Vox AC4HW1

Any experience with these?

http://www.voxamps.com/handwired/ac4hw1/

Hi Rufes,

Yes, I've had one for about a year. I'm happy with it and would like to mess around with it a bit, but I can't find anything on the internet regarding component swaps. Comes with a Celestion Greenback, but most things I've read suggest swapping for an Alnico Blue, which is EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. I switched tubes out, just to mess around a bit, and I was pleasantly surprised, since I replaced them with whatever I had on hand, which happened to be some Mesa tubes. I found a couple of websites with suggestions, but as yet, I don't feel like ponying up the dough to buy NOS Mullards and things like that.

I've recorded a bit with it and my quick answer is, it could use some bottom end, but I need to replace the speakers in a Hughes and Kettner cab I bought awhile back, and until I do that, I won't know if that would help. Still, at low volume with delay and reverb from my pedalboard, I'm pretty happy with it. I bought it for its utter simplicity- if you've seen the gut shot photos, you know what I mean... nice to know if there are issues,m you can work on it. I have the soldering skills necessary to play around with it, but I want to be confident that I'm doing it right, so until I see some suggestions from folks who've done the heavy lifting, I'm happy to enjoy as-is.

I hope you can swing it. It really has a big and rich sound. The tube sweet spot is, thankfully, at lower decibels. I stopped using a compressor because the natural amp/speaker compression is perfect.

wishmerelax said:

I stopped using a compressor because the natural amp/speaker compression is perfect.

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Yes, exactly- one of the first things I noticed- real, REAL nice!!

Hi had one of these (for about a month) - I got it in a black friday sale. I really loved how it sounded, it really is a great little amp.

I'd actually recommend a gold in it rather than a blue as its a very bright amp. I also changed the tubes to vintage ones and there was a difference (althought not overly marked).

Apart from the tubes & the speaker there isn't a lot else than can be changed easily. The valve seats are really basic quality plastic so could do with a serious upgrade.

Question back to you guys who have/had one. The reason I returned mine is because it had this conistent hum (even with the volume all the way off) when I turned it on that was really annoying.
It was about quiet talking volume in loudness terms.

It had to go back unfortunately. If I ever find one that doesn't hum, I'll get one again.

scovell001 said:

The valve seats are really basic quality plastic so could do with a serious upgrade.

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I have only ever worked on one of these amps but seem to remember the valve sockets being the white ceramic type like this:-



If so they are very reliable sockets and should be no cause for concern.

Well I had a fender bassbreaker 15 at the same time & I was a bit shocked when I saw those in the ac4hw1. They seemed a bit loose and easily breakable. The Bassbreaker at half the price had higher quality tube sockets & a better overall build quality.

that hasn’t stopped me still wanting a ‘non hum’ ac4hw1

They are made from ceramic which is much more heat tolerant than any plastic socket could be. I have used these in my own hand built amps for many years and have never had to replace one, I have replaced several plastic sockets of the type that Fender use where the pins have come loose due to the plastic softening from heat damage (either from the valve itself or from soldering iron damage).

I have the run of the mill AC4. I switched out the speaker and added NOS tubes and couldn't be happier with it. :jim

rufes said:

Any experience with these?

http://www.voxamps.com/handwired/ac4hw1/

Click to expand...

I have an AC4TV which did not play well with the Classic 57 hum buckers in my Tweedy SG (no clean, just muddy tone). Swapped the stock tubes for some Tung Sol tubes and the voice cleaned up really well.

But then I got a Rickenbacker 660/12, and it didn't quite have the jangle I wanted, so I put Celestian Blue Alnico 12" in a spare cabinet I had and that really opened up the sound. Finally, I did install a 10" Greenback in the amp which almost gets to the openness and loudness of the Blueback, but with the combo amp portability intact.

My version of the amp does not have a whole lot of bottom end going on, but it does start to break-up and get crunchier as the volume goes past 11 o'clock. The attenuator switch is really useful too if you need that crunch but you don't want to get too loud for the house.

I know I put some bucks into this amp, but I got it brand-new through a MF Stupid Deal of the Day 2 or 3 years ago and I think it was only $99!