Vox AC15 Cabinet Comparisons
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- Опубликовано: 7 фев 2025
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In this video, I compare the cabinets of these two Vox AC15 amps: the AC15C1 custom, and the AC15HW1 hand-wired.
By disconnecting the wires from the two speakers, and routing them through an AB box to the external speaker output of one the amps, I can isolate a single amplifier circuit, and hear it through both cabinets in turn. In this way, we can first listen to the AC15C1 amp circuit through its own cabinet, and then listen to that same AC15C1 amp circuit through the AC15HW1 cabinet. Switching back and forth really highlights the different sound character provided by the two cabinets.
Why so different? The AC15HW1 cabinet is obviously larger, which provides a bigger resonant cavity. It's also built with birch plywood which is lighter weight and perhaps more resonant than the denser MDF used in the Custom. Another important difference is the high frequency diffuser used in the AC15HW1 which really softens the high-end.
Full disclosure: I work for Korg R&D. Korg is the parent company of Vox.
Very clever demo and one of the best demos I've seen on YT. I've been getting into the Vox tone lately, and I'm contemplating the HW. Your vid definitely (to my ears) clearly shows the tonal benefits of the HW's cabinet. More vibe, resonance and depth. Although there were some times the the chime stood out a bit with more presence with the AC15, and the difference was more minimal on some of the lead lines, the HW's cab showed clear superiority for deep jangly vibey chord tones.
I have owned both & loved them (still have the ac15hw1x). The larger cabinet of the hw has a thicker more substantial tone, which you would expect. I also found the hw easier on the ears at higher volumes. But what makes the amp stay with me is the Hot Mode. I jumper the normal and the top boost channels (with hot mode engaged). Then balance the volumes. I play most of the time in the normal channel, but then can hit the footswitch to blend top boost signal into the normal signal for a great boost with a little more edge. I hope that made sense:).
I've been using the C1 for a month or so now and the tone is just right if you like that sort of thing, which I do.
In my experience, the MDF cabs are not very durable. An old Fender or Marshall amp you can knock it around a bit and not worry about it except maybe for the tubes (not that you should knock around an amp, but it does happen).
If the C1 fell off a stand or off a cab or something it will likely break the cab.
I used to have a Valvetronix VT 100 I think it was called. The cab broke on the inside where the chassis held in place and the chassis bent from shipping. The chassis was made of a thin bendable metal. I returned it and the sent out a new one, but it had similar damage.
I figured if it can't survive shipping in it's box then maybe it's not very roadworthy.
I bet if you took the C1 and dropped it on it's corner from about 3 feet it might collapse on itself.
Handwired! A winner on both counts. Just warmer - the tube rectifier makes a world of difference.
ac 15 c1 Super. classic. leads to gold.
these two amps are on my shopping list right now (I'd love an AC30C2, but I think it's probably a bit too much amp for what I need), and I've played the C1 and LOVED it. but in every video I've seen of these amps, the C1 is awesome - but the HW just has.....more.
I've been kind of avoiding the HW because of that god-awful fawn tolex, but you can't deny that sound! you've helped me make up my mind, the HW1 is the pick of these two, and the one I'll be getting.
great video, thanks for that
I personally like the AC15C1's cab sound more. The compression it adds sounds to me much closer to the classic Vox tone IMO.
I think both sound great, and even having very similar tones, the small differences are still noticeable.
Thanks for posting. The bigger box has a deeper cavity resonance, whether that's better is a matter of taste I guess.
Loving my AC15C1.
Interesting test, I like it a lot. Thanks for posting. :) The Handwired one has less top end, or should I say smoother but I wonder if could be related to mic placement possibly?
Because Handwired's speaker upper placement than custom c1. You're right, it didn't fair comparison.
C1 every day! I have two that I run in stereo and they sound so much better than the HW in person!! That bright, biting, yet warm sound is just killer! I think it's the silicon rectifier and cab density that make the biggest difference.
great video. i much preferred the handwired cab tone. i agree with your suspicion that it's the size of the cabinet that makes the difference moreso than the material. but, now i'm really curious about the HF diffusor. maybe that's part of the difference...
