Vox AC30S1 30-watt 1x12" Tube Combo Amp Reviews

The amp plays quite well. I went online and bought some plastic corners for it since 2 lower ones were broken, I also bought a 16 gauge 10' power cord, and I took a sharpie and a papertowel (PT) and touched up all of the white scaring with the sharpie, wiping away the excess with the PT. Thanks again! I'm happy with our deal. 'Alan

I use this amp for playing at home, and I've had it for a few days now. It sits next to my Marshall DSL40CR, and it sounds fantastic imo. When I turn the gain up to 2 o'clock or more, I get a tight, crunchy/bubbly sound that is very addictive. It doesn't have as much sustain as the Marshall's Classic Gain Crunch setting (and certainly not as much as the Ultra Gain settings), but the reverb on the Vox is much stronger.

The knobs are easy to see, and they feel very nice. Again, I'm playing at home, so I keep the volume knob pretty low (like 7-8 o'clock), and it's not difficult to find the right volume. It's not difficult on the Marshall either, but the shape of the Vox knobs makes it a little easier to dial in.

If you are trying to decide between this and the DSL40CR, I think it really comes down to what features you want built-in to the amp (as opposed to getting those same features via pedals). For me, the built-in Vox reverb doesn't matter, nor does the slight difference in wattage, nor does the higher gain on the Marshall. The only feature that really matters to me is how it sounds when it breaks up.. and they both do that very well, just in different ways. Flip a coin, seriously.. you won't be disappointed with either.

Great sounding amp. Great addition to the music room

I LOVE THIS AMP. GREAT SOUND THE ONLY DRAW BACK FOR ME IS THAT THE DIALS ARE ON THE REAR OF THE AMP. IF YOU USE YOUR AMP ON AN AMP STAND LIKE I DO INSTEAD OF THE FLOOR IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE THE KNOBS BUT THAT'S NOT THE FAULT OF VOX. I HAVE A ROLAND AND A PEAVEY AMP ALSO BUT I USE THE VOX EXCLUSIVELY BECAUSE OF THE GREEAT SOUND IT HAS.

Since we are based out of Music City Nashville TN, we have a TON of great guitar players come through our studio. So many different Genres of music is recorded through this AMP. Seems that it is a work horse. Also, So many guitar player have never played through a VOX and once they plug into this one they get hooked. We are able to place this in our Custom Isolated Combo Amp box, Mic it up, CRANK IT UP, find that sweet spot and push record. The results are insanely good. So if your looking for that VOX tone and a great amp, look no further, this one is up there with some of the greats.

I've owned Fender all my life from a Deluxe Reverb, Princeton Reverb to a Twin Reverb and this amp blows them away! From crystal clear cleans to blues tones and classic Rock sounds, even at low volumes it's great. Takes pedals good as well. I play a variety of music and guitars From a Tele to a Jaz Box sounds great with all. You won't be sorry with this amp. Ben Cameron is my Sales Engineer and did a great follow up job.

I've gigged with this amp for 3 years, and it has been nothing but phenomenal. From rich clean, snappy country, to a hard rock tone it does it all.

