You enjoyed this video? There are plenty more just like it in the AC15 series playlist below: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qRFBYM0r7R4.html
Im a drummer who has never really paid attention to amps. Ive played guitar over the years and now have watched your videos and many others, and thank jeebus for yours. This shit is about the gear and not your ego and you have crazy chops and damn near scientific insight into the equipment instead of randomized editorialization. Thank you for these. I hope you are getting all the loot and gear for doing this.
Thanks Noah! Very kind of you. I try and let the gear shine and make the videos as informative as I can, without explaining the obvious. I don't always hit the mark, but I am to do that as much as possible. En passant, tu est franco? Goyette sa sonne assez Québecois.
It is so difficult to make a decision....but at the end i would choose the mini Beatles, i had during the 80's and 90's the Vox ac 30 ,made in U.K. in 1971 . The sound was great ,but with so many stairs to come and go , the amp was so heavy ,and i gave it away and i bought the Brunetti Metropolitan ,very compact and powerful . Thanx for this video, greetings from Italy, Patrick
The fact that the mini can be compared with an ac15 should tell ya, already, how awesome it is. I've got one and love hooking it up to a hand built cab with an eminence 12. Ahhh glorious tone🎩🎩🎩🎩
I myself am not a fan of Eminence speakers and for me it would be sacrilegious to run such a great sounding little jewel through such. However to each their own I suppose; if you found a sound that moves you and gives you the vibe you are looking for more power to you and that is awesome. I like Celestion vintage speakers and Cerwin Vega myself. Fender is the amp that started it all and they have used Eminence and Jenson speakers for decades and people really love the tone they get so can't be wrong in liking it with some British flavor at the powering. Cheers!
@@TheToneLounge What can't beat it? Sparc, Katana, GTX, Catalyst, Monoprice - even the VOX VT40 is cheaper. And then you can even get the little Orange Hybrids and buy a $100 cab from Thoman and beat it.
This has to be the best shoot out because you gave ample and objective time for both amps. The AC-15 is a valve amp therefore it is made for a bigger space as the sound projects outward. The Beatle however had "To the point" sound. It seems it would be good for studio recording too. I liked how you played various genres of music to convey the versatility of both amps. Come to think of it, this was the first time I heard you play Dick Dale inspired surf riffs! Honestly, both amps are great. If I had spare change, than a Super Beatle would be great in the kitchen or bedroom.
Thank you Jay. I try and let the gear do it's thing and take my opinions out of the equation. It's not always a simple affaire, but at least I try. Starting a shootout with a strong bias towards one product means that you don't get to showcase what it can do objectively. I would love to own a MSB, this one was a loaner.
I'm here because of Landon .. Awesome comparison there. This kind of confirmed what I thought .. I regret not buying an original 60's AC15 for £400 when I had the chance 19 years ago (!) , although my choice here & now is the Super Beetle mini - just fantastic sounding !
Hi Shaun, the AC15 is my favorite amp. When I shot the video I expected the Mini to sound, boxy or thin. I was rather surprised when I listened back to the audio and heard the difference. Despite really loving the AC15 tone, the Mini won a few rounds for sure. I'd love to get a 60's AC15, but sadly the are way over my budget. £400 was heck of a deal, I feel your regret lol. Say Hi to Landon for me. Cheers
For the money I like the Mini-Super Beetle. I own one and have warmed up to it for it's versatility. Has excellent reverb and tremolo and playing with gain vs volume is fantastic. This is a great amplifier and it's looks are the icing on the cake. Non musicians love it as a piece of interest. I put mine up on a little wood crate to get it up a little higher. AC15's are $679.00!
I agree with you 100%! It's more than just a "cute" amp, it sounds very good and has useful features. Here in Canada the Mini goes for $449 and the AC15 goes for $899.
I've never owned a vox amp but I do got a tonelab st. I want a vox for my collection. The super beetle looks like a clear winner price wise and tone really like the aesthetics
I'm looking to get a MSB myself. I got my hands on one twice to make these videos and was impressed with it. If you use a separate cab then you can get pretty much any tone you want. And yeah, it looks darn cool too.
Vox has a good history of making solid state alternatives that really achieves great tube tones and the ability to do it on the cheap. So I am not surprised how good the super beetle turned out with the addition of nutube which brings in more actual tube tone.
