Vox Cambridge 30 Twin Reverb

Price Paid: US $345? used

Features: 8
Don't know for sure what year it was made. I bought it used off eBay with heavy modifications done to it previously. This amp is pretty average as far as features. 2 x 10 speakers, 2 channels, tremelo, reverb ... etc.

Mine has had the optocoupler changed, and a power upgrade. Many people have had a 60 watt power upgrade, but mine was listed as a 56 watt chip on the auction ... not sure?

Anyways, it also had the fret cloth changed to the classic brown (very nice) and cabinet corners added. This amp has been seriously overhauled.

Sound Quality: 7
The guitars I use are a Gibson SG Special, a Epiphone Les Paul Standard, and a Squier Afinity Tele Special. All of my guitars sound good through this amp, but more so with my Tele.

I play music similar to U2 , especially similar to The Unforgettable Fire album. I'm a really big fan of The Edge's tone. I bought this amp in hopes of achieving a AC30 like sound. While it get's pretty close... in the end it's still no AC30. That's not to say this is a bad amp. Because this amp has a very good sound. I can't afford a AC30, so I guess you could consider this the poor man's AC30. At least for me, it is. It fits what I was looking for.

The clean channel is what makes this amp. I don't even bother with the amp's distortion channel. The distortion channel is just too muddy on any setting. I may try a 12AT7 down the road to try tame it. But I use pedals for my distortion and overdrive needs. Anyways, the clean channel is excellent. It has a very nice chime on harmonics and is very responsive to all the pedals I throw behind it. Very nice clean tone, I'm very impressed.

Just remember this is not an AC30, the sound can get you close, but you can't top the sound of the real thing.

Reliability: 9
I feel I can depend on my amp. I mainly play in my room, but I have used this at church before. I've had it for probably a year and have had no problems. A few days ago the volume faded low for a minute but then went back, but I was jamming pretty heavily. Or it could have been my ears. LOL.

All amps are prone to break down but this thing looks soild. I take care of all my gear as if they were my children. This thing came with a nice custom padded tuki cover, so it's protected pretty good if I take it in my car.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 8
I've been playing for 9 years, I've got a ways to go yet. I'm still young and I've got a lot to learn. Hopefully this amp will help me in my search for my perfect sound. If this thing was stolen I would be sad ... I'd probably save up for one of the new AC30CC amps. Either that or a vintage Hiwatt.

The only other thing I can say is, give this amp a fair shot. After the mods it's a very soild amp. If you don't give your gear a chance and work with it to get your sound, it's pointless to buy gear. Music is a labor of love.

Check out www.guitargeek.com , I post on there ... it's a cool site.

Submitted by TheBlindsideKid at 01/05/2006 22:08

Price Paid: US $150 used

Features: 1
Not sure when this amp was made. I bought mine "like new" from a local music store. Have to tell you right off.. all the bad stuff you've read here and elsewhere is true about the Cambridge 30 twin reverb(or single speaker version). They are pure crap. I had the mods done by a pro tech too. Didn't help one bit. I couldn't wait to get rid of mine. Luckily the same music store took it back in trade and I got a Marshall valvestate. Very nice for the price and way better sounding with NO hassles.

Sound Quality: 1
I play an vintage 70's Strat and a Les Paul special. I love the original AC30 with the top boost and always thought that brian may had a great sound. I didn't have the bucks for a vintage AC30, so I thought I would try the Cambridge 30 twin. As you already know, I was very disappointed, even after the modifications everyone says you should make. No decent distortion either, even with a preamp tube. I had a good tube in it too. Bought it off ebay for $40. It was a vintage NOS Mullard. Didn't help. Thank God the store took the amp back and I was able to get the Marshall.

Reliability: 1
For the time I had the Cambridge 30, I couldn't ever depend on it, so it never went to gigs with me. I never knew what it would do or if it would just stop working during a set. It broke down once, rather it started loosing sound power and wouldn't do anything until it cooled off, and even then sounded funny. I had all the servicing and work done by a professional. I treated it as good as I could, but it was just not realiable at all. The Marshall is totally reliable and I gig with it.

Customer Support: N/A
Never delt with the company. I think Korg owns it anyway, but didn't bother trying to get in touch with them. I just took it to a amp tech.

Overall Rating: 1
I've been playing for 8 years total, 2 years professional now. I have my Strat, Les Paul, a Taylor acoustic, a Fender Acoustic amp, Marshall half stack(for big venues) and the new Marshall valvestate combo, which I really love and use for most gigs now. Thank God I don't have it anymore, but if I did and it was stolen or lost, I wouldn't bother looking for another one. But if I lost my Marshall valvestate, I would buy another one in a heartbeat. I wished that the Cambridge 30 would have been what I wanted, but it was just pure junk and a waste of time. My best advise to everyone out there that is thinking they can buy one of the Cambridge 30 amps and modify it to sound great is just kidding themselves into believing it only because they really want an AC30. Hey, if you want an AC30, just save your money and buy an AC30. The Cambridge 30 is NOT going to ever be an AC30 and it will never sound like one, no matter what you do. Please believe me and save yourself some grief.

Submitted by Don Hinshaw at 11/19/2005 05:50

Price Paid: US $199

Features: 1
I own a Vox Pathfinder 15R and it's awesome, so I thought I would try the Cambridge 30. Man.... did I make the biggest mistake of my life. Like flushing hard earned money down the toilet. I will elaborate further down on this review. For the basics, it's supposed to be a 30 watt combo with reverb, tremelo, and a tube preamp. The reverb is the worst I've ever heard, the tremelo is worse, and the tube preamp doesn't help the sound at all. I even changed out to AT7's and 5751's, but nothing helped.

Sound Quality: 1
I play a variety of sounds. I use a variety of instruments. I like the clean sound of my Patherfinder 15R, and it's as loud enough to be heard over the drummer with a decent preamp/pedal. Anyone tells you different, they are just giving you the BS to play down the amp so they can pick them up cheap on ebay or something. The Pathfinder 15R is a true VOX all the way. The sound will amaze you right out of the box. The sounds on this Cambridge 30 right out of the box is a nightmare. Then if you turn it up to anykind of real volume for more than 20 minutes, it heats up and dies on you.

Reliability: 1
I was too ashamed to use this amp at gigs, so I did the "MODS", with the tremelo and power amp section. If someone tells you that it helped, they are giving you the BS again! I did ALL THE "MODS" and it did not make it sound better than my Patherfinder 15R. Even after the "MODS" my Pathfinder kicked the Cambridge 30's ass all the way down the road and back! And all I had in front of my Pathfinder was my Korg PX3 pandora. The combo of these two is something you would have to hear to believe. I get serious SRV and Brian May sounds! and that ain't easy. I finally sold(actually gave it away) to some dope that read about the "MODS" and thought he was getting a real deal. I even warned him, but he still bought it with his eyes open. I kinda felt sorry for him, so I sold it to him for $50. I think I got the better part of the deal. Poor guy.

Customer Support: 1
VOX support is a joke. Maybe one day, KORG will realize that need to put as much attention into the VOX line as they do their Marshall line. Yep, they own Marshall too, but they did good with the Marshall line.

Overall Rating: 1
I've been playing music for over 30 years and have had mucho equipment, so I've had time to define my sound, tone, and setup. Believe it or not, I don't use a Marshall stack, a $2000 Ibanez, or $500 pedal board. I use my two Pathfinder 15R's, a Korg pandora, and a Japanese Squier Strat. They do the job and I get nothing but compliments from fans and in the studio. Nuff about me and my thing... bottom line here is to let people know...DO NOT BUY A CAMBRIDGE 30 AMP, MODIFIED OR NOT. YOU WILL ONLY BE SORRY! OK? That's it from a 30 year professional.

Submitted by Eric Weissman at 11/17/2005 02:42

Price Paid: US $250?

Features: 5
this amp was new back in 2001 or two maybe. features are pretty basic. two channels that are switchable distortion/clean. knobs are backwards. you get used to it, but why? it is a solid state amp with a tube preamp stage... really more like a tube coloring stage.

Sound Quality: 2
this is one of the worst sounding amps i have ever heard. the only thing that saves it is the nice little celestion bulldogs in it. they are 16 ohm speakers i believe wired to an 8 ohm load at the amp. the amp sounds ok at low volume, but once you turn it up it is harsh and the enclosure rattles. the distortion is like the sound of 100 forks scraping a blackboard mixed with someone sanding some wood. <(*_*)>
i tried changing out the tube but to no avail.

Reliability: 3
this amp is in no way reliable. it is a cheap 'made in china' piece of junk. it browns out if you turn it all the way up for a few minutes and just fades away like an old zenith radio. if you take this to a gig, you better be a good whistler, because you won't be playing a guitar through this amp.

Customer Support: N/A
i didn't bother dealing with VOX. i knew i had been had once i noticed online that other people were having the same problems with the amp that i was having.

Overall Rating: 2
i have been playing guitar for 10 years. i use a peavey 50/50 classic and an old ampeg V-4 (the mother of all guitar amps). if this amp were stolen or lost it would be a miracle because i already disassembled it and used it for parts. i will never buy another VOX product of any sort simply because it's bad business to sell this kind of garbage to innocent consumers in such mass amounts. they should have refunded everyone's money that bought one of these.

Submitted by jeff pasley at 08/16/2005 21:41

Price Paid: US $275

Features: 10
First of all, I'm describing the amp AFTER the power upgrade and the autocoupler change (see elsewhere in reviews). Before: brownouts and flatulence. After: it's an entirely different and great amp.

I play a wide variety of music with classic rock being my most common choice. Have done everything from playing for a square dance to being an opening act for Bob Segar.Throw in blues, jazz, etc., and you get the idea.

Two channels, reverb, tremelo, gain on the second channel, footswitchable (any stereo footswitch seems to work if you don't have the Vox). The clean has the Vox jangle that Vox lovers crave, the second channel, with the gain button on, has a uniqe distortion that is rich in mids and low-mids ( a little like a Big Muff with the tone rolled back on your guitar)but with a very nice ping harmonic available. I give it a 10 here because it packs together the sounds that should make you want a Vox in the first place and all of them are killer. The tremelo after the upgrade isn't as deep as it was but it's still plenty for my needs. The reverb has a nice richness and depth, though it can't be cranked to surf-music levels.

Sound Quality: 10
I use a variety of guitars through it but mostly a modified Tele with a blade humbucker and a Lil' '59 and a '69 Les Paul Custom that has the original bridge pickup with a P-90 in front. The inherent jangle of the Tele sounds best with the clean channel. Both guitars sound great in the gain channel.
The amp is inspiring for classic '60's-'70's rock: Beatles, Stones, Neil Young (think of Cinnamon Girl), etc. I use it along with an A/B/Y switch and a Fender Deluxe Reissue. The combination gives me the sounds I have long wanted and I don't expect to make another change in amps for a long time. My '74 Super Reverb, as proof, is going up for sale.

Reliability: N/A
It appeared to be a piece of junk before the upgrades and now it's my favorite amp. I'm told by my tech guy that the board the electronics are mounted on isn't the strongest he's ever seen. I've only had the upgrade for a few months so the reliability isn't something I can judge at this point.

Customer Support: N/A
DNA

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playing for 38 years and I've played and owned much gear. I would find another Cambridge asap if something happened to this one.
My final comment is that many people have been knocked out by the incredibly inexpensive Vox Pathfinder. I have the Pathfinder in the mini-stack configuration (2-10"s) and like it a lot. However, the amp sounds high mechanical and transistorized when compared to the upgraded Cambridge. If you want a gig-worthy (60 watts: plenty of volume for most gigs and stages)Vox with a jangle that's virtually indistinguishable from the very expensive all-tube models, then find one of these amps. It is one of the great bargains available today.

Submitted by Anonymous at 06/22/2005 09:10

Price Paid: US $339

Features: 7
Model V9320
Two channel with reverb and tremolo,gain boost and mid boost buttons,power,channel,gain boost indicator lights, 12ax7 preamp tube.
Two footswitch jacks,speaker out,headphones out,line out jacks.
30 watts output,two 10"celestion 8ohm speakers wired for 16ohms.
The 7.0 rating I gave it was based on intent,not on execution.

Sound Quality: 7
I use this amp for practice.I have used two telecasters,one strat,a les paul, two rickenbackers,one e335 and a larivee d-04 with sound hole pick up thru this amp. The telecasters and e335 sounded best.But good tone is different to each player,you try then decide if this amp is for you.
The reverb tank is a short 3 spring, med decay type. Not fender like at all,but still pleasant sounding to me. Tremolo and gain channel have average solid state sound.

Reliability: 3
Purchased amp 05/2000. ser# 0000178. Had amp for 4 years and used on average of 3hrs a week before "Brown out problem" became too severe.
Thanks to the people here on Harmonycentral.com ,I found out what needed repaired. I not only had the bad optocoupler replaced,but had the 60 watt upgrade done and the preamp tube replaced with an ei 12ax7 yugoslavian tube. Power is now enough for "Jamming" with. Tone is bright with much improved low end. This is how Vox should have sold this amp in the first place. As far as reliability goes after the repairs,only time will tell. Repairs were done at Ampwerx 1935 E. 7th st. Long Beach Ca. 90813. Time in shop,3 weeks total.

Customer Support: N/A
Did not even try,since amp was out of warranty and no recall had been issued.

Overall Rating: 3
Have been playing guitar for over 40 years. This amp was not one of my best purchases. Would not buy again. Would not buy vox/korg products again. Shame on vox for not recalling this amp. The major problems they are having with their Valvetronics line is no surprise.
Look on e-bay,see the low prices modern vox amps bring .The word is getting out, and Vox's reputation is going down the drain. Would you buy a new chinese made ac-30 for $1000.00 bucks? NOT ME!

Submitted by a.j. at 04/02/2005 11:27

Price Paid: US $180 used

Features: 8
2 channels, reverb and tremolo, pair of 10''s...excellent practice and recording amp...not quite loud enough to compete with loud drummer...lacks "modern" gain capabilities without an external effect.

Sound Quality: 10
i play a wide variety of styles with a broad range of tonal variations and i mainly use this amp just for it's clean channel, which is absolutely awesome...i plug one of a couple charvels with stock jackson pickups through an rp200 and i can get pretty much any sound i want. the amp did have some noise issues and the tone was a little on the dark side when i bought it used, but after replacing the sovtek tube with a new groove tubes 12ax7r the thing is quiet as a mouse all the way to 10 with the gain maxed and holy cow does it get one hell of bright tone...almost painful unless you play with the tone knobs, which are very interactive and sensitive to tweaking...channel 2 gets some nice classic distortion tones...think joe walsh, black crowes, bad company...but it was not designed to sound like a warhead...that'll require a pedal.

Reliability: N/A
i bought the amp used from guitar center and i'm not sure if the opto-coupler problem has been fixed or not, but i have had no problems other than a crappy tube. it would probably get beat up pretty bad on tour as the cab is kind of wimpily constructed and it has no corner protectors, but the light weight is a nice feature...

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
overall, for what i payed and what i use it for, this amp is an easy 9...i have never heard a better clean tone and you can get some really novel and usable gain tones if you spend some time playing with it...perfect for home and studio...you'll probably have to mic it if you wanna use it live though...

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/16/2005 10:17

Price Paid: 50.00 service charge (USD)

Features: 8
The tremelo and reverb are adequate. Not the best but not the worst either.
If you make the modification that everyone is suggesting you will have to adjust the trim pots VR11 and VR12 on the circuit board to get a good tremolo sound. You may experience a little clipping at the far left of the pot (it can be adjusted to get a good tremolo sound and no clipping). I can live with this trade off because the amp sounds soooo great now.

Sound Quality: 10
When I purchased this amp the sound was great when you turned it on but it would deminish in power and the sound would get muddy after the amp heated up. After making vent holes it was slightly better but still had a problem. I put heavier gauge wires to the speakers using the monster cable theory and this helped a little too.

This amp would still get so hot you could fry eggs on it. The heat was destroying the sound quality and the power output. Apparently the cheap optocoupler that they used in this amp was drawing so much power it was overheating the whole amp.
I changed the optocoupler as recomended on many other reviews and the difference is unbelievable. Now the amp runs very cool, The power will blow you away, and the sound is definately VOX. Very clean crisp sound with lots of power.

This is not a practice amp anymore. Change the optocoupler and you will have a TEN rating amp. Maybe even an ELEVEN. I LOVE THIS AMP NOW. I always loved my Cambridge 15 amp and it is the reason I bought the Campbidge 30 twin. It never sounded as good as the Cambridge 15 but after the modification it sounds just as good if not better than the Cambridge 15. Did I mention I LOVE THIS AMP NOW?

Reliability: 10
There was no reliability until I did the modification that others recomended. CHANGE THE OPTOCOUPLER ASAP and you will have a great amp. The reliability now is a ten.

Customer Support: 1
Customer support was non existent from Vox/Korg. I brought the amp to the local authorized Vox repair dealer. They charged me $50.00 and told me there was nothing wrong with the amp. I brought it back again and they didn't charge me this time but still said there was nothing wrong with the amp. This was very frustrating due to the fact that the amp sounded terrible to my ear and there were a bunch of unsatisfied musicians on Harmony Central experiencing the same problems as me.

Overall Rating: 10
I wrote two previous reviews voicing my frustrations with this amp (3/8/03 and 1/20/04). I noticed the reviews where people were saying they found the magic fix for this amp so I tried it. If you don't know how to solder and can't do the work yourself get someone to do it for you. You MUST make the modification if you want this amp to perform like a VOX should. The difference will blow you away.

It took me quite a while to find the parts so I will help you out with that. I found an electronic supply company called Allied Electronics that stocked the parts. The web site is (www.alliedelec.com). The optocoupler that you need is Part # VTL5C3/2 Allied stock# 980-0730. The part costs $3.79 (I can't believe Vox would want to hurt there customer base for a four dollar part). This optocoupler has two leads on one side and three on the other. You will have to cut off the center lead on the three lead side for it to fit on the circuit board.

If you want to change the power transistor to get even more power out of this amp you can get part# LM3876T stock# 288-1358. These are $5.24. The bad news is that there is a $25.00 minimum order.

The reason I have given this amp a ten rating at this time is because it is truly a ten after the modification is done. IF YOU DO THE MODIFICATION YOU WILL LOVE THIS AMP. IF YOUR AMP SOUNDS LIKE CRAP NOW DO THE MODIFICATION YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE.

Submitted by Jay Shrub - The Shrubs 12/10/2004 at 12/10/2004 07:01

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A

Sound Quality: N/A
I finally got the optocoupler and 60-watt upgrades completed, and WOW! The amp really comes alive with these fixes. Other tweaks included some fine tuning of the VR11 and VR12 trimpots and a Groove Tubes 12AX7. Now I have a very sweet, reliable, versatile and really LOUD amp. Very articulate; like a real Class A Vox. If it had a bit more low-end, it could be that AC-30 I've always wanted.

For those of you that have these upgrades done, be sure to adjust the VR11 and VR12 pots. VR11 affects tremolo depth and unless you adjust it to suit the new optocoupler, the trem won't be as deep as before. The VR12 sets the gain going from the preamp to the amp section. The factory setting is such that the amp won't overdrive the OEM amp chip and needs to be cranked up some to take full advantage of the new 'coupler and amp chips. You can take the clean channel from a quiet squeaky clean to a nice tubey - and much louder - crunch with judicious tuning of VR12. Season to taste!

Someday, I'll go back into the amp and swap out some resistors to enhance the low-end, and maybe get crazy and replace one of the 10" speakers with an 12" Greenback. But for now this thing's my new best friend!

