Vox Cambridge 15

Price Paid: 180 (Canadian) used

Features: 7
I got this one used. Its a 2000 model. I use a pedal so the lack of reverb was not a big deal but still it should have one. Tube in the preamp, 8" Celestion Bulldog speaker, very nice. Tremolo is useless in my opinion, not strong enough, you really need to listen for it. Has gain and gain boost channel, mid boost also. Over all nice stuff. I give a 7 here because it should have a reverb. Lose the tremolo!

Sound Quality: 10
Sound? This is why I bought this amp. I use a Fender strat and a Godin LGX (very nice axe). Both sound very good through this amp. I use a HotRod Deville for gigs, and was getting tired of lugging it home every night so picked up this little unit. Of course you cannot compair the sound of 60 watt tube amp with 4x10" speakers to a 15 watt amp with one 8". However I will say that I am not disappointed with the sound of the VOX it is different that the Fender and I really like the sound I get out of this amp with my pedal. I can go from Doobie Brothers to U2 to the Beatles etc.

Playing direct into the amp the clean channel is very nice but not very loud. Using the gain it gets very loud very quickly.

I compaired this to a Fender Frontman 25, and I have to say they both sound very good on the clean channel but the VOX is better when the gain is turned up. Being used the VOX was also less expensive, So I went with the VOX.

Overall I am very impressed with this amp, with my pedal I get more that enough volume to practice with this includes when the drummer shows up.

Reliability: 8
Have only had it for a short while so a little early to tell. However I did have a nasty buzz a very high volumes with certain frequencies. I took it appart myself (which is very easy to do) and remounted the speaker, this appears to have fixed it. This was only happening at high volumes which I could was getting with my pedal pumping the input level, or with the gain turned up. I don't think that this is a defect as I was able to resolve it (or at least I hope so). It is not something you would notice until you got home and really cranked it up. you may want to try this before you leave the store.

Customer Support: N/A
duno

Overall Rating: 10
Ya I would pick up another for the same price I paid.

Overall I love this amp. Great sound, great retro look. What more could you ask for in a practice amp.......Sorry gota go and play..

Submitted by Rocky at 03/03/2001 07:28

Price Paid: US $179.00

Features: 9
My Cambridge 15 was bought new in early 2001, so I'm presuming it was made in 2000. It was manufactured in Korea. This is a 15 watt solid state - tube hybrid with plenty of features for an amp in its class. As pointed out in other reviews, reverb is the conspicuous missing option, but I don't miss it. There is an optional foot switch available to control the gain boost and tremolo. For the no frills styles I play, it has enough features to make it fairly versatile. I use it mainly for practice in an apartment. It puts out enough volume for most of the neigborhood to hear if it is cranked, so there's nothing lacking in terms of power for my purposes. The 12AX7 preamp tube it came with was a Sovtek, but I've replaced it with a new Groove Tube.

Sound Quality: 2
In this category, I'm surprised that so many others were so pleased with it they rated it a 9 or 10. With both of my guitars, (Gibson Les Paul Studio with humbuckers and Danelectro DC-3 reissue with lipstick pickups)I can't get a decent sound out of this amp. My predominant playing style is basic rock. Tom Petty's sound and style might offer a reference point for what I like to do, but I also like to play some harder grinding punky/garage stuff or Neil Young Crazy Horseish numbers. The only pedal I might use is for equalization or overdrive, but mostly I play plugged straight into the amp. Clean, this amp sounds like any other cheap solid state amp, and with the gain at just about any level it sounds like crummy, solid state, excessively muddy preamp distortion with either of the guitars. The sound is a little thicker and richer with the Les Paul, but I wouldn't call the tone warm, rich, Voxish or any term that might be used to describe the organic tones that come from tube amps. Switching the preamp tube has made virtually no difference. Cranked or at moderate volume levels, a smile producing tone is simply unattainable. The preamp tube adds nothing to the tone quality whatsoever. The clean tone is bearable, but with much gain I just cringe at the cheap, artificial tone. In the month I've had it, I can't find any Vox character in it. For that typical solid state tone, this amp supplies it at earsplitting volume levels. But adjectives like warm, tubey or satisfying do not apply. Juxtaposed with a Fender Pro Junior (also 15 watts), the Vox sounds downright pathetic at any volume level for any style of playing. As of now, I've given up on the Vox even for practicing and can't see keeping it around for any reason in spite of its attractive vintage look.

