What could be wrong with this AD30VT?

[Kazz]

On ebay ending today....I am not bidding because the description scares me.

Condition: (AS IS) This Vox guitar amplifier turns on and shows wear from previous use and travel over the years. There are several nicks, rips, scratches and wear marks throughout the exterior of the unit. The amp turns on and all of the functions work fine, the signal comes through but has low output. This amp does not get that loud even when everything is cranked to the max. This Vox AD30VT will be sold AS IS and is ready to go! Does not include a power cord.

Could this be the output transformer...or merely just the power tube?

item# 320394739425

[FrankenFretter***]

I own an AD30VT. This is a hybrid, no power tubes. One 12AX7 for the preamp, and the power stage is all solid state.

Might be something as simple as replacing the tube, but then again...

[Big K]

is the attenuator on the back of the amp all the way up?

[tunghaichuan***]

Could be anything, give it a pass. Those amps are complicated and expensive to service.

tung

[duhvoodooman***]

Could be anything, give it a pass. Those amps are complicated and expensive to service.

+1. Tung's comments are right on the money. I wouldn't touch it....

[marnold***]

Looking at the back of it, the attenuator is set at 10:00. If they're really that dumb, that might be the problem. Nevertheless, I don't think I'd touch it with a 10ft pole.

[ibanezjunkie]

1. the tube

2. the attenuator on the back

3. a capacitor

4. a resistor

5. damaged PCB track

6. maybe marnold hit it with his 10ft pole

all these could be wrong, i would leave it.

[Kazz]

Exactly what I wanted to hear guys...thanks

[tunghaichuan***]

I wouldn't steer you wrong, mi amigo. :

tung

Exactly what I wanted to hear guys...thanks

[Duff49]

I'm a big Vox fan but the chromies, except for the DA-5, keep me at bay.

My research has indicated that they are heavily computerized and super complicated in order to provide all of that modelling versitility. With all of this complicated circuitry going on they are prone to lots of different possible failures, failures that can be hard to diagonose, if even possible to diagnose, and expensive to fix. Very time consuming repair projects.

That's why I'm moving toward amps that can be fixed for years to come; such as my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, Crate V32 Palamino, JSX Mini Colosal, etc. These should be able to be fixed indefinitely. My next amp will be even more future fixable, like a Fender model with a simple circuit and boards that will be available for year to come. Even the Fender SCXD is subject to possibly obsolete Chinese circuit boards that might not be available and could be hard to build, nonetheless the SCXD is a well respected amp and highly regarded. I just wonder what will happen when repair time comes.

I wouldn't consider a chromie vox unless I got it for a steal, then it would be a fun amp to mess around with, no doubt.

Duffy
Winfield, Pa.

[Kazz]

The one I ended up buying only cost me $150 shipped. Throw in TjCurtain's foot pedal he offered up here on the fret and I am pretty happy at least for the time being. I am sure somewhere down the road I will get the GAS itch again for a tube amp....and then I will probably be kicking myself for getting rid of the Classic 30.....but when you love that Marshall sound so much.....in the end it is all that will really solve that problem.

[Duff49]

Kazz,

So you didn't get the one with the known volume problem?

That would be a good move, these amps have a tendency to be problematic but they are awesome amps. I'd like to get one myself.

Did you get an AD30VT or the bigger one?

I'm sure you will be happy if it works great. Do you have it already?

My DA-5 chromie vox is one incredible little five watt amp. Battery or wall current powered. Great for camping trips, road trips, etc. Never a problem yet except I had to very diligently solder the input jack back onto the pcb board and the jack assembly was plastic and I had to be careful not to let the solder flow into a close trace. Works great now.

I'm sure yours is a lot like my DA-5; you can tweak the effects big time by pressing the tap button and turning the adjustment control. I can get some really tweaked effects with mine. I'm sure yours had the same technology. I really like the auto wah as well and all the amp modelling. Mine has only a five and a half inch speaker but sounds good. Does yours have the eight or ten inch speaker?

Do you have it yet to mess around with and if so how do you like it?

Duffy
Winfield, Pa.

[Radioboy950]

Kazz,

So you didn't get the one with the known volume problem?

That would be a good move, these amps have a tendency to be problematic but they are awesome amps.

They are fun amps, but I had to send my first one back with a bad input jack. Never had a problem with the second one (AD50VT 112).