Vox VT30 vacuum tube replacement.wmv 

i love how you didnt talk! makes for a great how too video! takes out language barrier if there is one, and makes it so you get right to the point! great work!

Fantastic video...to the point, with no stupid background music. You have a good sense of what makes an informative video....keep up the good work!

Quality Job! I am about to change my tube along with a speaker upgrade. From everything I read I felt i could do it but was a little concerned. You just made me so much more comfortable with the process. TY Sir!

Cool, I wasn't expecting sock puppet theater though. LOL

My guitar pick slid into the top by the knobs and now I have to get it out. This video is perfect showing me how to access things. Thanks so much for posting!!

Just successfully replaced a valve as per your video instructions and my amp nowsounds lovely. Thanks again, I was nervous about doing this, but you set me right.

I've never had that happen to mine, but being that a 12ax7 is fairly cheap, I would definitely try replacing it. When mine needed replaced, the overall tone of the amp was a shadow of what it was bought brand new, overdrive/distortion just wasn't what it was at first, and if I remember correctly my tube actually became somewhat microphonic just like they do on all tube amps when they need replaced. A brand new tube breathed new life into the amp.

If they gave a prize for Best Instructional Video you would get my vote! Ingenious, beautifully done and crystal clear! Someone below asked about shock. I've heard you can get a shock with the power off if you don't wait for the capacitors to discharge before opening, or if a battery is involved. (???) A lot of people swear that the brand of 12ax7 makes a difference. If anyone is interested there's a site for audiophiles called Audio Asylum that has a tube section where people bicker about tubes. I noticed the Mesa packaging had some words to the effect that it was a premium grade tube for demanding applications. It may be just a question of quality control rather than any difference in design or materials.

After that sock puppet demonstration, I can without question, award you the Master Of Puppets award! Also, you have somehow without saying a word, perfectly explained how to do this.

When I first saw this was rated 4.2 on IMDb I was like nahhh but now I understand great movie 10/10

Thanks for this. I just bought one of these that was collecting dust in an antique shop for $50. I am amazed by the sounds that I can get from it. I was wondering if it actually had a tube, I figured it probably did.

outstanding vid. {12 years later}

Thanks for posting and thanks to all others who have replied. I've just bought this amp from Dawsons in Leeds UK. I'll keep my ear on the sound. I have some old Mullard ECC83 valves which are the same but they need testing. Even new valves may vary slightly in sound.

Great Video. Just changed a Valve on my Vox Valvetronic Combo for the 1st ever time, and the Sound quality has improved ten fold. Cheers.

I was thinking about doing this too. I also will take a look at the caps. It mostly gets rocked just every 4 to 5 weeks. Can't say if these caps are still withing specs or have some leakage now. I mean I bought this amp off of ebay years ago and it was manufactured somewhere between 2006 and 2009. I mean VOX' product range is build in quality. Rock on!

Thanks for the comments. You are right, I don't know how the tube works in my amp. I just know my amp now seems to sound better with the tube change..... or maybe my ears are playing tricks on me.

Thanks for this upload, very helpful. I changed the tube in my Vox20+ before and It was a breeze. I liked that little lunchbox modeler so much that i wanted a bigger version, but they're discontinued. So i posted Looking for on used gear pages. Got the fabulous cadillac of those power amp tube reactor circuitry. The VOX VTX150. It has a EL84 instead of the 12ax7 in the valve reactor circuit. Wasn't sure about how to change that one since it's not showing like my VT20+. It's kind of like your video. Thanks for this video upload, very helpful.

Just followed your vid to replace my VT30 tube with a gold pin Tung Sol. Glad I did! Sounds great! Was really easy, takes about 20 minutes.

thanks - I was afraid the back may be glued - had the screwdriver in my hand and said - wait a sec. Let me check. You confirmed my suspicions. Just been there a while. When the tube dies it's basically a nothing clean amp. Much better now. Don't think the tube manufacturer matters but a direct replacement type is best. I've used Grooves since - well forever - worked great - Thanks!

Nice instructional video. FYI you can a tube and it will not damage it, its not a halogen light bulb

Just changed mine and my tube was located underneath the Amp/Gain knob area. Was a challenge getting my fingers in there but managed to get it done. Replaced with a JJ ECC83 S High Gain and it really brought this amp to life. Never sounded better. Might check out video "JJ HIGH GAIN TUBE in my VOX AD30VT" to get an idea of how much of an improvement it is.