Reliability: 9
It appears solidly well built enough that it could withstand a lot of transporting around. I've had no problems with it aside from its lack of tone. Functionally, I can't see that much could go wrong with it, but I've only had it for a month. Aside from the tone problem, I would imagine this amp would produce its generic solid state tone for a long time.

Customer Support: N/A
I haven't talked to Vox at all, so I don't know. The warranty is short. I believe 30 days for the speaker and 3 months for the rest of it, but I'm not absolutely certain.

Overall Rating: 3
If I had to choose between this and the Fender Pro Junior for a small amp to practice and jam with, the Fender would win hands down. I'm not completely enthralled with Fender, but it has some tone to work with, although it really can be too loud for practicing at home. I've been playing for 7-8 years now, and the Vox is no better than the countless other solid state amps (mostly Marshall & Fender) I've tried to use for an acceptable home practice amp. I was excited about and chose the Cambridge 15 because I love the Vox heritage and incredible sound of their real amps, but this amp is just another typical solid stater without any distinct character. Needless to say, I wouldn't buy another if this one were lost or stolen. As far as I can tell, all of the preamp tube - solid state hybrid models are virtually the same as 100% solid state amps. The Vox Cambridge 15 is no different - just your average, loud, run of the mill 15 watt amp that may be well constructed, but with mediocre to disappointing tone nonetheless.

Submitted by David Allen at 03/01/2001 09:39

Price Paid: US $167

Features: 9
After looking over your superb website, I guess my Vox Cambridge 15 review may be a little unique - It's a rave review for your site, a mixed review for the amp, and a mixed review for a product that I can see already has gotten enough press coverage in its category: the Danelectro Fab Tone pedal.
The Vox's features have already been beaten to death in this page, so I'll move on, here.

Sound Quality: 10
The Vox is perfect for almost everything I do, mostly blues and jazz. I shopped a lot, to the point where I knew more than the salespeople. So I knew this amp had almost no crunch ( virtually none ). But it has beautiful crisp highs, and lows that approach TOO warm ( if there is such a thing ); the tones are absolutely amazing. Then I read on this site about a few owners who advised replacing the Sovtek tube with a Groove Tube ( I put in a 12AX7R ) LOOK OUT !!! Richer tones, louder - the freaking amp does EVERYTHING BETTER!! Thanks for the tip!!!
But it still had no real crunch. That's where the Fab Tone comes in. And man does it come in!! All over you!!! More metal than U.S. Freaking Steel! ( I knew I'd need the pedal with this amp, so I bought them together.)
And that is my whole droning, drawn-out point: please, all of you 'practice amp/small venue amp' shoppers out there do yourselves a favor - SHUT UP AND GO GET A VOX CAMBRIDGE 15 AND A FAB TONE !!! The two of them make me and my Strat sound better than we actually are!
Lastly, the Vox doesn't do ANYTHING ugly. Quiet and classy when you want it to be, waaaayyyyy loud ( and nasty with the Dano )when your in the mood.
These two products are seperately each great for some things - together they're great for almost everything. Get 'em both.

Reliability: 10
Not only is the amp gorgeous ( retro, like the Fab Tone )but it's built like a bomb shelter. Although I'm a jet mechanic, even a non-technical shopper could tell the controls are better quality than you find on $800 Fenders, Marshalls, and certainly Crates and Peaveys.

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't had it long enough to know how dependable it is. Sorry. The warranty is a little short - 90 days on the speaker and tube, one year on the rest. I mean, you do get 5 years with a Fender - 5 years of crappy sound.

Overall Rating: 10
OOPS! I guess I covered all this up above. Why didn't you tell me to shut up?
I've been playing a while, enough to know what sounds good. I suppose if you're a total metal-head, this amp may not be for you.

