Vox AC-15 50th Anniversary Head & 1 x 12 Cab - 2007

The Vox AC15HTVH is part of the Heritage Collection that Vox launched at the 2007 Winter NAMM Show to mark 50 years since the AC15 first appeared, the amp that became the first commercially successful product to carry the Vox name. Rather than a modern reissue with modern shortcuts, the Heritage amps were hand-wired using premium components and combined vintage Vox circuitry from two different eras into one chassis, pairing an EF86 pentode preamp circuit as used around 1960 in Channel 1 with a 1963-style Top Boost circuit in Channel 2. This example is the separate head and matching 1x12 cabinet configuration, finished in Fawn rather than the more commonly seen cream, and carrying serial number AC15HTVH000180 from 2007.

Channel 1 runs through the EF86 pentode stage with Volume, a 3-position Brilliance switch, a Bass Shift switch and an EF86 Mode switch, giving access to the smoky, slightly compressed voicing that circuit is known for. Channel 2 is the Top Boost side, with Volume, Treble, Bass and Top Cut controls plus an Output Mode switch that drops the amp from 15 watts in pentode operation down to around 7.5 watts in triode mode for lower-volume overdrive. The full valve complement across both channels is 1 x EF86, 3 x ECC83/12AX7, 2 x EL84 and 1 x EZ81 rectifier. Both head and cabinet are built from Baltic Birch ply.

The cabinet originally shipped with a Vox/Celestion Alnico Blue speaker, but this one now carries a Celestion G12 Alnico Gold in its place, a period-correct alnico speaker in its own right and one historically associated with earlier Vox amplifiers, offering a brighter, more present and articulate voicing than the Blue it replaces. This is disclosed plainly as a deviation from original specification; everything else about the head and cabinet is as it left the factory.

Comes complete as a matching head and cabinet pair. Condition is excellent, consistent with the age of the unit, with some sunfade visible on the head's grille cloth.

Specifications:

Model: Vox AC15HTVH 50th Anniversary Heritage Collection head, with matching V112HTV 1x12 cabinet

Serial Number: AC15HTVH000180

Year: 2007

Origin: Heritage Collection, launched 50th Anniversary of Vox (1957-2007)

Finish: Fawn vinyl tolex

Type: Hand-wired valve head and matching 1x12 extension cabinet

Power: 15 watts (pentode) / approximately 7.5 watts (triode), switchable via Output Mode

Valves: 1 x EF86, 3 x ECC83/12AX7, 2 x EL84, 1 x EZ81 (rectifier)

Channel 1 (EF86): Volume, Brilliance (3-position), Bass Shift, EF86 Mode switch

Channel 2 (Top Boost): Volume, Treble, Bass, Top Cut, Output Mode switch

Cabinet Construction: Baltic Birch ply, cream vinyl tolex as standard (this example in Fawn)

Speaker: Celestion G12 Alnico Gold (non-original; replaces the factory-fitted Vox/Celestion Alnico Blue)

Condition: Excellent, with some sunfade on the head's grille cloth