Vox Cambridge 30 Reverb

Price Paid: 900 (Aud)

Features: N/A
Described above

Sound Quality: 8
Love the distorted chanel sound, but clear is on the blink again.

Reliability: 1
Clear chanel died just outside warranty & proved difficult / expensive to reapair.

Puff of blue smoke tonight & I expect the repair cost will exceed its value.

VERY dissapointed again.

Customer Support: 2
Vox appear to be hiding from their older customers & blaming previous management. Not very comforting ! Will not buy another VOX.

Overall Rating: 1

Submitted by vox at 12/30/2005 03:32

Price Paid: US $400

Features: 9
Made in Korea: two channels that are switchable via footpedal as well as a mid range boost, gain switch, tremolo, reverb, line out, headphone out and a 12AX7. The reverb is a little weak but enough and the tremolo is very nice.

Sound Quality: 10
I'm using a 50th American Series Fender Strat and a 96's MIJ Fender Strat with two SCN single coils and a Dimarzio Virtual PAF humbucker (bridge)
I am very pleased with the sound of this amp. Ch.1 is fat and warm. It has a nice sparkle to the top end without being harsh.
Ch.2 is dynamic. You can go from almost clean to dirty just by pick attack. Anyway I rather prefer my stomboxes when I want some dirt: Maxon OD808, Deucetone RAT or Mosferatu
As I said before, very nice reverb and tremolo
Finally, the Celestion bulldog is beautifully voiced.

Reliability: N/A
Haven't had any problems yet. I bought it new last month, so I can not rate any opinion

Customer Support: 1
Shame. I bought this amp with manual, but not schematic.
I wrote VOX asking for the schematic, you know, the schematic is something you would like to have, just in case. Asking for a .pdf, anything.
No response at all. So guys if you can give me a hand sending the schematic in any format, I will really appreciate very much
I found one in the inet, but belongs to the vintage cambridge....so help!

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for 30 years, half time pro, Rock covers from Beatles to Purple, Police, you name it.
I use to play almost all weekends. I use to have (not at the same time) Marshall JCM900 high gain dual reverb and 1960 cabinet (gosh heavy mutant!), Mesa Boogie Mark IV (heavy too and need to be an engineer to deal with it), Fender The Twin, red knobs (still heavy), Marshall JCM900 Mod 4501 (50w combo), JCM600 (60w Combo)
Greats amps huh?... but I realized I play mainly in small to medium gigs (pubs, small restaurants) and all this stuff is suited to play loud, very loud if you want to get the best response.
I know that because I played a couple of times in a stadium and there was when I found the best response. With all this 100/85/50 valve amps you can not play that loud in small/medium venues, if you want to keep your, besides all this amps sounds anemic when you set volumen and master at 2
Also, I was tired to carry all this stuff and now my back is grateful again
Anyway I keep the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe 40W (loud anyway!..and heavy), The Fender Pro Junior (not heavy, loud but boxy) and the Vox. And this last one is perfect in weight and sound. Enough loud for my needs, believe me. Let me tell you more: Last weekend I played in a party. We performed our show in the garden, big one. I miked the Vox and its perfomance was superb! I heard myself on stage It worked beautifully, without problems, great tone, bottom, with the volume and master halfway up even standing our hard hitting drummer

Submitted by Alejandro at 12/16/2005 06:19

Price Paid: US $400.00USD

Features: 10
This unit has it all.

Sound Quality: 9
I've used Les Pauls, Tele's and Strats thru it, and honestly, I am REALLY impressed with it's Tone. It isn't designed to be a "live" amp but more of a "Recording" amp. Get thru the "Cambridge-itis" period and you will be in Love. JIMMY PAGE are the tones I go for, and folks, this amp will NAIL THEM. --HINT--On Channel 2, TURN DOWN THE PREAMP, then adjust the master. If used--Tremolo, 1/2 on each dial. Reverb, 2/3. You are there...

Reliability: 5
Cambridge-itis, an easy fix...Replaced with a MULLARD tube and I'm knocked out.

Customer Support: 10
Very good. They fixed mine N/C.

