jredden's Metal Amp Rig

With my Vox AC30S1 amp it get's cranked power amp tone at sensible volume. Bedroom levels really, it does what it does amazingly.

But even more-so when you bring amp slaving into the equation, it get's my Orange Micro Dark preamp through my AC30's power amp both working at saturated levels, driving the AC30's 4 power valves enough to add more warmth to the Micro Dark's tone. Still-so the JHS can bring that down to sensible volume.

The AC30S1 is essentially the controls of an AC10 but real 30w Quad-EL84 tube power. Featuring an FX loop it is (ironically) easier to get to a bedroom volume when utilizing popular FX Loop volume control tricks, as apposed to an AC15C1/C2 with no easy/cheap attenuation options. It's weight clocks in at 24.5kg (w/ the AC15c1 at 22kg & AC15c2 at 30kg) which definitely contributed to my purchase.

This is my first AC30 & first full-tube amp & it has truly met my expectations, while exceeding what volume I imagined a tube power section really putting out, using 50% gain (without my JHS little black amp box in the loop) I cannot get past 8 O'clock on the master volume (with 7 O'clock being zero).

Lastly I will say, without a master Tone Cut I do imagine it's not as versatile for realllly dialing in iconic AC tones, but I plan to slave it into an external power section w/ a presence knob if I so want to when recording. But regardless this thing sounds realllllly goddamn good & looks the part, I hope to have it as a workhorse for as long as it sticks around.