Submitted by Anonymous at 01/21/2001 20:12

Price Paid: US $200

Features: 7
1999 w/ 8" Bulldog spkr. Single channel, gain, and adjustable tremolo. Headphone jack! (handy for insomniac apartment dwellers).
Needs reverb!! Run a MexiStrat, Clapton Strat, and Gibson es-335 thru it...they all sound good. Gibson sounds best

Sound Quality: 8
Great sound for the money. Blues and rock style, distorts at low volume levels...that's a plus. Loud amp for 15 watts. Tremolo is decent, but would rather have reverb

Reliability: 8
Had it for a year...so far no problems

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 8
Nice practice amp. Could be fun at a small venue or in house performance. Has the guts to perform to a small audience. Exchanged Vox solid state model below WITHOUT the Bulldog speaker...exchanged it for the Cambridge 15 w/Bulldog plus $50...best money I spent for my guitar habit. This amp makes average guitars sound good, great ones even better. A 10" Bulldog speaker would be big improvement!

Submitted by dennis at 12/30/2000 21:40

Price Paid: US $149

Features: 8
This is a mde in Korea, 15 watt little Vox box. It definitely fits my style which is rock, (classic, modern, etc.) Well Vox scored with this one, It has a tube (wow, a WHOLE tube!) in the preamp, very versatile unless you want a metal type amp. I love the overdrive, very nice, the clean is good but not very loud, thats ok, I usually use some gain anyway. It only has one channel, I miss having two but I'll live, I want a slightly larger amp also. It has a headphone jack, which I like and it has a line out, and 8 ohm speaker out (never used it though). The olny things I wish it had is reverb instead of tremolo (which is really weak and I have a Dano trem pedal anyway) but again its in the Vox tradition, and 2 channels, thats where the 2 points come off. Definitley enough power with blues type rock like Led Zep, Clapton, The Who and stuff, also good for modern rock, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, etc. Perfect practice amp, small and light, great tone, the best looking amp in this price range hands down. Basically the best amp I know of for anybody who plays rock (not a metal amp) and wants a practice/recording amp with that Vox sound. Not an AC30 by any means but sounds like a Vox amp, that distinctive throaty midrange and overdrive.

Sound Quality: 9
I use this with a Fender Standard Strat with a stock middle and a Seymour Duncan Little 59' with a coil tap in the bridge and a fender vintage style replacement pickup in the neck. Sounds absolutely great with this amp, drives it nicely, cleans up pretty well, not enough power to push the clean tones too far but still useable. I also sometime plug in my acoustic w/ soundhole pickup, that sounds realy good too.

Reliability: 9
Well, it seems to be built prety tough, the cabinet is made of particle board, but seems strong enough, the vinyl covering is nice, the corners don't have protectors, that would have been nice, but so what? I would gig with it with out a backup, but it is small for a gigging amp, only one tube, in the preamp stange which gets less hard use then the power amp so it would be less likely to break down, all in all seems like a pretty well built little amp with great tone and flexibility.

Customer Support: N/A
Well, the warranty is only 90 days, not really good, seing how Fender gives 5 year warranties on even their crappiest amps. I don't thik it will really need to be fixed anytime soon though. Haven't needed to deal with them.

Overall Rating: 9
No such thing as a perfect amp so it gets a 9. Absolutely the best looking amp around, great sound, great value, much better than my old Fender Frontman 15G, that one gets sent to grandma's so I don't have to take this one all over creation and back. Well, I'm not gonna graphicaly describe what I'd do to the person who stole this, DUH, just go get another and avoid the lawsuits, but I'd get it again if I had the money. Still wish it had a 2nd channel and reverb but its only a practice amp, it shouldn't have to have all that stuff. Bottom line, excellent price, excellent looks, excellent tone and versatility, sound Voxish enough to stand apart from the run-of-the-mill Crate practice amps and such, go buy one!

