I also run the CC with the master turned up (it sounds better that way) and I've got about 30 hours on mine, no problems yet. I can't say there's anything wrong with the build quality on this amp, this of course depends on what you compare it to.
[quote author=crippe link=topic=1989.msg48324#msg48324 date=1123005149] I also run the CC with the master turned up (it sounds better that way) and I've got about 30 hours on mine, no problems yet. I can't say there's anything wrong with the build quality on this amp, this of course depends on what you compare it to. [/quote] Actually, the cab and PC board look good. It's the screws and speaker connections that look iffy. The screws are really soft and strip easily, which is a shame for an amp that's going to need its tubes changed fairly often. I wish the speakers had lug connections instead of being soldered to the wires. But that's probably an easy fix.
Another AC30CC update. I put a Marshall Jackhammer pedal in the effects loop (-10 dB) and blended the Normal and TB channels - damn it sounds great! High gain but with the Voxy kind of brilliance and string detail, it cleans up when I back off the volume on the SG and it doesn't get muddy at all. I'll post some examples this weekend.
Ugh. More bad news. I put in a quad of EI Elites, and they're microphonic. I'm sending them back today, upgrading to the Elite Gold versions. And my OT ring/rattle is much worse. I hope my replacement amp gets here soon. I'm getting cranky.
Sorry to hear about that... I thought the gold pins would of been more desirable anyway! This time request low current draw and that they be pretested for sonic defects and closely matched and we should be OK! Buzzard luck the first time huh? I could fill the forum with stories about AC30's and what I went through with them but it was always worth the agro specially when I got to the gigs! I put the sovtecs back in mine for a while! And maybe later will remove the Mullard 12AX7's and put in the trio of GT's I got at Philly, to check em out!
I cranked down the bent screw on the output tranny over lunch and it rang/rattled much less. I'm sure that's the culprit. I'll have to tighten everything on my new one when it comes.
I like to use LOCKTITE the RED on threads cause if you play em proper the screws loosen! It forms a plastic coating on the threads that prevents that! Autoparts stores usually carry it! Let us know how you make out!
[quote author=Voxman link=topic=1989.msg48671#msg48671 date=1123184468] I like to use LOCKTITE the RED on threads cause if you play em proper the screws loosen! It forms a plastic coating on the threads that prevents that! Autoparts stores usually carry it! Let us know how you make out! [/quote] Yep. When I play mine at high volumes, the whole cab and chassis vibrates like a sonofabitch. Is this inherent in even the JMI versions? Or is it just cheap construction? Is that Loctite 222? What fasteners do you treat? All of them, or just the tranny mounts? Funnily enough, I played it at practice last night, and the darned thing sounded fantastic. Go figure. Still, with that dented tranny, I'm looking forward to getting a replacement. By the way, I ordered a vinyl cover from the Vox Showroom, and it's really nice. Heavy duty and well-tailored. You'd think they'd include them with the amp! Heck, my $500 Fender HRDx came with a free cover!
It's a threadlock bscepter .... Any new or old amp has a tendency to vibrate and it can drive ya crazy, specially recording but you have to address each buzz or rattle till you find it and solve the issue. Here's an odd one... one of my old Marshall Basketweave late 60's cabs had a buzz on a couple of notes.. finally got it down to speakers and didn't want to recone and hence ruin a good old speaker, so I investigated further and ended up Gluing back down parts of the speaker spider back down with a dental tool to the base of the speaker basket... x's 3! Problemo solved ... I can't imagine how many speakers I've had reconed as a kid and ruined when they just needed a simple repair! Now I know better and I hope you all do too! It's a simple yet time consuming repair! Remember it.......
I may just take it to my tech and have him tighten everything down, in addition to adding some sort of speaker plug (or quick release), so I can take out the chassis when I need to change tubes.
I have the head so that's not as much an issue but that's the smart thing to do with a combo ... probably .12 cents cheaper per unit to hard wire it so ......
Ok here's a clip of me playing my CC2 with a Marshall Jackhammer pedal. I put the pedal in the fx loop because I get a totally different (and much better which is weird) sound by doing this. You can hear me strumming in the background, I was too close to the amp I think which added some noise. Here you go: http://hem.bredband.net/b124387/music/jackhammer.mp3
Most Righteousous tone there Crippe.......as Billy Gibbons says! .... But it doesn't sound like vox Blue speakers .... which speaker was it again? :coolsmiley:
Like Night and Day ... I'll try to figure out how to explain what I hear as the sonic differences of the sound field ..... Hard as the words get in the way :-\
I'm thinking of changing out the preamp tubes (no...I haven't done that yet :oops:) to some JJ's. What change in sound/feel can I expect? My guess is that the factory chinese tubes are pretty shitty...(damn censorship)
There the worst ... the biggest change to the sound of my head was when I put proper Mullards in ... it was like night and day AGAIN! First an expensive NOS trio which was very good but interestingly, and OLD used trio pulls of mullard 12AX7's from a duff Fischer Stereo made the amp SHINE! But at the Philly show I bought for $60 A matched trio of Groove Tubes Mullard COPIES or so they said and I'm going to put them in permanently, but haven't done so yet and really haven't decided without critically listening to them yet what I'm going to do! But believe me the amp Came alive and became 100% more toneful with the preamp tube change ... it's just a royal pain in the A$$ to change preamp tubes in that amp due to this reason...... And this..... That I have to be sedate and in the mood to do it! AS, it's hard to line up the pins to the socket if you forget to study precicely the position of how the tube withdraws ....*hint* But I can't tell you how much loosing the Chineese tubes in lieu of Good sounding NOS made a difference in mine! It's worth the money......
Oh and I'm still trying to come up with an accurate description of the blues to the Wharf's without silly euphemisms!
