Vox AC30, get the celestions?

[BigJunk]

The new Vox AC30 either comes with the normal speakers or celestions for 600 bucks more. Has anyone tried them side to side? Is it worth it?
Junk

[Jonboy79]

Everyone that has them says they're worth it, however you'll probably get 20 responses from people telling you to get an older Vox if you want the "real" Vox sound.

[Meriphew]

You want Blues in it.

[gibsonlp75]

Originally Posted by Meriphew

You want Blues in it.

yes... you have to get the blues... but also be careful about the combo ac30s... notoriously known for rattling tubes which is no fun for recording. I was in a session with a band last week, they had an ac30 with blues, i was anxious to use it, but, sure enough, as i had heard before, it was rattling beyond use, so we used the external speaker jack into another cab... good, but not what it could have been if we had used the blues...

long answer, but yes, there is a noticable difference between the stock and blues... blues are much harder to make, hence the higher price tag.

if it doesnt kill your budget, get the blues, you wont regret it!

[robot gigante]

Originally Posted by Jonboy79

Everyone that has them says they're worth it, however you'll probably get 20 responses from people telling you to get an older Vox if you want the "real" Vox sound.

Just because you need to get a good JMI Vox to get the classic Vox sound on all those albums we all know and love doesn't mean that the newer ones are bad! But it is a different sound, even with the Blues.

And yes, having Blues in it is definitely worth it if you have the bucks.

[Jonboy79]

Originally Posted by robot gigante

Just because you need to get a good JMI Vox to get the classic Vox sound on all those albums we all know and love doesn't mean that the newer ones are bad! But it is a different sound, even with the Blues.

And yes, having Blues in it is definitely worth it if you have the bucks.

You don't have to tell me the new ones aren't bad, I own one.

[FFTT]

If you happen to have a well equipped store near you that carries Vox and 65 Amps, Top Hat or Victoria, you might get a better idea of what a new Vox should sound like.

[sloanfiske]

i think 600 bucks for a pair of speakers is a bit obscene...and they all need to be broken in.

you're money is better spent buying the stock amp and sourcing new speakers later. the new line of Eminence speakers are pretty rad for the money and voiced in many different ways...

big question, and not to be coy...have you ever played a ac30? if it's your thing, go for it. Some I've fallen in love with and others just kept fighting back.

FWIW...if you're looking for a big heavy utility amp, get a used twin. i see 70's twins for $400/$500 all the time.

[FFTT]

Most of the better 12" Alnico's are running around $250.00 for each speaker.

If you order pre-configured you're paying extra for the convenience and
not really getting the best quality in cabinet construction either.

I'm a strong believer in head/cabinet configurations both for portability
and versatility.

You also need to decide on the type of sound you're looking for.

If you want more emphasis on lead tones, going for 10"s may be a better choice.
If you want more clean headroom 12"s will help greatly, but you also might
want to consider a mixed pair with one Alnico and one Ceramic.

[majortom]

I agree that you may want to consider just getting the head and then buying a separate speaker cab.

I use an AC30 combo for recording and more than half the time I use an external cab because I want it in an iso box or another room.

I mostly use a 1x12 when recording, maybe the 2nd speaker adds some ambience, but I never mic it directly and I usually have the mic in too close to pick much up from the 2nd speaker.

I am a big fan of the Alnico blues.

[dualtone]

I've got two early 60s AC30s. When I've used any of the new versions, they always seem to get closer to the real thing when they've got the Blues in them. Not as drastic, but almost like a real Leslie will get a fake B3 sound almost there.
The Tone Tubby alnicos are really good, too, but as expensive. They're darker, which might help if you've got a really bright 30.

[FFTT]

The downside to the Celestion Blues is their 15 watt power handling capability.
If you have a pair loaded in a separate enclosure and wish to record with a head rated at anything much over 35 watts, you'll have to be careful.

That's where the higher rated TT's and Webers or a mix of one Celestion Blue and a ceramic like a Vintage 30, Jensen or Weber Thames may be a better choice.

[kafka]

If you decide you really want the Celestion Blue's, look around a bit before you buy. They want $600 more for the AC30 with the Celestions. You can find plenty of places that sell them for $250 each, and then you have the other pair of speakers as well. Personally, I'd go with Webers instead.

[dualtone]

Avatar ( ******//www.avatarspeakers.com/) had Celestion Blues recently for less than $250 each, shipped.

[rob S]

for what its worth, i don't think the eminence or the webers sound like the bulldogs.

[FFTT]

A pair of 15 watt rated Blues is a good match for a 30 watt amplifier providing
you want them to break up earlier for lead tones.

