Vox AC15CH 15-Watt All-Tube Guitar Amp Head with Attenuator
The AC15CH is the head version of one of the most recorded circuits in guitar amplification. It keeps the Class A EL84 output and Top Boost preamp, then adds a reactive attenuator so the same breakup is available at bedroom level.
- Format: valve amplifier head, run it into the cabinet you prefer
- Power: 15 watts, EL84 driven Class A output stage
- Channels: Normal and Top Boost
- Effects: built-in tremolo and spring reverb
- Attenuator: reactive, with 15, 1.5 and 0.15 watt settings
- Pedals: the AC circuit takes drives and modulation well
- Lineage: one of the most recorded amplifier circuits in guitar history
Fifteen watts sits above a band without dominating it, and the attenuator covers everything below that, from a quiet studio take to late night practice at home.
The Vox AC15CH delivers the chime and the complex grind the brand is known for in a head format. The 15-watt design was one of the amps that defined the British sound and it is still in constant use on stages and in studios.
A long lineage
The AC15 circuit is among the most recorded in history because of the sparkle and top end detail it produces. Vox amplification became a staple after the British Invasion of the 1960s and the design has backed players including The Edge, Brian May, Tom Petty and John Scofield. That is a lot of context in one small head.
Power and preamp
A Class A, EL84 driven power amp paired with the Top Boost preamp is what creates the sound. The Top Boost section adds high end detail and extra control over the tone, while the 15-watt output stays full and driven on stage without swallowing the rest of the band. The circuit also responds well to pedals, so a favourite overdrive or fuzz sits naturally in front of it.
Two channels
Normal and Top Boost channels give you a plainer, rounder voice and the bright, cutting one, so the same head covers rhythm and lead duties depending on which input you use.
Tremolo and reverb built in
Onboard tremolo and spring reverb mean the two effects most associated with this style of amp are already there before you plug in a single pedal.
Reactive attenuation
Older AC15 amps sounded superb, but the breakup only arrived at performance volume. The reactive attenuator on the AC15CH solves that. It works with your speaker load rather than simply cutting level, so the glassy attack and compression stay intact as you drop down. Settings at 15, 1.5 and 0.15 watts cover the full range from a live stage to a quiet room.
Head format advantages
As a head, the AC15CH lets you choose the cabinet, which changes the voicing considerably, and it travels far more easily than a combo of the same power.