Reliability: N/A
The repairs have drastically reduced the operating temperatures so reliability should be much better. I've used it at moderate volume levels for several hours at a time with no hint of a problem. Time will tell.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by Jim at 10/27/2004 05:12

Price Paid: US $152.00 used

Features: N/A
This is an update of my review earlier this year.

Sound Quality: 8
The tone was & still is excellent.

Reliability: N/A
See below....

Customer Support: N/A
Fix it yourself or find someone.

Overall Rating: 9
I had this amp redone as mentioned by some below. The crappy opto-coupler was,as indicated,the problem. I also did the 60 watt modification. The tremelo was somewhat weakened by the changes but still works, however that is the least used effect for me. As I predicted I now love this amp! It screams for a little combo & I can now easily gig with it. For such a small light amp its great! My advice is to find one that someones pissed at-buy it cheap-and do what some of us have done. Most competent techs fix it no problem.

Submitted by Rob B at 10/03/2004 08:28

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A

Sound Quality: 9
This is an update to a review I did 'long ago' on this amp, and is meant as encouragement for those who may be on the fence as to whether or not to bother upgrading their Cambridge. From the beginging, I was very pleased with the 'sound' of the amp, but it did suffer from Cambridgitis when I tried to push it. So... I, like some others here, ordered the upgraded optocoupler, as well as the 60w amp chip... total cost, about $25. Now, for those of you who have not tried anything like this modification before, I must say that I had not, either. I possess an affinity for electronic things?, yes... but had I actually soldered things onto a circuit board!... no. So with some skepticism I gathered tools, including the menacing and potentially lethal soldering iron, and set about ripping the amp apart. I figured I would try the optocoupler mod first... if that worked, I'd at least have a Cambridge that functioned as originally intended! Less than an hour later I was putting it back together, knowing full well that it wouldn't work when I turned it on... even suspecting I would somehow have what little hair I still have standing on end as 110v surged through my body. Much to my delight... it DID in fact work! So... one more time I began the dismantling, to install the 60w amp chip. Though, thankfully, much easier to access, this was a trickier job, as I really had no 'third hand' or clamp to hold the tiny circuit board while either disconnecting or re-connecting parts and wires (a must for anyone planning on doing this!). BUT... again, success... and WOW... it isn't just 'louder'... the bass response that SHOULD have been there with 2-10" speakers is now there, and the amp is much brighter and really can now 'cut' through! In fact, the problem now is that the stock speakers can't handle it all! So... I add my voice to those insisting you MUST do these mods... it is not terribly difficult if you take your time and take care, and the little amp you end up with when you are done is MORE than worth the trouble! Feel free to contact me if you need additional details.

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by Mark McNeil at 09/02/2004 14:05

Price Paid: US $200 used

Features: 9
This is a hybrid amp: solid-state 'clean' channel and a 12AX7 in the 'overdrive' channel's preamp. It's got the wonderful Vox reverb and tremolo, buttons for mid-boost, channel select and gain boost. Channel and gain boost are footswitchable with an optional VS-2 switch.

It's rated at 30 watts, but my 15-watt Pathfinders blow it totally away. This may be because of just a few cheap parts and poor workmanship (see Reliability section).

Sound Quality: 5
I use it for all kinds of stuff and use humbuckers, soapbars or a Rickenbacker with toasters. The amp delivers for a while, until it starts losing power and distorting due to overheating.

The reverb and trem are great, but the mid-boost makes everything sound like soapbars. The gain boost is really too potent to use as a boost for solos.

Played at lower volume settings, it sounds great ... very Vox-y. Channel 1 starts distorting too soon (about 5 on the knob) and gets more buzzy with higher settings. This gets progressively worse as the amp gets hot. Can't get a good, loud clean out of it. By the end of the first set it's wide open and sounds terrible. Channel 2 is much better. I usually set the gain at about 3 with the Boost ON and the volume wide open. It's very responsive to attack when set up this way.

I'd rate it an 8 or 9 if Channel 1 was better.

Reliability: 3
I always have an extra Pathfinder 15R in the car for backup; they're bulletproof and loud as hell. The Cambridge is notorious for overheating and optocoupler failure, so I won't dwell on that. Mine arrived DOA from the original owner over Ebay, but I got it working and the seller split the repair cost. Plan on replacing the optocoupler and sweating a bunch of terrible solder joints if you get one.

Also plan on replacing the amp chip with the 60-watt version, as described elsewhere in this FAQ. The amp is only set up for 30 watts because the factory optocoupler is so wimpy. I made the mistake of replacing my optocoupler with an identical OEM part, so it will be replaced with the recommended Fender part when the power chip is upgraded.

The Cambridge is a sweet-sounding amp, but it hasn't got the oomph from the factory to punch through a drummer.

Customer Support: 2
Based on previous experience, Vox and Customer Support are mutually-exclusive. I didn't even bother.

Overall Rating: 7
I've been playing for a long time and wish I could afford an AC-30. If the Cambridge delivered on the design parameters (30 watts, tube preamp, 2x10 Celestions), it would be a good poor-man's AC-30. The potential's there but you have to be willing to dig for it.

Submitted by Anonymous at 08/16/2004 10:52

Price Paid: US $100 DOLLARS

Features: 8
WELL YOU KNOW THE FEATURES ON THIS LITTLE THINGS! I BELIEVE MINES WAS MADE IN 2001 I THINK. AND IT IS THE TWIN SPEAKER. THIS IS LIKE MY PROJECT AMP OR PRACTICE AT HOME AND MAYBE WHEN I INVITE FRIENDS TO MY HOUSE I WOULD HOOK UP MY GUITAR WITH THIS CAMBRIDGE. I DO HAVE AN ACTUAL REISSUE AC30TBX!

Sound Quality: 7
THE SOUND IS NOT TOO BAD FOR PRACTICING AT HOME OR JUST HECK JAMMING.I HAVE A G&L ASAT CLASSIC AND IT SOUNDS NICE, NOT THE BEST THOUGHT.I CAN ONLY SAY ITS JUST DESENT,NOTHING SERIOUS! MY STYLE OF MUSIC VARIES FROM BEATLES TO RADIOHEAD,U2 TO MUSE, AND GUSTAVO CERATI TO SODA STEREO. THE CLEAN CHANNEL IS NICE AND THE SAME GOES FOR THE DIRTY CHANNEL. JUST DONT PUT THE VOLUME ALL THE WAY. I RECOMMEND MAYBE AT HALVE VOLUME.

Reliability: N/A
WELL I DONT KNOW ABOUT RELIABILITY! NO PROBLEMS AS OF YET. SINCE I PURSHASED FOR 100 DOLLARS I DONT CARE, ITS NOT MY AC30 ANYWAYS.

Customer Support: 8
WELL I HAVE DEALT WITH VOX BUT ONLY TO GET SOME INFO. AND THEY ARE STRAIGHT.

Overall Rating: 7
ITS A GOOD PRACTICE GUITAR AMP. THE REVERB AND TREMOLO IS DESENT,NO BIG DEAL. THE FEATURE IS GOOD. CLEAN CHANNEL IS NICE AND SO THE DIRTY. I TRIED TO PUT IT TOGETHER WITH MY AC30 AND THIS AMP CANT MAKE ANY COMPETITION WITH MY AC30TBX. LIKE I SAID ITS JUST A PRACTICE AMP AND EVEN A PROJECT AMP AND IF SOMETHING HAPPENS I CAN ALWAYS USE THE CABINET OR THE TOLEX AND EVEN THE SPEAKERS. I CANT SAY I RECOMENDED BUT IF YOU WANT A PRACTICE AMP JUST TO HAVE AROUND THIS ONE IS OK AND THE GOOD THING ALSO IS THAT ITS NOT TOO HEAVY SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY CARRY AROUND.

Submitted by CHUY at 07/29/2004 21:44

Price Paid: US $100.00 used

Features: 8
Vox Cambridge 30 Reverb Twin. Contains two 10" Vox/Celestion Bulldog speakers. Two channels, one clean one overdrive. Channel one is solid state, the overdrive channel is preamped by a single 12AX7 tube. Built in tremolo and reverb, mid range boost, and gain boost. I could do with more than one input jack.

Sound Quality: 9
The main guitar i've been running through the amp is a Fender Mustang with two single coils. The sound is fantastic. Good low end and a nice distortion. I've also been playing an acoustic through it and gotten some great tone as well.

Reliability: 1
Out of the factory these are possibly the least reliable amps i have ever seen. When i first got the amp it was already in the advanced stages of 'Cambridgitis'. Brown outs, crackling, etc. I took the amp apart, did the opti fix, hit some solder joints and since then the thing sounds incredible. I plan to do the 60watt upgrade next, as soon as the part arrives. If you aren't electrical saavy or don't have a tech, then stay away from these amps. On the other hand, if you do, these amps are great once you do the fix. Especially at some of the prices you can find them for.

Customer Support: N/A
I didn't try to contact Vox. I assume they'd just send me to Korg and then vice-versa. I decided to just save myself the headache. It would have been nice if there was some sort of recall issued, but to the best of my knowledge that never happened. I bought mine used, so the warranty was out of the question.

Overall Rating: N/A
My main amp is a Hiwatt and i have to admit, since i fixed the Vox i haven't touched the Hiwatt. Not saying it's a better amp, but it's definitely fun to play through. Not to mention the huge weight difference. One of the big reasons i got it was to have a smaller amp that i could take around when i didn't feel like dragging around a huge amp. I'd definitely pick up another one if the price was right. I've also been thinking about picking up another to turn into an external cab to run off of this one.

It's hard to rate because on one hand it's a terrible amp, but on the other hand it's a great amp. I guess it all depends on the price and the work involved. I'm sure if i bought the amp new for full price and had the typical problems i'd be a bit less optimistic.

Submitted by jaycrimson at 07/02/2004 19:14

Price Paid: US $152.00 used

Features: 9
Early 1999 version. I bought it on ebay for $152.00 with a advertised "short problem". For the price I felt it had a lot of features. Also the speakers alone made it worth it. Didn't expect it to work at all but when I turned it on it barked to life. Loud for 30 watts.

Sound Quality: 9
Playing around with it I was impressed with its versatility. I have a bunch of guitars but the Charvel model 1 "shred guitar" sounded incredible thru it. I jammed for about 45 minutes thinking what an idiot the seller was when the gremlins appeared! As you've read this amp was conceived one way & built another. A pity because the design is perfect & the production was crap.

Reliability: 2
I did one thing that may help other unfortunates. North Coast music sells Vox vents for the Rose Morris era that are large. I bought 4 of them & installed them along the solid back panel. This didn't totally solve the problem but extended the playing time since it ran cooler. But what were they thinking!! Buy American (see British).

Customer Support: N/A
Hey I thought I was just getting a cab with Celestions. Can't comment.

Overall Rating: 6
I've been playing 39 years & have a collection of 60's Vox amps that were supposed to be unreliable, but they are tanks compared to this unit. I'm rating it midway between awesome & junk only because I knew what I was buying.That wouldn't be the case if I paid the new price for it. When my tech wizard is done with it-he's a genius-I'll probably love it.

Submitted by Rob B at 04/28/2004 21:03

Price Paid: US $350

Features: 7
For the money, this little amp offers some decent features. reverb, tremelo, and a pair of 10 inch speakers. Looks cool, like a Vox should. Two channels, one clean, one overdrive. Called a "hybrid" with a 12ax7a tube in the preamp, but it's really a solid state thing all the way.

Sound Quality: 4
The clean channel is pretty much generic solid state. Decent at lower volumes, then irritating as you turn it up. The so-called "tube" cahnnel is the overdrive channel, and it sounds like a cheap solid state amp distorting badly. Forget the "tube" part. In no way is this a tube amp. That preamp tube is nothing more than a marketing gimmick.

Reliability: 1
Piece of crap! This is where it takes a big hit, in my opinion. Within a couple of hours of light use, it died on me. Took it back to the dealer, who replaced it with another brand new one, still in the box. Guess what? Within a week, the second one died, too. Took the second one back for store credit, got a Fender Blues Jr and never looked back.

Customer Support: 1
My dealer was super about the whole thing. Probably because he'd had others returned for the same problem. But as far as Vox is concerned, I'd give them a NEGATIVE rating if it were possible.

NOTE TO AMP MANUFACTURERS:
Making your customers perform the debugging on your product is a surefire method of getting a black eye with your targeted demographic. Like MANY other reviewers of this amp, I'm now a VERY disgruntled FORMER Vox owner, who wouldn't own another one of your amps if it was on sale for fifty cents.

Overall Rating: 1
Garbage. Even when it worked, it was disappointing. What was I thinking when I bought the first one? Oh, I remember! Vox amps have been around forever and have been the tone of so many great guitarists. Plus, they look so cool! Well, the mighty have become mediocre, in this case. Vox, you should be ashamed of yourselves for releasing this defective merchandise for general distribution. Fortunately for the public, you make guitar amps, and not aircraft or automobiles. Because if you did, those defects would be fatal rather than just aggravating.

Submitted by Del Sanders at 04/03/2004 10:40

Price Paid: US $340

Features: 10
Reverb, tremolo, two channels, two jacks for dual footswitches, line out, headphones out, etc etc. I find it quite versatile; I can get from a nice clean sound to a slightly overdriven, '60s garage rock tone on the clean channel, and from a crunchy rock tone to something that's frankly more distorted than I care to use on the other channel.

Sound Quality: 10
The guitar I mostly use is a Series 10 Rickenbacker clone. So basically, I have the "cheap Beatles" set-up: a fake Rickenbacker 325 and a lower end Vox amp, and that's pretty much what I was going for. It works quite well, too. And the reverb is great.

Reliability: 10
I've had one repair done in 3 years or so, and that one was my fault, so I'd say it's pretty reliable.

Customer Support: 9
I don't believe I've dealt with the company directly; the one time I had it repaired, I found an authorized repair shop through my local guitar store, and the guy there took care of it. The amp was under warranty at that time.

Overall Rating: 10
I fully believe that this amp was a great value. I got exactly what I was looking for (that Vox sound) for at least a thousand dollars less than an AC30. And it has that great Vox look! I highly recommend it.

Submitted by Bryan at 03/07/2004 08:31

Price Paid: US $350

Features: 9
You know the features.

Sound Quality: 10
This amp was made for single pickups! and it rocks! READ ABOUT RELIABILITY!!!!

Reliability: 10
FOR ALL C30 OWNERS!!!!! READ THIS!!!!!!! THIS IS VITAL !!!
The villain of all bad reviews of this amp has a name and location!! it is a crap part that was used on the amp! it's the opto-coupler model LT9914 which is responsible for the tremolo and its located on the circuit board next to the volume pot, all users MUST change this part for a VTC5L3 optocoupler!! even those who didn't yet have the problem. All you hear about crappy sound, low volume, volume variation while playing (after getting warm).....here is the solution besides, there's two pot's called VR11 and VR12 on the C30 Circuit Board that happens to be (most of times) not well regulated, they alter the gain that is sent to the power section of the amp so, when it's not regulated makes in some amps sound crappy (Clipping) ! I also made the modification to 60W don't be mistaken these amps are a bargain! they just need a little tweaking!! I'll give you another important tip check this site www.voxtalks.com the truth is outhere! :) YOU HAVE TO DO THIS GUYS !!! THIS AMP ROCKS! FORGET THE BAD REVIEWS, that's why you see some excelent reviews and some terrible reviews!! DONT WASTE THE CHANCE TO HAVE AN INCREDIBLE AMP FOR A CHEAP PRICE!!! OPEN YOUR EYES AND CHECK THE VOX FORUM !!!! I was about to sell it when a optocoupler went off, thanks vox for using such a crap in it! now I have a fantastic amp! after my research about the problem! One thing I don't understand if VOX put a IC Power to 60W they could ask twice the price! it sounds SO MUCH BETTER you have no idea..... To change it do 60W you just have to change the original IC POWER which is a TDA2050 for a LM3875 (my case I used a LM3876) the best is, the 60W IC costs about 5$ US dollars!!! 2 hours job separates you from a FANTASTIC amp

Now I laugh because people don't believe the quality and headroom of this lightweight amp!!! BTW you can meet me there at the vox forum ! I'll be please to help you folks!

Customer Support: 5
Forget about it! do a research get the schematics, make the mods you'll never ever have to deal with them! (well here where I live they don't exist anyway)

Overall Rating: 10
Before mods 5 after mods 10!!!

Submitted by Anonymous at 03/02/2004 14:45

Price Paid: US $350

Features: 9
This amp has the features I was looking for

Sound Quality: 8
The Clean channel sounds great, Overdrive side a little fat for my tastes (could probably be changed by tube substitutions).

Reliability: 1
Eeeek!! I've never owned an amp this unreliable, and I've had some real clunkers! The "brown-out" issue was evident right off. The tech soldered up some joints and the tremelo issue flared up, which was again fixed by touching up the solder joints (two visits). It seemed reliable enough, but it died at the first gig I took it to (relying on a Pathfinder, which I HIGHLY recommend, to finish the gig). One more trip to the shop. This time it worked better than it ever had and it was a joy through all the rehearsals, plus the ENTIRE GIG! Wow, I thought my problems were over. Unfortunately, I was wrong. It started crackling like it had a bad input jack, but the went away by wiggling the cord end. Thought that was it, but it "browned-out" two songs into the next gig and remains at about half power. I suspect there are more bad solder joints, but the last trip (the fifth?) was at my expense so it probably won't be going back. This amp sounds great when it's working, which isn't that often. Come to think of it, this is probably the least reliable thing, in general, I've ever owned.

Customer Support: 2
This amp spent quite a bit of time in the shop while the tech was trying to get ANY information out of Korg. And this was a Vox dealer!

Overall Rating: 1
I've been playing twenty-some years and own some pretty killer amps. Why I waste my time with this one is beyond comprehension. It had moments of brilliance, in fact the one gig it made it through, I received several compliments on the tone. I was looking for a club amp to take the load off my 64 Deluxe Reverb, and this seemed to fit the bill (on paper, anyway). I figured a few warranty trips would chase the gremlins out of it, but it looks like I was mistaken.

Submitted by Dave at 02/26/2004 10:55

Price Paid: US $300.00

Features: 5
The features on this amp are fine. It is a great sounding little amp. The problem I have had with it is that the power and sound diminish as the amp warms up. As I said in my first review on 3/8/03 temperature = sound quality.

Sound Quality: 7
This amp sounds great when you first turn it on. I have used a varity of guitars with it, Rickenbacker (6 and 12 string), Fender Strat, Fender Tele, Gibson Les Paul, Vox Mark IV and they all sound great through it.
The amp does have a design problem though. As the amp heats up the power drops and the sound quality gets very muddy. I have experimented with this amp since my last review and I have solved most of the problem. The main problem is heat. The amp section is enclosed and there is no way for the heat that is created to escape the cabinet. The heat is created by the power transistor and the transformer. They both get extremely hot. Apparently the heat sink on the transistor does not deflect enough heat.
Since I was not going to sink any more money into this amp I decided to experiment with it. I got out my trusty drill and proceded to drill some vent holes across the back of the amp. This helped but not enough so I drilled more holes (four 1 inch holes on each side of the amp). I covered these holes with vent plates that I purchased from Vox to dress up the holes. This seems to have helped the problem.

Reliability: 1
This amp is only reliable in that you can count on it to lose power and sound quality after it heats up.

Customer Support: 1
Customer support is horrible. It cost me $50 for them to tell me there was nothing wrong with the amp. I had it in the shop twice and both times they told me there was nothing wtong with it.

Overall Rating: 5
The amp sounds great when you first turn it on but you will probably have problems with it when it heats up.
I would seriously buy some other brand unless you can get one real cheap and you feel like experimenting with it.

