but better IMO and at reasonable volume. Great all around recording ,small club amp. I AB it with a 75 Fender Priceton reverb...amazing combination. Tone??....say no more....

Reliability: 10
This thing I bought used but it's brand new...maybe was a floor model or something...made in late 2000 and when I got it the pedal hadn't even been broken into....it was virgin.Even smells new...hey it is. Built like a tank. I can't speak for the early versions and others on this thread but the new ones are all there...no wierd vibrations from the reverb ect....guess VOX took care of all the little things in the last four years this bad boy has been out...buy a new one!No backup...I live on the edge.

Customer Support: 10
What other company can you go to the ceo to get satisfaction!!! Mitch Colby who runs KORG/VOX will take care of anything the dealers or sellers of his stuff throw in your face. E-mail him if there is a problem and the CEO will do the rest...can't beat that kind of service with a stick,Please use your dealer or warrenty first but it's nice to know you can go over their heads and get a hold of the top dog.

Overall Rating: 10
I know the new 2000 bread/range are going for 1k across the board from dealers and this goes for all of em. If you look around you can find 2nd's with small blemishs and snagg one for 700 or so. Used is good too. As for my overall rating look above...awsome...beats the hell outta any of the wanna be's out there like Crate and Peavy who think they are doing you a favor by putting weak clones on the market.BUY THE REAL DEAL and get an Alnico when your ready.

Submitted by AJ Johnson at 01/03/2001 01:21

Price Paid: US $800

Features: 8
1997 model - what drew me to this amp is the great classic British rock sound. It's easy to dial in on this reissue because of the master volume. You can do clean Beatles up to sweet, even overdrive for the Who, Kinks, a lot of great rock. Nice additions are the reverb (though a bit weak) and the tremolo.

Sound Quality: 10
Fabulous Class A clean and overdriven sounds. It won't do the heavy overdrive/distortion thing, but a great classic rock sound. See how many Vox amps you see on the stage with top rock groups - it's a sound that will never grow old. Not great with single coils (Fender type), but great with humbuckers and P-90s. I put NOS American tubes in it - EL-84s are not too expensive, and worth it.

Reliability: 7
Had some trouble with the reverb tank buzzing when new - they eventually replaced the tank and put some additional insulation under it in the cabinet. Otherwise no problems in three years of regular playing.

Customer Support: 8
The reverb was serviced under warranty without any problem.

Overall Rating: 8

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/02/2000 21:09

Price Paid: US $710

Features: 6
purchased from zzounds.com

S# indicates a manufacture of 1999. all tube "class a" or whatever (see other reviews that discuss vox's wiring practices)

i play the type of pop guitar usually associated with vox gear (early who, xtc, velvet underground, oasis, supertuesday, bla bla bla)

knobs: volume, master volume (no channel switching), tremolo speed,

tremolo depth, reverb, high and low "eq."

jacks: 2 inputs (1 grounds out 6dB of signal, other is "full power"), footswitch for reverb and trem, line out, and speaker out (these are unlabled and the instrucions included gave no indication as to what is what. thank goodness the web site has a picture and schemeatics (see reliability).

Sound Quality: 8
this amp supplies THAT british sound in a lo-power amp. you buy it for that clean jangle and find uses for the rest of the sounds.

#1 guitar is a Epiphone Dot (see review of that elsewhere on this site). purists would say the stock pickups aren't a perfect match for this amp; they are right, but it works for me.

while i was playing the thing wide open, my friend and i were talking about how good it sounds, so obviously the 15 watts are not ear splitting.

the overdrive you get by backing off the master volume is "classic" (ie: shreaders need not apply) but again sounds exquisite; it's very sensitive to your dynamics. use a light touch and it sounds clean, plant a heavy-right hand downstroke and listen to it go. i bought a cheap boss stomp box to induce a little more overdrive, and this amp makes it sound pretty good actually.

the tremolo may be historicaly accurate, but it doesn't have a lot of range. you'd think that the depth-at-zero would be no trem at all; but that's not the case. i think someone once said that "...the trem has 2 speeds, but they're 2 really COOL speeds..." 2 is an exageration, but not much of one.

kind of noisy, especially for only 15 watts. but, it is just rock and roll.

reverb doesn't go cowabunga! deep, but is still useful.

the whopping 2 band eq does not provide a very wide range. there is bass cutting going on when the treble is turned way up. one could say that the 2 knobs and odd voicings they provide is "econimical..."

