Owner`s manual

A. AMP Models
3
Tube Talk
Us Brits call ‘em valves while our US cousins call ‘em tubes...as the saying goes: England and America are merely two countries divided by a com-
mon language! Anyway, call ‘em what you will, these wondrous glass bottles lie at the tonal heart of each of our 19 models. As all the amps we’ve
modelled hail from one of the two countries just mentioned, in honour of their heritage, the descriptions of all English amps will employ the words
“valve” and “valves,” while the American ones will be tubular!
Power Amp Accuracy
What happens in the power stage of any good tube amp is of paramount importance to the way the amp sounds, feels and behaves. The way the
power amp operates (Class A or Class AB), the power tubes used (EL84s, EL34s, 6L6s, 6V6s), the exact nature of the negative feedback loop cir-
cuitry (if one even exists) and how the power stage interacts (a relationship called damping) with the speaker(s) it is driving — all these things play
a vital role in the creation of tone . That is why we have fitted your JamVOX with our Virtual Valve Reactor Technology — a modelling break-
through that is unique to VOX and infuses our critically acclaimed Valvetronix range of amps with life and feel. This revolutionary technology
emulates a tube power-amp and ensures that all the important bases inherent in a tube amp are faithfully and accurately covered. For example: if
you choose amp model AC30TB — an amp with a Class A power stage, EL84 output tubes and no negative feedback, that’s exactly what your Vir-
tual Valve Reactor power amp reconfigures itself to be.
This all said, let’s take a look at each of our amp models...
1. VOX AC15
This is based on Channel 2 of a1962 1x12, 15 Watt VOX AC15 which only has three controls —Volume, Brilliance and Top Cut. JamVOX’s GAIN
control mimics the original’s Volume control, while the PRESENCE control acts as the Top Cut.* The BASS control acts as the Bass Cut with total
variability. Set the “extra” TREBLE and MIDDLE controls at 12 o’clock and they’re “neutral” or tweak them for extra tonal flexibility.
Original’s valve compliment: 1 x EF86, 3 x ECC83s, 1 x ECC82 in the preamp, 1 x EZ81 rectifier, 2 x EL84s in the power amp.
*CONTROL NOTE:
The original AC15’s Top Cut control works in the opposite way you’d expect — it “cuts” when you turn it up! You’ll be glad to read that our
Top Cut control (the PRESENCE knob) works in a much more logical fashion — turn it up for more “sparkle,” turn it down for less.
QUESTION : What’s the difference between an ECC83 preamp valve and a 12AX7 preamp tube?
ANSWER : Nothing! They’re the same exact thing — namely the most popular preamp tube in ampland. ECC83 is the British name, 12AX7
(a.k.a. 7025) is the American. See, I told you we were two countries divided by a common language!