I was rather surprised by the tone coming out of that little amp. I did not know what to expect from the nutube technology, but I must admit, that it was rock solid.
Great surf guitar tones especially out of the mini, I want to get the heads without the cabinets, I was told they are a package, do you know of any other alternatives? Otherwise I'm sold on these, also I like to do Flamenco on the electric, and these amps seem to have the clean rich tone for that, any feedback on that? Thanks for the video! @@TheToneLounge
+joseph esposito as far as buying tte head is concerned, I don’t know any way to buy it separately. The head and cab are a pair, which means you can always sell the cab afterwards. Flamenco on the electric? That sounds very cool! I see no reason why that wouldn’t work. Go fo it!
The fact that the Superbeetle can play higher Gain sounds at lower volumes is the SS amp's advantage over tube amps, even with the Nutube. But if the prices were the same, everybody would get the AC15.
The fact that I could just chuck my MSB head in a bag and take the it to a gig(providing they have cabs) instead of lugging a massive amp around, completely sold me
Cool stuff! These are probably my 2 fav amps. I only sold the AC15 to buy a Tele Pro. I prefer the Mini in the majority of the samples. But that's just me :) . Great playing! I'll share this out on my channel. take care! 🎸😀
+Lando27Music you know, that Mini really held it’s own. It sounds like a much bigger amp than it is. For home use and home recording, this amp is great in both scenarios. I’d love to try it in a band context.
I almost never double-comment, but that Super Beetle seemed so familiar to me, both in the EQ, and the way Distortion and Fuzz pedals are 'too much' for it. It behaves an awful lot like the Pathfinder 15. Now I wish I hadn't sold it! 😂
@@TheToneLounge I wonder!🤣 That means you're right about the Klon-style OD's being what works, with that clean boost they have. But the 'Beetle sounds better than the Pathfinder on High Gain settings.
Super impressed with the Beetle. I use a Twin REverb, but need something smaller for just quick jamming/song writing. Wasn't sure if I wanted to go with a smaller Orange amp or the Super Beetle, but this video may have just sold me on the latter. Thanks!
Thanks for the great comparison demo. I've wanted an AC15 for a while but I'm on a budget and I believe that the super b is in my future(someday) . No vox dealer in my area to compare both. Subscribed... See you soon. Keep up the great work. Thanks.
Awesome! Thanks for subbing. If you haven’t watched it yet, I have a series on the Mini Superbeetle that you can watch right here: ru-vid.com/group/PLeAo3au6SN1kHtYSahXeUYwEOxyzbqill
+Harmony_Hunter thanks for your feedback. Vox just knocked it out of the parc with this one. And yes, I dig the reverb in the AC15. I have not modded it yet. 😉
I have both, Super Beetle just arrived. After first playing I'm impressed. Dynamics are nice and volume is much better suited for my needs. I have noticed, that MSB cuts some low end on input (something like tube screamer but more subtle) and sound is more compressed/saturated. Maybe it's because I play AC15C1 at very low volume whitch gives more headroom in power amp. MSB retains nice "push" when driven on low volumes. Dedicated 10' speaker plays nice with this amp with deep mode is engaged. That's my first impressions.
@@TheToneLounge I watched some videos comparing this amp but after playing I felt this differences. I tried Vox Trike Fuzz so far and it worked well. Amp shaped tone well, no muddiness or edgy sizzle. Worked nice with couple sounds I tweaked. I noticed also, that headphone output is quite nice. Not as good as cabinet speaker but enjoyable to me.
The AC15 Obviously sounds better but not by much. I own the Mini Super Beetle and love it and it gets a lot of interest from non players simply because of the way it looks. I set mine up on a wood crate so it sits up a little higher. I love the Super Beetle and the price is right!!
I really enjoy your playing. My AMP is the most expensive piece of gear I have any more. I hope it lasts for a very long time because I have no idea how I would replace it (though most would consider it an inexpensive amp (KC110 keyboard AMP)).
