Vox AC10HWR1 Hand Wired

Description

<h1 style="text-align: justify;">The AC10HWR1 Hand Wired is Vox's hand-wired tube combo amplifier, with 10W of power and inspired by the legendary AC of the 1960s. After years of research and study on original AC prototypes of the era, this new hand-wired version features a new and revamped power supply circuit that restores the typical compression feel of those amps. The new transformer adds pleasant harmonics to the tone, and the reduced chassis thickness, like that of the vintage AC, makes this amp resonate exactly as it did back then. The AC10HWR1 Hand Wired features a 12” 16Ω Celestion G12M Greenback speaker and offers 1 top boost channel with high and low inputs and volume, bass, and treble controls, spring reverb, and master volume.</h1><h2>Overview of the Vox AC10HWR1 Hand Wired</h2><p style="text-align: justify;">In pursuit of the sonic essence of the classic vintage AC30 amplifier, Vox conducted detailed analysis and study of AC15s and AC30s in prime condition from the 1960s to truly uncover and understand the inner workings of these legendary amplifiers. The culmination of these efforts has led to the birth of the new VOX AC Hand-Wired amplifier range – the greatest VOX amplifiers Vox has ever produced.<br />The rarity of vintage amplifiers contributes significantly to their high value, but equally important is the distinctive sound inherent in vintage amplifiers. Despite the AC30 having been produced with nearly identical circuitry since the 1960s, the character of vintage units is often described as almost indescribable, possessing a rich, musical quality that is equally unmistakable and mysterious. Vox sought to unravel the secrets of this sound, bringing vintage magic to today’s players.<br />The AC-HWR Series reproduces the vintage VOX tone thanks to meticulous research. A diverse lineup caters to the individual preferences and needs of discerning guitarists. The series includes 30W and 15W combos, available as AC30HWR2X and AC15HWR1X, both featuring Celestion Alnico Blue speakers, as well as AC30HWR2 and AC15HWR1 with Celestion G12M Greenback speakers. Additionally, there is the AC30HWRH head which can be paired with your own cabinet or the new V212HWRX cabinet with Celestion Alnico Blue speakers. Completing the series are the compact AC10HWR1 and AC4HWR1 combo amplifiers, designed for low-wattage use.</p><h2>Power Supply Circuit Revision</h2><p style="text-align: justify;">Contemporary power supplies aim for stability by minimizing voltage fluctuations, to achieve a reliable power source. In contrast, the power supplies of vintage amplifiers exhibit fluctuations that respond to large speaker movements, yielding the characteristic "compression" and "sag" sensations associated with vintage amplifiers. In the course of research, Vox measured the power supply circuit of many vintage AC30s and used them to design a completely new power supply that could replicate these vintage tonal and performance characteristics.<br />However, simply mimicking vintage characteristics can lead to the generation of undesirable tones, specifically "ghost notes" – extraneous sounds unrelated to the actual notes played, especially at high volumes. Faced with the dilemma of prioritizing sound quality or addressing the issue of ghost notes, the previous AC30CC2 model incorporated a switch to activate the power supply attenuation circuit. Thanks to the new power supply circuit, the new VOX Hand-wired amplifiers address the ghost note issue without compromising sound quality and responsiveness, managing to strike the delicate balance between the two considerations in a truly musical way.</p><h2>Output Transformer</h2><p style="text-align: justify;">The output transformer contributes significantly to the classic vintage VOX sound. Even if the specifications are the same, saturation distortion in the transformer section can add to the pleasant harmonic components of vintage amplifiers. However, since this distortion cannot be accurately measured by transformer specifications, Vox embarked on an extensive prototyping program to develop custom transformers with the essential vintage sound characteristics required.</p><h2>Cabinet</h2><p style="text-align: justify;">Vox carefully examined the thickness of the materials used: the vintage AC30 used slightly thinner materials, which contributed to a rich and extended midrange. The new cabinet design employs the same material thickness as the vintage amplifier, helping to provide a faithful reproduction of the sound.</p><h2>Practical Features</h2><ul>    <li style="text-align: justify;">While 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.</li>    <li>Spring Reverb</li>    <li style="text-align: justify;">When considering what could enhance the immersive quality of a guitar amplifier, a very high-quality spring reverb was deemed a "must" to achieve that magical vintage sound.</li>    <li>FX Loop</li>    <li style="text-align: justify;">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 muddy the sound. To solve this, an FX loop was integrated, allowing for a clean output of effects.</li></ul><h2>Specifications of the Vox AC10HWR1 Hand Wired</h2><p><strong>Tube Configuration</strong>: ECC83/12AX7 x 2, EL84 x 2<br /><strong>Speaker</strong>: 12” 16Ω Celestion G12M Greenback x 1</p>