Submitted by Jay Shrub - The Shrubs at 01/20/2004 07:59

Price Paid: US $250.00

Features: 7
I have the single 10 inch version.
I have read a number of bad reviews for this amp, but my experience has been 100% positive. I suppose I am very fortunate!
When playing this amp, one must rememebr that it is a 300 dollar copy of what a Vox amp could be. The original Cambridge 30 was completely solid state, and did not have a nice overdrive at ALL. This new Korg version is a great sounding amp for the price, I would dare to say unbeatable for under 300 dollars. The reverb is very old school, so if you want some sort of newfangled digital reverb, dont buy this amp. I find it sounds good. The tremolo is also very good for the price. It is not a fender style tremolo, so if you want that, dont buy this amp. I play indie rock that is heavily influenced by motown and the british invasion, and this amp does the job for a relatively low cost. I wish it were louder. When I am standing in front of the drums and the guitar is on the floor, I can't hear it.

Sound Quality: 7
I play a 1990's re-issue of a 1972 Fender Telecaster Custom, with a single coil bridge pickup and a fender humbucker in the bridge position. It is a very versatile setup, and I can make quite a few different tones with it. Overall, it will always sound like a vox, and get "distorted" at higher volumes. That's what Vox amps do.

Reliability: N/A
I have had absolutely NO problems with this amp. I leave it on all day in the studio, then play a track. It sounds great with an SM57. I have had no overheating problems, no brownouts, nothing. It could have a sturdier build, but give me a break, it's a 300 dollar amp.

Customer Support: N/A
no experience with them, I guess I am lucky.

Overall Rating: 10
Overall, I would call this amp a great value. Korg has a lot of experience with effects modeling and such, and they have put that technology to goo duse on this amp. It has a celestion speaker, a reverb that actually works, an adjustable tremolo, and sexy looks for 300 bucks. The quality could be better. This is not a professional quality amp, so if you need a pro amp, don't buy this. If you want an amp that sounds WAY better than your friends peavey for less money, buy this amp.

Submitted by Ryan at 12/11/2003 14:41

Price Paid: US $320

Features: 9
Guess was made in 2001, I play mostly rock and blues and this amps suits me perfectly, nothing to complain about. it has a tremolo that really seems to be *weak* but I hardly use, the reverb is quite all right, not a 7th wonder but good enough.

Sound Quality: 10
Sounds great with my Jap strat, not that good for my Washburn mercury MG series. The clean channel doesn't distort until i blast 70% of the volume. the distortion channel is not fantastic but fair enough, but HERE IS SOMETHING YOU MUST KNOW!! TRY THIS LIL BASTARD WITH A IBANEZ TUBE SCREAMER!!!!man it shines, it takes it to another level...
So my rating is for what you can do with this amp + a tube screamer

Reliability: 8
So far so good, I bought it 2nd hand and at the store they said the amp was all revised (not sure whether was broken or something they do before selling to someone else, I hope the 2nd one :))

Customer Support: N/A
never delt with them.....fortunately

Overall Rating: 10
Definitely it has a fantastic value! plus things people say you get when you try other valvs on it, i mean, tweaking this amp is easy.

Submitted by Strat@stratland.com at 11/01/2003 14:04

Price Paid: US $300

Features: 6
I wrote a review for this amp a long time ago.. I liked it then and I like it now. when I bought the amp about 2 years ago, I hadn't heard any bad reviews about it. I really do feel bad for those who bought it and had a lot of problems out of it. mine was a factory reverbished unit... so I guess it was sent back due to problems , but mine was fixed I suppose. I've had 0 problems out of it.

Sound Quality: 10
I use an esp h series guitar with humbuckers and I just like to play music. no particular type or fashion. just goofin off. but I do take learning the guitar seriously.I have been playing about 15 years. the amp isn't very loud normally.. so I run it thru a 4x12 extension cab and the volume is increased considerably. I really do love the vintage sounds this amp makes . this is where I am really empathetic to those who had problems wiht thier cambridges. I would be extremely pissed too if mine didn't work.

Reliability: 4
obviously this amp had issues. and I'm willing to bet most of them stem from their assembly in korea. It seems to me ...of all the reviews of this amp...there are only 2 real opinions; 1. the amp works and sounds beauiful.or 2. It browned- out after a week and I hate it.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 6
overall I feel lucky to have expirienced such a rare find... a vox cambridge that actually works!!! It does sound gorgeous tho.

Submitted by gary at 04/24/2003 21:32

Price Paid: US $250

Features: 8
This looks like a real Vox amp from the 60's, so give it some points for vintage vibe. And the features are pretty decent: a pair of 10 inch Celestion speakers, tremelo, reverb, usable tone controls. And it's all in a package that's light enough to carry with no strain. But don't be fooled by the so-called tube preamp. That 12ax7 tube is there for appearances only. It doesn't do a thing for the sound.

Sound Quality: 5
My guitars are a Fender American Std Strat with Fralin pickups and a Gibson LP Studio with stock humbuckers. My style is classic rock and blues-based rock, so I was thinking this Vox would be a good fit. The sound is straight up generic solid state. That's not bad, but it's certainly not what someone who's looking for Vox tone is looking for. Good clean tone, although the volume is less than you'd expect. Fizzy, irritating overdrive characteristic of cheap solid state amps of any brand. I went to the trouble of swapping the tube out for an NOS RCA tube, and it made absolutely no difference. The old RCA's have the reputation of being THE preamp tube, and if this tube won't improve the tone, it's because the amp just flat doesn't respond to the tube in its circuit. The reverb is a little weak, but usable. This amp is definitely not loud enough to gig with or even practice with a drummer. Surprisingly enough, my Ovation Celebrity acoustic/electric sounded real fine through this amp. So, if you're doing a solo acoustic gig, or maybe a duet, this amp would work for that.

Reliability: 9
I only kept this amp for a few months before selling it. During this time it had no problems.

Customer Support: N/A
I bought it as a blem from Musician's Friend, so there was no returning it. No problem. I was able to sell it to a Vox afficionado for the same price I paid for it.

Overall Rating: 5
I've been playing for twenty years and I've gone through a fair number of amps in that time: Fenders, Marshalls, Boogies. So I think I can speak from experience when I say that this amp is useful only as a good looking practice amp. I wanted something that would give me vintage tone for small gigs, and the Cambridge wasn't it. I purchased this amp over the net, thinking that it would be a "real" Vox. Chalk it up to experience. I sold it and got a used Ampeg J12R JetII for less than the Cambridge. This little Ampeg fills the bill. My main amp for larger gigs is a Fender Blues DeVille 2x12 that absolutely rips. Nothing but true tube amps for me from now on.

Submitted by Donny Linden at 04/21/2003 10:02

Price Paid: $750 (AUS)

Features: 10
I Bought this amp about 16 months ago and placed a very favorable review up then. Now that I've gotten to know them amp a lot better over the past year, I thought I'd do an update.

The features are great. The tremelo is superb, very authentic sounding. I like the lay out a lot and the two foot switch contols allow you to switch channels, reverb and tremelo.

Sound Quality: 8
This amp does deliver classic vox 60's tone. It nails that Beatles tone. The second Channel does the Hendrix style fuzz over drive fantasticly also. But there is a catch, it can offer you these fantastic tones but only at low volumes. The amp is very quiet and perfect for recording. When using the amp on stage I would suggest running a preamp. I run my guitar though an ART SGX2000 and then into the vox. This works really well and gives the amp heaps more gain. When doing this I keep the volume on the Vox down to a quater and then use the gain on the ART. It really kicks. The only think I feel the amp can't deliver is a good crunch sound. But then again I don't think that any 30w trani amp really can. Oh and yes,the sound can get worse as the amp gets hotter. I will try placing a fan in the back of the cabinet as advised on another review. I think that should work.

Reliability: 8
I did have one instance of it browning out and took it to the authorised repairer. It did appear that the soldering was the problem and the tech went over all the points. It hasn't browned out since and that been over a year now.

Customer Support: 10
fantastic

Overall Rating: 9
I feel that it is most unfortunate that there were so many issues of quality control with these amps earlier on. Vox seem to have quite a number of dissatisfied customers because of it. I have since bought a peavey classic 30 for live work but I don't think I can part with the vox. It has such a beautiful sounding clean channel with such authentic vox tone it's hard to believe it was made in Korea in the year 2001. Keep in mind that this amp is only a small amp and only a fool would expect it to be as loud as an AC30.
But it is a unique little amp with fantastic tone, and best of all it's a vox.
If you are buying one, just make sure it's a later model. If it browns out, have a tech go over the soldering.

A great amp, a great price, a piece of Vox history.

Submitted by Nick James at 04/08/2003 08:07

Price Paid: US $180 used

Features: 1
READ ALL OF THESE HORRIBLE REVIEWS!!!! I can't believe I bought this amp without reading these reviews. MY LOSS.

I had the amp totally up and die after 3 days. No "brown out", it just died. This amp is so horrible. The guy I bought it from said he never had a problem with it, but I found out through a guy who knows him that it was giving him a ton of trouble so he decided to unload it off on somebody stupid (like me). He won't give me my money back, so I guess I'm stuck with this piece of crap.

That guy below that says "HIS REVIEW IS THE DEFINITIVE REVIEW, IGNORE ALL OTHERS" just has to work for VOX or he's trying to sell it on Ebay and can't because everybody knows what a shitpile of an amp this is.

THIS AMPLIFIER IS NOT WORTH $25 BUCKS!!! IT WILL DIE ON YOU!!!! For the love of God, just look at the SAME PROBLEMS with everybody's amp. That is a design problem, plain and simple.

DO NOT BUY THIS AMP!!!

DO NOT BUY THIS AMP!!!

DO NOT BUY THIS AMP!!!

YOU WILL BE SORRY, THEY ARE ALL LEMONS BECAUSE OF POOR CIRCUIT DESIGN!!!!!

Sound Quality: 1
It first made a decent sound, then 10 minutes later started to fade out. Now it is just dead totally.

THIS AMP IS CRAP!!!!!

Reliability: 1
BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AVOID AVOID AVOID AVOID!!!!!!!!!

Customer Support: 1
Never replied back to me, so screw them. Don't ever buy a VOX. Thier amps suck and thier customer service sucks.

Overall Rating: 1
READ ALL OF THESE REVIEWS. DO NOT BUY THIS AMP. ANYTHING IS BETTER THEN THIS PILE OF GARBAGE.

Submitted by A. Bulow at 03/28/2003 20:31

Price Paid: US $300

Features: N/A
This amp appears to be the perfect amp for small rooms and practice. Notice I said appears to be. I have no problems with the features they wook quite nicely and the sound of the amp is great. It does get worse folks. The one feature that I hate and I'm sure was not designed into the amp is that the great sound only lasts about 30 minutes depending on the temperature in the room at the time. The hotter the room is the shorter the great sound, and naturally if you are playing in a room below 50 degrees you will have a great sound all night.

Sound Quality: N/A
As I said the sound when first turned on is fantastic. I really upsets me that the sound deminishes as the amp warms up. There is a ratio here. Temperature = sound quality.

Reliability: N/A
This amp is totally unreliable unless you take a temperature reading when you first enter the room, and no one turns up the heat, and you do a calculation to see at what point in your set the sound quality and volume will drop off.

Customer Support: N/A
It cost me $50 to have a tech look at my amp and tell me he could not find anything wrong with it. The amp cost me $300. Now I am up to $350 for this amp and it still has a major problem. I am not going to put any more money into this amp. It is time for me to experiment with a solution on my own. Since heat seems to be the problem I will try to install a cooling fan on the power section. Oddley enough, if I set the amp on its side rather than its feet I do not experience the problem. I think the heat disapates from the amp by doing this, thus the sound does not degenerate and there is no drop in power. I am still experimenting with this theory. It does look rediculous with the amp on its side but it seems to help the problem.

Overall Rating: 2
If your only going to be playing one or two songs at a time, or if you are going to perform in a room that has near sub-zero temperature, what a great sounding little amp. if your going to be playing for three hours in a very warm room, forget it. This amp will aggrivate you to the point that you will do a Pete Townshend act on it.
I should have saved a little more money and fought a Fender amp.
If I owned Vox I would pull all of these amps from the market and burn them. This is gives a very embarassing blow to a great Vox reputation.

Submitted by Jay Shrub - The Shrubs at 03/08/2003 08:56

Price Paid: US $175 used

Features: 7
I have been using a blackface Fender Pro Reverb for years, and was tempted by the low price, channel-switching, cool look, etc. I was able to get good sound out of both channels, but it took more effort on the gain channel. But....what good are features if the amp doesn't work???

Sound Quality: 8
I loved the sound out of this amp. After decades of clean Fender tone getting a dirty VOX sound was cool. I plugged into this amp and old Beatles tunes just started pouring out. I like the sound of the Celestion 2x10's. But what good is good sound if the amp doesn't work?

Reliability: 1
Ran into the brown out problem during the first week. Took it to a great sound shop and they fixed it, but it took 2 months, getting schematics from Korg was an ordeal, or so I heard. Then used it for another month. Put an 8-band EQ into the line, next thing I knew black smoke was pouring out of this sucker. I pronounced the amp DEAD, I am not putting another penny into this.

Customer Support: 1
Terrible. Like I said the schematics on this amp are some big dark secret.

Overall Rating: 1
OK, what I ended up doing was yanking the amp out, and converting this into a cool looking extension speaker cab. Am currently driving with a Fender Champ II, with amazing results. $175 for the Celestions in a Vox cabinet makes this not quite a total loss. Champ II gives me what I was looking for, light weight amp for jamming, plus totally reliable and all tube. Celestions complement that amp well. Play Tele's and an American-made Schecter thru it. The Schecter overwhelms that amp/speaker combo a little, so I am mostly playing the Teles with this rig.

Submitted by Rich at 02/26/2003 17:47

Price Paid: US $305.00

Features: 10
This solid state amp features 2 channels (clean&dirty). the dirty channel gets it's tone from a 12ax7. 2 built in effects, reverb and tremelo. Also has a gain boost and mrb. switch (midrange boost). The speakers are 2 celestion ceramic 10's. on the back of the amp you get headphone jack, line out for recording and speaker ext. Quite an impressive package indeed.

Sound Quality: 9
The first thing to have in mind, forget every negative or positive review of this amp. Don't be mislead, my review is the difinitive one.
This is a killer amp giving you classic vox sound for a fraction of the price of its ac30 sibiling. Do not be mistaken this is not an ac30 but excellent in many respects.
SOME IMPORTANT FACTS on getting the best tone out of this amp.
1) THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO TO THIS AMP IS CHANGE THE STOCK CHINESE 12AX7 WITH A PHILLIPS BRAND 12AT7 ($10 DOLLARS). I'VE FOUND THAT THE TUBE IN THE GAIN CHANNEL ALSO EFFECTS THE TONE OF THE CLEAN CHANNEL. WHY A 12AT7 YOU ASK? THE 12AT7 IS A LOWER GAIN, BRIGHTER SOUNDING PREAMP AS COMPARED TO A 12AX7. WHAT DID THIS DO TO THE AMP? a) THE CLEAN CHANNEL. IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED THIS TUBE BROUGHT OUT MORE OF THAT GREAT SPARKLY, JANGLY, CLASSIC VOX SOUND THAT YOU HEAR ON CLASSIC BEATLES ALBUMS. IT ALSO KEPT THIS CHANNEL CLEANER WITH LESS GAIN AND MORE HEADROOM AS COMPARED TO ANY OTHER 12AX7.
b) THE DIRTY CHANNEL. FOR BEGINNERS THE DIRTY CHANNEL TENDS TO SOUND DARK NO MATTER WHERE THE BASS KNOB IS SET. I'VE FOUND THAT ENGAGING THE GAIN BOOST MAKES THE SOUND NICELY BRIGHTER, I RECOMMEND HAVING IT ON AT ALL TIMES. HERE THE BENIFITS OF THE 12AT7 ARE HEARD IN BRIGHTNING AN ALREADY DARK SOUNDING GAIN CHANNEL. IT ALSO CALMED DOWN THE ALMOST RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF GAIN TO A TOLERABLE MEDIAN. I PLAY GISON SG'S, LES PAULS, FENDER STRATS, RICKENBACKER 12, AND 325, EPIPHONE CASINO, ETC., ALL GUITARS, SINGLE COIL OR HUMBUCKERS SOUND GREAT THROUGH THIS AMP. ALL AROUND I THINK THIS AMP IS A GREAT PORTABLE AMP FOR PRACTICE AND RECORDING. ONE OF THE BEST AMPS IN ITS CATEGORY AND A BARGAIN IF YOU CAN GET ONE. UNFORTUANETLY ARE DISCONTINUED.

The only drawback I have noticed is that the amp is not to loud for a 30 watter and the dirty channel is not as loud as the clean. This is why I'm giving it a 9.

Reliability: 10
I have owned this amp for over 2 yrs. Played at home for a decent amount of hours. Has never broken down.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing for about 20 yrs. I have seen it all. I started purchasing the new reissue amps, you name it I have bought, played, modded just about everything out there (marshall, fender, rack gear,etc.,). I came to the expensive conclusion that nothing will ever sound as good as the old oringinal tubes amps. They can also be found for alot cheaper than the new reissues. I wish I knew then what I know now. I own several vintage amps 71 1959 marshall, fender bandmaster and bassman head, 74 fender super reverb, mesa boogie mark 1 reissue, acoustic 134 s.s., marshall 2100 50 watt 212 combo. Well you get the picture. For a new amp, the cambridge is a good tone machine. Looks great too.

Submitted by Hiram Perez at 02/05/2003 22:20

Price Paid: 400 (Canadian)

Features: 8
Vox Cambridge 30 Twin is a great practice amp. Tremelo, 2 channel (gain, clean), Reverb etc. It's a tube/solid-state hybrid. The tube is used for the pre-amp, and creates a different sound from other solis-state amps like the Fender Frontman 25. The Twin is 30 Watts, doesn't really get too loud, the Fender Frontman 25 Watts sounds louder, but it is really just a practice amp anyway.

Sound Quality: 9
I use a 50's Fender Telecaster with it. Sounds great on both channels especially with the Tele's bridge pickup. A Les Paul sounds garbage with this amp, stick with single coils. The Gain channel is muddy enough that humbuckers just create a wall of inaudible noise. I use this amp for Britpop styles, good for John Squire/Johnny Marr sounds. The Twin has a great variety of sounds availible. The clean channel is excellent to run effects through. The Gain channel can be too thick at high volume, and both channels lack enough treble.

Reliability: 10
I've had the Vox for 7 months with no problems. I use it regularily and have had no technical issues but am concerned with the other review's reliability problems. I'd say it is dependable, but not a gig amp, just as the wattage is low.

Customer Support: N/A
Never had to deal with them, and hope I never do! P.S. I never got a warranty with mine, the store didn't offer any.

Overall Rating: 10
I've been playinf for many years now and this amp is totally perfect for the styles and sounds I'm looking for. I would buy it again, but naturally would upgrade to something larger like a '65 Fender Twin. I chose it because the hybrid technology sounded interesting, and as far as practice amps are concerned, Fenders are just too common.

Submitted by Tim at 02/02/2003 17:47

Price Paid: US $250 used

Features: 7
Found this baby at local Music Go Round. 2 Channel. 2x10 inch Custom Celestian Speakers. 30 Watts. Classic Diamond pattern Vox cloth and Blk Tolex cabinet give it that classy British look. Not quite in the same league as VOX AC-15 or AC-30 but good enough for most half ass guitarists out there. Lets be honest, if we were that good we would be on tour and dating super models.