Submitted by Anonymous at 12/23/2000 14:09

Price Paid: US $179

Features: 7
Not a ton of features, but it's not really meant to be a full-up gigging amp. Solid State/Tube hybrid amp, with a single 12AX7 tube. Only one channel, but has gain knob and gain boost button for adding/adjusting overdrive. No reverb (primary reason for point deduction in this "features" section), but does have tremelo with controls for speed and depth. 15W of power; includes line out jack for sending through PA, if required. I purchased the amp purely as a practice/back-up amp, so it's versatile enough in that respect. Add one or two key effects pedals, and it becomes an excellent amp for rehearsals/practices.

Sound Quality: 8
For a small 15W practice amp, the sound is more than adequate. I currently play a American Series Tele and a Rickenbacker 325V63 through it, with a Dano Cool Cat chorus, and Marshall BB-II overdrive pedal. Without any added effects, the clean is clean, and the overdrive is surprisingly satisfying. Volume-wise, if you play with a purely clean sound (gain knob completely turned down, no added boost from effects), it doesn't have quite enough juice to cut through a full band practicing (I had the volume knob just about pegged, and was still barely loud enough to hear). But I don't typically play it that way; the gain knob adds signicant volume even before it's turned up far enough to start any serious overdrive/distortion. Additionally, if I want a boost to the clean sound, I use the boost function on the BB-II. My only complaint about this amp is the lack of reverb; I'm not a tremolo fan, and without any other added effects, the clean sound (while nice) falls just a little flat. But with the Cool Cat, I'm able to use just a subtle amount of chorus to fill out the sound (in place of reverb), and the combination of the Cool Cat and amp together then produces a wonderful clean tone. Again, as I mentioned before, the overdrive, particularly with the gain boost on, is surprisingly good sounding.

Reliability: N/A
Amp is still too new for me to say. Seems solidly put together. Since it is my back-up amp, I don't plan on having a back-up to the back-up.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 8
I've been playing off-and-on for the past 10 years, but only seriously gigging more recently. I also own a Fender '65 DRRI as my primary amp. If this amp were stolen or lost, I would certainly consider buying it again, though I might also consider it's slightly bigger brother, the Cambridge 30 which would add reverb and a separate overdrive channel. But as it stands, this amp, with a couple of basic effects pedals added in, suits my needs just fine as a practice/backup amp.

Submitted by Arlech at 12/02/2000 17:05

Price Paid: 500 (Dutch guilders)

Features: 8
It's a 2000, so brand new. I play blues-rock. First I missed reverb, but I'm getting used to it. I don't use the tremolo; would prefer reverb.
Use it only in the house.

Sound Quality: 10
I play a Fender Plus Deluxe with Kinman pups. This little tonemonster really gives the right tone for me. Clean is OK, but the overdriven sound is very good. Oh yeah, it's very, very loud.
Maybe I'll try some other tube brands.

Reliability: 10
Allright sofar

Customer Support: N/A
No experience, so no rating

Overall Rating: 9
I'm playing since 25 years. My main gig amp is a '65 Fender Super reverb (Yep, I,m proud to have one). Nowadays I'm into the blues - quite a while, actually - and I get my inspiration from guys like SRV, KWS (a bit)and Monty Amundson.
Before this I used a Park, which is good for a ss amp and the price I must admit, but this little Vox gives very much tube tone, which I like especially.

Submitted by Thijs at 11/27/2000 14:43

Price Paid: US $169 plus tax

Features: 8
I bought this amp to play at church because it is small, and it doesn't weigh as much as my 100w combo. This little amp is very versatile with a gain boost switch and a mid-boost switch. It has a headphone jack and an extension speaker jack and a line out jack that sounds just like the amp does. I run it through the sound board at church. It has tremelo but it's a little weak. The 15 watts are the best sounding 15 watts I've ever heard. One question I do have is on the back of my amp it says 30 watts. Does anyone else have this? Anyway, this is not just a practice amp. It's the real thing, only lighter! No mid tone control, just high and low.

