VX 30/4 1961 QC V2 CAB

Watch capture demos of the 1961 VOX  AC30/4 amp here:
 
CAPTURE DEMO AND PLAYTHROUGH
 
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Meet one of the most requested amplifiers we’ve ever had — a true unicorn in the amp world, and a landmark piece of Vox history. The 1961 Vox AC34 combo is one of the rarest and most desirable early AC30-era amplifiers ever built.
 
It represents a pivotal moment in Vox design and tone, capturing a sound that would soon disappear — and become legendary. This was the very first AC30 iteration to feature the EF86 preamp tube on the Normal channel. That single design choice played a massive role in shaping what we now recognize as the classic Vox sound. The EF86 channel is a huge reason the AC30 became iconic in the first place. However, the EF86 tube proved to be temperamental. Prone to microphonics and reliability issues, it was quickly abandoned in favor of a 12AX7-based preamp when Vox released the later AC30/6 models.
 
And with that change, something special was lost. AC30 designer Dick Denney soon realized that the AC30/6 no longer had the same shimmering, open high end that defined the EF86-based amps. To reclaim some of that character, Vox took inspiration from the Gibson GA-70 tone stack and introduced what would become the famous Top Boost circuit.
 
While Top Boost restored much of the brightness, it still sounded fundamentally different from the original EF86 design. So what makes the AC34 truly special? This amp exhibits entirely different compression behavior compared to later AC30 designs. It compresses early and naturally, delivering harmonically rich clean tones with a wide, extended frequency response. The lows are full and authoritative, the highs are open and airy, and the overall sound feels expansive, dynamic, and alive. Push it into overdrive and the AC30/4 reveals an exceptionally rich harmonic structure with a uniquely musical and authoritative character that’s nearly impossible to replicate.
 
Despite its deceptively simple control layout, the amp offers a remarkably wide range of usable tones — from pristine, three-dimensional cleans to absolute sonic mayhem — all while remaining musical at every gain level. The EF86 channel also takes pedals beautifully, preserving the pedal’s core voice while enhancing it with the complex harmonics and natural compression of the EF86 tube. This is not just an early AC30 variant. It’s a singular voice — and without question, one of the most inspiring amplifiers Vox ever produced.
 
The set features 33 full captures of the amp through its 2X12 Jensen Alnico Blue speakers. The mics used were 2x Royer R121, a Beyerdynamic M160 and a Neumann U87. Please refer to the full list of included captures in the product photo section.