The amplifier is actually one of the most crucial element, whether you paid a lot of money or not. It is the one tool that shapes your tone the most. The cool thing about the age we live in, is that you can buy great sounding gear at just about any budget. Thanks for watching! Cheers
Arksolva Studio Yea, I could definitely see a lot of players really digging the Beetle. I would have considered buying it, if it had been available when I was shopping for an amp, and if it had built in tremolo. The things that swayed me towards the AC-15, are the built in T&R, the 12” speaker, and the big cabinet for it to resonate in. The only other amp that knocks my socks off, and really ticks all the boxes for me, is the Fender ‘68 Custom Princeton, I keep putting it off, but someday, I’ll probably get one. 😉
Yeah the Princeton and the Deluxe Reverb are on my list as well. I’m settled for now, in terms of Vox and Marshall. At some point I’ll get a Fender and I should be done...oh, who am I kidding! I want too many darn amps 🤪
Arksolva Studio I’m trying not to have too much G.A.S. These days. You can only play one guitar at a time - altho I suppose you could set up a stereo rig with the AC-15, and the Princeton.....😉
I've been trying to figure out why my Mini Superbeetle has that INCREDIBLE sizzle when you push it to distorted levels. Especially if simply using the on-board levels to achieve distortion, there is a sizzle that rides along the edge. Some pedals get you there, too. But not all. It's probably the most incredible sound I've ever heard. Is that what a tube sounds like? That SIZZLE??! It's awesome and making me wish I had a bigger VOX nutube. Am I right -- is that the tubes doing their thing burning off electrons???
I'm using the MSB with a DigiTech RP360. I've got a Dano Fish&Chips EQ and a Ernie Ball Volume/Expression pedal to control the RP360. I hooked it up in stereo with the Vox Pathfinder 10 bass amp. Its a great sounding combo and is a great fit in the living room esthetically. My Fender Excelsior Pro is in the shop, can't wait to get it back to use instead of the Vox bass amp. Should sound f'ing huge then!
I like the AC15, I recorded with one once. And I’m very interested in the Mini Super Beetle, though I’ve only had one chance to test drive it so far. In your shootout, my ears were hearing distinctive Vox tones in both amps. In all of the clean clips, the MSB sounded warmer and fuller than the AC15, which sounded brighter. That surprised me. When you showcased the Gain on the respective amps, that brightness translated into more clarity for the AC15. Frankly, the pedals section of your demo didn’t mean much to me, but that’s because I’m just not a pedal guy. As for the bedroom levels, I think the MSB is the better choice. All in all, a really good and helpful video. I liked it. In fact, I did “Like” it. I do have a couple of question, though… For the bedroom levels recordings, could you clarify what you mean by “audio Normalized”? Which leads to my next question? What was your signal chain, how did you record this? Mic to DAW? Any post-production?
Hi Larry, The Mini has a surprising amount of bass. That is due to the fact that there is a "flat/deep" switch on the back of the amp. This lets you boost more low end into the signal so it sounds better at lower volumes. I did not think of comparing the "flat/deep" settings to see how the amp sounded in both cases. The AC15 is not a bass heavy amp to begin with, unless you try my Tone Hack (which gives you a tiny bit more bass). But in a mix, I'm certain that the AC15 would punch through much better. In solo, the Mini sounds more pleasing. At least in my humble opinion. As per your questions: - Audio Normalized simply means that I recorded both amp at almost whisper quiet volumes. I then proceeded to match both recording in terms of RMS levels so that one did not sound louder than the other. It's quite simple to be fooled by audio level changes. So I took them from their very quiet recorded levels and boosted them in post so they matched the rest of the recordings in this video. That way, you get to compare apples with apples. Makes sense? - the signal chain is simple, an Aston Origin microphone, straight into a Presonus Mobile studio 192. In terms of post processing, besides matching the RMS levels, I just applied a low pass filter at 60Hz to get rid of unwanted junk frequencies in the extreme low end. Nothing that affected the guitar tones. That simple. Thanks for the comment and questions. Let me know if you have any other questions. Cheers
I've got the mini, I love it. For what it is I'm beyond impressed. I'm gonna eventually get an ac15 but I'm still deciding if I want to go with the hardwired or the custom. In either case I'll get a 15 with alnico blue.
You can't go wrong with either the HW or the Chinese made ones. I really dig the Greenback tone, but I hear a lot of great things about the AlNiCo Blue. You should also check out the Silver Bell Celestion speaker. These aren't being made anymore, but Weber makes some and from what I heard, they are great! Cheers
@@SmithWesson90 it can put out 50 watts so I'm sure it could, even at the 25 watts it normally does it probably could. I would think you'd mic either though
Why don’t Vox just reissue the full-sized Super Beatle/ Beetle amp/cab rack. It’s as classic as an AC30, so it’s strange they haven’t been making those again as of 20 years ago. It was solid state, and had a built-in really great fuzz, and it looks armhair-standingly cool. They sounded Vox; it being solid state didn’t impact the preservation of “that sound” really at all. Very well done solid state, especially for the time.