Sound Quality: 8
I am 53. Been learning guitar since age 16. Like to play just about everthing meant to be played on guitar,elvis, beatles, stones, clapton, Santana, Merchant, Mclahan, Tracy Chapman. Own several guitars. I get very good sounds with my US Strats, as well with G& L Legacy. Have not been able to dial the tone I want with my Gibson LPs. I am probably most impressed with the sound that I can get from the amp with 95 Fat Tel, sort of that Murky, early Stones stuff like Heart of Stone, Time is On My Side, and some of the Beatles stuff like Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, Mr. Moonlight, Babys in Black.

Reliability: 8
Have'nt had the amp very long. Obvioulsy some of the earlier reviews would be a concern but its not like a paid a small fortune for it either.

Customer Support: 8
Have not needed to call the Dr. yet.

Overall Rating: 8
Vox is a icon in the History of Rock and Roll. While someday I would like to own an AC 30 or Fender Twin, this amp is more than adequate for my ability and musical tastes. If I get discovered and hit it big, it will become a collectible and folks will be dishing big bucks for it. Ain' that how it works?

Submitted by Anonymous at 01/22/2003 16:44

Price Paid: US $375

Features: 1
This is a second review, my first was 3/2001. The reviews you read before this are as correct as they get. One person described the problem as a "brown out". I was trying to keep up with two other guys and all of a sudden, I started to lose power and couldn't use it the rest of the jam. Totally avoid this amp, if someone is selling, it might be because of this.

Sound Quality: 8
Sounds good with headphones, you don't have to play it loud, therefore,it doesn't lose the power, atleast it hasen't yet.

Reliability: 1
It's not!!!!

Customer Support: N/A
Why try, I'm checking this $400 off as a lesson in life,you know, that " box of chocolates " thing.

Overall Rating: 1
DON'T BUY ONE!! I don't even want to sell it for $100!!!

Submitted by Rick M at 01/12/2003 18:03

Price Paid: US $329

Features: 1
I saw all of the horrible reviews on here and had to chime in. THEY ARE ALL 100% TRUE! This amp is HORRIBLE. I have worked in shops for years, and played for 20....but I am not a gear snob. I feel almost EVERY piece of gear out there has SOME place in the world for somebody...be it as a practice amp, a first amp, or maybe just to keep around to get that one "wierd" buzz or sound you need on a track. This dud has no purpose. In fact, I'd go on to say that this is THE worst amplifier I have ever owned.

I have had the EXACT same problems everyone else has. The thing just goes totally raspy sounding then DIES! Controls for tremolo do nothing, and the speakers wires were switched out of phase RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX (The rest of you might double check yours too).

PLEASE do yourself a favor and AVOID this amp like the plague. I am alos scoring this catagory low for the fact that the reverb "feature" sucks HARD on this amp, the twin speaker "feature" on this amp is pointless....I've had 10 watt single 8inch amps with more body and depth to the tone. The tremolo "feature" is weak beyond words.

VOX should be ashamed they ever put thier name on this pile. You can't put amps like this out very many times and NOT do damage to your company's reputation.

Sound Quality: 2
Reliability is my #1 beef with this amp....sound is #2.

The dual speakers is very deceiving. All of that speaker cone area should give it SOME body to the tone......Not here. The reverb is weak and lacks any depth, yet at the same time has no real attack. Fender reverb it is NOT...not even close. It sounds like a really bad hall reverb effect on a multieffects stomp unit. The tremolo is the worst though. 2 knobs to control the same bad effect, and even then the knobs have little total effect. I suppose if you wanted to show a new player or one of your students what "bad tone" is, you could by this amp and use it.

Overall, the amp IS NOT A VOX! No Voxlike tone....any other reviewer that says you can must have no idea what Voxy tone is.

Reliability: 1
Broke within 2 weeks. No, I don't abuse gear or even push gear hard for that matter.

If I could score this a zero I would.

Customer Support: 5
A form email was mailed back to me telling me to take it to my authorized service center. I did.

Thier exact words when I set it up on the counter...."Oh, another one of these." Followed by "Who talked you into buying one of these turds". I do know these people at the shop and have worked with half of them before, so I got a kinda joking friends welcome....but that's just my point. All the bs customer service front you have to put on at work was down, and the truth came out. Even the service shop knew these sucked.

I give this a 5 for the "No sh*t" email I was sent. DUUUUUUUUUH.

Overall Rating: 1
100% pile of crap.

Submitted by Q SHARP at 01/07/2003 18:35

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A
No Comments

Sound Quality: 2
I took it to a gig once when I first got it and that was the first and last time it ever left my home. This thing can't even cut through a band. It simply hasn't got enough power to do it. It spent some time under my PC as a practice amp until........

Reliability: 2
.....it started to sound very distorted on the clean channel, like a speaker with torn cone. Brought it to the dealer's shop 2 weeks ago and it behaved for the first 5 minutes, then it started acting up again, It's still in the dealer's workshop. The last news was that the dealer was trying to get some response from the manufacturer in South Korea. This sucks!!!

Customer Support: 1
No problem with the dealer. But the folks in S Korea sucks. Same thing happened when I asked some questions regarding a Kurwzeil sound module which I bought. Is there anyone living in S. Korea?? Where is this country? In Mars??? Sheesh..

Overall Rating: 1
Wish I hadn't bought it. But I thought I could have a lightweight gigging amp to lug around. I muist have been was lured into it by all the fav reviews on the Vox bbc site. Maybe they all posted by Vox people.

Submitted by Ricardo at 12/18/2002 17:28

Price Paid: US $325

Features: 8
This is a follow-up to a follow-up on this amp for sisters and borthers out there. Fix for brown out problems. typical hybrd combo amp

Sound Quality: N/A
Excellent amp in the clean channel. Forget the effcects channel: No mids or highs, lacks definition. If you like beefy Fender quank sound, don't buy this amp. It's a very different sound. I run treble at 70&, bass at 30%. Volume at 50%. In a large hall I go 70% on volume. The clean channel clips very nicely at these settings. I do have a Bluesdriver to control overdrive-volume balances. Amp is very loud in a small blues venue. Most blues venues are small.

Reliability: 5
Brown out problems extend from quality control problems in soldering the board. Make certain there are no cold connections in the board. If amp still brown outs after 15-minutes or so, place a small six-inch fan in the rear of the amp to blow air into open back and into the the air vents. This amp seems to be very sensative to heat.

Customer Support: 8
OK. Korg handles all problems in USA. It takes time. Seems the amp's blues prints are atomic secrets.

Overall Rating: 9
Been playing for too long [35-years]..I'm just a serious amateur, but I play out with some very gifted people. Play blues. This amp is excellent for studio and small clubs. It's quiet and has power WHEN IT'S RUNNING 100%. I use a BluesDriver for an little extra kick. I only use the clean channel. This amp has better highs and mid's than Fender Blues Jr. It's tough. Many people play through this amp at open jams. I use this amp in the clubs three-times a week. It hangs in there. Excellent amp for the money when you correct the grimlins.

Submitted by Mark at 12/14/2002 14:42

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A

Sound Quality: N/A

Reliability: 2
An update to my earlier review. After about a year of playing (primarily as a practice amp) the little thing started to sound like their was a massive tear in the speaker cone. I checked, of course, and the speakers are fine so I am guessing their are some serious inard problems with this (I didn't abuse this amp at all). Luckily, I bought a two year warenty so it is still covered and will be going in for repairs. When I get it back, I'm selling for as much as I can get for it and then buying a Tranyor Mark III

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 2

Submitted by Mike Projekt at 12/13/2002 01:06

Price Paid: £285 (Pounds)

Features: 8
I think this VOX was produced in 2000, but not completely sure. I play mostly Radiohead, Muse, Nirvana that kind of stuff. It has two channels Clean/Crunch, it also features extremely warm reverb and additional Tremelo Depth and Speed. I never really use the Tremelo because i own a BOSS TR-2, but for anyone who loves classic tremelo quality will adore this amazing feature. I wish it had a seperate channel for the Tremelo and Reverb though because i don't use the reverb all the time. I'm mainly a bedroom player and have it up about half-way which creates a nice bright/warm tone. But the best feature is the amazing tube in the pre-amp, although it is mainly solid-state. It's equipped with Twin Celestion all valve speakers to boot!

Sound Quality: 8
I mainly use a Squire Standard Telecaster which goes extremely well with this amp for rhythm. My music style's mainly light rock with a mild bit of classic grunge(confusing hey!)That sort of sound soon comes out from hiding once you fiddle around with a few knobs. It can be very noisy if you want it to be, once you turn it up full on volume you get a slight overdrive warmth created naturally. Pretty simple sounds though really:-Clean/Crunch/Reverb and Tremelo, which should be considered quite a lot! The distortion is very mild on it's own on mid-way gain, but once you push the gain-boost button and have it on at about 3'o'clock you get a neat and quite messy traditional distortion. But the distortion isn't brutal enough for grungers to slit their wrists to. I'll give it an 8 just mainly for clean and mid-way gain.

Reliability: 10
I suppose i could depend on it gig wise, but i would proberly get an extra amp just to be on the safe-side. But all in all very reliable!

Customer Support: 9
I've never dealt with VOX themselves-yet. But when i first got this in the box it was in a bad state, so i took it straight back and they ordered a brand new one from VOX and arrived 2 days later, pretty good in my opinion!

Overall Rating: 8
I've been playing now for about 2 years now. Other gear that i own are:- Washburn D10/BK,Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive,Boss DD-3 Delay,Boss TR-2 Tremelo,Pro-Co Rat,VOX 2 way foot-switch. If it were stolen i would proberly get something else already knowing what the amp is really like on the inside, but we all like a change don't we. I would proberly go for a Fender Bassman or Deluxe. What i love most about this amp is its lovely clean channel with warm reverb. But the down side is to say anything the bass on it- it's too strong! I compared it to a Marshall AVT 20 and a Fender Champion 30. I chose this one because it had a very vintage and unique tone to it. The only other thing i wish it had would proberly be a seperate channel for Tremelo.

Submitted by Jamie at 08/15/2002 11:50

Price Paid: US $385

Features: 8
The best feature of this amp is its looks. It has that classy vintage Vox appearance. Decent set of controls for the two channels. Dual 10 inch speakers. 30 watts solid state with a preamp tube

Sound Quality: 5
Typical solid state tone. Decent clean sound, but the distortion is terrible. From what I can tell, the tube makes no difference whatsoever. I think it's just there to help sell these as tube amps, which they AREN'T. Pretty low volume - disappointing. I was expecting more from twin speakers.

Reliability: 5
I didn't keep more than a few months. It can't handle gigs, just not enough volume. Reliability is probably OK. Most practice amps like this don't get abused.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 5
It's a good practice amp. Not useful for anything else, really. The tone is pretty generic. Nothing stands out on this amp except that it looks so cool. But who's gonna see it when it just sits in your living room? I traded it on a Fender Blues Junior, which is a MUCH better amp in terms of tone and volume.

Submitted by Darren Brennan at 08/06/2002 09:16

Price Paid: $411 (Canadian!)

Features: 10
It has very similar looks to a real vox...and oh yeah, it looks like an amp.

Sound Quality: 7
I play good ole rock music with this amp along with my '00 Fender Mexican Telecaster and my '99 Epiphone Les Paul Model. When I bought this amp I was looking for a Matchbox Twenty sounding amp. Knowing that one of their guitarist (Adam Gaynor) used Vox's I jumped right on this amp. The clean is very clean and nice sounding (but here is the catch) at low volumes. If you try to turn it up it will almost sound like there is a slight overdrive in it. The distortion is pretty good. I mean is there really a definition for good distortion? It is really all personal preferance, so in my opinion I like it but three other members in my band don't, so you'll have to hear it to decide.

Reliability: 4
This amp should have a back up! I was playing a show and for no reason at all it cut into distortion while I was playing on the clean channel. Considering that the tremolo works when it feels like it on my amp, I'm not to thrilled with it. It isn't to great when you are suppose to be playing a part with tremelo and you have to stomp on your foot switch like 50 times in order to get it to work and another 50 to turn it off. Then one good boot to it just for being so hard to work with.

Customer Support: 5
I have to say I haven't actually dealt with Vox, but rather the company that sold me the amp. Since it kept cutting out and not working right I wanted to get it fixed. It turns out that I would have had to send it to Montreal in order to get it fixed. I'm sorry but with a gig or two every couple of weeks, I couldn't really sacrifice the time considering I didn't have a back up amp. They were however going to cover it under my warranty which was still good. I was pleased with that but not to pleased on the amount of time that it would have taken to get it fixed.

Overall Rating: 6
This amp is a really good practice amp, but if you want to turn it up you really should find something else. I will admit that the distortion is good and the clean sounds like a good ole Vox and the tremelo is top notch. If you are looking for a practice amp or are using a mic at a low volume it would sound great, but since I need it in the higher volumes for gigs and such, it wasn't really the amp for me. Please remember, don't take my advice, try it out first and then make your own opinions, but remember it may give you the same problems as I had or it may not.

Submitted by Craig James. at 07/18/2002 18:32

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A
Follow up to review on 6/14/02

Sound Quality: N/A
same rating

Reliability: N/A
same rating

Customer Support: 9
After the tech's did much tinkering in the shop they finally found the real reason my amp blew. Damage to the optic coupler. I'm not sure what that is but it was fully covered under warranty. I'm happy that Vox promptly honored the warranty and glad that i got the amp in just under the warranty expiration (1 year). I had it serviced through Prosound Musician's Superstore.

Overall Rating: 8
same rating here

Submitted by Anonymous at 07/01/2002 12:40

Price Paid: US $350

Features: 6
the outputs for recording or running into a system were pretty nice... but as for anything else i wasnt that impressed.

Sound Quality: 5
i am playing through a crapy peavey right now with single coil pickups and a dod effects board. I play jazz hardcore emocore indie style rock music. The amp sounded pretty good for the first 20 something minutes, then it would just wig out and get really soft sounding, and thin, and basically crap out. It was really crazy, i still to this day dont understand why it does this.

Reliability: 6
well if you are playing longer than 20 minutes, dont get it. and if you have a band with a drummer that can actually hit the drums loud enough to be heard, dont get it because this thing cant cut through sound worth a flip. I ordered my amp off of zzounds, and when i got it i heard weird noises in it, so i opened up and the spring reverb cover was not even attached right... pretty gay.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 6
for me this amp had lots of potential if vox actually spent the time to not make a nice looking door stop. I personaly would not recommend buying this amp, i am currently in the process of selling it right now to pay for one of the most awsome amps i have played through, a peavey classic 50 4-10 wich i highly recommend. So if all you want to do is play in your room without anyone else, sure i guess buy it, but if you want to rock out, dont even look at this amp, all it is good for is sitting on when you are tired and kicking when you are mad.

Submitted by brandon at 06/29/2002 11:05

Price Paid: US $330

Features: 8
Simple appointments, nice tremolo. Very nice low volume practice amp. Not quite enough power to compete with drums.

Sound Quality: 9
I was impressed with the sweet clean channel tone at low volume. A nice practice amp. Tried using it in rehearsal with the band- it couldn't quite keep up volume-wise and the tone wasn't nearly as nice at high volume. The drive channel is OK but I prefer the sound of a distortion pedal through the clean channel. I wonder how important the one little preamp tube is to the tone? I've switched it out and noticed slight improvement.

Reliability: 5
I tried to use it at a small indoor gig and it suddenly lost all bass response and became distorted. Same sound through the headphone jack so not the speakers. Took it in for repair- they dignosed damaged circuit board possibly due to static. Been in the shop for 2 mo. now. When it gets back I'll relegate it to practice amp status only.

Customer Support: N/A
I may see if the warranty will cover this repair but haven't contacted them yet.

Overall Rating: 8
This amp has nice looks and sweet tone at low volume. Definitely not th most reliable amp I've ever owned. Still the price is right- i may still buy this one again.
I give it a 9 as a practice amp (minus 1 for reliabilty), but a 7 as an overall amp., avg. = 8

Submitted by Anonymous at 06/14/2002 13:24

Price Paid: US $350

Features: 10
I bought mine from Musicians Friend in July, 2000. I won't bore anybody by talking aboot the feature....we all know them by now....

Sound Quality: 7
I love the clean channel. Electrically, I own a '93 Gibson Les Paul Studio and a '00 Fender Nashville Telecaster. Both sound excellent thru it. The reverb on mine is very deep. The bass and treble also lead to versatility of tone. I have also played thru it with various Ovations. The CS-257 deluxe sounds good, but it is very difficult to control feedback. The CC-057 and CC-157 both sound nice without having to worry aboot feedback. As for the dirty channel, the planets seem to be aligned just right for it to sound good. It takes a lot of tweaking to get anything I can use....it's very muddy! It does work well for some Neil Young type sounds. If you want a good distortion thru it, use a pedal thru the clean channel! I now use it in combination with a Laney VC30-210 to create more sounds....works realy well with my set-up!!!! We've also used it to record with my brother's Ovation CC-157...works very well with the line-oot. We record onto a computer equipped with a low-budget software package. It gives a nice Beatles-type sound in the recordings.

Reliability: 9
I have been using it for gigs since November, 2001....only with the above mentioned Ovations. I had to place it in front of me and use a AC-1 amp (very cool little thing!) facing me as a monitor so I could hear myself....also used a Boss Compressor/Sustainer to take some bit out and to control feedback. I now play thru a Marshall AS50R...excellent acoustic amp! Anywho, outside of the feedback (I can't complain, it's not an ACOUSTIC AMP), it has been very reliable for small gigs lasting 3 hours or so. My brother has used it at our gigs since my acquisition of the Marshall with no problems. I will begin using it combined with the Marshall to create more sounds as listed above. I feel confident it will get thru the shows.

Customer Support: N/A
I've never had to contact Customer Support for my amp.

Overall Rating: 8
Overall rating would be an 8. This amp has taken a beating in many reviews, but you need to remember what you are buying...it's not an AC30!!! It's a 30 watt solid-state amp. If you are looking for a "crunch monster", don't buy this, buy a Fender Princeton 65, it crunches! If you are looking for a beatiful clean channel with nice reverb and tremolo, this is it...at least mine sounds good! I was very disappointed in the dirty channel, and came very close to getting rid of it on many occasions, but I'm very glad I have held onto it. However, if lost or stolen, I would not replace it...I'd go after another Laney VC30-210! If the amp ever dies, I'll probably "jerry-rigg" it to be used as an extension cabinet for my other amps....because it does look very nice! I hope this has been helpful to you.

Submitted by anthony at 06/03/2002 12:31

Price Paid: N/A

Features: N/A
THIS IS A REVIEW OF MY REVIEW, OF MY REVIEW. i HAVE BEENREADING ABOUT VOLUME, AND BROWN OUT PROBLEMS. I SENT IN A REVIEW AWHILE BACK SAYING MINE HAD QUIT NO VOLUME, A VERY FINE AMP TEC FIX IT. IT WAS THE OPTICAL ISOLATION CHIP TIED INTO THE TREMLO CIRCUT IT CONTROLS THE VOLUME OF BOTH CLEAN & OVERDRIVE HE REPLACED IT WITH DIFFERENT ONE OF HIGHER VALUE AT MY RE QUEST MUCH MORE VOLUME 2ICE AS MUCH, DOESN'T HAVE QUITE AS GOOD A TREMLO SOUND BUT OVER ALL WORKS MUCH BETTER, IF THIS GOES OUT I'M GOING TO HAVE HIM BY PASS THE TREMLO ALL TOGETHER i USE A ZOOM 505 ANY WAY. JUST WANTED TO HELP PEOPLE WITH BROWN-OUTS AND NO VOLUMES

Sound Quality: N/A

Reliability: N/A

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by Doran Boudreau at 05/04/2002 17:25

Price Paid: US $379.00

Features: 10
You all know the features, this is a review of my review

Sound Quality: 10
It sounds great

Reliability: 1
this is the rub bought 06-6-2000 bit the dust 03-29-202 not very dependable for 379 bucks. Took it to a service shop two weeks ago,theysaid they service warranty stuff first don't know when I'll get it back.

