Vox AC30 vs AC15?

[El Podo]

I'm considering getting a Vox AC 30 or AC 15. Any preferences? Are two blendable channels of the AC 30 much better than what the AC 15 has to offer? Two speakers better than one? I have a Fender Hot Rod Deville 4X10 now.

[daydreamdelay]

I personally liked the AC30 better and thought the sound was a good deal more powerful but it really comes down to what you require.. do you need more than 15watts? want a small portable 1x12 combo or a bigger/heavier 2x12?

not much difference between them aside from that imo

[vapourtrail]

My main amp is an AC300CC2. I love it, but there are some quirks to it you'll have to learn.

I'll say this: one of my guitar players can blow me out with his Fender Twin Reverb at half volume to my AC30 full. Granted I never really crank the AC30 at a gig like that, but I do have to push it to get over the rest of the band sometimes. If you want the Vox sound, play in a louder type band and want to gig with it, AC30 is the way to go.

I only ever use the blend switch recording. There is only control out for the reverb & tremolo, not for switching between the overdrive and clean channels. Big quirk there. So I have to use a splitter and go into both inputs to switch between overdriven and clean.

In my opinion, spending the extra $400/whatever bucks for the 30 over the 15 is well worth it. There are a lot more options on the 30. 2 channels/inputs, more tone options (tone cut is key in my opinion), effects loop, the switching for reverb and tremolo (though I don't use that), the back panel to switch impedence, bias & smoothing, external speaker outputs, 2 speakers (on the CC2)... none of this is include in the AC15 models if I'm remembering right.

[jetset]

I'll say this: one of my guitar players can blow me out with his Fender Twin Reverb at half volume to my AC30 full. Granted I never really crank the AC30 at a gig like that, but I do have to push it to get over the rest of the band sometimes.

I hope you're wearing earplugs.

El Pondo- I'd see if you can find an AC30cc1 (the 1x12 combo) They were blowing them out recently for like $650.  Same power, more portable.  A 2x12 Ac30 is a heavy and cumbersome amp to gig with.  My JMI ac30 is in a head which makes it easier to gig with without roadies.
-J

[El Podo]

I'm a long time Fender amp fan, and haven't owned anything else aside from a Peavy Bandit 65 when I was in high school (also a Gorilla was my first amp, anyone remember those?).  I like the channel switching of my Hot Rod Deville, and the presence control & bright switch are nice.  It's got a pretty fat sound, which I love for my Teles, but I was playing my Jazzmaster through an AC15 @ a music store and it sounded amazing.

Anyway, I appreciate the advice so far.  Anyone out there own Vox & Fender amps?

[mezcalhead]

Most of my amps are Fenders but I also have an AC15TBX, one of the slightly older Korg models from when they were still making them in the UK. I like it a lot, the combination of JM and Vox crops up in quite a few bands and for good reason as you've discovered.

As far as AC15 vs AC30 goes, I lent my AC15 to a friend while his 1970s AC30 was in the shop .. he actually preferred the AC15 since he could carry it easily and crank it up without deafening everyone in the pubs he mostly played in. He didn't feel they sounded that much different to one another. His band is a three-piece and they play small venues, so the smaller amp suited him well.

As far as the Chinese-made CCs go, I have no experience of them except to note that the AC15CC in the local store looks a bit plasticky next to my AC15TBX. I've never played one so it could sound as good or better, I dunno.