A lot of people feel like you do. I can only guess at why they have not done so. Too loud? Too big? Not enough demand for it? More focus on their "flagship" models? Hard to tell. Perhaps it is better this way, in a sense, as you can still get the vintage amps for far less than a Vintage AC30.
Your videos are really useful and complete. Thanks a lot for your work. I love Vox amps sound, really beautiful clean and saturated tones. It works so well for blues and rock - but I think they can also be really good for jazz, even if they are not commonly used in this context since it seems that they do not have a lot of headroom. However, I think that the Tone Cut is really important to get a great jazz tone. Do you feel that not having a Tone Cut is annoying on the Mini (for the music styles you play at least) ? I am thinking of buying a Vox amp - well I am mostly a ‘home player’ (appartement) and I know ... amps like those are not really meant for that... but they are the real thing and the feeling is really different from any modelling software. Can you get pretty decent tones with AC15 and Mini at near bedroom/home level (maybe about 80db) ? The size of the mini super beetle is interesting, but no Tone Cut - and AC15 requires a lot more maintenance (is it really hard to change tubes on AC15 even if it seems that it is cathode biased ?) but have tone cut - I would like to be able to play mostly rock/blues/jazz. Do you have any recommendation (which can also be not buying such an amp :,( )? Thanks !
Now, in terms of Jazz, I am no expert. So, I really can't advise you on how to achieve the desired tone with these amps. The MSB is a much flatter sounding amp compared to the AC15, so perhaps that is why it does not have a Tone Cut. My experience with it is that it does not need one. The AC15 can get a pretty dark and smooth top end with the Tone cut clock-wise. Counter clock-wise it gets bright and cutting. Can one achieve a jazz, blues and rock tone with both amps? Absolutely! The real important question is this: what are your needs? The MSB has 1 Nu Tube, which makes it a low maintenance amp. It is rated at 25 watts into 18/8 ohms and gets upscaled to 50 watts into a 4 ohm cab. If you only use the FX that come with the amp and don't use pedals, this is the perfect amp for home use. It sound much better at low volumes compared to the AC15. The AC15 needs a bit of finessing for very low, home volume applications. It needs to be loud in order to open up, but there are things like load box/attenuators that can help you achive that sweet spot without being too loud. It takes pedals way better than the MSB. The Tremolo is great and the reverb is ok. My best suggestion to you is to try both. If you can't, my best guess would be to recommend the MSB if you don't gig much and don't really use much pedals.
+Aaron Daniels thanks brother! Yeah that little amp is so cool. At some point I’ll get one myself. Not now though, too much gear I want and not enough money to buy it all.
Thank you so much for this shootout! I have the Vox MSB and have been looking into getting the AC15. This video truly helps me make an informed decision. GREAT video. Also, would you please tell me the song you are playing when you are demoing the reverb maxed? Thank you!
I'm glad that the video was helpful. As for the song, it's my surf version of an old song called by Del Shannon called Runaway. I took the song structure and mixed in an ad-lib lead line similar to the vocal parts in that song. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0S13mP_pfEc.html
I wouldn't put either of these amps up against my hand-wired AC30. But between the two I think the Mini sounds a bit better; better mids in particular. When I have a little extra cash I wouldn't mind getting a Mini Super Beetle as a second. It sounds great, and simply by virtue of its cosmetics it may be the ultimate man cave amp.
I wouldn’t think either would compare to a HW 30 though. The 15 wouldn’t and the MSB is a total different kind of tech. I almost feel like your comment is bragging, Hahaha, that you have a HW 30. I have a purple AC15 and I just got the MSB yesterday. These are different amps for sure. The MSB is really cool. If you expect it to behave like a 15 or 30 you’d be let down. It’s very Vox for sure but it is it’s own little thing in those regards. For lower volume it definitely wins over the 15. I’d really like to get the MSB into a 4ohm cab and see how it behaves in 50w mode.