Brilliant job. You took all the trepidation away. Thank you !

i replaced the tube also after the sound was becoming muddy ... i now got a TAD ECC83 in the amp and now it sounds much better - better than with stock tubes! much warmer sound... i´ve seen the orange LED on the tube socket also and wondered about it - but as written here before: the tube is definetely affecting on the sound!

This is a great instructional video for the VT30, BUT! If you have an AD30VT, it's NOT this easy. The tube is this amp is sitting out like a VW in a football field. In the AD version it is as far back under that chassis lip as it could possibly be. I had to take the PC board halfway out to access the tube. So be warned, it might not be quite this easy on some models.

Thanks for the info. I've had my apm about 8 years, it's due for a new tube.

Thanks Mate for posting, ...its been 4 years for my VT80. Easy to do compared to my ENGL.

Thanks for posting this video! You make it look like an east job! I have the same amp - not too big but sounds great for playing at home! Looks like Sweetwater has a few options for the 12AX7. Might consider upgrading the speaker too...

Yes it does, The sound and distortion levels went back to what they were when the amp was new. Again, tubes decay at a slow rate and it becomes sometime difficult to distinguish the difference without a base for comparisson. In any case, when in doubt, change the tube. They are cheap and easy to change.

Mick Foley as MANKIND changes tube in Vox amp shocker... Very helpful. 🍀subscribed! From the UK

Thanks so much, I was feeling uneasy about doing this. Not now!

This is an excellent video. Simple and easy to follow. I'll be using this with my VT50 shortly.

This is very helpful and I thank you for posting. Please don't talk so much next time.

I believe the 12AX7 when it's dead will totally kill these amps since it's a non-optional part of the signal chain. I'll update my comments after I replace mine. The difficulty for me was in removing the board because the wires that are on my board are so short it's hard to get the board out enough to replace the tube. The socket was also very difficult to get the tube into, very tight.

Thank you! Very useful and nice video :)

Amazing amp

I like it especially at 4:49

this is a cineast masterpiece!!!

The tube in the amp was the original one. The tech at guitar center assured me that any brand of 12AX7 would do so MESA it was. I don't know if the VT+ series has an 12AX7 in it (I would assume so) but changing the tube should be as easy regardless the type.

Gracias por la ayuda me dispongo este fin de semana a cambiarla y este vídeo me ha aclarado bastante.

Thank you, Sir.

thank you! very informative! I was afraid I had to disassemble the whole cabinet!

My led was always kinda orange/red (depending on the light in the room) - never made a difference. If there are problems check the tube, the power cord (energy supply, depending on country: different continents have different voltage) - otherwise it's probably not a concern if everything else works.

Excellent video! thanks for sharing!

Thanks for the info I have the same amp and want to put another tube in mine too. Nice stocktool lol

thanks for your video!! (the noise is a bit rough but worth the info)

dont know if anyone has noticed but in the amp (i own one) there is an LED lighting up the tube for looks, it doesnt actually light up

was that a SOCKit wrench you used to hold tube ha ha. Thank you for a great vid to the point no yacking on for ten minutes before hand. how about an input socket change vid as they seem to be a problem.

Thanks.

you need to make 1) put your bypass switch on for the effects, 2) hold down the tap button, 3) turn the edit knob down to reduce the noise filter

I put an Eminence Copperhead speaker in makes the amp sound so much better.The vox speaker went out have no idea why.

Excelent video! very simple and effective!

You crack me up Clarence! Awesome video

VOX really make it complicated to change the only tube in that amp. Obvious that electronic engineers/amp designers don't go on the road with their amps. Murphy's law states that the tube will crap out 20 minutes before the show...

Great!

Great video and very funny . Thanks

@Seekyar. I have a VT30 and it rings like hell! I assume the tube is not very mircophonic and replacing it with a better tube will hopefully fix the problem.

Thanks !!!

Cool video and thanks. I have a VT40+ in shipment and I want to replace the tube with an NOS tube. I like the sock and a good idea but others handled it before you so did they take precautions? Maybe not so I'd wipe it down with alcohol before installing.

