to owners of vox ac4 - lacking in bass definition?

[naviros]

Hahaha... stock were Russian Sovteks, 12AX7WA and EL84.

Its funny too, they're a little charred despite my lack of attention on the amp this past month or so...

Anyway, I'm sticking to Tungsol 12AX7, and JJ EL84. Can really hear the difference, the smoothness, definition. I don't know if my ears are decieving me, but it sounds like slightly more headroom as well. Well, I've not fully auditioned it (got an exam tomorrow...), will maybe write a tonal report in the reviews section when I have the time.

P.S. You're free to PM me questions though.

 

[Jay_Clones]

I've changed tube (single) for my old Laney hybrid amp (lv200) up till I read on some online forum on the high current found in caps of tube amp.
Kinda scary knowing that these caps (near the power supply) carries current which maybe be fatal.
Any pro amp tech to comment on this?
From the gutshot of Ac4tv which u can get from TheGearPage, there seem to be quite a limited space when you work on the tube.

Another comment, do you guys find it a bit hotter than usual when you touch the panel and the on/off switch of this amp when you run it for about 1/2 hour?

My jcm800 was'nt this hot whne I played for 1/2 hour.

 

[Ized]

No bass? The last time I played an AC4TV combo (I think it belonged to Ized) it was great! I brought the tone knob all the way to the bright side, and there was no loss of bass. The amp was quite thumpy...

Oh, I think I had it relatively loud too. It was meant to match Goose's Mesa in volume.:twisted:

Haha thanks bro, its gonna be modded by goose himself soon....go try it or sth at goose's place over the next few weeks if you'r free la, I'm enlisting Oct 22. 2 weeks confinement means no guitar for me for quite awhile, sigh....

Haha i found that mesa too dark sounding...if i remember correctly...it was a tremoverb. Not really my thing....the amp sounded as though someone had a blanket over it but I guess it has its uses though...

oh and just to digress a little...I'm digging the new DT album too...you'r right about that man, Petrucci's tone is alot more organic sounding and less processed. I really dig his tone now man!

 

[Ized]

Hahaha... stock were Russian Sovteks, 12AX7WA and EL84.

Its funny too, they're a little charred despite my lack of attention on the amp this past month or so...

Anyway, I'm sticking to Tungsol 12AX7, and JJ EL84. Can really hear the difference, the smoothness, definition. I don't know if my ears are decieving me, but it sounds like slightly more headroom as well. Well, I've not fully auditioned it (got an exam tomorrow...), will maybe write a tonal report in the reviews section when I have the time.

P.S. You're free to PM me questions though.

Nice! I changed my preamp tubes to a Tungsol also, and I got me a Russian NOS EL84 from an source (not sure if he wants to be named). It sounds really great now, takes pedals much better.

I think we can come to a consensus Tungsol tubes are the sex. When I first changed to the Tungsol(with the stock sovtek EL84 still inside) my first reaction was wah is it just me or did the amp just increase in volume? The high end detail also increased and the voice of the amp seemed to just open up. Really liking it now.

 

[Ized]

Perhaps Ized can share his insights on the amp, I believe he did mods to it

Hope to get mine soon asap, once I get the necessary funds..

Thanks bro.....mod coming up...

My amp is going be the first Vox AC4TV in SG to be modded...

will report back how it is after the mod..so stay tuned

 

[naviros]

Thanks bro.....mod coming up...

My amp is going be the first Vox AC4TV in SG to be modded...

will report back how it is after the mod..so stay tuned

WAH WAH~!!! Putting what mods in it? I saw this awesome mod...

Hahaha... cute ain't it? To me this combination seems like the perfect for blues...

But please do tell the mods you're making ^.^ deeply interested in making this amp shine... Such a cute little thing in my room...

 

[iwantdigimon]

thanks for the heads up guys! Will go down to get me some tubes and see the diff. Hope i don't die in the process!

And bro Ized, is the mod gonna involve a reverb function like the above? can't wait for the results!

 

[Ized]

Nah...the mods will be to improve the basic tone of the amp...like increased headroom, added clarity and punch, etc

You'll need a reverb tank and an additional tube for reverb.... a pedal reverb would be much better....IMO. I don play reverb at home anyways

Well i'll leave you guys to speculate as I'd rather wait for the results to be out before giving it a due report. Till then I guess!

P.S i play COB with this amp...you just need the right pedal for the job. Lacking in bass definition? I dont think so...even stock...I could get a good chugging sound from it

 

[iwantdigimon]

Nah...the mods will be to improve the basic tone of the amp...like increased headroom, added clarity and punch, etc

You'll need a reverb tank and an additional tube for reverb.... a pedal reverb would be much better....IMO. I don play reverb at home anyways

Well i'll leave you guys to speculate as I'd rather wait for the results to be out before giving it a due report. Till then I guess!