@@bciecko1 Perhaps you're a bit jealous? But I digress. I tried an MSB in Guitar Center (before social distancing) and was quite impressed. Even with the small speaker cabinet it sounded pretty big. It could hold its own as a backup. My impression is that the guts are basically a MV50AC with a more flexible tone stack and added reverb and tremolo.
@Clarke Robertson I wouldn’t say jealous at all but I wouldn’t mind having one. I’ve heard HW 15 vs a regular 15 and the difference in tone doesn’t justify the difference in price. I feel the value would only really come in over time when serviceability becomes an issue to an aging board with brittle trace. I’ve been jamming on the MSB more and the more I ply with it the more I like it. The more sweet spots I’m finding. The tone stacks are quite effective at taking just the right edge off or coloring in the just the right way. I haven’t ran any higher output hums through it, just a jaguar but Jags and Vox really play well together. I’m loving the MSB for sure. I do believe it’ll be a keeper for sure. Well worth the cash.
Obviously prefer the AC15 overall, but the Mini has some useful tones to it that the AC15 seems incapable of producing. At least for recording purposes, I could see myself preferring the mini over the AC15 in handful of situations. Even though I have an AC15, I still keep my ac4 around for similar reasons.
Throwing a bigger cab at the MSB would make a heck of a difference. Same with the AC4. I have the one with the 10" speaker, and throwing a 1x12 cab at it makes it a kick a$$ amp. Just as good as my AC15, without the reverb/tremolo and second input.
@@TheToneLounge Any affordable cabs you'd recommend for that job? ...and ever tried comparing a cab with the same speaker (e.g., greenback/blue alnico) vs the AC15 equivalent?
@@TheToneLounge Hmm... problem is that they add $70 for shipping to the US which comes out to ≈$200. Not too bad, but considering it's a bit of a silly purchase for me (i.e., I don't NEED it, but it could be cool), I'm wondering if I'd be better of going with a mono price amp for ≈$160 which also has a C30.
I'd have been interested to see how the normal channel of the AC15 sounded compared to the Mini. For my personal taste (from the demos I've heard), I find the normal channel is better for every day use while the Top Boost is for those occasions where you need "that" sound.
I hear what you are saying, the only reason I didn't do it, is that the MSB was a loaner for a day, so I wrote everything I could think of and completely forgot about the Normal channel. Perhaps next time?
doesn't the MiniBeetle have a thing where you can hook it to a larger speaker and double the power? I gotta say I thought the MiniBeetle sounded better most of the time. The AC15 seemed a bit thin sounding. I like them both.
+craig petty there is a switch on the back where you can run it at 16, 8 or 4 ohms. The cab itself runs an 8 ohm, 10 inch speaker. There is an EQ switch on the back where you can get a bump in bass, or run it flat. I’m very impressed with the Mini. It’s a very capable amp.
Used to have a S Beetle head. Also had a series 90. I thought the Beetle was quite a bit better. Didn't take long to decide on AC-15 favorably. Great vid as always!
Your other video featuring these amps sounds a lot different. In your vid with the AC15, AC10, & MSB the tone of the AC15 was thick and chimey, compared to the thin sounding MSB but this video the MSB sounds a lot better…. I’m confused as to why that is… In this vid the MSB beats the AC15 but that’s a real head-scratcher because it shouldn’t come close based on specs. This vid makes me feel sorry for AC15…. but I did notice you ran thru the TB and tone cut was at noon. I think the settings really thinned out the AC15 considerably. The two amps have totally different EQ circuits and react uniquely for sure. Cheers and I’m enjoying your Vox vids!
I was rushed for time and I think my mic placement was not the best. Plus, unbeknownst to me at the time, the tubes in the AC15 were on the way out. If I can do this one over again, I will.
To my ears I was loving the AC-15 the most, and Belleville eh? I’m on the East Coast in PEI. I’ve been binging your vids, and I’m loving them brother I’m thinking I gotta start saving fir an AC15! And a tube acreamer, I’ll have to check with my local L&M and see if I can try that combo to see if they fit the tone I have in my head.
