Vox AC4HWR1 Hand Wired

Description

<h1 style="text-align: justify;">The AC4HWR1 Hand Wired is Vox's handcrafted tube combo amplifier, with 4W of power and inspired by the legendary ACs of the 1960s. After years of research and study on original AC prototypes from that era, this new handwired 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 sound exactly as it did back then. The AC4HWR1 Hand Wired features a 12” 16Ω Celestion G12M Greenback speaker and offers 1 top boost channel with high and low inputs and controls for volume, bass, treble, spring reverb, and master volume.</h1><h2>Overview of the Vox AC4HWR1 Hand Wired</h2><p style="text-align: justify;">In search of the essence of the classic vintage AC30 amplifier sound, Vox conducted a detailed analysis and study of AC15 and AC30 amps from the 1960s in excellent condition to truly discover and 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 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. Although the AC30 has been produced with almost identical circuits 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 the magic of vintage to today's musicians.<br />The AC-HWR series reproduces the vintage VOX tone through meticulous research. A diverse lineup 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 head which can be paired with its own cabinet or the new V212HWRX cabinet with Celestion Alnico Blue speakers. The series is completed by the compact combo amplifiers AC10HWR1 and AC4HWR1, designed for low-power 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 the large movements of the speakers, resulting in the characteristic "compression" and "sag" sensations associated with vintage amplifiers. During the research, Vox measured the power supply circuit of many vintage AC30s and used them to design a completely new power supply capable of replicating these vintage tonal and performance characteristics.<br />However, simply imitating vintage characteristics can lead to the generation of unwanted tones, particularly "ghost notes"—extraneous sounds unrelated to the notes actually played, especially at high volumes. Faced with the dilemma of prioritizing sound quality or addressing the ghost note issue, 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 achieve 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, the 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 the transformer's specifications, Vox undertook a thorough prototyping program to develop custom transformers with the essential characteristics of the desired vintage sound.</p><h2>Cabinet</h2><p style="text-align: justify;">Vox carefully examined the thickness of the materials used: vintage AC30s used slightly thinner materials, which contributed to a rich and extended mid-range. 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;">In considering what could enhance the immersive quality of a guitar amplifier, a very high-quality spring reverb was deemed a "must" for achieving 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 problem, an FX loop was integrated to allow for a clean output of effects.</li></ul><h2>Specifications of the Vox AC4HWR1 Hand Wired</h2><p><strong>Tube Configuration</strong>: ECC83/12AX7 x 2、EL84 x 1<br /><strong>Speaker</strong>: 12” 16Ω Celestion G12M Greenback x 1</p>