Sound Quality: 9
I wanted the vox sound, and that's what I got. It has a great warm clean sound, and when you turn up the gain you get the tone you're looking for. The clean stays clean all the way up the dial, but I've never played it that way live. These 15 watts are loud, man! I can tell you that if you're looking for a high gain amp don't get the vox. But if you're looking for a great overdriven sound, here it is. Also, the vox celestion bulldog speaker is worth the price of admission.

Reliability: 8
I have on occasion taken the amp out of the church to play with my band, and you can tell it's been in a trailer. The covering is not made of the toughest stuff. It doesn't have corner protectors. And, it's made in Korea, I think. But I would use it without a backup, especially if the sound I need is the vox. It hasn't broken down since i bought it a year ago. The speaker in it is a vox celestion bulldog. A great speaker!

Customer Support: N/A
Haven't dealt with Korg. But I like their tuners! And I like the fact that I could buy a vox amp for under $200.

Overall Rating: 9
Obviously, I tried other small amps within the same price range, namely the pathfinder,(too noisy) the small crate tube amp,(it's a crate) the marshall mg15 little stack,(not enough clean sound, but a great distortion!) and the fender.(don't remember what the name of it was, but I really liked the vox clean better) If it were lost, I'd find another one just like it! The only thing I wish it had is a deeper, stronger tremelo. This amp is great for beginners because it's a great amp to learn on and because of its price, and it's great for seasoned players because of its tone and weight. As a matter of fact, I just might go get me another one!

Submitted by boomer at 10/30/2000 16:37

Price Paid: FIM 1300

Features: 9
This is a new Korean made 15 w hybrid VOX (12AX7 tube pre-amp). It has a 8" Celestion Blue Bulldog speaker, pre- and master volume, treble, bass, and tremolo. Boosts for gain and middle. Line out, ext speaker and headphones jacks. No effects loop or reverb, but those aren't traditional VOX features anyway!

Sound Quality: 9
I play Telecasters and Strats with single coil pups, mainly rock, blues and rockabilly and this little sound giant works well with every axe or style. Dial in a clean sound and its instant VOX with shimmering highs and that nice precense. More gain and its instant Status Quo! Dime the gain and push in the gain boost and it's definitely Brian May. I played it with my band at the rehearsals and it almost made it with our hard hitting drummer, this is an amp for easier playing in smaller places. Clean headroom is OK, but it gets mushed when dimed. It sounds like a tube amp but I missed that warm power tube distortion... Anyway this IS a very good sounding amp especially for the price!

Reliability: 10
No problems yet, but I've only had it for a week. The inner circuit and cabinet seem well made!

Customer Support: 9
One year warranty.

Overall Rating: 10
This THE ultimate practise amp. You can play smaller gigs with it, especially if you use an external cab. I recommended it to our second guitarist and he's going to buy one too.

Submitted by Sami Saarinen at 10/12/2000 03:28

Price Paid: US $169

Features: 8
I play rock and blues. This one channel amp has excellent sounding overdrive/distortion, plus tremelo. Regrettaly, no reverb. My understanding is that this is a solid state amp with a tube in the preamp stage to give it a tube amp feel. It works. I give it an '8' instead of a '10' for lack of reverb, but for $169, you can't complain.

Sound Quality: 10
I have 4 amps that range in price from $139 to $700. This little practive amp is the best sounding amp I own. I like it so much that I'm now interested in its big brothers - the Box Cambridge 30 Reverb Twin and the AC30/6 Top Boost. I love how this amp sounds. It is almost loud enough to cut the cheese with a drummer, but maybe not quite. I wish it had 25 watts instead of 15, and mabye a 10" speaker, just so that it would be a hair louder. Which may be unfair - this is supposed to be a practice amp, and for that, this piece is unsurpassed.

Reliability: 10
Flawless, after 5 months of constant use.

Customer Support: N/A
I haven't needed them, which is how I like it.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for 18 years. I own 4 guitar amps and 6 or 7 guitars, with more on order. I love this amp, I just wish it had reverb. Still, gotta give this amp a '10'. It just really rocks.

Submitted by Peter at 07/10/2000 00:30