Brilliant, thanks

My amp doesn’t play at all anymore, I guess it’s the valve, gonna try and see if that’s the problem

I'm a newbie to tube amps and wondering if you have to bias preamp tubes like the ones in the vox vt or Marshall jmd? Or do you just swap them for new matching ones and that's it? Thanks!

Clarece, cheers from Chile.. I'd have the same amp.. (VocVT50) and had a trouble with the low tones (6 & 5th strings) i'd wanna now if u experienced the same trouble when you decided to change the tube.. by the way I Use the fs5(footswitch) so due terms of use.. have about 4 years with it never change the tube and maybe think that using the effects on amp may injured in a decreasing life of the tube.. Also my tube led is about orange half red.. waiting for your reply Felipe!

Great video. I don't the purpose of the sock.

a 12AX7 (ECC83) is a preamp tube, but the VOX AD30VT-xl (that i got) uses that tube in for the poweramp section. i wonder if i could put a EL34 there ? would it work ?

can a better tube be installed as an upgrade to this amp? or should I use the same type tube? What model # is the stock tube?

I have a vox vt30, but now there is a problem. if I play for 30 minutes, the sound suddenly decreases and hoarse. what's the problem?? Please help me. Thank you

Very nice. Good work.

Pleaaase reply Clarence! First of all thank for your video. I have the same problem with my VT50 and think I'm going to replace the tube too.. Did this solve the problem for you? And I noticed you used a MESA tube. How is it? Preferred the old or the new sound? Thanks.

I'm wondering whether I should go down this road, as my VT50 no longer produces any sound after 15 months of gigging.

nicely done video

I was wondering what the inside of that amp looked like.

Thank you!

mesa tubes in mesa amp r great but other then that...buff

Man if I knew about you a week ago I would have brought my Line 6 DT 50 to you to look at. Do you do work on other people's amps? I live in Schreiver. My folks live in Larose.

have to ask, why?

Does all the Vt+ series uses the same 12AX7 tube or are they different?

Hello dear friend ! What do I really have to do to avoid electric shock ?? I 've got too much fear in the process of replacement of the vacuum tube, I know that I may have to change some day.... :(

just remove the back cover or?

Response2 - your effects and/or your footswitch won't affect your tube life. Been playing since 1976, always tube. That stuff never mattered. Heat, banging shit (your amp) around, and time are the factors to concern you. If things sound tinny or muddy it's probably an old tube. If it's a constant thing of some other kind, well, maybe you know the drill. Check everything.

I ended up dropping off my vt50 into my local music shop, who charged me GBP 15 to get it working again. I should've done it myself, as they probably would've probably just sprayed it with cleaner to clear the dust. ha ha!

haha no problem man!

Great Video. :D

how much did you pay for the vacuum tube replacement? thanks

I can assure you this is not true.......I have had to change the tube twice now on my VT50 after CONSTANT 4, and 5 night a week gigging for a couple of years. Even though they use the 12AX7 in the power stage it has a definitive affect on the way the amp sounds when the tube starts dying, or become microphonic.....in my experience, some tubes last much longer than others.....some only 6 months, or so.

ok, I just saw the tube # on the video .

Hi, can someone explain why did he disconnected the speaker before replacing the tube?

I think my valve in my VT100 needs to be replaced , i,m getting static noise all the time? > Any advice would be greatly appreciated Guys

Hi, You notice the improvement of the sound by changing the tube?

what precautions do i need to avoid electric shock? tqvm

I have the same amplifier and recently I've been getting a random popping and crackling sound. I was wondering what was the cause of this. Does it mean that the preamp vacuum tube is bad? do I have to change it? Please respond asap, thank you.

Hey James, I'm having the same prob w/a vt30: no sound output. Did you find a solution?

funny way to change the tube xD

what is wrong with fingerprints on a amp tube?

still waiting!!

Salut.ta un nom français..parle tu français.????

I noticed it when I first got the amp.........it's cheesy as hell.......not sure why these companies do that......I guess some people's ears aren't enough, and they need some kind of visual stimulation to believe that the tube is doing what it's supposed to.....haha

3yrs lifespan for a vacuum bulb? china pride

Parle tu francais