Reliability: 2
the solder joints on the 2 input jacks failed within one month (literally). taking a look inside, revealed really poor workmanship and design. there's no way you'd be able to change a tube in between sets, the PC board mounts are born to fail, jeezy creezy help you getting to the solder joints to fix them... i could go on (did i tell you about the defective RCA patch cable to and from the reverb tank?), but this review would just get even more boring.

Customer Support: 5
a korg warranty shop fixed the defective solder joints right away... but heaven help me when that one year warranty period is over. the voxamps.co.uk web site has schemeatics, which i'm sure i'll be needing soon.

Overall Rating: 7
i've played for 14 years... mostly as a hobbiest. i bought this amp without hearing it first, as i could not find one in my area to try. i really took a leap, paying so much for basically a 15 watt practice amp (i've noticed that the price has shot up to $999 since i bought mine. knowing what i know now, i would not have payed that much for this amp). there are so many more flexible and powerful amps out there for less money.

having said that, it sounds as good as i expected and is as inflexible as i had discovered through research. this thing makes pretty much one sound, but does it exceptionally well.

if lost/stolen, would i buy it again? yes. no. yes. no. yes. no. yes. no. yes. no. yes. no. yes. no. yes. no...

Submitted by al b-madison, wi at 10/21/2000 22:54

Price Paid: US $900.00

Features: 5
1999, single channel, basic class A amp. No effects loop, channel
switching, etc. It does has a master volume though, and reverb. I bought the amp for rehearsels and small club use.

Sound Quality: 6
I use a G&L Legacy Special and a Washburn WMSTD with Seymour Duncan humbuckers. I play rock, r&b, funk, and country. With the exception of country, it seems to suit the styles well. I couldn't get enough clean power for "old timey" country stuff. The distortion is just okay. I used a Boss SD-1 for o.d.

Reliability: 4
This is where the problem was for me. The reverb crapped-out twice, even with a new reverb tank. After opening up the amp, I found the construction to be second rate. My Blues Jr.is built better at 1/3 the price. My Prosonic is a tank compared to the AC-15. The Fender's tubes are mounted to the chassis vs. mounted to the pc board like on the Vox. With the heat that a class A amp puts out, that spells trouble in the long run.

Customer Support: 10
After e-mailing Korg, they sent a tank out promptly via FedX. I was very pleased with the quick response. Unfortunately, I still had reverb troubles.

Overall Rating: 4
I sold it and have never looked back. I fell for the hype surrounding
the amp, and it never lived up to any of it, IMHO. There are alot of class A amps avail. that are built much better, and at the same price or less!

Submitted by Anonymous at 06/17/2000 20:08

Price Paid: US $710

Features: 7
new, 1999 model. doesn't have a load of features. it's just a lot of money to provide good tone.
i bought it to try and improve the tone...i was playing a fender roc pro 1000 (i must have been having a midlife crisis when i bought that monster.)the roc pro has a good clean channel, but the other two channels are over the top rock and roll. the vox has just the right break-up at moderate volume levels. it doesn't provide enough gain or overdrive for searing leads, tho. great amp for rythm and blues. has line out...all tube amp...has master volume and preamp vol. two channels, one is a bit hotter than the other. has green speaker.