Yeah, it is well worth checking out. Try the AC10 too. You never know, it might be more your thing. Let me know when you get a chance to try a Vox. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
@@TheToneLounge yep, I was thinking on trying the AC-10 as well! I’ll have to check and see if my store will allow us to try stuff out. I think I’ve settled on my basic tone that I want.. a Vox of some sort with an ICD pedal... that combo will cover the entering of what I play and wrote. I’ll let you know when I get a chance to try it out! Stay safe my friend.
mini superbeetle sounded better at hi gain, better cleans, and way better reverb. surprisingly, ac15 sounded like buzzsaw mosquitoes with gain applied, terrible.
Thanks for sharing! The final result depends on many factors. I suspect that the tubes were on their way out in my AC15 at the time of recording. I was so busy with filming and all the usual RU-vid stuff, that I did not pay attention to that very important tell-tale sign of bad tubes about to die.
Loved the video, great job! Hope you can help me: I am considering the SB, but I have noticed Vox amps are not usually recommended for heavy stuff. Do you think it’s worth buying it in my case? I usually play in my room only Judas Priest/Guns’n’Roses/AcDc kind of music through an Ibanez Iceman and a digital pedal Boss ME-80. Any help would be awesome! Keep up the good work!
I think the MSB can do Rock/Metal stuff to a certain extent. It can pull off the style you are after for sure, although those bands are more associated with Marshall amps. If you need more from the MSB, pedals will get you there. You can watch my MSB playlist where I go through multiples tones using different guitars. Cheers ru-vid.com/group/PLeAo3au6SN1kHtYSahXeUYwEOxyzbqill
+George Christofi I’m not convinced of the sonic benefit of the Nu Tube technology. The amp feels and reacts like a solid state amp. Don’t get me wrong, it sounds great for what it is.
@@TheToneLounge I remember Brad the Guitologist trying out some early Nu Tubes. It is an interesting development but there will need to be some very high bitrate digital stuff to even come close to the analogue components
+George Christofi I’m very open to the technological changes in regards to amp building, I’m just not 100% convinced yet. I am looking forward to where it’s all going. It’s a great time to be in, gear-wise.
Not really. Having used the MSB a lot, in my opinion it felt more like a good solid state amp. I have no clue what the Nu Tube is supposed to be doing, but to me it does not seem to add that same qualities to your signal as a true valve/tube amp does. The amp sounds really good, and in a mix nobody would know it's not a tube amp. The feel and reaction I got out of playing it was nothing like a tube amp. I hope that helps.
Lord Impaler It runs at 25 watts with the cab it comes with. If you run it with a 4 ohm cab, it scales up to 50 watts. I’ve had a few people tell me they gig with it this way. I have no first hand experience though, so best to try one out first.
There is a significant price difference between both amps, and construction-wise they are also very different. You can expect some sonic differences for sure, yet I find that the MSB can hold it's own quite well.
+KassperT there is an EQ switch on the back that toggles between bass boost and flat. I kept it on for this demo but you can totally control the low end for sure.
@@TheToneLounge Thanks for responding. Vox's are known to be a bit bass deficient as compared to Fenders and Marshalls et al and this is seen as a negative, but the 'classic' Vox tone has that weakness I guess. Excellent playing too.
+KassperT thanks for the compliment! Very true, Vox amps don’t have much low end but that is what helps them cut through a mix. I live Marshall and Fender, but they are amps that sound great at home or in a band context. Vox on the other hand are not as flattering on their own because of the lack of low end. Mind you, I love how a Vox sounds. It’s my “go-to” amp.
Yes it def is. Even without the addition of extra cabs. I have used it in a band practice setting with a heavy handed drummer and cut through the mix fine!
I will be honest I think that the Mini Beetle sounds alot better tonally it doesn't muddy out nearly as bad at lower volumes. Now to be fair the AC15 is true vacuum tubes which need more juice pumped to them to really perform so at louder settings there might be a a completely different result as the Mini might not be as tonally stable and comfortable as the AC15 will be only because tubes like to be pushed. The NewTube technology gives you solid state adjustability with a tube clarity that isn't a digital emulation it gives true tube vibes with very similar reactions to player input just without needing to be at concert hall volumes to achieve it. I myself would vote for the mini due to the capabilities at very discrete volumes and myself I would want to see just how that little bugger would perform pushing 4 10" celestion speakers because I bet it would be ample to the task for small venues gigging. Small footprint running 2 2x10 extension cabinets giving a stereo type effect. Without having read any literature I imagine if you wired the speakers correctly you could get it to push all 4 10's just as brilliantly as the single that comes with it. I like its compact light weight stature I am aged and lugging around JCM 800 Marshall heads and cabinets isn't as appealing as it was when I was a teen lol. Thanks for the demo review and it was a joy listening.
