AC30HWR2X Hand Wired is the Vox handmade tube combo amplifier, with a power of 30W and inspired by the legendary AC of the 60s. After years of research and study on original AC prototypes of the time, this new handwired version presents a new and renewed power circuit that restores the feeling of compression typical of those amps. The new transformer gives pleasant harmonics to the tone and the reduced thickness of the chassis, like that of the vintage AC, makes this amp resonate exactly as it did then. AC30HWR2X Hand Wired is equipped with 2 12” 8Ω Celestion Alnico Blue cones and offers 2 channels, normal and top boost with high and low inputs in each, switch for bright mode, spring reverb, tone cut and master

Overview of the AC30HWR2X Hand Wired by Vox

In search of the essence of the sound of the classic vintage AC30 amplifier, Vox conducted a detailed analysis and study on AC15 and AC30 in excellent condition from the 60s to discover and truly understand the inner workings of these legendary amplifiers. The culmination of these efforts led to the birth of the new range of VOX AC Hand-Wired amplifiers: the largest VOX amplifiers that Vox has ever produced.

The rarity of vintage amplifiers contributes significantly to their high value, but just as important is the distinctive sound inherent in vintage amplifiers. Although the AC30 has been produced with almost identical circuits since the 1960s, the character of the vintage units is often described as almost indescribable, as it has a rich, musical quality that is equally unmistakable and mysterious. Vox has tried to reveal the secrets of this sound, bringing the magic of vintage to today's musicians.

The AC-HWR series reproduces the vintage tone of VOX thanks to meticulous research. A diverse line meets the individual preferences and needs of the most demanding guitarists. The series includes 30W and 15W combos, available as AC30HWR2X and AC15HWR1X, both equipped with Celestion Alnico Blue speakers, as well as AC30HWR2 and AC15HWR1 with Celestion G12M Greenback speakers. In addition, there is the AC30HWRH headboard that can be combined with your own cabinet or the new V212HWRX cabinet with Celestion Alnico Blue speakers. The series is completed by the AC10HWR1 and AC4HWR1 compact combo amplifiers

Power circuit review

Contemporary power supplies aim for stability by minimizing voltage fluctuations, to obtain a reliable power source. On the contrary, the power supplies of vintage amplifiers have fluctuations that respond to large speaker movements, giving the characteristic sensations of 'compression' and 'sagging' associated with vintage amplifiers. In the course of the research, Vox measured the power circuit of many vintage AC30s and used them to design a completely new power supply capable of replicating these vintage tonal and performance characteristics.

However, the simple imitation of vintage characteristics can lead to the generation of unwanted tones, in particular “ghost notes”, that is, strange sounds not related to the notes actually played, especially at high volume. Faced with the dilemma of prioritizing sound quality or dealing with the problem of phantom notes, the previous AC30CC2 model incorporated a switch to activate the power attenuation circuit. Thanks to the new power circuit, the new VOX Hand-wired amplifiers address the problem of phantom notes without compromising sound quality and responsiveness, managing to achieve the delicate balance between the

transformer The output

transformer contributes significantly to the classic vintage VOX sound. Even if the specifications are the same, the saturation distortion in the transformer section can add to the pleasant harmonic components of vintage amplifiers. However, because this distortion cannot be precisely measured by the transformer specifications, Vox has undertaken an in-depth prototyping program to develop custom transformers with the essential characteristics of

Cabinet

Vox carefully examined the thickness of the materials used: the vintage AC30 used slightly thinner materials, which helped to create a rich and extensive mid-range. The new cabinet design uses the same thickness of material as the vintage amplifier, helping to provide faithful sound reproduction

Practical Features

• Although it was important to get as close as possible to the specifications and sound of the 1960s models, the approach was to maintain simplicity, while incorporating practical features for contemporary guitarists
.

• Spring reverb
When

• considering what could improve the immersive quality of a guitar amp, a very high-quality spring reverb was considered a 'must' to
achieve that magical vintage sound.

• Loop FX


• Modern guitarists love to combine various effects to create their individual sound. However, problems can arise when combining distorted amplifiers with spatial, modulation, and pitch-shift effects. The distortion of these effects can confuse the sound. To solve this problem, an FX loop has been integrated that allows for a clean output of the effects.

Specifications of the Vox AC30HWR2X Hand Wired Valve configuration: ECC83/12AX7 x

4? ECC81/12AT7 x 1? EL84 x 4?