In 1957, Voxzai released its first electric guitar amp, and within a few years, its AC15 and AC30 were popular in the pop music world. These two guitar amps laid the foundation for the global "Britsh Invasion" music wave of the '60s. From The Shadows to The Beatles to the Rolling Stones, even Jimmy Page, known as the "guitar god," has been a fan of VOX speakers.
In addition to maintaining its distinctive tone and design concept, Vox has also actively expanded its product line, with more products under 3,500 yuan than Fender, Marshall and Mesa Boogie, which are also established manufacturers. The strategy of parallel high-end products and mass products has helped Vox gain considerable market share and brand awareness.
It is not easy to describe the difference between the British Clen Tone and the American Clen Tone in words, and timbre is often something that can only be understood but not spoken. Broadly speaking, the Clean Tone, represented by the Fender Twin Reverb, has a warmer, cleaner, and sweeter sound, while the British Clean Tone, represented by the Vox AC series, emphasizes crisp and loud, and you can still hear clear melodic lines even when the volume is turned up to the OverDrive level.
The current Vox AC series is divided into four models: AC4, AC10, AC15 and AC30, all of which are fully tube speakers, and the number behind the AC indicates their respective power. Whether it is the AC4 priced at less than 2000 yuan, or the AC30 priced at 7000 yuan, they are equipped with a customized speaker of the well-known brand celestion, and the sound quality is guaranteed. Both the AC15 and AC30 include a dual-channel design and an external cabinet output, making it easier for musicians to adjust the amps' output patterns to suit the needs of the performance. Compared to the AC15, the AC30 adds an Fx loop design and the ability to switch to true bypass, giving stompbox enthusiasts more control over the sound signal chain. This is also a reflection of the AC series that continues to evolve with the times.
The AC Series' chime-like chime tones cover a wide range of musical styles such as pop, retro rock, and jazz, so it is still one of the most used amps by guitarists, but not everyone can afford to sell for the other ones. That's why Vox offers the more affordable pre-amp tube series VT and the digital-only analog series VX. The working principle of the VT series is more complicated, simply put, it has several small tubes built into the preamp, and the signal characteristics of the tube are analyzed, adjusted, and amplified through digital simulation when working, and the sound details are richer than those of pure digital analog speakers. Like the new generation of digital loudspeakers, the VT Series has multiple built-in cabinet simulation effects, which can be edited and stored in the software. The series has models of different sizes, and the price of the VT40, the largest in size, is also under 2000 yuan, which is worth considering.
Launched in 2017, the VX1 was Vox's first attempt at a purely digital-analogue speaker, but it was not as functional and practical as the Vox mini5 in the same price range, so it was much less talked about among musicians. If you are choosing the first electric guitar amp, it is recommended to choose the Mini5 with a price of 1200 yuan instead of the VX1 with a price of 1000 yuan. Both the Mini5 and VX1 have about 11 amp simulations, as well as compression, flanger, delay/reverb and other effects, but the biggest advantage of the Mini5 is that it is switchablePower gearThe power of 5 watts, 1.5 watts, and 0.1 watts can provide sufficient volume for small performances, and will not cause nuisance to others in daily practice. The Mini5 supports both microphone and backing inputs, is battery-powered, and comes with a strap, making it ideal for musicians who need to perform on the street. Arguably, the Vox Mini5 is one of the most versatile and cost-effective entry-level electric guitar amps on the market.
In the electric guitar speaker industry, the established manufacturers have their own unique sound characteristics, and they are often irreplaceable in their own style field. In contrast, Vox is more applicable and scalable for entry-level musicians, which is more conducive to establishing a preliminary concept of timbre.