Overall Rating: 10
Do you like JIMMY PAGE??? GET IT!!!

Submitted by Rocco at 10/23/2005 18:06

Price Paid: US $200 used

Features: 9
This is really a cool combo amp. Ive had it for about a month and it works great. I got it off eBay for 200 dollars. For that price its amazing, you get a tube preamp, dual channels, spring reverb, tremolo, 30 watts, 10" celestion speaker. It also has dual footswitch jacks, headphone out, preamp out, ext. speaker. I dont know the exact year, but it was manufactured i believe in the late 1990s. Its not the most powerful amp, but it could probably do a small gig. Its enough for what i need it for, particularly rock/blues.

Sound Quality: 9
I juse this amp mainly with my stratocaster. I have heard this is an amp for single coil guitars and it sounds incredible with my strat,especially in bride or bridge/middle settings. It doesn't buzz at all. Its a great rock/blues amp, but i also play jazz. This amp is generally too muddy for jazz, but for rock it sounds great. On channel one the amp breaks up smoothly when turned up and i think it would be powerful enough to power a small gig, but not more than that. The distortion is NOT for the metal crowd, it is a nice crunch that slowly breaks up more as it is turned up. THis amp is not suited as much to humbuckers, it gets too punchy and distorts slightly too easily. The 2nd channel is quiet for some reason, but it has a fine line where the tube overdrives and the volume boosts alot. THis is not a heavy powerchord/metal amp, the bottom end can be too punchy and woofy, depending on guitar settings. IT is a GREAT lead amp however, with sparkling trebles and clean mids. One complaint, sometimes in the clean channel i cannot get the tremelo off all the way so i hear a slight tremelo effect, but its not as noticeable when its turned up to higher volumes.

Reliability: 8
I have only had this amp for about a month so i cant really say, but im pretty sure it will last and hold up well, despite these reviews.

Customer Support: N/A
Never dealt with em, and hope i dont have to.

Overall Rating: 8
This is a really enjoyable amp. I havent been playing very long, about a year or a year and a half. I would definitely purchase this amp again, although i wouldnt mind the 2 speaker version. I wish this amp had a 12 inch speaker, dual inputs, slightly more power (maybe 40 or 50 watts), and a switch to turn the tremelo on/off. Other than that, i really like this amp, and its definitely worth the 200 dollars i paid for it, with all those features.

Submitted by Andrew at 12/01/2004 19:15

Price Paid: US $250.00

Features: 7
See any of the reviews below.

Sound Quality: 10
I primarily use a Am/St Telecaster, Rick 330-12, CIJ Jazzmaster, Casino and a no name lap steel through this. Telecaster mainly. Music style (with this amp) is jangly Ocean Blue/Riverside/Smiths (I go direct for the MBV/Ride/Swervedriver things.).

Sounds the best with the Jazzmaster and the Tele.

Love the clean and am getting into the 2nd channel a little more (I'll probably replace the Sovtek tube though). Distortion set at 12 o'clock, no mid-boost is very nice on the arpeggiated and single string stuff. I usually add a chorus (TC) a couple of delays (Boss/Line 6).

If you want this thing to wail, it won't. Go buy a cheap used Crate or something. It's perfect for a studio or an apartment. I don't think it's loud enough to play out with, but it's got a really rich sound for recording.

Reliability: 10
NEVER HAD A SINGLE PROBLEM OR CONCERN (in 3 years). It seems like this amp. has been pegged as a loser. I have a sneaking suspicion that most of the people who post here are the ones who had trouble and were looking for somewhere to vent. IT'S A $250.00 AMP! I should've bought two of them.

(Oh, and the idea that they got better along the line seems goofy, too. Mine is #175 and has been totally reliable.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to contact anyone.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for 10 years (maybe 6 seriously). My Cambridge is part of a home studio and absolutely perfect for recording. Since I don't play out, most of the recording I do is direct (POD, etc.) so this is only the third amp I have ever owned (started on a Squire Bullet - don't laugh; this one replaced a Princeton Chorus) and I don't think I'll be looking for one soon. If I had the space, I'd have an AC30 like almost everyone else here, but for a small studio this amp is totally righteous.