This amp does what I thought it would do, make me sound better. It's nice when you can start with good tone and it's hard to dial in bad tones with this amp. Right now I have the bass control about 6, and the Treble at about 2. Rolling all the treble off to 0 is still a good sound, but I find that adding a little treble actually punches up the mid-high frequencies. Be careful with the Treble knob though, because at higher settings it can make the treble ear-piercing, literally. I also find that this Vox amp works better with the gain at 3 (or over). Even for clean tones (works great also rolling volume back on your guitar to clean up, and cranking up for more gain when needed). Anyway, imo it just sounds better, even clean, with a little dirty edge. I'm using the amp as a pedal platform with several types of OD/Distortion into the amp. I'm avoiding mid-heavy pedals like the Tubescreamer, but instead employing full EQ range type distortion (Angry Charlie) or a vintage fuzz or/and an Iguana Overdrive (Hillbilly Amps) lead pedal that allows me to engage all 3 types of clipping to see which one sounds the best in combination and provide a volume boost for soloing. I'm currently running the volume at 1 and this amp is loud, plenty of kick for any club stage. The amp works great as a reliable pedal platform even at low master volume. I don't really think it's too loud for bedroom tones, but I suppose that depends on who you live with or next to. That said, this amp can get plenty loud with plenty of top end to cut through a mix. The digital reverb on this amp sounds very nice. However, I'm using a HOF2 reverb so that I can mash/punch in extra reverb shimmer on various clean parts of some of our songs for emphasis. I'm running both a delay and reverb into the amps effects loop. The effects loop is buffered and naturally loud, so you may need to role back the level on your delay or reverb versus how you set them for going into the front of the amp. I'm actually pleasantly surprised that the effects loop on this amp sounds nice and loud, I was worried, but didn't need to be. The controls are simple and kind of intuitive if you've been playing guitar for years. And yes, this amp has that Vox "chime" on it's clean tones. I dreaded that this amp may just be a knock off of a real AC30, but it's not. It's the real deal, a real AC30 with 4 EL 84s, and all the volume, sounds, and swagger to prove it. I love that it's a One Twelve. Designed for clubs and touring. Guitar case in one hand, this amp in the other.

James,
               The Vox AC30s1 arrived yesterday in good condition. We brought it in and unboxed it and let it warm up to room temp for a few hours before plugging it in. Later last night around 10pm I lit up the tubes and started her through the paces, no neighbors  Thats the tone I been looking for all these years. Back in the 70s I sold an old Ampeg Gemini tuber and regretted it, then spent all these years thinking I could find it in these solid states. They have come along way but just can't get it done like the ole tubers. Long story short, Thank you for a great piece of equipment, good price and fast turnaround. The reliability of Sweetwater shines through again as it has all these years. Hope your weekend is a good one, I know mine will be. Thanks again for the consistent good service.Cheers      J-J Roeds 

I bought this combo amp for home. I am not carrying it anywhere, so I don't care about its weight. Order was processed fantastically quick and delivery was relatively fast. I would buy it again. Thank you Sweetwater!

I`ve played several ac30s and ac15s over the years,but the ac30s1 is by far the best ac30 I`ve played and now own .
Outstanding amp that does`t really require pedals unless your playing death metal. It can do jazz , blues, country and rock all on its own ,
with no pedals required. and for those who use pedals ,it has a great effects loop and a really nice onboard digital reverb .
GET IT ,YOU WON`T REGRET IT.

Had this amp a few weeks now and I have to same that it has exceeded my expectations. It may only be a single 12" speaker but it still has the output of an AC30! And it really stays true to the Top Boost channel that it's modeled after. Only wish I had bought this amp sooner.

Sounds amazing. Effects loop is awesome.

These should have been an option 30 years ago. Working musicians want great portable sound, and a 2-12 cab is unnecessary at most gigs. This is a great amp. Took a little while to learn how to fly it, but it cuts like a burning knife without hurting. My strat sounds amazing, My band mates were impressed. Not sure yet about my p90 les Paul. Not as defined. But boy that strat sound is to die for. I"m an amp junky, Marshall, Fender, top hat, Mesa, even a monoprice stage right. It"s kinda heavy, but not too bad. Like any 40 watt combo. A hell of a lot better than the 2-12. Very pleased. Now if they would only produce a 100 watt pathfinder 1-12 under 30 lb...

I have been slowly building a solid home studio for years. And recording solid guitar tracks can be a pain in the rear. Before this, I had a fender blues junior, but this upgrade was well worth it. If you want that good ole tube sound, this instrument does the trick. Other models have multiple inputs and channels and makes it slightly more difficult to nail the sound you are looking for. This one you just plug in, adjust your treble and bass, and you are off to the races. The onboard reverb does an excellent job too, though I personally add most of my reverb post recording. For playing live you can really pump some life through this amp. If you are multi instrumentalist, it sounds great for high treble bass slapping (at lower volumes). I wouldn"t however put a 5 string through it, or crank the bass on it for it is not meant to handle that frequency range. If you are looking for an amp to do it all, the only cautionary tale I have to speak of is that the volume knob isn"t smooth at very low volumes. It honestly isn"t the best choice for quiet practicing. You can make it work, but the knob is pretty sensitive that low. Outside of that I love everything about this amp.