Customer Support: 1
It sucks!

Overall Rating: 4
I'll give it 10 for sound if you can just keep it playing,got a 30 year old Fender all valve Bandmaster still plays great. Love the sound of vox poor reliabilaty, Don't know for sure but if you would have trouble wit a valvtronics, I'll bet it's a bear to get it fixed.

Submitted by Doran Boudreau at 04/11/2002 19:10

Price Paid: US $359

Features: 9
I very much like this amp's features: vibrato, reverb, gain boost. It's what I wanted in an amp. The vibrato is deep sounding and very nice. The reverb is decent, though it doesn't have a rich sound. Gain is outrageous! I play a Fender Toranado, which is a gain monster so that helps. Headphone jack is great for silent practicing, and the line out works well for lo-fi recording. Mid boost alters the sound quite a bit, too. Overall, if you spend a bit of time you can get a bunch of different cool & crazy sounds.

Sound Quality: 8
Do NOT mistake this amp for a "real" Vox. It is not. However, it CAN actually reach some kinda Vox-y sounds. The aforementioned Toronado has 2 humbuckers that provide high gain sound/output, which is a great combo with this amp. The clean is nice, too. Not much buzz either. With Vox, the clean sound is never really totally clean, as there's always a bit of growl in there. The gain channel is great! Change tubes as recommended by others and the sound change will be noticable. However, I like the stock tube. The vibrato is a nice touch and reverb is fine, but not great. This amp is also not loud enough to play with a typical drummer but it does rocka little. Don't expect high volumes.

Reliability: 3
As for reliability. my amp is/was a golden turd. After a couple months, it began to brown out after 30 min. of use. Took it to be fixed by the pros and they couldn't completely rectify the problem. Now it's okay (for practice) but I could not play out with it. Also, now it periodically produces a wavey sound, supposedly by a ghost in the vibrato channel. Very, very disappointing.

Customer Support: 3
I took the amp to be repaired by a great company who had a heck of a time dealing with Vox/Korg. An overall hellacious ordeal. Now, the Cambridge 30 Reverb Twin is no longer being made so I can't even get a replacement from the store where I originally purchased it from though they offered an exchange. The warranty covered the repair, but it's a moot point, as the amp couldn't be totally fixed without assistance from Korg which never happened.

Overall Rating: 7
Despite the problems, I can't part with this turd of an amp. It looks & sounds super cool. I'm not much of a gearhead either so I can live with it. Stolen? Naturally, I'd be pissed, but I imagine that I could live out the remainder of my life in peace. However, too spite the thief I'd buy an expensive Orange half-stack and rock the universe!
*Peace*

Submitted by gp at 03/27/2002 12:29

Price Paid: US $365 used

Features: 5
This amp is ok for the basic beginner guitar player. It only has two on board effects (reverb and tremelo). The reverb is very lacking as far as resonance is concerned. The amp also has two channels, one for tone and one for distortion. The distortion channel is British sounding and does not provide much kick at all. The tone channel is ok but the bass, mid, and treble adjustments don't seem that sensitive to me. Both effects and channels can be accessed through a footswitch which is included with the amp. It does have a headphone jack but a converter is needed (guitar cable size--not sure of exact size). The amp comes equipped with two ten inch bulldog celestion speakers putting out 30 watts of power. I have played it miked and in that situation, the lacking 30 watts makes no difference. However, for practice and playing small gigs, a more powerful amp would be a better decision. This amp is very lightweight too. All in all, the amp is not very versatile at all but is a Vox and comes with a certain amount of nostalgia anyway.

Sound Quality: 5
I play an LTD EC-300 Eclipse. My guitar does not really match up with the sound of the Vox. I play punk, praise and worship, contemporary christian, and metal. The style of music that the amp is most suited for is probably the contemporary christian and the praise and worship. I really think a telecaster or stratocaster would sound good with it. The two tens seem to shoot sound out like a bullet in one direction which is a huge con. When you move from side to side or stand above the amp, the sound changes. I use an amp stand for practice, and I think that even makes it worse.

Reliability: 10
I have never had a problem with it but I have only owned it for 2 months. I bought it used on ebay, and it was in perfect working condition. I think the guy before me had it for about a year or so with absolutely no problems.

Customer Support: N/A
I have never dealt with anyone regarding the amp.

Overall Rating: 5
I have been playing guitar for about 3 years and I don't think the amp is suited for me. A beginner would enjoy the amp and the right to say he or she owned a Vox. If this amp were stolen or lost I do believe I would purchase a different one. I think the amp would be alot better if it had two twelve in. speakers instead of two ten in. speakers. The looks are ok, the sound is ok and the price is ok.

Submitted by Anonymous at 03/07/2002 22:10

Price Paid: US $300

Features: 8
2 channels, gain, gain boost switch, reverb, tremolo, bass, treble, mid range boost siwtch, headphone, line out, extension, and footswitch jacks.

Sound Quality: 10
I've been playing for 3 years now and was looking to move up from some cheesy practice amps. I have a Mex Fender Strat and play a mix of rock, classic rock, grunge, folk and country. No metal. I'm not the greatest player in the world but I know the sound I'm looking for. I played a large number of amps in this price range including Fender, Line 6, Marshall. When I played the Cambridge, I fell in love. On the clean setting, this amp stands up to anyone. On the gain channel, it had the unique sound I was looking for. The tremelo is awesome. However, once I got this amp home I found that all the reviews are true. With distortion, this amp sounds very dark and has a limited range of acceptable sounds. It didn't bother me too bad since I usually use effects through the clean side anyway but after reading all the reviews I had to change the tube. Yes, it makes a big difference. It is now hard to find a setting that sounds bad. My warning here is that not all tubes sound the same in this amp. I tried 3 tubes and was only thrilled with one, a Tesla 12AX7. If you change the tube you may need to do some experimenting. I hope to try some premium NOS tubes later on but for now I am happy.

Reliability: 10
No problems yet

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
It's not an AC30 but for the price this is a damn good amp. If you use the distortion you do need to change that tube but hey, it's only one tube!

Submitted by Clark at 03/07/2002 21:29

Price Paid: $700 (Australian)

Features: 9
We all know what the amp has and doesn't have, but it certainly has all that I need. The tremelo is fantastic, the reverb okayand unlike so many I like bothe channels. I don't think I'll replace the tube as it gives me the exact tone that I'm after.

Sound Quality: 10
I think this amp really is for single coil guitars. I use a Maton mastersound, to those of you who are not familiar with this guitar it is a 60's style with one single coil an one switchable to humbucker. They sound very much like a cross between a tele and a rickenbacker. As you can imagine that would sound great with the vox. Today I recorded with it in the studio for the first time and I was amazed at how well it came up. Just pure valve vox tone (just fantastic) I don't seem to get the muddy sound on channel 2 that so many have mentioned. The amp sounds just like a really old valve amp. I can't believe the way it responds to my playing style, hit the guitar hard and you get the coolest crunch distortion, then play softly and it brings out the sweetest purest vox tone. Name one other amp at this price that can do that.

Reliability: 10
so far so good

Customer Support: N/A
not required yet

Overall Rating: 10
I guess I've been playing for about 15 years, pro for around 4. If it were stolen I would replace it in an instant. I love the way it looks, the way it sounds, it's size but I can't stand that stupid "valve power" badge in the bottom right corner. I did compare this amp to many others and infact I could have bought a 50w or 60w Peavey, Marshall or Fender amp for around the same money but none of them had the tone I was after. if you are a lead guitarist playing in a loud rock band, then obviously don't buy this amp,it won't do what you want it to. If you are a purist who loves that 60's valve tone, then you will love this amp. From the first strum, I was in love!

Submitted by Nick James at 01/31/2002 06:38

Price Paid: US $349.00

Features: 6
Rating 6, one channel is tube, the other transistor. Has headphone output, external footswitch output, etc. The functionality of this amp, in the very beginning, was good. I encountered problems with the channel switching each time I used the amp, as when it 'heated up,' the footswitch would not switch the channels. (relay?).

Sound Quality: 5
I was using this amp for soul/Motown, with a Fender Stratocaster and an archtop with humbucker. This amp would sound wonderful at first power-up, with nice thick tone, good for blues or even jazz. Songs like "Rainy Night In Georgia" or "Dock of the Bay" sounded great with a touch of reverb, with the clean channel and volume up about 1/2. However, each time the amp would warm up (even at 1/2 volume) the clean "Vox-y" sound would become distorted, especially with the input signal from the archtop. The sound became very thin, labored and non-usable live. The second channel (tube) was totally unusable and was, at best, distortion with no control. Frankly, the gig I played last night was virtually miserable because of the problems with the channel switching going away and the fact this amp would 'bake out' at about 1/2 volume. In short, this amp would have been fine if I only had to use it for 2-3 songs...but certainly not in any live environment, even considering the amp was sitting on a stand five feet from me. It is clearly not the amp that I was hoping for and I have since got my money back from Mars Music. I'll switch to a Delta Blues or Hot Rod DeVille for another $300.

Reliability: 1
In one week, this amp showed signs of problems. As mentioned before, the channel switching internal circuitry seemed to go bad after warming up, using a very top-end 3-position pedal (not made by Vox). Each time I would unplug it for a while, plug it back in, it would work fine. But, it would go away.

The clean channel (non-tube) was far better than the second (tube) channel, but both suffered so much from lack of power, even at low volumes that this amp was completely unusable on stage. When I finally drove the amp full blast (using my guitar master volume to try to survive the night during my solos) the output literally cut out, (yes, completely) then back, then out, almost in a linear fashion. I assume the output transistors were saturating and coming back out of thermal.

With all of that being said, this would be a great student amp, for someone who played in the basement, living room, church, etc. and didn't need any volume to speak of. Otherwise, (as so many have written in other reviews) it is really an amp that shouldn't be considered 'gig-worthy.' My honest opinion.

Customer Support: 5
I simply returned this amp to Mars Music, and the two young men at the desk both nodded their head and said "I believe this happened, because that is what others have said as well (paraphrased)." Mars was quick to respond and I got my money back. It's off to the store tomorrow to buy a tube amp this time, with outputs that don't bake at 1/2 volume.

Overall Rating: N/A
I've played for 26 years; hard rock, jazz, Motown, and blues. This is the first amp I've ever returned to a music store. I love Vox equipment, and though this review is very critical, it is sincere. This is not an AC-15, nor an AC-30, or a Royal Guardsman for that matter. I collect Vox and love the things they made. This amp is however not a true representation, in my honest opinion.

Submitted by Dave at 01/25/2002 18:12

Price Paid: US $349

Features: 6
Stock Cambridge 30 Twin Reverb. Two channels: one solid state, the other with a tube preamp. Reverb. Tremolo. 30 Watts, but I believe its output it 15 watts. Vintage Look. Not a solid construction as edges are not protected.

Sound Quality: 6
Channel one (solid state) has an excelellent clear sound. Very useful for multifx and amp simulations uses. Channel two (tube preamp) feels like if the design was left in the middle and here is where I expected the Vox sound to appear. Depending on the guitar and the mix of gain, eq and volume it can sound bluesy or it can sound extremely muddy; I´m still trying to get a really convincing sound, so I will test other tubes. I use this channel just with analog pedal: the multifx is worthless here. Best sound so far (Channel 2) was with single coils or Hum-single coils mix. Plain humbuckers tend to muddy the sound right away. The guitars I used are a Fender Fat Tele, Gibson Les Paul Studio and a Godin Solidac.

Reliability: 2
I will not use it for a gig; better go with the multifx and a direct connection.
In other terms, the amp is just two months old and has started to show problems: when played at medium-high volume it will start to crackle, and even make sudden cuts in the volume. Now I understand why Sam Ash sells a lot of refurbished Vox amps; quality control seems to be gone from the Korea Factory.

Customer Support: N/A
I just started the process through my dealer (Mars Music in Miami) and through the Vox web page that should put me in contact with its US distributor: Korg. Mars has been very supportive since I reported the case, and I will wait for Korg US before making any comment. I expect to have a good customer support because of Korg.

Overall Rating: 4
My overall rating is 4 due to the amp problems, if not I will give it a 6. If stolen or lost I won´t replace it; I will get another amp made in Japan, US or Europe. Anyway, I´m not planning to sell it until I´m really sure that a good tone cannot be taken from channel two. My humble advice to Vox is to include an effects loop and finish the design of the tube preamp channel as it has the potential for a great tone, but...

Submitted by Juan C. Urdaneta at 01/18/2002 18:39

Price Paid: US $400

Features: 10
Very versitile amp. Has an overdrive channel and a beautiful clean channel. Has plenty of volume for practice and small gigs.

Sound Quality: 10
This has a beautiful clean channel. The overdrive lacks in some areas. It doesn't have the volume or smooth sound of the clean.

Reliability: 8
I never had a problem with this amp until I blew the speakers. It just wasn't enough to play gigs with. Other than that I had no problems.

Customer Support: N/A
I didn't deal with the company

Overall Rating: 5
This is a good practice amp or to play small gigs. I blew the speakers in mine trying to equal our lead guitarist's randall with 4x12s. its a good sounding amp. If you want to play gigs get an AC30

Submitted by Anonymous at 01/01/2002 21:12

Price Paid: US $348

Features: 8
All the appearance and style of the traditional Vox amps of the 60's in a nice, lightweight combo. 30 solid state watts through a pair of 10 inch speakers. Reverb, tremelo and dual channels - clean and overdrive. Claims to be a tube/ss hybrid. More on that below.

Sound Quality: 5
I play an American Standard Tele, mostly for classic rock with some blues thrown in from time to time. I plug straight in without any effects. Despite the hybrid label on this amp, it's just a standard solid state import that looks better than the rest. The clean channel is your typical solid state, in other words, OK. The so-called distortion channel is a disaster. I tried changing the tube (12ax7a) from the cheapo Sovtek to a superb NOS RCA in an attempt to smooth its raspy voice a little. No effect. It's obvious that the tube is nothing more than a marketing gimmick. Volume is what you'd expect from a 30 watt SS amp - practice or bedroom playing. This is NOT an amp that will handle gigs.

Reliability: 8
I kept this amp for three months and had no problems with it. But it's lightweight construction would not stand up to hard usage.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 5
It's not a bad amp. But it doesn't compare well against other amps in the same price range. I've checked out the Fender Blues Jr and the Peavey Classic 30, which are both in the area of $350. Both of these are way better than the Vox. I recently bought the Classic 30 and sold the Vox soon after. No more solid state for me - these tube amps are so much better.

Submitted by Don Thompson at 12/23/2001 22:03

Price Paid: US $337

Features: 8
Very bluesy sounding amp when you pull the 12AX& and replace it with a FENDER 12AT7 - with little or no loss of gain.
To get the volume to gig level (small gig) I plug the line-out into my VOX T-25 with all but the bass control at neutral.
It NEEDS an effects loop but inline pedals (good onesm RP200 in my case) work well.
The hybrid nature means that it uses either a tube preamp or solid state one, giving a WIDE tonal range, harmonics, etc.

Sound Quality: 9
GROUNDING is very important. Without a good ground all sorts of noises can creep into the system. With the FENDER 12AT7 tube the distortion is smooth at first becoming aggressive only with the gain almost full.

Reliability: 9
no problems

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
32-33 years playing, my 5th VOX. Love the look and sound.
Would get another, perhaps this latest will have a price drop and I'll get another anyway.

Submitted by SteVe at 12/23/2001 21:41

Price Paid: US $349

Features: 8
Yes, yet another review of the Vox Cambridge 30 Twin. Just what the world needs, right? Well, while there is no need to restate all of the features here, I do feel there is an issue which has not been touched on.

Sound Quality: 10
I play electric 6-string, electric 12-string, and acoustic/electric 6-string. As yet I have not seen mentioned the performance of this amp with the 12-string or acoustic... so...
If you own a 12-string electric, you will love this little amp. Switch to the 'Clean' (no tube) channel and it shines like no S/S amp I've played it through. Switching to the 'Gain' (with 12AX7) channel is like dying and going to 12-string heaven! It shimmers with a life of its own. (Obviously, you must set 'gain' and 'volume' levels appropriately so that distortion is minimized.) If you are looking to re-create al the classic 12-string sounds, the Cambridge can do!

I was very skeptical as I went to plug in my acoustic/elec, most guitar amps suddenly sound very amemic when faced with 'acoustic' input. Happily, this is not the case here. With a slight re-tweeking of the onboard EQ (a 5-band), it sounded rich and full and crystal clear (utilizing the 'Clean' channel only). An unexpected bonus from an amp obviously not really designed or intended for acoustic use.

There is a difference in the quality of the distortion between my strat (with single coils) and my semi-hollow body (with humbuckers). While the clean channel is spectacular with the strat, I would agree with some other reviewers that distortion with the strat leaves something to be desired. However, the humbuckers are able to drive the amp to very acceptable levels of gain and distortion. And, contrary to some reviews, I find its volume to be quite usable in almost any circumstance... and with the 'gain boost' on it is VERY loud. (No, I do not play heavy metal, this is true... and if you're starting a demolition company, this is not the amp for you...)

It should be noted that I did take the advice of many reviewers and changed the stock 12AX7 tube. In fact, I ordered both a JAN Phillips and a Mullard CV4004 ($15 and $50 respectively) to get an idea of what the amp is capable of doing, given a fair chance! Both of the NOS tubes made a big difference, the Phillips actually providing more gain, but the Mullard being smoother and more 'mellow'. Right now I'm playing with the Mullard, and prefer it overall.

Reliability: 10
It's been a month, so far so good.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
This is a great little amp which is probably even more versatile than its designers intended. For those who have not found it to be so, I would call your attention to the various knobs on the amp and on your guitar. Use them! You will find a very wide spectrum of tones can be coaxed out of this small box.

Submitted by Mark McNeil at 12/08/2001 21:45

Price Paid: US $300

Features: 9
I think it was made this year.I'm pretty eclectic when it comes to the kinds of music I play. Here lately it's been sort of emo rock sounding. this amp has 2 channels. One clean .. and the other I use for mostly distorted sounds, although it can work as a clean as well. I never really had worked with effects before I got this amp. I like the tremolo a lot. not as loud as I had hoped for .. but still loud enough to gig with miked.

Sound Quality: 10
I''ve been playing for about 15 years and have played just about every kind of guitar under the sun ,and I have settled on an ESP H-100 as my axe of choice. It has 2 humbuckers and strat shaped with a carved top. combined with this amp... it's an unstoppable tone monster. now if you play something tough like metal or something....obviously look elsewhere. this is not some obnoxiusly loud Randall or the like. It pretty much sounds like Vox's always have. The clean cheannel is warm and produces a smooth distortion when cranked.the distortion kinda suprised me. It was a lot thicker than I thought would be. Thick, rich, classic. sounds great with chords.

Reliability: 10
I haven't rally had it long enough to grip about the dependabilty . no probs yet.

Customer Support: N/A
never dealt with 'em

Overall Rating: 10
This amp basically fit the bill as to what I was looking for. Just the right sound.No real complaints ... only praise.

Submitted by gary at 10/31/2001 20:32

Price Paid: US $325

Features: 8
Nice features, it is no Line 6 Flextone, but a little can go a long way. And plus I belive that mucic (espically guitars) sound overprocessed today. They are guitars not moogs!