Thanks for doing this test. I wasn't aware of the differences in cabinet size, materials and same weight. I always prefer larger cabinets to get away from the "boxy" tone of smaller cabinets. I detect a bit more low end in the HW version, but wish the test was done with a clean tone. Regardless, the test was useful to me. I cringe at the thought of a combo amp with a particle board cabinet. It's only a matter of time before the cabinet falls apart from the vibration of the speaker and cartage to/from gigs.
Your videos are always GREAT so full of knowledge. THUMBS UP.
Marty
Hello ! I own a Orange Dual terror, and I was about to buy the 2x12 Orange Cabinet for it, and it actually costs the same amount of money that the Vox ac15 does. I was thinking of buying the ac15 and use it as a cabinet for the Orange, and switch to the vox original circuit when needed. Is that possible ?
Finally, I really think, after having conscientiously watched these two A/B videos, that the cabinet isn't the main difference, yes, I know, you can now bash me for that, there's a thin one, but, to me, the MAIN difference is the quality of the amp that makes the sound so particular between each of these two excellent amps… Am I right for some of you ?
im really thinking about getting the HW but i honestly dont think anyone can hear the difference through the mix when playing in a full band.
Bandana Dee Isaac I’m cool with the knit-picking to absurdity. Haha. In a case of these amps you might really wonder if the added cost is really worth it. The HW cost quite a bit more but it doesn’t sound quite a bit better. You have to have a trained ear and be able to tell the differences apart. Sometimes it’s not the sound that’s different but the way in which it’ll bloom or decay you know. Like you said, drunk people in a bar won’t notice but neither will most people that don’t know how or what to listen for. For those that do seeing videos like this does help, me at least, realize that I don’t ever have to worry about upgrading to the hand wired since the sound difference isn’t justified by the price difference. For that I am totally happy to see these amps pitted against one another.
Bandana Dee Isaac I have the purple limited edition AC15. It’s has the same stock speakers as these, the Celestion Greenback. I know there are differences, especially most of what you mentioned sans the speakers, those are the same. I’m just saying that the sound difference is not as large as the price difference. Either is a killer amp for sure. I believe you get more bang for your buck with the standard AC15 vs the hand-wired version.
Thre original seems more chimey... I have the red one and works great. Hand wired is chill but not worth thre extra money
Bandana Dee Isaac That’s it, it’s all about what you what you want. The hand wired, used, I. My area is a thousand dollars. The standard used in my area is $500. These are give or take. The HW just doesn’t sound twice as good. I’d rather have the HW only because it is better mentally. Otherwise it’s just spending a lot more money for not a lot of difference. If you have to be in certain situations and they have to be just right to really a tell a difference then the difference isn’t really there. I’m speaking sound wise. And geez, we are talking about the AC15, of course it’ll growl early. Haha. That’s the charm. No one gets an AC15 because of how clean it is. I’ll tell
You though, no other amps out there like the AC15. Totally amazing amps.
Great video! i honestly think the handwired cab gives more midrange tone and has more clarity. i think this has spoiled the c1 for me haha.
Hands down, the AC15C1 wins. Because I have one! It's the clear winner here!! Actually, I had an AC15CC1X with the Vox/Celestion Blue that sounded quite a bit better than both of these amps soundwise. Cant wait to upgrade my current AC15 with that speaker.
As good as the amp comparison is, I'm really interested in the ASAT. Any chance you could do a comparison of the Classic and your Special? There is only one G&L dealer around here and he only has two (Tributes). It's not like comparing Fenders where there millions of them everywhere and you do such a good job at this.
Se nota la claridad del HW1 mas que el ac15c1, y los precios en los que varían también se notan haha.. muy buen vídeo.
The HW sounded a bit bore full, with better low. But I think with some tone adjustments you could get same sound.