Sound Quality: 9
am playing a guild starfire II semi hollow body, and a american deluxe fat strat. the difference in the strat played thru the vox and the roc pro is huge. very SRV out of the vox, tho i wasn't searching for that sound.
has a small amount of hum, which is pretty normal for a tuber.
the vox has a warm tone, even with just one speaker. not a lot of variety...warm clean sound...breaks up gently for punchy rythm stuff.
you won't acheive hard rock distortion. i purchased a budda phatman two vacuum tube overdrive unit to compensate for the lack overdrive.
works quite well.
i still haven't turned it all the way up...but i would guess it will break up nicely. i bought this so i could record at a reasonable house level. the roc pro had the neighbors calling... sounds good at low volume, which is what i wanted. now i can record late at night and not bother the wife or kids.
i notice a buzzing in the right hand corner of the cabinet...other reviews suggest it is the reverb unit. i clamped my hand on that corner and it goes away...

Reliability: N/A
vox has a good rep...i'm done gigging, so can't comment here. i never used a backup when i did gig, tho. if she breaks down mid gig, well, it's miller time.

Customer Support: N/A
don't know.

Overall Rating: 8
25 + years playing...i'd get another if lost or (gasp!) stolen...
might upgrade to the blue speaker version. don't like the buzzing inside cabinet much...alot of money for a 15 watt amp, and it's got buzz...tried comparing it to small fender amps, and they sounded too hollow.

Submitted by tim at 01/18/2000 20:13

Price Paid: US $600

Features: 7
1997 model with 1x12 Vox Heavy Duty "Bulldog" speaker. 2 inputs with volume,treble, bass,reverb,tremolo(speed and depth) and master volume.
Consists of 5 12AX7A'S, 2 EL-84'S,and 5Y3 rectifier. No channel switching,effects loop or headphone jack. Has reverb/tremolo footswitch, line out, and speaker out.

Sound Quality: 9
I play blues rock, surf, and classic rock and is great for roots syle rock. I use a PRS Custom 24 with HFS and Vintage pickups. I use this amp at home and with playing with a 4 piece classic rock band.It has plenty of power and is probably the loudest and heaviest 15 watt amp around. It can be noisy with master and volume full up. particularly with effects pedals hooked up. Would like to have a Boss LS-2 line selector stompbox to put the effects in a loop when I want to use them so they would be totally bypassed when not being used. I use an Ibanez TS-5 tube screamer,Ibanez C-5 chorus, Dan-Echo, and Vox wah sparingly. The amp sounds much bigger than it's rated power and size and cuts through easily.It remains clean to about half volume and is great for 60's style rock, and blues. Great "chime" and "jangle" and is great for clean Beatles tone and for mild distortion. Not a shredder, but can get Clapton/Bluesbreaker like tones.Great dynamics using guitars volume control and is very touch sensitive to picking techniques with great transient response. Considered the Mesa Blue Angel also. Traded in a Laney VC-30 2x10 for this amp. Thinking of adding the chrome amp stand to get it up at ear level as well as uddating the speaker to a Weber Blue. Considering changing the rectifier 5Y3 to a GZ34 to boost the output to around 22 watts.I would welcome any comments on these changes.

Reliability: 9
Owned it for a year as it was a floor model that came into the dealer slightly scratched. I would use it without a backup. Had one incident of it blowing main fuse and took it in to dealer and found no problem.It hasn't given me any other problems. I am concerned with the ordeal involved in getting to the tubes to replace them as you have to pull the chassis. Seems to be well constructed.

Customer Support: 9
Local dealer Matt's Music very helpful and friendly. Repaired once under warranty very promptly. Tubes and speakers have 90 day warranty and amp is one year.Haven't dealt with Vox directly.

Overall Rating: 9
Been playing on and off for about 35 years.Have owned 62 Fender Tremolux, 73 Marshall 50w,Fender F-30, Laney VC-30 2x10,62 Gretsch Tennessean, 68 Les Paul Custom, 85 strat. I would buy it again more than likely, but would probably check out the Dr.Z Carmen Ghia, and Mesa Blue Angel or Maverick. Overall I'm very pleased with the sound, reliability, and overall vibe. Headphone out and effects loop might be nice. Wish the Vox Blue speaker option wasn't so expensive at $250 more.