I do need to get the foot switch to change channels. Read below for more detailed features. I love the reverb and tremelo.

Sound Quality: 10
Well, with the amp I also bought a 72' telecaster custom. Humbucker in the neck and standard tele single coil in the bridge. Think Keith Richards/Rich Robinson.

Channel One: Clean. Very Clean. The reverb and tremelo still function with the the clean channel. I like to use the neck humbucker on the clean channel. It gives me a nice Fender 65' Twin Reverb sound, very solid. The celestion bulldog's sound excellent. I like to get the tremelo just right and play some "flighty" Radiohead licks. Perfect.

Channel Two: I have not changed the tube yet. So this may change a little.

I had to really work to dial in a sound that didn't sound like mud. The knobs are on the touchy side. The gain should NEVER go past halfway! Once I sat down and worked with it for an hour (or the amp worked on me) it finnaly came in. With both of the pickups playing "on" the telecaster I could get a Marshall JTM 45 sound, touchy, but it was there. That is as high as I could get the gain with out it going to mud. Turn the gain down from there and it kicked into a Fender distorition sound.

I really love to play around with the 2nd channel and the reissue telecaster. There are a ton of variables between the guitar and the Vox and it seems I find a different sound every day. I have been trying to run through all of the Led Zepplin sounds. The tele and vox can just about nail them all. I also throw in some Radiohead to break it up, it's got that too.

Overall a very versital amp. I got it thinking it would be a one trick pony (beatles and other semi-clean brit-rock). But it is quite suprising. Don't get me wrong, if you want a Korn/Limp Biscuit sound, run away. This is not the amp for you. But, I am extreammly immpressed with the distorted sounds that can be achived with the 2nd channel....classic rock all the way.

Reliability: 7
Nothing wrong yet. I can tell that the cloth on the front will not wear well, nor will the tolex on the corners of the amp. I would like to find some metal corner protectors for it.

I did disassemble the chassis to look at it...seems to be made fairly well. Nothing to inspire convidence, but nothing to fragile.

Customer Support: N/A
Ain't gotta a clue

Overall Rating: 9
Great amp. It really has everything I need. I have been playing now for 14 years. Nothing serious. I am now considering finding a band to play with. I would consider stacking two of these 30 watt little monsters (I am Brian May!). Great Value. Great Amp.

Submitted by Gary Graham at 09/29/2001 23:13

Price Paid: US $349.00

Features: 7
This is a follow-up. Has lots of good features but needs an effects loop. What is has other than the distorted channel is tops. It's a hybrid amp.

Sound Quality: 8
The clean channel is still to this date the cleanest I've heard and I've owned Peavey Delta Blues, Bandit 112S (favorite overall of all amps), Champs, Princeton 65, Blues Jr. It's downfall is the distorted channel. I tried to tolerate it and even excuse it but it just doesn't do the trick for me. If you can get a vox with just the clean channel that sounds as good as this clean then buy it and forget the two channel version. 10 for clean, 5 for dirty channel.

Reliability: 10
No problems at all. Good solid amp.

Customer Support: N/A
N/A

Overall Rating: 8
Well, if I was Vox crazy, I'd buy another Vox with the clean sound this one has. But I wouldn't buy this one again. I can say that for every amp I've owned except for the Peavey Bandit 112S and old Champs. See my reviews on these. If you want a Beautiful amp with the best clean channel I've ever heard then the Vox Cambridge fits the bill, but the Bandit is the best overall, versitile and useful amp I've used to date. Thank you.

Submitted by mike baggett at 09/22/2001 09:09

Price Paid: 270 (£ UK)

Features: 9
Korean made 2x10 combo, made in 2001, two channels (clean and overdrive - valve preamp in channel 2), volume/treble/bass on ch1, volume/treble/bass on ch2, plus mid boost and gain boost buttons, also reverb and tremelo speed and depth. Oh, and it's 30 watts as well. It's pretty versatile, I needed something that was going to give me a nice clean sound and also a good overdriven sound, not too loud but good enough for small gigs.

Sound Quality: 8
My main guitar is a '96 Epiphone Sheraton, unmodified in any way. I also play a '97 Epi G400 SG and a '97 Squier Vista Jagmaster. I play in two environments - one is in an 'indie/powerpop' band (imagine somewhere between The Posies and the Field Mice) and the other is in church. I was looking for something which would suit both situations. Previously I'd used a Roland Super Cube 60 combo which was alright but nothing special. I'd tried lots of other amps in the price range (around £300) but nothing really came close to this. Not even a fabled all tube amp like a Laney VC30. I dislike Marshalls - they sound like Marshalls - and I was tempted by the Line6 Spider until I heard it (yuck!).

Oh, I also tried my father's Les Paul and Hank Marvin Strat through it a while back, both sounded great. The Les Paul kicked out a nice Neil Young-ish vibe on ch2, while the Strat was clean as a bell.

It certainly suits my style of playing (a bit jangly and a bit distorted), and I've not experienced anything like this before, the tactileness of playing is now more noticeable than ever. I'm going to have to improve my technique now that all my faults will be broadcast. Single notes sing out, chords are loud and brash, the two channels are distinct enough from each other. The gain boost is a bit odd, not sure if I'd ever use it, but the normal overdrive goes from mildly dirty to a nice 70s style crunch. The clean channel does break up a bit if hit hard or above a certain (quite high) level, but it does kick out a loud enough sound. Whoever complained of it being quiet is wrong, it is not. The distortion is hugely brutal but I've got pedals for that (my fx set up is guitar -> Vox Valvetone -> Danelectro Daddy-O -> Guyatone SD1 -> Zoom GFX700 -> Ibanex digital delay (old 80s model) -> amp so there's enough noise in there if I need it).

Only thing to note, there is a slight hiss coming through, but nothing too noticeable unless you intend to have long silences between songs. Docked a point or two for the hiss.

Reliability: N/A
Can't say yet, had it over a month and it hasn't failed yet. Fingers crossed.

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 9
I've been playing for about 15 years, but only seriously in the last eight years since the band came together. I've listed the other gear I've used above, suffice to say this is the best amp I found in the price range with the facilities I wanted (line out, extension capabilities, 2 channels etc). The fact it looks like a slightly shrunken AC30 helps no end. The two speakers are great, loud and bold. I'd buy it again. My only real niggle is that it came without a footswitch and though you can switch channels and tremelo and reverb and the gain boost on and off, you need to buy two footswitchs to do it, which is a con. But for the money, it's fine, perfect for me. It won't be suitable for Limp Bizket or Metallica, but for jangling guitars with a bit of noise thrown in for good measure, it's just right.

Submitted by Rob M at 09/12/2001 07:08

Price Paid: US $350

Features: 5
It gets a 5 because the tremolo is fantastic. I mean it really sounds great. However, this amp is one hell of an expensive tremolo pedal, as that is it's ONLY redeeming value. The distortion may as well not exist. It is the worst distortion i have ever heard. The reverb is gutless and pathetic. But, hey, the tremolo rocks.

Sound Quality: 3
It is really quite bad. I bought it thinking/hoping that I would be able to get the same sound of two of my favorite bands, Radiohead and Blur. They both use Vox AC30's, which i can not begin to afford. I felt this would be a good compramize. I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG. This this sounds terrible. I bought it since my other fender amp was broken, and my BROKEN amp sounds better! This should tell you alot. Now, this is not to say that this is the worst amp ever. It sounds a touch more normal with single-coil guitars. I have a gretsch guitar (a hollowbody with humbuckers). It sounds like shit through that thing. I took it back immediatly. The sound is kindof warm, but so incredibly bass-y and dark that I can not even distinguish the top 3 strings. This, as you can imagine, is enough of a reason not to buy it. I thought i had really found a deal for 350 bucks, since a vox amp is just what i wanted. But, you always get what you pay for. It's the aweful truth. It sounds absolutly NOTHING like an AC30. It sounds like the cheap, crappy, japanese model it is. Honestly, it sounds broken and it's brand new. And mine is NOT a lemon...I checked. You would be foolish to buy this amp, even if you like vox sound or bands who use AC30s. I saved my money and got a fender hot rod deville 410 for almost twice the money, but it is 100000 times better. It sounds like gold. This amp, despite what it may appear, is NOT a great deal. It has NO freaking volume, it is muddy as muddy can be EVEN with the bass all the way down, and it distorts at high volume. There is a reason this thing is so cheap. What junk. I thought i would love it, but I learned that a real AC30 is an amazing amp, and this is just shit with the vox name on it.

Reliability: N/A
I don't know, I had it for a week. I hear they are tempremental.

Customer Support: N/A
No clue.

Overall Rating: 1
Do not buy this amp!!!! If you would like to know anything else, please dont hesitate to email me.

Submitted by Gavin Pherson at 08/21/2001 20:46

Price Paid: US $325

Features: 8
Price Paid: US $325
Features: 8

This is an update of the review I wrote back in March 2001. Much is still the same, but I'm update reflecting the corrections and repairs made to this amp for my brother and sister musicians.

Typical two-channel switching combo amp. 30-watts RMS on 2-10's. Reverb and tremelo effects. Play a Les Paul and Strat through it. Wanted a good studio amp and amp for small venues. Get the foot switch.

Sound Quality: 8
Effects Channel is very woofy, and the mid and high end just isn't there (sorta the opposite of a Marshall). The bass response seems to get overwhelming higher when you run the gain and the gain boost switch. There's a Mid Range Boost that irritates situation. The Amp sounds best to me in Effects Channel with Gain Boost "ON" and with preamp in a low setting.

The saving grace to this amp is Channel 1. This channel has a very good classic Vox sound. I run treble EQ at 60-70% with bass at 0%, but 30% bass adds dimension without woofing. Treble at high setting is piercing. The superb reverb and tremolo run through both channels. Amp is quiet and lacks hum. Playing live at a small venue, use an overdrive stomp box [I use a Boss Blues Driver] for gain boost to get you over the top with decent a level although this amp seems to have enough natural power WHEN IT "S RUNNING 100%. It's a great practice and studio amp to mic.

Reliability: 3
Big problems with this particular amp. It brown'd out after 30-minutes, loosing half its output. I thought problem had to do with heat and in the output section. Korg Warranty Center in Geneva, NY and Distributor's tech center in Rochester, NY then had amp. Problems are in quality control.

Customer Support: 10
Excellent, but it takes time. Korg handles warranty work in USA. Very responsive and supportive. Seems they will make thing right through their warranty centers and distributors. Took it for warranty work (Korg, inc.) and the output amp in the preamp section was replaced ($2.00 part). Still had the problem of browning out. It seem persistent. In May 2001 I took the amp back to House of Guitars in Rochester, NY for warranty work. HOG's tech's re-solder'd the board to eliminate any cold connections. Amp does what it's suppose presently and is running 100%. If this amp is browning out, check all the solder points. Must be quality control problems in Korea.

Overall Rating: 8
Still give it this overall rating even with the browning out problems. Excellent amp for the buck. Love the sound. I play blues live and in studio work. The warranty work put a damper on what I consider a very good product

Submitted by Mark Lord at 08/16/2001 12:40

Price Paid: US $325.00

Features: 10
New 2001 beatle wanna-be sound,my wife will not kill me price range,2channels,like the switching,power plenty for us chord players.Love the reverb

Sound Quality: 10
seems like the strat really shines here,great sounds,bright, deep tones,Threw my epi sheraton on,jag on and the cropper guitar but the strat excells in the sound department.Crimson&Clover, yes I tried that song with the tremolo,It's there, cool.Clean channel is just the sound I want,and the distortion is there with the tube change.Thanks to that guy with the RCA 12AX7A tube suggestion, major difference and good to go.Very defined.

Reliability: 8
I"ve been using a peavey 158 rage only because it's easy to cart and it's a decent pratice amp for band pratice.Wait till wed, when they hear this.I think I can reley on this.

Customer Support: N/A
just e-mail them for a manual ,don't know yet.

Overall Rating: 10
Been playing 32 years,own a marshall stack, a peavey deuce vt serries,a peavey rage158 and now this vox which I would replace because it's the sound I wanted and their electronics are superior. Like everyone says change that tube.

Submitted by wws11 at 07/28/2001 14:09

Price Paid: US $349

Features: 8
This is a very versatile amp with lots of goodies to play around with. The Tremelo is easy to set and the reverb is great. I give it an 8 because vox did not put an actual MID knob on the amp, and they put the mid boost on channel 2 (which no one hardly uses)and you need to play around with the volume and gain controls.

Sound Quality: 7
The tone is great. I repeat, there is nothing wrong with the sound this amp makes. The only problem is this amp is not loud enough! At low levels this amp sounds beautiful and would work well if it was miked or for recording, but once you turn the volume knob halfway it doesn't get any louder. I did the mistake of turning the volume all the way up causing the tube to go crazy and to hiss and squeal (so loud it would make a man deaf). I imediately took it back for a louder amp (fender hot rod deluxe). Channel 2 produces a semi-transparent and woofy distortion

Reliability: 8
It comes with a limited warranty so there is no woory about the amp breaking or anything like that. The speakers are pretty tough, if they can handle that high squealing noise that i encountered then they are built to last but it IS made in korea so you don't know what will happen.

Customer Support: N/A
never needed to contact em.

Overall Rating: 7
I played this amp for 2 1/2 weeks before i took it back. i am much happier with my LOUDER hot rod deluxe. if you play in a band with a drummer and you don't have anything to mic this amp with, dont get it. the thing has the power of a 15 watt amp.

Submitted by Sean at 05/21/2001 03:18

Price Paid: US $299.00

Features: 10
I read these reviews befor buying this amp, so I kinda knew what to expect.I dont know what year it was made.Its two channels are enough for me and it has all the features that I wanted.The reverb is a little week but Ive got a Fender so no problem.This amp is loud enough for me.If not it can be miked.

Sound Quality: 10
I think the amp sounds great.I havent changed the tube yet,but I will.Some say the drive channel is to dark but I love it.I link my Fender twin and this amp together and get an awsome sound.Its very low noise is great and the distortion is ok,stand alone.However I use a Korg AX1000G Processor and the amp comes alive.Cant wait to put a new tube in it to see what happens.

Reliability: 10
Havent used it out yet but that should be no problem.Its built sturdy and looks well made.

Customer Support: 6
Never delt with Vox at all.Dont need a service center.I just take it to my basement and Hot Rod it and fix it and tweek it.Its got to be very simple to work on.You got to watch out,taking your amps to some of these "service centers".I guess if I needed one though it would be know problem.

Overall Rating: 10
Ive been playing for 26 years and own all kinds of stuff.Fender Strat,Fender Twin,Korg,Boss,Roland sound efx.K-2000 keyboards,Drums,you name it.Now the little Vox amp is a new member of the studio.I would buy it again because its exactly what I was looking for.I thought about another Fender ,they are awsome I might add,but this little twin is perfect.I wish I had an AC-30,but thats down the road a way.

Submitted by Chris Dube'/Alpha Monster at 04/04/2001 06:55

Price Paid: US $295

Features: 9
this amp is brand new. 3/01.

you know all the features.

im gonna tell you what i like and dont like about it.

as far as features go- it DOES have to channels with separate EQ and KILLERRRRRRR tremolo and a nice reverb. i give it a 9.

LIGHTWEIGHT is a feature! my other amps kill me to cart them.

Sound Quality: 9
tone is subjective- but here goes.

this amp sounds better than my BLUES JUNIOR, or my MARSHALL JTM60, and better than the o/d channel on my HOT ROD DELUXE. not better than the clean channel on the deluxe- but the deluxe weighs a ton compared to this amp. the ULTIMATE amp is the MARSHALL DSL50. its the best sounding amp ive ever played or owned. sometimes the stage is too small to take that amp to the gig, though.

i personally like a darker tone. this amp has that. i dont think its muddy - but it is dark and you can brighten the character of it with the controls- which work well. it CAN GET muddy- you have to fiddle with the controls to get the sound you like.

1) channel 1 is BEAUTIFUL. i cant believe i would ever say that about a solid state amp- but its reactive to your playing. not like playing through your home stereo. it just SHIMMERS, plus- you can crank it and really make it grunt! i love that!

2) channel 2 is a bit more touchy. see- the controls are very interactive. you have to change your tone settings as you raise the volume. it WILL get woofy if you dont. i see that as an advantage. i think you can dial up the perfect tone/volume combination.

i like the mid-boost UNENGAGED. it gets wierd if you push it in. a little TOO vox-y for me.

i changed the pre-amp tube immediately to a sovtez 12ax7WB. sounded better.

which brings me to the next advantage of this amp.

3) it has one tube. one $10 tube! the JTM60 has $88 worth of tubes that i just changed, and the HRD has $77 in tubes, that i just changed.

do the math. two sets of tubes would buy another VOX AMP!!!!!!

i give it a 9- because i love the sounds. they are unique to these amps.

Reliability: N/A
dont know about the reliability yet. just got it.

Customer Support: N/A
dont know yet.

Overall Rating: 9
i own 3 FENDER amps (blues junior, hot rod deluxe and a '75')

2 marshall amps (jtm60 1x12, DSL50 and 1936 cabinet)

and this vox amp.

i think i will play it a lot. maybe not every gig!, but it has some sounds that my other amps dont have. isnt that why you buy another amp?!?!?!?!

i LOVE the tremolo and the clean sound and the overdrive sound too. i have a gig tonight. guess what ill be playing?

if i had to complain about something- it would be the power. i wouldnt mind it being a little louder, but that may ruin everything else that i DO like about it.

the weight, size, sounds are really great.

also, it needs some shielding on the back cover of the chassis!!!!
i can fix that little problem with some aluminum tape.

Submitted by Anonymous at 03/21/2001 08:06

Price Paid: N/A

Features: 10
I bought this amp and a foot switch new on 2/22/01,I wanted something light weight. You all know the features on it. The features I like most are the headphone jack because it sounds like my Rock Man's distortion, also the twin blue speakers, it's an awsome sound! In the late 60's I used the tremelo on Crimson and Clover, but thats about it. I don't really use it much now. I enjoy playing Beatles music and blues, this amp does just fine. I use this amp at home in the house or in a 24x30 garage and with the volume at 9 o'clock, it's plenty loud enough. One thing I have noticed with mine is once I get to 12 o'clock, thats about all the volume it has. I like this amp!!

Sound Quality: 10
I have a Gibson Les Paul Elegant and a Epiphone Dot and they sound great thru it. The day I bought it I checked out all the reviews and took everyones advice. I CHANGED THE TUBE!!(Groove Tube GT12AU7) Yes, it did make a difference. The amp is quiet and my settings are bass straight up and treble at 10. I have an Ibanez TS9DX Tubescreemer,if you don't have one, get one! It sounds great on this amp. A friend of mine is a real good blues player, using a Fender 62 Strat, he put this amp through the ringer, we both were amazed of the sound and tone that came from this amp. Even with changing the tube, the distortion is so-so. Thats why I use the TS9DX. All in all, the twin blue speakers give you that awsome Vox sound at a low price. I'm starting to like this amp more and more!!

Reliability: 10
It's winter here and it is sitting out in my garage. I go out and fire up the woodburner and play as loud as I want. I have had no problems at all sofar, even in the cold. I have Marshall JTM 30 which is an all tube 30 watt.It is much louder than the Vox. I don't think the Vox could handle a gig. But, if you are looking for a great sounding practice amp at an excellent price, you can't do any better than this.

Customer Support: N/A
I have'nt needed it yet. We have a store in town that services Vox and hopefully they will be able to handle my problems, if any. Going by other reviews, it sounds like a nightmare to deal with Vox. But, maybe other companies are the same....