P.S i play COB with this amp...you just need the right pedal for the job. Lacking in bass definition? I dont think so...even stock...I could get a good chugging sound from it

well bro, what I am experiencing is more defined treble than bass to be exact. There is clarity all the way up till the bass E where it just whimpers. I cant do that walking bass line as it is sounds rather weak for some reason.

Like how you say.. a blanket over the sound? Covering only the bass E and bit of the A. Say I play an A maj chord, the moment the picks brush the treble strings it becomes louder and clearer. So it's abit of an anti climax

I tinkered with the pickup heights thinking it was the pickup problem, maybe faulty pots? it is an old guitar after all. however that was not much change, plugged in the strat, worst! the bass strings sound paper thin! extremely vexing!

 

[Whitestrat]

oh and just to digress a little...I'm digging the new DT album too...you'r right about that man, Petrucci's tone is alot more organic sounding and less processed. I really dig his tone now man!

More digression.

Have you heard Scenes From A Memory in detail? And Falling into Infinity? THOSE are the tones I went nuts over in the past, and still do. Go listen... "A Trial of Tears" on FII is one killer tonefest!!!!

 

[Ized]

More digression.

Have you heard Scenes From A Memory in detail? And Falling into Infinity? THOSE are the tones I went nuts over in the past, and still do. Go listen... "A Trial of Tears" on FII is one killer tonefest!!!!

Ah yes.....those were some great tones petrucci had too man.... lets see, my favorites were hollow years, beyond this life, overture, hollow years and the list goes on and on.... havent really listened to a trial of tears but I'll go check it out.

Were those the years he was still using a JPM or he switched over to EBMM already? Personal fav album is still train of thought though... probably DT's heaviest album of all imo.

 

[Ized]

well bro, what I am experiencing is more defined treble than bass to be exact. There is clarity all the way up till the bass E where it just whimpers. I cant do that walking bass line as it is sounds rather weak for some reason.

Like how you say.. a blanket over the sound? Covering only the bass E and bit of the A. Say I play an A maj chord, the moment the picks brush the treble strings it becomes louder and clearer. So it's abit of an anti climax

I tinkered with the pickup heights thinking it was the pickup problem, maybe faulty pots? it is an old guitar after all. however that was not much change, plugged in the strat, worst! the bass strings sound paper thin! extremely vexing!

Maybe you had a dud. Why not bring it back to the CM folks and compare with the unit down there?

 

[Whitestrat]

Were those the years he was still using a JPM or he switched over to EBMM already? Personal fav album is still train of thought though... probably DT's heaviest album of all imo.

Believe it or not, it was the Ibanez... The real EBMM album start was 6DoIT.

 

[iwantdigimon]

Just had a change of cables.. no much of a difference I guess. Will now forage into a change of tubes..

 

[naviros]

Before you go through another bout of disappointment, not that changing the tubes will not give you that heavenly tightened up bass. Especially if you're using the combo version. In the end, it might be a driver size problem.

But good luck in your new tubes (I trust JJ for EL84s and TungSol for 12AX7s).

 

[iwantdigimon]

so the problem wont be alleviated even if I add a cabinet to the equation?

 

[Ized]

heavenly tightened up bass. Especially if you're using the combo version. In the end, it might be a driver size problem.

I beg to differ. Common misconception but the actual fact is smaller drivers give a tighter bass.

I use the tone control at full....for max treble and tighter bass. I find my amp quite boomy actually. And im using the combo version.

iwantdigimon, like what i said, bring your unit to compare with the ones CM has. You may have a defective unit cos I dont have a problem with mine

 

[iwantdigimon]

thnks bro Ized! Will make a trip down soon! though it is rather inconvenient if i lug the whole thing down and it's declared fully functional! I have been using a Epi casino before I sold it off and it's bass was well defined so I really wonder why the sudden drop in definition

 

[faizal_rocks]

Wanna know what lurks in the Vox AC4TV combo?

Just got it on Wed and today, changed the stock tubes to JJ 12AX7 and Ei EL84 tubes and man..this thing comes alive. The cleans are more refined and I'm able to turn this thing up to get that tube overdrive tone w/o sounding muddy. Great for blues and old school punk

I don't think its lacks bass, very boomy at 12 O clock, I usually leave it at 4 O clock..sounds great to me

 

[Whitestrat]

I use the tone control at full....for max treble and tighter bass. I find my amp quite boomy actually. And im using the combo version.

I did the same thing to your amp when I tried it... Damn shiok... Goose looked at me like I was mad! Hahaha...