Submitted by Scottie at 10/22/1999 15:12

Price Paid: $650 US ($350 US plus $300 trade in on 70's Fender Super Twin) used

Features: 6
Korg/Marshall reissue made in the mid-90's. Basically has the preamp section of the reissue AC30 top boost (originally designed by Bedrock and acquired by Korg) with a 15-watt output section. In order of controls from behind amp, left to right: 1 channel with 2 inputs, the first of which has a 3db boost; 3 input controls -- volume, treble, and bass; 3 effects controls -- reverb blend, tremolo speed, and tremolo depth;1 master volume knob; and power mains section -- standby switch, on/off switch, and red pilot light. One 8-ohm twelve-inch Celestion G12M-70-watt speaker (not original, put in by previous owner for more headroom). Five ECC83 preamp tubes (stock Chinese), two EL84 output tubes (stock NOS JAN Philips), and one 5Y3 rectifier tube (stock NOS JAN Philips) -- 15 watts RMS in Class A (probably comes out of pure Class A and goes into Class AB when pushed hard just like all Vox amps -- sorry, but it's true). Tubes are facing the front of the amp on side of chassis and are difficult to reach without removing the chassis. One long detachable three-prong power cord. Three jacks on the under side of the chassis -- white-colored line out, white-colored footswitch jack, and red-colored speaker jack. Includes black Vox footswitch pedal with two on/off footswitches for tremolo and reverb, respectively. The amp is about 40 pounds and bigger than other 15-watt style amps like Princetons, etc. The amp uses Printed Circuit Boards (PCB). Black-tolexed cabinet is not as tall as original AC15's but is about 12 inches deep and open-backed, which is nice for a little better bass response. Exposed (unbagged) reverb unit attached to the bottom of the cabinet. Nice brown Vox-diamond grill cloth rounds out the amp. Overall, a nice mix of old and new technology but a little too modern for Vox purists or vintage amp junkies and me.

Sound Quality: 7
The amp is a very loud 15-watts but still quiet enough to crank in a bigger bedroom. I use the boosted first input jack exclusively and I don't use or need the master volume. Most people don't like the sound of preamp distortion anyway, but the preamp master volume distortion on the Vox is quieter and nowhere near as dirty at peak as a master volume Marshall. With the master volume on full (effectively turned "off"), the amp starts to distort at about six or seven (keep in mind that my speaker is a replacement 70-watter with more headroom) and maxes out volume wise at about the same. The reverb in the amp is not as lush or deep as Fender reverb -- no surf here. The reverb in these amps have been known to have problems, particularly loose posts that tend to cause buzzing in the key of F#. My amp has this problem if reverb is cranked, but I don't use amp reverb anyway so it's not a problem. A quick fix is a dab of glue on the posts or a Fender reverb bag. The tremolo is very deep and nice and some of the better tremolo I've heard in a small amp. The depth needs to be turned up past four or five to make it noticeable, but it still gets plenty deep after that. The tremolo speed is also has a big range. Tonally, the amp is very bright. The bass needs to be cranked for any real bass response. The treble and bass controls are interactive -- turning up the treble actually boosts the treble AND cuts out the bass. I set my bass on full and treble on about six or seven in order to keep some bass response. Treble after seven to eight and the amp becomes way too trebly, thin and quiet. Definitely can get some Vox jangle out of the amp, esp. if you try a reissue Celestion/Vox Blue 12" speaker or an aftermarket Weber Blue Dog (I've heard both in the same amp. Yugo Ei preamp tubes also add more jangle to the sound for the stock NOS JAN Philips are a bit too warm. The amp also uses printed circuit boards (PCB) which may make it a problem for do-it-yourself amp fixers who want to tinker. Also, the six fuses for the amp are mounted on the PCB, so replaces fuses or tubes requires you take the chassis out, making fuse or tube changes on stage a pain or impossibility. In sum, for what I payed ($650 US), it's a nice compact Vox-sounding amp; I would not pay the $1100 US price tag for a new one.

