Vox tips - How to achieve an AC30 tone

Vox tips

Most of the tips here are taken from this thread.

Quote from Cliff

An AC30 has no power amp feedback so it doesn't have presence or depth controls. It has a "Cut" control which is basically an adjustable snubber on the phase inverter. The Presence control becomes the Cut control. To duplicate the amp you would only adjust the Presence negative but the model lets you boost as well if you adjust Presence positive. (Translation: To use the model "correctly", you just use the presence knob from 0 to 12 o'clock.) The Depth control won't do anything so it doesn't matter where you set it. If the Damping (Damp) is zero the Depth control is disabled and Damp defaults to zero for that amp model.

Quote from bigedawg

I too struggle to get the AC30 tone, but I've come close. Here's a few things I do.

With the AC30 TB model,

• Turn the Presence control way up (this will bring out the top end sparkle and transient of the pick attack on the bass strings)
• Set the Damp to zero
• Turn the sag down (not off, but close. This also helps bring out the transient of the pick attack)
• Turn the Drive down and crank the master volume
• Turn off the Treble boost
• Treble 12 O'clock or lower
• Turn the bass down a good bit
• Turn the mid up slightly from 12 O'clock
• For more jangle/sparkle - I move the Bias up slightly .76-.85
• If I'm not hearing enough bass, I'll lower the Low Pass Filter

The cabinet and mic choice make a difference. From the stock catalog, I've used the 4x10 bassman and R121 mic.

I've also used a GEQ to get the mid range bump (750-1000 hz) and cut the 4k and/or 8k if the top end gets too harsh.

Jocce's Topboost tone

http://fractalaudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=9930

Two "bread and butter patches" from Doc

Like Bryan Adams "Summer Of 69", and another one slightly hotter with a tad more overdrive.

Taken from this thread.

Quote from Tedge

(Taken from the same thread)

I can speak a bit about the classic U2 sound. Edge uses various AC30s from a few different years. (Mostly mid 60s vintage) Most of the time he's pushing the front end with a boost from a Korg SDD3000 Delay unit set at line level output. Even when using the actual delay lines from a "different" unit such as a TC2290 he'll very often have the delay part bypassed and still have the preamp of the Korg engaged. It's not a dirt pedal. But many amps, especially an AC30 respond differently to the front end being smacked with a hotter, yet clean signal. The intro harmonic chimes on "Pride in the name of Love" are a great example of this.

I used to run a pretty complex rig when I first got my Axe FX ... back around firmware 2.00... using the Axe FX for delays and other effects and running through an external preamp (Triad ... no longer made as far as I know) into an actual AC30. After several evolutions of my rig, I now just use the modeling inside the Axe Fx and the real AC30 is just a stage monitor for some stage volume.

I often use the FET boost before the modeled AC30 to achieve a sound so close to doing it the old way that it would be hard to tell the difference. Edge is also known to have had a Boss super overdrive back in the early 80's. Try that too with the drive set pretty low. I have a real one of those from 1980 or so and it sounds like lots of those tones when put into the front end of an actual Vox.

Bottom line .... try hitting the front end with a virtual pedal of various types to see if it's what you're looking for.

Cabs to use

Doc: With 9.03 I like the stock 2x12 Brit cab very much.

Bigedawk: I've used the 4x10 bassman and R121 mic