Watched lots of reviews on YouTube about every amp available under $800. Had a Fender Blues Junior in the past, old Marshall AVT, Fender Deville 212, and several others. This is as simple as it comes, 5 knobs, built in good quality reverb, effects loop, 1 input, and an external speaker out which I"ll never use.

30 watts is complete overkill for my needs but the clean headroom is fantastic. Debated sending it back because it really is too loud for home use but I tried the JHS Little Black Box in the effects loop and it worked like a charm. Run the volume up to half, gain where I want, and use the JHS to attenuate the volume without rattling the dishes in the next room.

More headroom than AC15"s, nice classic rock overdrive, works well with pedals I"ve heard but have not tried any yet, don"t really need them!

A single 12 in this is more than enough, can"t imagine what 2 12"s would sound like!

I"ve been playing for over 10 years and throughout those years have been trying to find my sound. I trusted the vox name off of some of my major influences like Edge and Brian May, but didn"t know what I was truly looking for overall. A theme I"ve realized is I love simplicity, and the knob layout/EQ for this amp is what originally drew me to it. 5 knobs, dial it in, and go. Works AMAZING with pedals and sounds unbelievable on its own. Has that legendary vox tone without the full weight and complexity of a traditional AC30. Some things to consider:
1. Plenty loud enough to play in a full band/gigging setting.
2. A little too loud to be a bedroom amp
(I live in an apartment and legitimately cannot practice on it to its full potential. I only can crank it up in rehearsal space or a gig)
3. Watch all the review videos on YouTube. Sounds like common sense, but they give a great idea of the tonality and quality of this amp.

For those who want a simple, great sounding quality amp, look no further. This amp didn"t just help my sound, it IS my sound now.

I wasn"t really sure what to expect. I"m a bit of a tone snob and have some great vintage and boutique amps. When I saw this version however I was intrigued. AND THANK YOU VOX FOR FINALLY GIVING US AN EFFECTS LOOP! Then I fired it up and it sounds just great. Works well with all kinds of pickups and oh the chime. I fully expected to want to put an alnico gold in it, but the speaker they paired this amp with is excellent. It is a 30watt tube amp, so it does come to life when you give it some volume. Not a bedroom amp in my opinion, but also doesn"t need to be dimed to sound good. Very touch sensitive too. Who cares that it"s not hand wired. You"d never know it unless you look inside. This is one of the best amp deals out there. I would pay twice as much for an amp that sounds this good. I play everything from pop to rock to modern worship.

I have had a chance to play this amp and I must admit that I was very impressed. This amp has a wonderful clean sound. I think with its simple straight forward design id will be a great pedal platform. I rated it a five because it does exactly what I want an amp to do and that is sound great clean.With the amount of multi F/X and pedals boards that people own and are assembling I think this would be a great choice. And considering that a lot guitarists want to go small now think this amp is well worth considering. No it doesn't have the Tremolo and the Top Box boost function.

I am extremely picky and I have been playing vintage and newer vox amps my whole life. I have played in many bands and have a lot of experience playing many different genres. My go to amp is a 2000s English AC30TBX. It has the Vox Blues in it. It has been my battle amp forever now. It's quirky, but IMHO there are few amps out there that sound better. I came across the AC30S1 at a local music store. I was looking for something in between my ac15 and ac30. I went ahead and bit the bullet. I gotta be honest, my initial impression was that the amp was pretty good, but lacked the tone of my ac30TBX. It was kinda stale. If definitely had more headroom than the ac15 which was my goal. So I got to thinking... I knew I didn't like the speaker and tubes at all. I have only ever really used blues and vox silvers. So it had to be an Alnico replacement. I swamped out the stock speaker for a Celestion Ruby. Immediately it sprang to life and had that awesome air moving sound of my ac30tbx but without driving sound guys nuts. But, I wasn't done yet. The cabinet still lacked the tight bass and crisp response of the vintage birch cabs. I do not like mdf in guitar amps. So I busted out saws and studied youtube. I set off to build a head and cab. I used birch ply and some new and old parts I had laying around. Now this thing is amazing!!! Mind you I am an amateur carpenter, but it came out pretty sweet.