The hard-wired amp sounds brighter through the ac15c1 speaker... Not really sure which one sounds better, but it's all personal preference. :)
As I say before....you are a genius !!! ....gracias John !
awesome idea! so glad this is out there
Hi there,
was just wondering if the AC15C1 will actually plug into my 4X12 marshall 1960A cabinet??? It has 4 greenback speakers as well. The specs says that there are 2 external speaker outputs and a cabinet at 16 ohm speakers will be heard along with the AC15C1 speaker on the 2nd input. Will it work or are u not sure?
Thanks for everything!!!
Rainy
@fouroutoffour yeah weber sells them for $15 bucks online I put it in my ac15c1 and it really helped tame the beamy high end. It was a good buy.
Great video! Thanks!
Ok can someone tell me the difference between an AC15 and a fender Blues Junior? Same tubes, different sound. Why?
I would really like to see a comparison between the AC15 and the AC15VR. I could only find one on youtube and its in German :(
In this comparison I think I prefer the C1.
The diffuser is an interesting concept. I might try experimenting with one on my C1. Any advice on what it is made of, dimensions, etc?
Once again a good review of the equipment rather than the guitarist showing off.
I'm not sure the exact materials- it's either some solid wood like birch, or a cut piece of birch plywood to match the rest of the cabinet. I expect the material doesn't matter too much as its primary function is to simply obstruct the center of the speaker cone. On the AC15HW, it's about 3/4" wide, by 11" long (the diameter of the circle).
so wats ur final saying on the comparison...is it worth the 500 extra dollars?
I also dig the HW amp more with the C1 cab and the C1 amp more with the HW cab. I think the HW just has a smoother sound with more clarity where C1 has a rawer sound. I have a feeling the diffuser might be the most important factor here. Maybe adding one to the C1, or removing the one on the HW, might get you closer to what you want.
HW cabinet sounds better to me coming out of both amps. To me it has a fuller sound, with more lows and kids coming through. The C1 cab sounded a bit more tinny, to me. I didn't really spot a noticeable difference with the makeshift diffuser.
The C1's speaker is harder to place in a mixing environment. You really get the ice pick and there's barely any clean low end. Which one is better and more balanced? Definitely the HW version.
@johnplanetz hi John, I wanted to let you know that I picked my AC15HW1 up finally, and the sound is absolutely magnificent! I'm so glad I stepped-up to the hand-wired, as it is easily the superior amp sonically. and you're right, the fawn has grown on me now (I think the sound has seduced me so much that it's made me blind, lol). I use my cover though (at home at least), but I got an AC30 cover in my box....DO'H!
anyway, thanks again for your helpful vids, I'll get some with my amp up soon
How loud can it get? I’m curious, I’ve never seen a hand wired in person, and it’s really catching my attention
Plenty loud. I had no trouble playing in small clubs with a live drummer/band.
not for me, there is quit a big diffrence between the 2 cabs.
The white one sounds warmer and richer. Cabs can make a huge diffrence in tone. But your right that the main diffrence in in the amp itself.
Te hw have more volume?
So John - which amp do you like better? The C1 or the HW? In the beginning of this video you show the Celestion Greenback speaker - 8 ohm. Don't these amps contain the 16 ohm Greenback?
+DcsOrCity - They're both great. I have the HW1 and my bandmate has the C1. Yes, the G12M in the AC15 is 16ohm. That stock picture of the 8ohm isn't right, sorry bout that! Thanks for pointing it out. Funny to notice this mistake in the video after nearly 5 years!
is there like a smaller version of the AC15C1???
i like the C1 more
Just listening, it's hard to tell the difference in cabs using the c1 amp aside from the extra treble in the c1 cab. Using the hw1 as the amp made it much more obvious IMO.
The cabs are hard to distinguish, but hw1 is slightly better. As a whole amp, the hw1 totally blows the c1 out of the water (though I still like the c1 sound).
superb!
I think the diffuser makes more sense with an alnico than a Greenback speaker, but if this was a Marshall, I would put a diffuser in front of a Greenback, because modern made Greenback speakers have a high end harshness than vintage Greenbacks. Even accounting for breakin, the vintage ones I don’t believe ever sounded like the modern ones
I honestly do not hear enough difference between these to make me pay extra for the HW version. What do I own? The HW! So... why? Well, when I bought my HW, I played it against 15 and 30 watt "production" Voxes, like the one you've got there, and frankly, without the AlNiCo blue speaker in it, I wouldn't have bought it. That speaker made the HW so much better than any other Vox in the store that I was sold on it. It is much warmer and smoother when you want it, and with a Ric plugged into it, it chimes and rings beautifully. And although it's only 15w, it is plenty darn loud.
durability.