For cleans, you'll have to cut back on your guitar volume.

Now that's fine in a studio, but if you want extended clean range for live
venues, that's where other speakers with more power handling capabilites
may be preferred.

So you need to consider your overall playing style as well.

Are you playing mostly leads, crunch, power chords or wanting definition
and chime in that 12 string Rickenbacker?

This is why it's better to go for a head/cabinet configuration.

What works for one song, may not work for others.

This is also why I prefer a convertable cabinet that allows you to run one or both
speakers, open or closed back.

[dualtone]

A pair of 15 watt rated Blues is a good match for a 30 watt amplifier providing
you want them to break up earlier for lead tones.

In my experience, with two different amps ( AC30, JTM 45), the blues are much louder and break up later than 25 watt greenbacks. Just saying the 15 watt rating can be misleading.

[FFTT]

Yeah, I never cared much for greenbacks anyway.

They definitely break too early for my tastes.

I'm sure those Blues sound great with the JTM 45

I'm also sure the 15 watt rating is a bit conservative, but at $250.00 each
I guess you might want to be careful about over amping them too much.

I ran my Bad Cat 100R into my friend's single 12" Vintage 30 (8 Ohm)
and could barely set the volume above 2 1/2 but gee wiz it was mojo city.

[TAVD]

Get the cheaper speakers then give Ted Weber a call. I prefer his alnico silver bell to the Celestion blue but he has a lot to choose from in any case.

[BigJunk]

so he could just swap out the cheaper speakers and I'd be paying less then 600?

The reason I want the Vox is because I want an amp less saturated then my Dual Rectifier for that gritty clean sound and some warmer more articulate distortion sounds.

I have the cheaper speaker combo on loan right now and I was able to get some really fat tones out of it. I'm curious what the blues would add, probably even better clarity I assume. I'll have to find out how much the AC30 head is.

So if I got the head, whats the final recommendation on cabs to try?

[Meriphew]

Originally Posted by BigJunk

So if I got the head, whats the final recommendation on cabs to try?

I'd be curious as to whether or not THD would load their cabs with Blues. If they would at a decent price, that's the route I'd go, otherwise I might look into a Bruno cab w/Blues.

[peeder]

I got the head, and the standard 2x12 cab to match it. I figure it's worth the $300 to have the matching appearance. I pondered putting Webers in it but frankly I think the standard drivers sound pretty good. I haven't heard the blues or the Webers, but I have Vintage 30's and a Jensen inside the DRRI, and the Vox/Wharfedales are crisper and cleaner than either, bright chime... I imagine the Alnico Blues would be a bit nicer in the room although I'm not certain that with careful mic technique that difference would translate much on tape. Maybe it would...I would have to try it.

I definitely recommend the head, it halves the weight of the beast, prevents any tube rattle, and most importantly, you can put it and its controls right above your pedalboard in easy reach and place the cab on a stand so you can listen on-axis from the perfect point in the room.

[BigJunk]

I definitely love the sounds I got from the combo so I'm going to get the head but still have to wonder what cab to get. Do they make the matching 2 x 12 with the blues? And can someone articulate what exactly the blues do better then the stock?

[IPLayHamers]

I'd say go for the head and get a 2x12 cab from Avatar. I think a Blue loaded 2x12 goes for $649, so you get the speakers and the cab for a little more than the stock upgrade.

Also, I've had alot of luck with a Blue/Greenback combination in the past. Once broken in, these 2 speakers really compliment each other with the AC30 circuit.

For the most realistic sounding new AC30 type amp, you might want to look into the JMJ-30. It's basically an exact clone of the early/mid sixties Vox circuit and sounds amazing. I'm on the waiting list for one now.

Good luck,

IPH

[peeder]

Originally Posted by BigJunk

Do they make the matching 2 x 12 with the blues?

Yes. For $500-600 more.

I've never heard it however...

[peeder]

Originally Posted by peeder

Yes. For $500-600 more.

I've never heard it however...

Oh man. Now I have!

I'm going to not call this "a good option" I'm calling it MANDATORY.

The amp sounds pretty good with the Vox speakers but MAN does it bring it with the Blues. PUNCH. DEFINITION. Liveliness. Character. As if I've gone up two gauges in strings but improved playability at the same time. The guitar talks to me.

An illusion of reality...that's the only way I can explain it. A very pleasant reality.

Now I have two Vox speakers sitting in Celestion boxes...

[FFTT]

Lots of people are simply not aware of how much difference the choice of speakers
can make along with the choice of amplifiers and the type of enclosure.

For even greater tone, imagine those same speakers working in a high quality hardwood cabinet.