Reliability: 8
The amp seems very solid construction-wise and was well taken care of. It hasn't broken down in the few weeks I've had it, but I haven't been cranking it one a daily basis yet (although I have been playing it a few hours every day). The reverb problem mentioned in the Sounds section above is pretty common from what I've heard, but it doesn't take a lot to fix it. Fuse or tube repairs are going to be impossible if they die during a gig just because of their poor placement (again, see Sounds section above). I would use it without a backup now while I know it's still new, but I'll probably bring another amp along as it ages and gets used more regularly under club/misuse conditions. The PCB construction and tube and fuse location will require you to have a qualified technician look at the amp for some simple maintenance if you're not comfortable with electronics. I have heard that the PC boards in these amps are still better than PC boards used by other brands, but I have no proof of that. For what I payed, however, I'm happy with it and trust it for the next few years.

Customer Support: N/A
I have not dealt with Korg/Marshall, and the one-year warranty has already run on the amp. There is no schematic with this amp, so I will have to find a qualified tech that is familiar with this reissue amp if problems arise.

Overall Rating: 7
I've been playing for 14 years out of my 25 now and I've played/owned a variety of equipment. I've tried this amp with a Rickenbacker, my Epiphone Casino and my beater Kramer Aerostar. Other amps I've owned include a 1976 Fender Super Twin, 1972 Traynor Bassmaster Mark II, Laney Linebacker, etc. This Vox gives me a nice fairly authentic Vox sound in a nice smaller package. I think changing the tubes and the speakers as mentioned above can make it sound more Vox-y. I am happy with the amp and would buy it again at the price I got it ($650 US). However, I do not think this amp is worth the new price of $1100 US. You'd be better off looking at alternative Vox-sounding amps such as Tophat amps. The reissue Vox AC15 does not sound as beautifully Vox-like as the 15-watt Matchless Lightning, but it's much less expensive and a much better deal -- the difference in sound isn't worth THAT much money. I'm concerned about the PC board, fuses and tubes on my Vox, but the amp is new enough that I'm not going to worry about it for awhile. If you can get a good deal on a used one, buy it. Do not buy it brand new unless you've looked at Tophat amps but would rather spend extra bucks for the "Vox" emblem.

Submitted by Todd Joseph Koback at 05/17/1999 14:47

Price Paid: US $799

Features: 8
1 channel, 2 inputs, input volume, treble, bass, blend (reverb), tremolo speed and depth, master volume, reverb and tremolo on footswitch, line out...all an amp really needs...

Sound Quality: 10
I use a Gibson Les Paul Standard and a Gibson Chet Atkins Tennessean (main guitar)..through a tube screamer and mxr distortion+ and delay unit...both guitars, especially the Tennessean sound AMAZING through this amp...much more than I expected from a Korg Reissue...the amp really sings once you crank the preamp (it doesn't get very loud until you do either)...even with the input volume (preamp) all the way up, the distortion isn't brutal or harsh, (you can't play metal here)...clean sounds are brilliant and ring like a bell but you can't get it very loud before it starts breaking up

Reliability: N/A
I have only had the amp for a day or two so I can't say as far as reliability...I always gig more than one amp so I'm usually set (unless my marshall 100 watt super lead breaks down and i'm only left with a vox ac15...would make for an interesting show)

Customer Support: N/A
Never delt with Korg so I don't know?

Overall Rating: 10
As far as amps go, my main amp is a Marshall 100 watt Plexi (super lead)...I had been A/Bing it with a Fender Twin Reverb (it was mainly there for a backup)...I wanted a different smaller combo to round out the sound...the AC15 compliments the Marshall very nicely...keep in mind you'll have to mic the hell out of the AC15 for it to operate as more than just a small monitor for you next to a Plexi...but this is an excellent studio/practice amp and if you have the opporunity to mic an amp, go ahead and use it live...I doubt I could handle it as my main gigging amp even with it cranked through the PA, but I might find out soon enough if the Marshall ever breaks down mid-set...If it were stolen or lost I'd most definitely buy another...Tremolo is a welcomed addition and works great in the studio for cool throbbing effects...It beats anything in its class (15 watt, portable, small club/practice amp) and is a great all around amp for many styles of music...