Kind of hard to find now, but I'm probably going to get another one and use the pair.

I love this amp and until I find some space, it's the only one I'm going to use.

Submitted by PFitzgerald at 09/26/2004 20:32

Price Paid: US $200 used

Features: 7
Bought this amp for about 200 bucks off eBay mostly just to have a Vox amp. It has a good tremolo and the reverb is OK as well. It can really only be used as a practice amp with my Fender Telecaster Plus (hot hot hot dual red lace sensors in the bridge and blue lace sensor in the neck). It doesn't seem like a good 30 watts.

Sound Quality: 5
Hmm... mine distorts easily out after a while. Also it takes a bit to warm up sometimes and the tremolo won't turn off.

Reliability: 3
NOT RELIABLE. Mine also suffered Cambridgitis and I had to pay 81 bucks to fix it. Not very reasonable to pay half the value of the amp to fix it. Just not worth it.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 4
Been playing about 5 years and I wish I just got a fender Hot Rod instead. This Vox LOOKS pretty but it plays like a dirty whore.

Submitted by Anonymous at 06/11/2004 16:59

Price Paid: $400.00 (Canadian)

Features: 9
Two channels; one clean, one overdrive through a single 12AX7 tube. Footswitchable tremolo and reverb. This is the 30R with one 10" Bulldog speaker.
Made for Vox by Korg. See lots of complaints about this amp. Maybe I got lucky, mine's been a gem. Purchased new in June of 2000. Serial number is 1289.

Sound Quality: 10
Using a MIM Strat with Rio Grande Vintage Tall Boy pickups. Great clean sound out channel one. It's no AC30 but they've done a good job of getting the clean channel to break up a little bit to give it that Voxy jangle.

The second channel is also pretty good once you ditch the tube that comes with the amp. I replaced mine with a Mesa 12AX7 and the thing sounds so much better. With the gain set to 3/4 and using the volume control on the Strat I can get anything from a dirty little blues sound to a decent AC/dc type crunch. I'm so knocked out by the sounds I can get out of this amp. It's no Marshall or even an AC30 but it's very versatile.

That being said, it doesn't seem as loud as 30 watts. I think I'm going to do the power amp chip replacement others are doing to take it up to 56W. Should be loud enough then.

Reliability: 7
Here's where things get a little less rosy. The cabinet is made out of pressboard and I doubt it could take too much knocking around before it buckled under. The tube socket on mine seems to be a little sensitive. If I don't put the tube shield on just right the tube will cut out. In light of this I do tend to baby the thing. I would gig with it but I don't think I'd recommend it for touring. It's just too light duty for that.

Customer Support: N/A
never needed to contact them. I guess it would be Korg I would deal with rather than Vox. Never had to deal with either of them.

Overall Rating: 9
Been playing for 23 years. Also own a Fender Twin and a Peavey Classic 30. This Vox sounds way better than the Peavey which somehow doesn't seem right.

If it were stolen I'd try to track down another one for sure. I had a choice of the single 10" or the twin 10" and opted for the single. I should have gone for the two tens I think.

When I purchased this amp I did so because it was the most full-featured, best-sounding on ein its price range. I'm glad I did. Would buy another on in a heartbeat.

Submitted by Gerald Mori at 05/24/2004 14:38

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A
already covered

Sound Quality: N/A
already covered

Reliability: N/A
Part 1

Well im service technician, and im fixing one of these amps, it has a crackle and a volume drop. First thing i noticed was the 12ax7 heater voltage - too high to merit a long lasting preamp tube, transconductance drop would occur after short use. The heater voltage has obviously been over-rated by some newbie tube tech, thinking it will add tone; unfortunately disregarding reliability. Well, reminds me of a Samick amp with regards to construction and circuit layout, not exactly a soldano lmao (leagues apart). Im yet to examine the schematic and peruse the rest of the internals. But i shall post again if i find anything interesting..

Customer Support: N/A
haha

Overall Rating: N/A
Hm if you budget won't allow you to purchase anything else i guess it does the trick. Beware of the technical issues though, might pay to know a techie.