The VOX AC30S1 is well built and has a wonderful big Vox sound. I mainly wanted this amp as an amp with high headroom, big clean Vox sound and chime, to be used with pedals in front - to gig out - and it delivers surprisingly well in a 1x12 format. The bigger cabinet no doubt contributes to the sound. I own mainly boutique smaller amps (eg Carr and Swart) that deliver 6v6 and 6L6 sound in giggable sizes, but wanted that Vox sound and the AC30S1 delivers despite it being printed circuitboard factory made - it sounds great. My first try was a Bad Cat, but it did not sound that great, so I shipped it back. This AC30S1 was less than HALF the money, and far superior. I did swap out all the chinese power and preamp tubes for JJs and Tung Sols and that noticeably improved the sound, was worth the additional $. It is LOUD and you do have to push the power tubes a bit to get into that blooming tone zone - so at the first gig out, i was having to restrain myself to keep the volume in check with the band and the room and still get the tone that is there. Our next gig is a larger room, so I am looking forward to being able to open it up a bit more to get it the tone. My favorite OD pedals in front of it so far are the Strymon Riverside and Van Weelden Royal Overdrive. I normally love the the Wampler Tumnus as my klon-like touch-sensitive od pedal, but not so much with the AC30S1, not sure why. If you want a big Vox sound in a smaller package vs a 2x12 combo, at a very friendly price, this is an excellent amp - - highly recommend.

I am an Orange fanatic to the core but was looking for an amp that would pair well with my Orange CR60C and have a distinct tone that held its own and stood out when playing a solo. I was leaning toward the AC30 so I spoke with Dennis and got the input I was looking for. When it arrived I was very pleased. I love the tone I can get with it when paired with my Les Paul with 57 Classic pickups. It is also a great pedal platform.

My daughter has slowly claimed it and if she is playing lead while I play rhythm the pairing is about as good as one can get.

The only change I would make is to make the effects loop tube based.

OK first off I play 85 to 90% country. I have tried several 1-12 combo amps from PRS 20watt to Fender 68 Custom Deluxe Reverb which I really liked just not enough clean headroom for un-miked situations. I have never owned or played through a Vox amp of any kind. I researched this one by listening to videos on line. Then I bit the bullet and bought it. I've had it for about 6 months now and I love it. Now that's not to say I didn't change some things, such as the speaker, the tubes, and most of all the cabinet. I'm 70 years old and even though this is a 1-12 combo it is still a little heavy at 54lbs. So you young bucks shouldn't have any problem! HA! I built a slightly smaller and lighter cabinet out of Paulownia wood which is not cheap. The original cabinet is made of 3/4" MDF which weighs 28lbs. EMPTY! I also changed the speaker to a Jensen C12N which to ME is the best sounding speaker out there. I do not like Celestion speakers. I tried several WGS but they just weren't what I like. I swapped the original tubes to some Groove Tubes I already had. I going to get new JJ tubes this week. The amp takes pedals great and I go through the front of the amp. Haven't tried the effects loop yet but I'm going to do so. The reverb is good but I don't use it because I use an MXR Carbon Copy for slap back delay. I also use an overdrive pedal for any rock/ blues tones. You can get it from the amp if you want. But I use the volume and gain knobs just to get a little grit. Hope this helps.

Bought one of these in 2018, the tubes went south after about 3 months, the plastic chrome input jack broke, but replaced the cheap tubes with quality JJ tubes, glued the input jack back in place.

I find this amp is real nice acoustic amp, I play my Takamine through it and it is easier to control the tone and sounds better than my 73' black face super reverb. It works well with the EQ in the guitar, just turn the gain up all the way and it has a nice overdrive to it.