Submitted by Anonymous at 01/13/1999 12:41

Price Paid: US $600

Features: 6
Two inputs (one is higher gain); volume; treble; bass; reverb; tremolo speed; tremolo depth; master vol; on/off; standby; line out; speaker out; footswitch (trem and reverb).The tremolo is great, good range of speed and depth; reverb is fine; master volume setup doesn't produce as much gain/distortion as I thought it would, but that's OK with me; The tone controls are sort of odd: Though I tend to use a treblier setting on most amps, on this amp I have the bass on full and the treble at about 2:30. Past 3:00, the treble really thins the bass out and gets quite tinny. Not a one-trick pony, but maybe a three trick pony.

Sound Quality: 9
Use it mainly with a Fender MIJ Telecaster with Duncan vintage broadcaster pickups (STL-1b and STR-1) and an Epiphone Casino (great Beatle-y tones), I'm looking for a Rickebacker 330 to play through it. Even when fully cranked with some effects in front of it with single coils it's really quiet. Has that great chimey Vox tone that you know and love from R.E.M. Tom Petty/Mike Campbell, U2, the Beatles (and most other 60s Brit Invasion). NOT LOUD, at all. I can crank it wide open in my apartment and not disturb my neighbors too much. MUCH quieter than a Fender Blues Jr. (but sounds 1000% better) or a Matchless Lightning 112 (doesn't sound quite as good, but is less than 1/2 the price). I've been told you can put a GZ34 rectifier tube in it and push the output to 23-24 watts without damaging it. I plan to do this, to get it closer to output of a Fender Deluxe Reverb, which is a great practice/home/small to medium club output level. The overdrive is wonderfully clear and tight, even when cranked all the way, and will clean up by backing off the guitar volume. Higher output pickups would probably drive it much harder (mine are pretty low output single coils). The reverb is OK, not full and lush like an older Fender (recent Fender reverb sounds like crap to me), but very usable throughout its entire range. The Tremolo ROCKS; it goes from subtle wavering to stuttering chop. One of the best tremolos I've ever heard, especially built in to an amplifier. Only the Matchless Hurricane (and their VibroBox preamp/effect pedal) comes close. I didn't get the version with the Celestion Reissue Vox Blue speaker, as I got a great deal on this one and I didn't hear $250 worth of difference. The 12" Eminence that's in it is OK, but I plan to replace it with a WeberVST P12B Alnico Blue Dog, to bring out more of the upper mids and that true Voxy character. However, the Eminance sounds perfectly acceptable.

Reliability: 7
From all reports, they're pretty reliable. Getting to the tubes is tough, as you have to take the chassis out of the cab. Corners are plastic, and they don't look real tough. I may replace mine with black metal corners. I'd gig it (and will) without a backup (though I'll carry spare tubes).

Customer Support: 8
I haven't dealt with them personally, but have heard good stories about Korg (Vox's parent company) customer support. One of their reps (Mitch) is a frequent poster to the Vox Showroom BBS, and seems genuinely concerned and helpful. Warranty is 5 years (I think) on everything except speakers (1 year?) and tubes (90 days).

Overall Rating: 8
I've been playing for 15 years, but this is my first Vox product, even though my favorite guitar players are Vox players. Not a true reissue of the AC15, but a great update that's affordable and useful, as the AC30 is much more expensive, MUCH louder, and MUCH MUCH heavier. I'd buy another one without hesitation. My only complaints are that I'd like the tone controls to be a little more predictable, and I'd like it be louder (though not as loud as the AC30).

Submitted by Steven Jarvis at 11/04/1998 08:12

Price Paid: US $trade

Features: 7
Single channel with few bells and whistles. This model varies significantly from a vintage AC15, but all of the changes are definite improvements in my opinion. I love the sound of many vintage amps, but I don't worship at the alter of authentic vintage. The industry has learned a few things over the past 30-40 years about how to make amps more useable. The features of this amp which are not vintage (master volume, reverb, standby switch, direct out) are all nice improvements. In my opinion, this is the best of both worlds--classic Vox sound with useful new features.