Submitted by bob the amp builder at 03/18/2004 22:36

Price Paid: US robbed!!!

Features: 1
the only feture i can see if you want to call it that is it has a VOX logo on it

Sound Quality: 1
i am old so i remember when things were real, fenders, marshalls, vox, etc. it is pathetic to see what has been done to what once were fine pieces of gear. this amp should be given away at gas stations with a fill-up. to say it sounds bad is being nice.

Reliability: 1
sad day when the finest products of the british empire are made in korea, who is threatening to bomb us!! i say they have already by sending amps that say vox and marshall on them when they are nothing but junk. if you want low priced amps, then at least buy a crate or a peavey made by americans.

Customer Support: 1
they know this stuff is junk and are too ashamed to respond to customers.

Overall Rating: 1
40 years as a player. thank god i got some decent gear back in the days when it was commomly known as used and not "vintage" the only new stuff i see that is worthwhile are the "custom shop hysterical limited edition signed by jesus made for clapton you can't afford this model" who buys this stuff? investment bankers? it sure isn't the average player, who by the way are the very people who have kept these companys in business all these years.

Submitted by frank at 03/10/2004 13:29

Price Paid: US $300 used

Features: 9
You all know what this amp features. If you donīt, browse www.voxshowroom.com and you will find it. Pretty nice amp, loads of features if you consider the price. But I am writing to make a sugestion to the Vox Cambridge owners. Change the preamp tube to a 12AT7. I think all models come whith a 12XL7, but itīs way too powerfull for it. I am giving the amp a 9 in features for that. Besides de tube chance, Itīs has all you need.

Sound Quality: 9
Channel 2 is way too dirty and bassy with the 12XL7 stock tube. Itīs kind hard to find a nice sound. You have the option to get "distortion" or "more distortion" (if you push the "more gain" button). Since you have the option to have two kinds of sounds on channel 2 (even three diferent sounds with the middle boost on), Itīs more usefull to have an nice overdriven channel and an good distorted one for your Led Zeppelin/Black Sabbath days.

Besides that, you have too much bass on channel 2. I mean, you canīt pass the bass knob over 2. Really heavy bass.

The 12AT7 tube has 70% power compared to the stock tube, but you donīt miss the volume loss. Mostly because you can get a more trebly sound, you hear more frequencies. Itīs a simple and cheap change and worth every cent.

I play a Fender Tele Custom (the one with a humbucker on the neck position) and a De Armond Stafire Special (with 2k alnico De Armond pickups), mostly 50īs/60īs rock, rockabilly, blues, late 60īs stuff.

The clan channel is nice, but itīs all solid state. The tube just run on channel 2. Channel 1 gets a bit dirty when you push the volume past 6, letīs say. Pretty good for a solid state channel. A love the variety of tones, you can get some nice bass for jazzy e bluesy sounds, a kind of rare thing on a small amp. A though it would be louder for a 30 watt amp, but Itīs a solid state channel and I am used to tubes. But you can play clean stuff on channel 2 if you chance the tube.

Spring reverb itīs a iten on itīs own right. VERY GOOD reverb. Use it on 10 and play The Ventures! Tremolo is also VERY GOOD. For old school rock lovers, itīs heaven.

Reliability: N/A
Just bought it. One month old. Canīt tell yet.

Customer Support: N/A
Canīt tell. Never use it.

Overall Rating: N/A
Well, nice amp. Change the tube.
If you are looking for a small amp, with spring reverb, tremolo, line out, preamp out, headphone out, footswitch jack, good dirty channel, fare clean channel, lightweight (this is important), probably you wonīt find it. Itīs not easy to an amp with all these features and good sound for a good price. Two thumbs up for Vox.

Oh, and you can gig with it on small clubs. I did recently and It went well (of course, ou have to put a mic in front of It).

There is another small time problem. A heard a fellow saying that the amp loses itīs tone after some minutes of using due to the heat. I think I suffer the same problem, but I just got it, canīt really tell. So, he put a computer cooler on it. Itīs an idea.

Submitted by Alexandre de Santi at 03/09/2004 10:24