I think the HW sounds much better, like to know how much of that is cab size though.
Tele/strat Frankenstein body? Sounds wonderful though, takes probably my favorite parts of both guitars. Great video too.
Yeah, the G&L ASAT III is a hybrid tele/strat. Sweet guitar!
if i owned a c1 i would be smacking my head against the wall wondering why i didn't save up and buy the HW wow! big difference in warmth and headroom from the HW circuit over the c1. Both sound good though, i will acknowledge the price difference...
lmao the HW thru the C1 speaker sounded best to me
flipidy94 I was thinking the exact same thing. I wonder is it because the c1 cab is more dense?
could simply be because the Greenback of the C1 is broken in more. speaker break-in is a huge thing. makes a far bigger difference than the bloody wiring! (PCB vs Turret makes NO impact in tone)
Coldacre- I did a speaker break-in comparison here: ruclips.net/video/JGjMhHKP7Go/видео.html
@@coldacre - speaker break in is an urban myth - take a look at the physics involved
@@andykay5716 I hear a change in Celestial speakers after 40+ hours.
excellent. thanks for sharing...
You're never going to be able to illustrate the true difference in a RUclips video.
I've owned both and the HW absolutely smokes the C1. The larger birch cabinet being the main factor. It just sounds way bigger in the room.
Tengo un AC10C1 y realmente odio el MDF y el circuito pegado al parlante y las válvulas.
Espero llegar al AC15HW1.
Guys there really isn't any comparison, I have a ac15 c1 and my friend has a ac15 Handwired, Handwired has a better crunch and is brighter
wow ...To be honest I'm suppose to say that handwired is better and i guess it does sound a bit "warmer"..but when your playing in a bar/pub?, and people are talking, fighting, etc..its all th same ..haha!..Can you imagine trying to keep a bar crowd quiet so you can hear your mid tones!..haha..
I actually think both of these amps sound better through the opposite amps cabinet.
The difference is small; very small. I still prefer the HW one since it's made in plywood. I will NEVER buy an amp made of MDF. I consider that almost as an insult to their customers since we all dislike the weight of these things... Now that my back is finish after a few decades of life, I will not go that way (even though the had wired one is the same weight). Outside of that, there is no bigly differences in the tone of those two.
I wonder, is it the size of the cab or the birch plywood that makes it sound so different, i prefer it, more VOX more open to me.
why do people always say blues are better in voxs they might sound different but not better.i have an ac30hw an ac15hw .people read others comments an jump on the bandwagon .i like the greenback in my 15 an one blue one green in my 30 for the money thx
MDF has put me right off of buying that particular AC15.
I've never heard both these amps sound as bad as they do in this video
Cc cab sounded more brash. He cab more warm and fuzzy
If you are going to own a Vox better have Celestion blue alnico speaker....The greenback does not do the amp justice....
I think you need the exact same amp and exact same speaker placed in the same sized cabinet of Birch plywood and then MDF to get a true comparison, hate to get anal but I think this video could have been excellent if the only physical difference was the material of the combo cabs.
4:40 was that champagne supernova?
At least it's not plastic.
I abhor the sound of VOX. It might be my ears somehow.
I'm a fender guy myself. But they sound pretty good in a mix. I can't stand playing one by myself in a room though. too fucking much of that "chime" everyone loves so much.
Gary Schipper they sound so much better live than recorded. Impossible to capture on recording. Flabby bottom end is undeniable; do want to leave the bass down on top boost.
Well compared to the white one, black one is poo. I am dating Taylor Swift.
hw darker, c1 brighter
the cabinet is the least important variable in your experiment. nice gear nice playing nice try.
Black one sounds like poo
Vox amps sound terrible when distorted.
so so false