Sound Quality: 9
The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is the fact that another amp of similar size and design, the Matchless Lightning Reverb, (in my opinion) sounds even better. This amp has sweet mild distortion and clean chime with loads of character. I have the AC15TBX model which has the Vox "blue" speaker (an alnico magnet speaker which I feel adds to the warmth). I use a PRS Custom (which sounds great through many amps) and a Rickenbacker 360/12 (which needs the right amp to sound great). Sound is highly subjective--if you want to play metal there are better (and less expensive) choices. This may not be the best amp for country or Jazz. I love the Class-A EL-84 Vox sound, and to get the sound I want, I have to pay.

Reliability: N/A
We'll see. One problem I had right away is that the "tremolo" foot switch controls the reverb and the "reverb" foot switch controls the tremolo.

Customer Support: N/A
I have never dealt with the company.

Overall Rating: 9
As I stated before, sound is a matter of taste. This amps suits my tastes exactly. I love the sound, and at 15 watts, I can get a great sound at a volume level that doesn't harm my hearing or the foundation of my house. I've been playing for about 25 years and have owned many brands of amps (Matchless, Fender, Ampeg, Marshall, and others). This Probably won't be the last amp I'll ever own, but I'm very happy for now.

Submitted by Ward at 01/06/1998 13:58

Price Paid: US $805

Features: 6
A single Channel "pure class A" amp only 15 watts RMS. I'm not sure what that means, but the amp is heavy and has all valve parts (even the rectifier). It Features Volume,Bass,Treble,Blend(for a 3 spring reverb tank)speed and depth (for all tube tremelo) and a master volume. There are two inputs(high and low level) and a line out (to go into a board or drive another amp.) The unit also comes with a footswitch which will turn tremelo and reverb on and off. With all these features you may be wondering why I would only rate the features a 6. The amp is not very versatile, which I will get into...

Sound Quality: 10
The amp sounds great, but with the volume turned max and using the Master volume to controll the overall loudness, I discovered that the amp does not truley distort unless at very loud levels. It has a very warm sound that seems to cut through without any harshness. I use primarily a Rickenbacker 360 jg direct into the Vox. It is very easy to nail the sounds of U2,R.E.M.(older albums) and the new STONES sounds. The reverb is excellent and very usable and definable with different settings of the blend knob. I would say this is a plus compared to a Marshall (you don't notice the reverb until knob cranked to 10) or a FENDER (the reverb is unusable with the knob turned over 3).
I really love the tremolo tube circut. Man it is warm and echo's into a fade away. Just like R.E.M.'s What's the Frequency Kenneth. I threw my Boss Tremolo footpedal into the bottom of my closet.
The amp does not do a lot of sounds. Just clean to overdriven, but it does it so well that I have to give it a 10.

Overall Rating: 6
I have been playing for the past 22 years. I usually run the Vox along side a Fender Deluxe and a Marshall JCM 30. I use stereo guitars like the Rick mentioned above a Gibson Lucille and a Les Paul rewired stereo. I also use an array of AB boxes and a Boss Compressor,Flanger and Chorus pedals. I can get a variety of sounds this way. (I also own a 52 Tele, 56 Strat, and a 59 ES-175). I play everything from Jazz, Rock, Classical, Baroque, but deep down I play the Blues. This Vox is good for Rock. If I had to limit myself to one simple setup I would stick with the Lucille and Fender Deluxe. If you have the Bucks to spend, I think the Vox would make a great second amp, it is just not going to get a lot of sounds like the other Amps do on the market. I have to say though that used in conjuction with my other Amps, this Vox adds so much warmth that I am able to use the bridge pickups on my guitars (yes even the Tele) and get a very listenable tone that won't tire the ears after a song or two.

Submitted by Anonymous at 11/05/1997 23:50