+Killa Coiler I just finished filming a series of videos, AC10, Mini Superbeetle and AC15, and I’m confused by the results. They all sound great, and all have the Vox tone, but they all sound somewhat different under the microphone. In person, the mini sounds alright but not as good as the two others. But mic’ed up, the mini sounds fantastic. I have no clue why that is lol. Yeah, you can use it with 16, 8 or 4 ohms, which is pretty cool if you intend to use it with a 4x10. I haven’t tried it yet, but at some point I will. Thanks for your feedback.
@@TheToneLounge I find that to be rather interesting results and it might be due to the fact that the mic is more sensitive to mid level adjustments that you can make using the AC-10, 15, and 30 that is not available on the mini with it somewhat being automatic when adjusting the T&B on the mini. I have never mic'd either of these amps so I cannot speak from personal experience. The other thing is that the other amps are multi-speaker enclosures which produces a different sound dynamic live and then depending on the positioning of a single mic can sound horrible recorded. I would be curious to see what the sound difference is between the single 10" speaker mini cab and say a 2x12" extension cab. Would this even the field both live and then recorded between the mini and the big brothers or would it prove an epic fail for one or the other? I live in Fort Wayne Indiana so I am going to see if SweetWater has one of these on demo that I can fiddle around running it through different extension cabinets to see if the stock mini cabinet is truly the limiting factor for this little unit. Please keep us updated on your findings because I am super intrigued. Thanks for the reply and cheers.
It's a different mid-range, if that makes sense. Due to the speaker size and cab enclosure you get a different tone, but if it were run through the same cab, perhaps it would be closer?
Hm, I don't know. I'm playing thru an MV50 and I'm starting to believe it's a difference due to the response of that class D power amp instead of an actual valve one. Cool anyway!
That’s a valid point. Perhaps the compromises needed to achieve such a small amp means making alterations to the tone in some? It’s an interesting topic for sure. Perhaps one I should cover?
@@TheToneLounge that would be interesting for sure. Also the relationship between the power amp section and the speaker takes part in it. I believe this NuTube technology gives significant prospect in terms of cost, weight, dimensions and reliability but still comparable to full tube amps
+Adem Townsend great question. Both amps sound very different. The Ac15 sounded much brighter than the Mini, so the mic position is off centre to componsate for that. The mini sounded darker, so I put it in the centre to brighten it up. The goal was to get both amps to a balanced frequency level, in order to let people compare both amps based on their sonic differences. In simple terms: I tried to get both amps sounding as close to one another as possible so we could focus on their differences.
@@TheToneLounge FX loop ; 75 watts ; 3 band EQ; midi conecction ; 2 amps Vox n' Marshall in one box ; boost n' reverb knobs : on/off can sim switch n' more ; check it out .. severeal vids on youtube ✌
Make sure to try both, I don’t recommend making a purchasing decision this important based on one of my videos, or any videos for that matter. I try to do each amps justice but I can not replicate your personal impression, Live in the room with both amps. Cheers
@@TheToneLounge I have no way to try. There are no music stores where Iive. I have to import and that is from overseas. I depend on multiple sources of audio demos from RU-vid before I buy anything. I actually prefer the combo. I don't like stacks of any kind. But the beetle sounds better in my headphones. I may get an AC10c1.
@@indigos290 ac10c1 is a killer choice, lighter, less expensive and higher gain than the ac15c1. You loose out on the regular channel of the ac15, and the trem. You would have reverb, but it's digital. I have an ac15, first thing I did was upgrade the speaker and the v1 preamp tube. I suggest you do the same with the ac10. J/J 12ax7s are better than the Chinese tubes that come in the amp, changing tubes won't affect the tone (except for v1) but it may lead to longer tube life. And while I put the UK made Celestion alnico blueback speaker in my 15, they are expensive, and I recommend going for a 16 ohms 25 watt 10 inch weber silverbell with no dope on the cone or a warehouse black and blue over the Celestion. All the best!
+I like grapes compairing a Nutube amp to a tube amp, or comparing a $400 to $800 amp, or compairing an entry level amp to a mid priced amp. No matter which way you look at it, it will help someone make an informed decision! Cheers