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing for about 35 years and between me and my two boys we have, Marshall, Vox, Crate and Peavey amps. Gibson, Epiphone, Fender and Ibanez guitars and a CB drum kit. I play mostly for fun, I don't plan on being in a band at all. My goal at this time is to build a jam room out back and have enough equipment so that all you have to bring is your guitar. I did this at another guys house and had a blast!! Thats when I pluged into a 1964 Vox Buckingham and fell in love with the sound. This is the first Vox I have owned. If it were lost or stolen would I replace it with another one? No... I would go buy the AC15. Now that I know how much I like the sound of Vox, I would go out and buy the next step up.I didn't have the patience to save for a Vox AC15, so I bought this instead. But, for the price of this amp, you can't go wrong. As far as some of the negative feedback on this amp, I think these people are expecting a 100 watt sound out of a 30 watt,one tube amp. They are in two different leagues, therefore, don't compare them to each other. I just love the tone of a Vox amp!!!! If you do too, don't hesitate, go buy it. But, don't forget, CHANGE THAT TUBE!!!!!

Submitted by Rick M. at 03/20/2001 16:50

Price Paid: US $325

Features: 8
Typical two-channel switching combo amp. 30-watts RMS on 2-10's. Reverb and tremelo effects. Play a les paul and Strat through it. Wanted a good studio amp and amp for small venues.

Sound Quality: 8
Effects Channel is very woofy, and the mid and high end just isn't there (sorta the opposite of a Marshall). The bass response seems to get overwhelming higher when you run the gain and the gain boost switch. There's a Mid Range Boost that aggravates situation. The Amp sounds best to me in Effects Channel with Gain Boost "ON" and with preamp in a low setting.

The saving grace to this amp is Channel 1 has a very good classic Vox sound. I run treble EQ at 60-70% with bass at 0%, but 30% bass adds dimension without woofing. Treble at high setting is piercing. The reverb and tremolo run through both channels and are superb. Amp is quiet and lacks hum. Playing live at a small venue, use an overdrive stomp box to boost level.

It's a great practice and studio amp to mic. I have a tube preamp with a 10-db boost that can make this amp a small venue gig amp, but I have to admit if I had it all over to do again I'd get a Fender '65 Deluxe or a Marshall 201 combo amp even with them costing twice what this amp did.

Reliability: 3
Big problems with this particular amp. It brownouts after 30-minutes, loosing half its output. Think problem has to do with heat.
Took it for warranty work (korg, inc.) and the output amp in the preamp section was replaced ($2.00 part). Still has the problem of browning out. It seems to be persistent.

Customer Support: 10
Excellent. Korg handles warrenty work in USA. Very responsive and supportive. Seems they will make thing right.

Overall Rating: 8
Excellent amp for the buck. Love the sound. I play blues live and in studio work. The output problems put a damper on what I consider a very good product

Submitted by Mark Lord at 03/10/2001 17:49

Price Paid: US $275 used

Features: 8
2 channel transistor and tube hybrid. Reverb, tremelo, mid boost, gain boost, spkr out, line out, headphone out. Master volume on 2nd gain channel, bass/treble controls. 30 watts, 2-10" Celestion spkrs. Great looks, convincing Vox tone (on tube channel).

Sound Quality: 8
If you experimented or played the other Korean reissues, this is the best model offered. Channel 1 sounds like the Pathfinder (I'm sure the circuit is the same), Channel 2 sounds like the Cambridge 15. I've had both of these smaller amps so I know. Nice addition of the 2 10" speakers and more volume although not terribly loud when compared to my Crate VC30 (1 12" spkr, Class A amp w/4 EL84 tubes) which just eclipses the Vox. However, reverb is good, overall tone is good if you use the midrange boost on the 2nd channel, turn the master volume up all the way, and use the preamp gain to about 1/2-3/4. Forget the gain boost, its a solid state cheesy distortion that makes you want to retch. However, if you use the 2nd channel as I've described and fiddle with the tone controls to match your guitar (I use a Strat), the tone is crisp, clean, somewhat fat, and very Vox. This is not an amp that has a lot of tones but what it does do it does very well. Make SURE you change the stock Sovtek 12ax7 tube for something warmer. there are a lot of tubes out there to pick from but ideally you should get an old GE, Sylvania, Amperex, or something like that. Go to the tubestore.com for selections or Torres Engineering web site.

Reliability: 6
Who knows? As it has low power and only one tube, assuming it was wired correctly at the factory and the parts are ok, it should be pretty good. But change that tube.

Customer Support: N/A
no idea.

Overall Rating: 8
I like it for it's ability to sound somewhat like a Vox vintage amp. It sounds good coming out of the line output into headphones but not as good as using the speakers. Forget the line out for the clean channel, thin and brittle. Ok out of the speakers but no where as good as the tube equipped 2nd channel. Good for a home practice recording amp or rehersals. Maybe also low volume gigs but this is a one-trick horse tone-wise. Not a whole lot of variation in tone but what it does do it does well and is low-cost. However, my Crate VC30 blows the Vox out of the room and has tons of tone settings available. But I still like the Vox and will probably keep it. I've had the original Vox tube amps back in the 60s including the AC50 and the AC100, those were the real amps with the real sound, also the AC30. But for a couple hundred dollars, the Korean model is pretty good overall.

Submitted by Peter at 03/04/2001 08:11

Price Paid: US $349.00

Features: 7
The Cambridge Twin has a tube pre-amp (hybrid state) sending to two 10" Celestion speakers (an excellent choice for this amp!!). Their are two channels but I rarly use both of them. The amp features a nice built in reverb and a tremelo function which I rarely use since it does not fit my playing style. This is the closest I've ever heard a hybrid come to the tube amp sound. I've heard the expirementing with different tubes in the pre-amp can improve the sound quality

Sound Quality: 8
I own a Fender Tele (single coil pick-ups) and an Ibanaz RBX (Humbucker pick ups). The fender sounds wonderfull through the amp but I can't get the Ibanez to sound good. I think you really need single coil pickups with this amp. Even with the fender it took me a while to find the sweet spot and now that I've found it, I haven't touched the settings. As I stated above, this is the best sound i've heard out of an amp this inexpensive.

Reliability: 7
It seems dependable though the casing seems to be some light material. I wouldn't sit on the amp or throw it around but it seems that if you treat this amp right it will treat you right. I opened up the amp and the electronics seem reliable.

Customer Support: N/A
I have a 2 year warrenty through www.musiciansfriend.com and I haven't had to use it yet.

Overall Rating: 8
If this amp was stolen or lost I would buy another one. I really think this is the best amp for the price. I play instrumental rock a la Dirty Three, God Speed you Black Emporer, Rachel's, Tristeza and this amp fits the bill perfectly. Most guitarist look for an amp in this price range end up getting suckered into buying a Marshall Valvestate (don't, they fall apart in no time at all!) but this amp is a much better choice. It sounds good enought for the experienced player and is loud enough for small venues and yet it is priced so that anyone can afford it.

Submitted by Mike Projekt at 03/03/2001 16:30

Price Paid: 560 Singapore Dollars

Features: 10
I think this amp is made in 1998.
The amp is versatile enough for me because I can play Rock, Pop, Jazz,
Country and Blues with it.
There are 2 channels. It has a channel & tremolo footswitch and a Gain Boost & Reverb footswitch.
This amp doesn't have an effects loop.
Who needs it anyway?
Using an effects loop will make the sound noisy.
It has a headphone jack.
I wish it has more guitar inputs, so that my friend and I can use
the same amp.
I never use the tremolo although it is great.
I use this amp at home and for gigs at school hall.
It certainly has enough power besides I am using a multi-effects to
boost it.
It is a half tube half solid state amp with one 12AX7 preamp tube.

Sound Quality: 10
I am using a Gretsch Double Anniversary with high-quality Filtertron
pick-ups.
It suits my 60's Rock N' Roll music style very well.
It is extremely quiet.
Using the clean channel, I turn up Bass half-way and full for Treble, I get instant 50's Tone Nirvana!
Using the dirt channel, I turn up full for both Treble and Bass, 7/8 way up for Gain, switch on the Gain Boost and Mid Boost, I get the guitar sound from Paperback Writer by the Beatles.
I use it in my bedroom for this settings.
It sounds loud enough.
The clean channel distorts into a crunch at high volume.
Using the clean channel, I turn up full for both Bass and Treble
and switch off the Mid Boost. Classic Vox tone.
The distortion is only mild if you want more overdrive, you can use 3 Tube-screamers in the clean channel.

Reliability: 10
I can depend on it totally because it's a sturdy stuff and won't break down easily like a full-tube amp. Power tubes blew most often.
I would use it on a gig probably with a Marshall EL100 Power Amp to amplify the sound to give it distinct tube tone.
I fused one preamp tube before because I use it for 8 hours at a stretch and I replaced the fused Sovtek with a Marshall.

Customer Support: 10
I never dealt with the company because I didn't have problems with it.
I did the tube replacement all by myself, it was easy.
All you have to do is to unscrew 2 screws from the top panel.
I can find an authorised center in town and I am going to get 2 Korg footswitches for the amp.
No warranty needed.

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing guitar for 8 years.
I owned a Zoom GFX-8 multi-effects, a Dunlop Crybaby and a Gretsch Anniversary.
If it is stolen or lost, it will be replaced by an AC-30 /6TBX which is rather uneconomical at this moment.
I love it's vintage Vox tone and I hate it when it doesn't come with a
tube power amp.
I compare it with the Line 6 spider and this sounds more quiet than Line 6. The Spider really crackles like an insect.
I wish it had a power tube, two more handles, Vox Blue speakers and leather coverings instead of plastic.
When I use a tube amp simulator in my Zoom GFX-8 with Vox Cambridge,
it sounded exactly like a tube amp.
So for those who are using it on the road, by all means buy it!
I won't be heart-broken if this thing gets smashed up because it's cheap.

Submitted by Brandon Ong at 02/17/2001 05:41

Price Paid: US $389

Features: 8
One input, Two (very defferent)channels, Two killin' speakers(for korean speakers they rock), powered lineout/headphone/foot switchin', usuable reverb, and last but not least tremelo(the dynamic kind.) I wanted to submit a reveiw mainly to point out that you have to change the little preamp tube as soon as you get this amp; If not you will be very disappointed! I recommend from tial and error marshall brand(korg/marshall/vox/korea)5881 preamp tubes from ampparts.com for heavier gain; and if you want that nice vox warmth and smoother archtop chime get a 12au7 from KCA nos tube supply. I gave it an 8 cuz' for a tube "type" marketed amp, the ONLY tube in this amp that comes stock sux, and they make tubes!

Sound Quality: 10
I jam three different guitars/setups with this amp. My main setup is a fender duosonic-> aDano fabtone*or* a Boss distxn-> MORLEY boost/wah(my main squeeze!)-> danecho-> AMP *OR* My rockabilly setup my Kay kelvinator/bigsby or a borrowed silvertone 1446 w/bigsby->MY MAIN SQUEEZE MORLEY-> danecho-> AMP if i use the kay i use flange for the chet/les sounds I LOVE THIS AMP!!!! honestly but it three weeks of trials to fall in love. I changed the tube out to five different tubes(I listed my faves.) I was previously using a fender Twin but I had to change all my setups on both pedal boards cause this guy really jumps when i hit my boost pedal with the amp dimed, i mean like maybe 10db! But that is the effect I love cause it sounds like East Bay Ray f/DK, Man this tone I always have seaeched for, and I didn't toss a grand on an AC-15. I do recommend a low watt 1-15 cab for low end bump and some lap steel soundin highs. I have tried using the line out or the head phone jack to line out for recording and/or playin live and it justs suck out the good parts of the tone U GOTTA MIC IT

Reliability: 10
hey anonymous down there change the stinkin tube dude! try the 12au7 it gets you a nuge closer to a ac-15 sound.

As far as reliability this guy is a real workhorse. It's kinda light weight construction(the cab) but I wouldn't stand on it anyway, and if I catch you sittin on her i'll kick yer ass!
I've played out a bunch with this amp with an extension cabinet(a cheap-low wattage1-15) and never had a hang up jumpin all
around and everything

Customer Support: N/A
90 day warranty or something but that went with the millenium
vox never sent me my strap but the guy I called in england about my three cards I sent in to vox girl and he sold me a studded python strap for cheaper to make happy

Overall Rating: 10
Overall I give this amp a 10 cause it worked out to be everything I wanted when I started shopping for a new amp. I was lookng for something to replace my twin at a lower wattage, the twin was to loud for my living situation, to heavy(96lbs of back strain,) and causing marital problems due to practice volume.
PROBLEMS SOLVED
I compared this amp to a vintage Ac-15 & a new AC-30 and I actually liked this amp better cause its more versatle and I actually liiked the tone better with my Kay straight than the other amps. I want a good matching cabinet I wish Vox would make them for this line with the same speakers(THAT WOULD BE SWEET.) i also wish it had to different inputs a HI & a LO.

Submitted by xprt76 at 02/15/2001 22:23

Price Paid: US $450

Features: 8
This baby is loaded with features, from tremolo to reverb, you can't beat the versatility of the VOX!!! The amp is a hybrid amp, it has a 12AX7 tube to supposedly add warmth to it's sound. The amp comes with 2 custom celestion bulldog alnico speakers, which is a nice touch to the amp. These are probably the best speakers you can get! The amp has a line out, and a headphone jack so you can play it at night, and hook it up to an extension speaker. The amp has plenty of power for the style of music I play (Zep, Blues etc.)

Sound Quality: 2
I use a Gibson SG standard, and a Fender Strat.The amp comes with a 12AX7, and Custom speakers, and it has an extensive amount of features, but what good are they if the amp sounds like trash! Thats right TRASH! The clean, has no highs the distortion sounds like garbage, and even the Rage 158 has a warmer tone! We tried replacing the cheap Sovtek with an RCA, but it didn't add anything to the sound. The amp has next to no tonal versatility,
and the OD is excessivly noisy.

Reliability: 3
This is least reliable amp I have ever owned. Sometimes I can't even get it to turn on. It is shaky. The tube channel sometimes cuts out. This happened to a friend of mine too with the same amp. Replacing the tube gave me even more problems. And the edges around the control panel were all sharp, and I got cut twice trying to replace the tube. I would take a backup on the gig!
And use the back-up amp instead!

Customer Support: N/A

Overall Rating: 1
What a hunk of Junk! It has 1 feature...looks! But it could do without the bulldog decal on the bottom right. Go to your local Vox retailer, and direct people away from the amp! It is not the best amp I have used by any standards. However, Vox is still my #1 amp. The AC30/AC15, are probably the best sounding amps on the market. If you decide to get a Vox, stick with the all tube combos...you won't be disapointed.

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/15/2001 12:56

Price Paid: US $261

Features: N/A
I have two of these amps $261 each brand new in the box.They are an excellant amp for the money. Thats why I got two. I bridge the two amps together and the sound and tone are amazing. I also have a AC30 RI and though the Cam30s are no match for the AC30 they are still a good value. Plenty of effects and controls. I have replaced the Sovtek 12ax7 with an Ei Yugo 12ax7 for ch 2 and it does have a little more brightness and headroom with this tube. Some complain that ch 2 is too muddy. I have found that it all depends on what guitar you are using. I use Rickenbakers and Gretsches. They work great on ch 2. My only fault with this amp is the tone controls could be a little more responsive. Quite frankly no other amp on the market in this price range can compare. Vox did a nice job on this one.

Sound Quality: 9

Reliability: 10

Customer Support: 10

Overall Rating: N/A

Submitted by Anonymous at 02/14/2001 15:43

Price Paid: US $349.00

Features: 9
Made in 1999. Very versatile amp. I bought it because I was told I could get the Beatles tone out of it, and I surely can! It can do country, rock, blues, but is not a hard, heavy or thrash metal amp. It is a good old fashion true to tone rock amp. It has two channels which can be switched at the amp or with optional footswith. No effects loop but is fairly quiet running effects straight in. Has headphone jack, speaker out, line out, gain boost switch, mid boost switch, tremolo and trem speed, reverb, bass, tremble. It does have a tube in the preamp and you can tell it's there because the amp takes 5 or ten seconds to come on. It is a hybrid amp one tube and the rest solid state. It is used for all-purpose, practice, jam, recording and small gigs. You can always mike a good sounding amp or line out.

Sound Quality: 10
I'm using a Rogue A/E 300 and have a digitech rp 200 in line most of the time. I use single coils mainly. It fits my style of music to the tee, which is old time rock -n- roll from the 50's 60's and 70's, mainly 60's. The amp can do country very clean and chimey, cleaner than both Fender I've owned. It can do blues and distort to a point but nothing really heavy. This amp is about tone. It sounds like a tube. The twin 10" celestions will deafen you, though it is not window shattering kind of loud. I'd say it's range of sounds go from early Beatles clean sounds to latter Beatles sounds compare I want to hold your hand--to--Get Back, different kind of sounds. Nothing really heavy though. The clean channel is very clean and stands out from the first time you strike a chord. The distortion is enough to rock but not for AC/DC. It has enough for songs like Sweet Home Alabama, basic rock. A pedal will solve those needs. Get this: the reverb is better than the fenders I've owned. The tremolo is really nice and a sweet touch. This amp has the tone of the British invasion.

Reliability: 10
It seems solid enough. I would gig without a backup. No problems.

Customer Support: 10
I've done business with Musician's Friend many times. If a product breaks they take it back and pay the shipping. If I just don't like a product within the 45 day try out period, I have been able to send it back with no problems. However, you pay shipping on this and pay for any damages you caused during the try out, and that's only fair. 90 day warranty sheet with amp.

Overall Rating: 10
Been playing 24 years. Have a Rogue A/C, Rogue 30 watt amp, classical guitar, old Japanese made elecric, an applause, and a sears guitar, digitech rp 100 and 200 multi-effects stomp boxes and a danelectro mini chorus. If it was stolen I'd be upset but buy another one. I love the British tone. Can't get that in just any amp. The greatest band of all time invaded America with Vox amps--the Beatles. I don't hate anything about it. It is a beautiful amp, prettiest I've owned. I compared it to Fender Blues Jr., Princeton 65, Marshall CD 30, and a host of others. I chose this one because of its unique tone. Reminds me of an old all tube Truetone. Well, if it could handle two instruments I wish it had two inputs, and also an effects loops. I'd like to add that if you want to play country or rock this is the amp, especially the 60's stuff that is not too hard. Tone is what this amp is about. Don't expect to do heavy metal with this amp alone nor expect it to stand up in larger gigs. It will have to be miked, but it will sound great miked. Know what kind of sound you need and the uses you will have for an amp before you committ your money to anything. Go to a music store and check out the options. I finally found my amp. It does what I want 60's British Rock.

Submitted by mike baggett at 01/31/2001 14:17

Price Paid: US $339

Features: 10
I'll give the amp a 10 in this area essentially because it is so versatile. I can get a chiming glassy tone out of the clean channel that breaks up nicely when I strum harder as well as that warm distorted tone out of the tube channel (clapton-esque). Turn the gain down on the tube channel and it gets a nice chime that's a little warmer and sustains a little better than the clean channel (aka elvis costello riffs). Also, this is the first tremolo amp I've played with and the tremolo is gorgeous, haunting even, if you get it a little dirty, I've also managed to make it sound like a delay when heavily distorted. The reverb is as good as any of this class of amp. The two channels are both top notch as far as hybrid amps go, I wish it came with a foot pedal that was more suited to the particulars of this amp. The foot-switch I got changes channels and turns the tremolo on or off. But you can't control the reverb with it since the reverb switch talks to the tremolo instead...but that seems minor. It has a line out as well as a head phone jack which is good and two foot switch jacks...no effects loop...but again the tonal dynamic is what sets this one apart from other hybrids and that's what I was looking for.

