Vox AC30 CC2 tone quality

[grahamhyde]

I am having tone performance problems with a Vox AC30CC2 when using with effects units and would appreciate any comments or advice that anyone can offer.

I have three effects units all loaded with Charlie's EFTP and an acceptable sound can be obtained using a Zoom RFX 2000 via the Top Boost channel which gives the necessary control of the bass tone. However, the Zoom G2.1u and Magicstomp are unusable through either the 'Normal' or 'Top Boost' channels due to extreme treble tone introduced by the units. A friend has also tried his Zoom G7 unit which shows the same treble tone problem.

All the effects units seem to work well with older AC 30s and other amps so I am thinking that there is simply a compatability issue.

Has anyone else found this problem and is there perhaps a simple solution (other than scapping my new AC30!)

[nigel]

Thats interesting. i have my heart set on an AC15cc1 as i thought that would be theultimate for early shads numbers. i allready have a magicstomp with Charlies patches and should be able to pick up the amp in about 2/3 weeks. Wonder if i should be concerned about such problems too. Cheers
Nigel

[rjdupe]

Hi there,
I have a fairly new Vox AC 30 CC2 and use both a Quadraverb plus and Zoom G2.1u.( Not together!) I do not use the effects loop but feed the units straight into the amp. I do not find the set up over bright and the treble can be cut back hard with the 'cut' tone control.
The tone controls on the top boost channel also have quite a marked effect. I have recently switched from using the top boost channel to the normal channel. You can of course change the tone from the zoom pedal unit on a temporary basis without removing Charlie's settings.
Let us all know how you get on.

Kind regards,,
Robert

[nigel]

Hi. I seem to be missing something here. What role do the multi effects units have? Does guitar, amp and delay patches not give a complete sound? Cheers
Nigel

[grahamhyde]

Nigel

The magicstomp and G2.1U and G7 multi effects units all generate treble tone which makes the overall sound too bright even with all the treble tone on the amp cut to minimum. The rfx2000 does not do the same but the amp is still very 'bright' compared with older AC 30s I have used

Does that clarify the issue?

Graham

[rjdupe]

Hi all again,
Graham, is the Vox amp too bright when you go straight in and do not use the Zoom.

Cheers,

Robert

[nigel]

Hi Graham. No, not really. I thought that allt he tone you needed comes from guitar, amp and a good delay unit. just wondering what the effects units are actually doing in the mix so to speak. Hank never used multi effects units in the 60's so why are we using them now? Looking back, when i played this style of music before isimply rolled the treble off from the guitar, addmitedly that was through Fender amps. Cheers.
Nigel
Nigel

[Charlie Hall]

Hi everyone,
The G2 and G7 and G9 have built in amp modelling and EQ. I would suggest first trying the normal channel of an AC30 with these units using the cut control to tame the treble if that is necessary, or if not, disable the amp modelling and EQ and Extra EQ effects in each patch of the unit so that the unit is used only for the echo/other effects.
The Magicstomp shouldn't be altering the tone by very much at all but it has been reported more than once that this indeed seems to be the case. I am wondering if it might be being caused by the DC offset that appears when a fault condition exists in some Magicstomp units, and was discussed at length some time ago. I would suggest first trying the other Magicstomp output to see if the sound differs.
Regards,
Charlie

[grahamhyde]

Thanks for the suggestions Charlie

Even with the EQ and Extra EQ switched off the G2.1u adds a significant amount of treble as does the Magicstomp (no difference between the two outputs) whereas the RFX 2000 output tone is pretty well exactly what goes in from the Guitars (MIJ Strat and Burns Marvin).

I have spent this evening playing with the G2.1u EQ controls and have arrived at some settings that give a performance close to the RFX but the only solution if I want to use the Magicstomp seems to be a graphic equaliser of some sort - my Phonic mixer seems to do the trick but not ideal for carrying around!

It seems strange that no one else is having this problem - maybe I have just got a very bright AC30 - Everyone says that you can't find two the same!

Graham

[garystrat]

Hi Graham

If your not not too familiar with the VOX "cut" setting, it works the opposite way round to what you might expect, in other words fully anti-clockwise is full on.

Gary

[Charlie Hall]

Hi Graham,
In addition to turning off the EQ and Extra EQ you should be turning off the Drive section (amp modelling) as this is where the extra treble is coming from.
If your AC30 doesn't sound too bright with just a guitar connected, then the added brightness is being introduced by the Magicstomp, although that shouldn't be the case.
Do you have a digital meter?
Regards,
Charlie