Comes equipt with two 10 inch Celestian Bulldog speakers....a great choice by Vox...no doubt that helps with the versatility.

Sound Quality: 9
I'm using a G&L legacy (strat style)with this amp and it's like these two were made for each other. I was playing with lower line strats at first and was moderately pleased...but when I plugged the Legacy up to it it was magic..something about those G&L pickups. They are single coils (if you don't know about G&L's they are designed by Leo Fender after he broke from the Fender company). But plugging these pickups in really changed the sound. I couldn't get the warm blues sound out of the tube channel with the cheap strats...the sound broke into heavy distortion too soon...but the G&L pickups don't really distort in the same way...they warm up and fuzz over a bit and if you dial it in right chimes like a true vox with that old vintage sound...exactly what I was looking for. I'm into a lot of musical styles..I experiment with jazz and blues but mostly I'm into inde-rock...which depends on a vintage sound. This amp covers all the bases..and with my G&L plugged in I'm able to get a variety of great tones. Someone wrote earler that this amp is where the action starts..and if you mean an affordable way to start experimenting with tone then he's absolutely right. I've played other hybrids that were more or less expensive but of the same class and the cambridge twin leaves them all behind. It's quiet as mouse if your pick-ups are quiet...will hum but it's usually the guitar.

Clean channel has a nice chime with my G&L...but it doesn't break up as easily as it does with a strat...the G&L pickups are more intricate..a better design and they dial in a number of tones to the amp..it handles all of them well. But they are all different shades of clean or mildly dirty with the G&L. With the cheap strats the distortion seems to work better..but the overall tone is compromised of course. I get nice chiming chords from the clean channel...with the G&L it almost sounds like a true acoustic...high end on the clean channel with the G&L is still mostly clean with a little break-up..with the strats it's dirtier.

The tube channel is easily the best of the less expensive hybrids I've played. Crank the volume up a little more than three fourths of the way and set the gain between half-way and three quarters and there it produces the warm dirty tones perfect for the blues...go all the way with it and it begins to lose integrity though...crank the gain and pull back on the volume a bit and it will saturate..but again this seems to happen less with my G&L then with stratocasters.

One note: I've tried several pickup systems with this amp so far including the new american standard strats the texas style strats, a cheaper tele..a couple of cheap strats and then my G&L. The amp doesn't seem to respond well to either seymore duncan lacers or humbuckers in general. The humbuckers I've played with it have sounded flat out bad with the exception of the seymore duncan pearly gates humbucker. I played an epiphone les paul on it and just couldn't stand to listen to it. The lacers are to harsh on the high end...but I've never liked those pickups anyway. A solid strat sounds great on it and my G&L sounds even better...again the primary difference is that the distortion is heavier and more saturated with the strats...cleaner and fuller in tone with the GL Legacy and hits the sweet spot for blues players a little more easily.

Reliability: 3
Well this is the issue I'm having currently. I turned on the amp a few times and the tube channel just wouldn't work...turned it back on the next day and it was fine...also it has a static buzz in it when I play with the bass up ....not enough to hear when your playing full steam but noticable at lower levels....I'm taking it back to the store tomorrow to get these issues remedied...I'd be really disappointed though if I had to get my money back on it...love the amp. I'll rate it low for now since that's what happened...but I'm hoping it was just a fluke and that it can either be fixed at the store or that the replacement is better.

Customer Support: N/A
Dealing with the store so far....they've been willing to help...we'll see about this one.

Overall Rating: 8
I know the tones I want and until I can afford an AC-30 or something of that class I'll probably be using this amp. For the money you can't beat it...other hybrids of a similar price range don't compare in versatility to this amp. If it were stolen or lost I'd buy it again simply because it has the tones that are hard to find for around three hundred fifty bucks. The amp could be louder definitely and if I had to list a drawback other than the electrical problems I'm having that would be it. You're not going to blow the doors off of any clubs with this amp...but it will do the job until I can up-grade. Even then though I'll probably keep it around for practice and studio work because the tones are so nice. I feel like I've opened a door with this amp...I can experiment around with the knobs...find the sweet spots without worrying that the next turn on the dial is going to be disaster...soon I'll probably change the tubes just to see what happens...the point is that while it doesn't have the range of tones you might find in the AC30 it does have some sweet spots where the VOX sound is true..I'm enjoying investigating the range because it actually has a decent range...not true for most hybrid's of the same price range. Also Vox made a great decision in equipping it with the Celestian Bulldog

If your looking for the vintage tube sound for an affordable price...this is your amp.

Submitted by Anonymous at 01/29/2001 19:13

Price Paid: $489.99 (Canadian(plus tax))

Features: 10
This amp features dual channels, the first consisting a volume, treble, bass and the second channel features the same as first but also includes a gain and mid boost switch, and a master volume. Both channels share a reverb, and tremolo effect. The footswitch is optional, but you can change the channels manually. The amp is rated at 30 watts, getting pumped through 2 Vox celestion blue(bulldogs) speakers....wow, instant british tone...and by the way, there is a pre-amp tube to add to the Vox vibe....yaaahhh babeyy, yaaahhh!!!

Sound Quality: 10
This is where the action starts!! this amp is a tone machine....forget about the AC30, thats right....this amp has it all at a modestly priced package. The first channel is true Vox clean to semi-overdrive tone. It sounds glassy and dark, yet very middy with true Vox honk. Crank the volume and soar...the bass and treble nobs are very interactive. The second channel when set properly, can get the great saturated overdrive of an AC30, but if you crank the gain, it gets a little overthe top....like a Vox on steroids!!! its best when you set it just right...it sounds like the first channel being pushed(though I think the first channel is louder when pushed) but if you need some overdrive at lower volume levels, the second channel is perfect. The tremolo is haunting...just like the Vox of old. The reverb is competable with fender, really its not a normal feature on Vox amps, but it is a nice modern touch. The reason I feel that it is better the an AC30, not speaking about tone because the AC30 is classic, and being all-tube of course the sound will be superior, but the cambridge 30 has a remarkably similar tone and almost dead on in some cases, and less then 800 bucks of what it costs for an AC30. it runs on a pre-amp tube so you don't have to worry about changing tubes on a regular basis. I believe it is a modern package that truly sounds VERY VERY Vox -like....this amp can nail all the Vox tones you've been craving. the only think I would like to see improved(not saying the original is bad) but a twin 12'speaker cambridge would be tops....truly an awesome REAL Vox!!

Reliability: 10
so far so good!!

Customer Support: N/A
haven't needed them yet, I suppose i'd have to go through my dealer anyways....

Overall Rating: 10
overall this amp smokes....its my back-up amp, but its my passion...Ialways wanted a Vox....one that would be dependable, unlike the sometimes unreliable AC30, this amp, I dreamed Vox would release before it actually came out....wouldn't trade it for anything, its a solid amp with all the Vox vibe you can handle. If its a Vox, it rocks....

Submitted by E.S. at 11/29/2000 19:23

Price Paid: US $265

Features: 9
This is a new 2000 model that I bought for a big discount because it was a floor model with a tiny little ding on one corner. Looks like a Vox AC-15 and about the same size. It has reverb, tremelo, a clean channel and a gain channel with a mid-boost button. It has two 10" speakers, powered by solid state and tube hybrid. I play in a country band, and use a Fender Deluxe 112+ all the time. But I love classic rock and wanted to get an amp that would give me that vintage sound.

Sound Quality: 9
My main guitar is a Fender American Standard Tele that I've put Rio Grande pickups in. Like I said, I mainly play country, and I'm no electronics expert, so I stick with solid state amps. But this one looked and sounded so cool that I just couldn't resist. One of my guitar playing buddys is also good with electronics, so he helped me switch the stock tube for an old one called a 5751. I can tell you that this change made a big improvement in the tone. Now it gets a nice smooth tube overdrive sound. I stay away from distortion and overdive on my Deluxe - it sounds nasty. But this Vox has a real nice edge when I turn up the gain. I haven't used it to play in a club, but I might. It's loud enough that it would do OK.

Reliability: N/A
I've only had it a few weeks, so it's still too early to say.

Customer Support: N/A
Again, too soon to know.

Overall Rating: 10
For the price, this is probably the best buy I've ever made on an amp. Looks and sounds great. And it's kinda light, too. Won't pull my arm out of joint when I need to pick it up and move it around.

Submitted by Johnny Garcia at 11/19/2000 21:12

Price Paid: US $349

Features: 8
This is a hybrid 30 watt amp featuring a clean and a gain channel with a 12ax7 tube preamp in the gain channel. The power output is solid state, feedng into two 10" Celestion speakers. It has both reverb and tremelo and the channels can be changed with a footswitch. It has the classic Vox style of the 60's, which makes it the best looking amp (by far) in its price range. I use it for practice and small gigs, and it definitely has the power to project your sound in a club setting. I had a Vox Pathfinder last year, but sold it to purchase other gear. From that experience, I had confidence that the Korean made Vox amps are quality items.

Sound Quality: 9
I play a '57 Reissue Strat, an American Standard Tele with Fralin pickups, and a Les Paul Studio. For some reason, this amp definitely sounds better with the single coils than with the hummers. So I play the Fenders through it almost exclusively. Also, I have numerous spare tubes lying around for other amps, so I experimented with different tubes to hear what (if any) improvement that would make. Well, it was surprising. The Cambridge responds very well to tube changes, offering a variety of different sounds. The tube isn't easily accessable, requiring chassis removal. But that just involes 6 screws. I tried a Telefunken (strong, dark OD), Groove Tubes (kinda thin), Mesa/Boogie (weak), NOS Westinghouse (very nice tone) and decided to leave an old RCA 12ax7a in, since it had the best balanced OD tone. The tube is only active in the gain channel, but it does give a very nice overdrive. As in any GOOD solid state amp, the clean channel sounds good, and it's silent. But I use the gain channel almost 100% of the time. It suits my style of 60's/70's rock very well. I don't use pedals, just plug straight in and dial in the gain knob to around the 12 o'clock position. I like the reverb, which works with both channels and adds some nice depth. I never bother with the tremelo.

Reliability: 8
I've only had this amp for a few months, but I use it on weekly gigs and I feel like it will hold up well. There isn't much to go wrong with it, since it isn't using power tubes and large transformers. It's well built, but I wouldn't make a habit of sitting on top of it. It'll hold me easily enough, but the cab is made of fiberboard and I don't wnat to press my luck.

Customer Support: N/A
So far I haven't needed any support.

Overall Rating: 9
I'm not a fan of solid state guitar amps. Solid state seems to work very well for bass, but I've been using a Fender Blues Jr and Ampeg Jet II for several years now, and I'm convinced that tubes will give me the sound I crave. But this Vox not only looks very cool, it sounds very tubelike and is the only SS amp (well, hybrid) that I've ever been satisfied with. Call me a tube snob if you'd like, but I know the tone I want and I can get it through this amp.

Submitted by Jim Threadgill at 11/11/2000 12:50

Price Paid: US $349

Features: 9
I was looking for a step up from my Fender Princeton Chorus, and this amp was my choice. It is a 2 channel amp (clean and dirty), equipped with reverb, tremolo, a mid range boost, head phone jack, extension jack, line out, and a footswitch jack. I was wanting a tube amplifier, and this was sort of a transitional amp for me. It has a Sovtek 12AX7 in the preamp, however I replaced the stock tube with an Electro-Harmonix tube which gave it more head room closer to a true Vox tone.
I mainly play this amp in my basement at home, however I have taken it out several times to play gigs. I am a school teacher and this amp always gets rave reviews when I pull it out for the Faculty/Student talent show in May! The 30 watts have always been enough for me to fill the school auditorium.

Sound Quality: 8
I own and play only three guitars. A Mexican Tele with matched Seymour Duncan Vintage Rhythm Humbuckers, an all stock Fender American Deluxe Tele (3 vintage noiseless pickups), and a '98 Les Paul Classic with '57 Classic PAF humbuckers. This amp is great for the blues! I don't plug into any effects; just straight into the amp, therefore I rarely hear any humm or buzz. Naturally with single coil guitars you might hear a slight more noise that others, but nothing due to the amplifier. Those noises are from the guitars. I do use the line out jack to plug into a Fender Satelite to create a surrounding effect. Both channels are great but I rarely use the clean channel. I do not really try to acquire distortion through the amp, but cranking it up really creates a warmth through the tube that sounds great! However, it isn't all tube, and until I have that kind os spare cash, it wont be!

Reliability: 9
This is my second Vox Cambridge 30. The first one I bought would begin to crackle as the bass and volume rose. I took it back expressing my concerns, and they had another in stock they traded me for and this was has been awesome ever since. Like mentioned before, I did change the tube for an Electro-Harmonix 12AXEH because I wanted more head room and a Vintage Vox tone. Haven't had to deal with Vox, but they did send me a guitar strap for simply trying this amp out at the store! Other than that, customer service at the store was great!

Customer Support: 8
No problems yet, however the dealer I purchased it from is an authorized service dealer, so I don't expect too much hassle in the event of a problem.

Overall Rating: 10
I have been playing for about 5 years. I own several effects pedals, but I like to plug straight in! Everything else gets in the ways and creates potential problems. If it were stolen or lost I would probably buy A Carvin Bel Aire which is all tube and costs around $559. A little more expensive, but hey were just talking money. if you play the guitar, you already know that $200 is nothing. I've spent that musg on pickups! But I do like this amp, and it is a great blues machine. It has a real vintage look and sound to it which is what I was aiming for. I compared it to the AC15 which was $749 at the store, but I couldn't tell much difference. The AC15 is all tube, but didn't get louder than the Cambridge 30, didn't have necessarily better tone, so I went cheaper! Fo the money, this is a awesome sounding amp, and considering the price tag, you can't beat it.

Submitted by Shane Phillips at 11/04/2000 14:25

Price Paid: US $299

Features: 8
I waited many weeks to take delivery of the amp (I always wanted a Vox but the AC30 is way to pricey for me).
My other amps are a GK 250ML for studio work and a Marshall VS65R for club settings and I wanted another amp to get that hollow/toney 60's feel.
I bought mainly it as a blues amp and really fits the bill, the 30 watts let you crank it up and really rattle the valve (that a tube). The dirty channel is different sounding, (we all have gotten way to use to digital distortion). The gain-boost adds to the sound, as does the mid range boost. I don't like how the foot switches are set up, but I bought the VOX FS for $29 a second one.
The 2x10" Blue British made Celestians speakers sound great, the only thing I am dissappoined in is the made in Korea on the back. But the organ-tweed grill cloth has that original look, which is cool.

Sound Quality: 8
I play a Gibson Blueshawk and a custom electric guitar made in the 70's with all Rickenbacker electronics and a almost true Ric sound. The custom guitar can really get that surf-sound with this amp and reverb, if that is where you are going.
I have never used my Zoom 1010 (or any effects) with the amp, to see if I can get it to sound different, that is why I have other amps.
I wanted the VOX it get the sound is has, a very toney "hollow" sound. I use it mainly to crank the 30 watts up, or turned it down sweet and low when I want a warm non-digital sound.
It reminds me of the early Harmony open back amps like the H3030A (anyone remember that one?) But with a lot more tone and clarity.
Again I am not impressed with the distortion, but I am getting use it. The tremolo is good sounding, but how oftern do you really jeed it. I use mainly the clean channel and some reverb added.

Reliability: 7
So far so good, but I have only been playing it since may, but I have played out with it a few times.

Customer Support: 5
I haven't had to deal with the company for support, but the warrenty isn't that great. Only 90 days on the speakers and tube, unlike my Marshall with a 5 year warrenty.
There are several dealers I have talked to when I was looking for the amp, and they were all helpful.

Overall Rating: 8
I think my next step-up will probably be an AC30, but this is a great amp for anyone wanting that vintage 60's sound, or just looking for a clean warm sound.
I have had several opportunites to sell it in the short time I have had it, to other players, but I will keep it. I is a sound that grows on you, the more you play thru it.

Submitted by Curt Borders at 09/28/2000 08:09

Price Paid: US $349.00

Features: 10
I just bought this amp has lots of features good reverb not drippy enough for surf but a great reverb. The tremlo works great if you need it.It has chanel switching if you back the gain down it can sound like a real ac15 tb, it's also the same size.Its really hard to tell the differance.

Sound Quality: 9
I just record at home and play small clubs once in a while, I use an Epiphone Casino, Epie Dot, And an epie Les Paul thru it. I play finger style guitar and it sounds great One problem Iv'e had is I have a Zoom 505 processor and it does have noise with it pluged in other than that it's hum free no matter how loud I turn it up.Mine would easly play small clubs but it wouldn't get you heard over 175000 screeming fans,but mine sure has true vox sound.

Reliability: 10
It semm very well built I've only had it a month but I play every day
I would use it on a gig without a back up.I went 30 miles to try out an ac 15 to compare it, other than it being solid stae they seem about the same.

Customer Support: N/A
n\a

Overall Rating: 10
Ive been playing about 35 yrs I also have a Peavy marKIII head with 2 12's and an old del ray all tube with one12 Which will do a nice job with my Hoffner bass. I thought It was a great buy especially if you don't own a bank to buy a real all vale amp. If it got lost or stolen I sure Would buy another one.

Submitted by Doran Boudreau at 06/10/2000 23:39

Price Paid: US $300

Features: 5
This is the latest offering from Vox/Korg. At long last it's here.
It was at the Namm summer show last year. Was supposed to ready for delivery Dec.99. Many months later, it's finally here.
Although it's got many features, it's kind of dissapointing.
It's equipped with reverb, tremolo, clean and dirty channel, also MRB.(mid range boost)head phone jack, ext. jack, line out, and two footswitch jacks. Yes you need 2 footswitches if you want to switch everything on or off with your foot. At about $35 each, you're in the hole for another $70. This drives me nuts. Include the footswitches people! Even if you're gonna charge me more, I need a footswitch, as most of the time my hands are busy!
The clean channel is ok, the reverb is ok, not great, just ok.
The tremolo is cool, no volume loss when switching on like a Peavey piece of crap amp I owned for a short time.
Now the dirty channel, waaaaay too muddy for me. Not a nice distortion sound. I tried a different tube, better, but still needs alot to be desired.
It's rated at 30 watts but I think it's overrated. My AC30 will blow this thing out of the water. (it's rated at 33 watts)
If you're gonna gig with this amp, you better mic it. I doubt if it will keep up with a drummer.
I was looking for a smallish bedroom type amp to do some recording with, but with the muddy distortion channel I'd have to use a pedal and go thru the clean channel. Why bother? I've got enough amps that don't suit me, I don't need another one.
I've got 30 days to try this thing out before it's mine for good. I'm pretty sure it's going back for a refund.

Sound Quality: 5
I use a custom tele, Gretsch '57 DuoJet, and a RIC 36012v64.
The RIC 12 string sounds awfull, no chime.
The tele sounds good in the clean channel. So does the Gretsch.
Quiet amp, not much hum. Even cranked up.
You can get the clean channel to distort, but it's not very pleasant.
This distortion channel needs work!

Reliability: 10
I've only had it a week, but have played with it for about 10 hours.
Trying to tell myself this is a cool amp.
Very dependable so far.

Customer Support: N/A
Never delt with Korg.

Overall Rating: 5
Been playing off and on since 1965.
I use a Korg AC30, (which is very cool)and a Roland JC120.
I hope it doesn't get lost or stolen till after I return it!
I would not buy another one unless there were some improvents made to the distortion channel.
I had heard alot of good things about the Pathfinder and thought I'd wait and get the Cambridge Twin thinking it would be twice the amp,,,
I don't think it is.

Submitted by JP at 05/30/2000 21:28