http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ VOX | Discussion Forums Topic: AC30 HW2 Only Works With Original Power Tubes- A MYSTERY! en Sat, 18 May 2013 22:35:05 +0000 http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22541 Thu, 07 Apr 2011 18:45:39 +0000 vox_davec_dev 22541@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>Hi guys,</p> <p>Sorry we’ve all been traveling at Messe but all of us at Vox stand by our products 100% so we will of course take care of your amps for you and fix them. Please email me directly at <a href="mailto:dave@voxrandd.com">dave@voxrandd.com</a> and we’ll get this sorted out immediately</p> <p>Thanks<br /> Dave<br /> VOXR&#38;D </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22536 Thu, 07 Apr 2011 13:55:24 +0000 mcalldp 22536@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>Just info for those with thoughts on the tube pin size being an issue. I can CONFIRM, the width of the pins is the same. For those thinking the .5mm shorter LENGTH has anything to do with it (From Eurotubes):</p> <p>"The difference in pin size will have nothing to do with it. The pins are gripped by their sides via the receptacles in the sockets. They actually don’t even contact anything at their point…</p> <p>This is what throws everything for a loop: “Update: using both sets of JJ's any combination of three in any order work fine as long as I have ONE of the original tubes (in any position) four JJ's, does not work.”"</p> <p>I've also thrown a set of JJ's that don't work in the Vox into yet ANOTHER amp, they work fine. There is something wrong with the Vox amp. It seems like Vox thinks they know what the issue is but have yet to share that information with us, we wait with bated breath... </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22494 Tue, 05 Apr 2011 20:30:42 +0000 ac30owner 22494@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>Musik messe doesn't finish til Saturday, so hopefully we might hear something maybe next week. </p> <p>This isn't the kind of problem you can ignore til it goes away. </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22492 Tue, 05 Apr 2011 18:20:51 +0000 jmczaja 22492@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>2 days turns into 7 days.. 7 days turns into.......</p> <p>update??? </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22480 Mon, 04 Apr 2011 19:43:58 +0000 mcalldp 22480@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>Cool that they have something being announced but they said "We believe we’ve gotten to the bottom of it" 6 days ago, my curiosity is killing me. Heck, just let us know what you THINK it is while you continue your testing, some of us might be very happy to test our own amps right along with you. </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22477 Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:35:41 +0000 voxman 22477@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>It’s the Frankfurt Messe Musik show this week so I think this is why Dave &#38; the other folk at Vox have all been a bit tied up. Not a lot of new stuff being launched, but I'm reliably informed that there will be a few items of interest being announced on Wednesday! </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22475 Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:30:00 +0000 jlott 22475@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>Well Vox certainly seems to be on top of the problem and genuinely concerned. That is really reassuring. </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22437 Sat, 02 Apr 2011 13:12:21 +0000 mcalldp 22437@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>Seems they are running behind.... </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22410 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 03:13:36 +0000 jmczaja 22410@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>Any update? </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22354 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 13:34:21 +0000 mcalldp 22354@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>Dave, that's great to hear! Regarding JJ pins, they are .5mm shorter but are (I've confirmed) the same thickness. I didn't think the connection was made at pin tip but at the surrounding metal much higher on the pin once tube is seated in socket....</p> <p>Still, we do know other amps handle JJ's fine so we may be looking at bad socket issues. I agree with ac30owner I may be forced to change the D&#38;% things myself. This has been a long, somewhat costly, extremely aggravating process BUT - we've put in a lot of work and Vox is responding which is great news.</p> <p>So, lets just see what they say. I realize it sucks to turn into the beta testers for new higher end amps but our efforts are being recognized by Vox and perhaps the problem will be solved for us and future owners. I just hope it doesn't involve additional monies on our part to get the amp to proper specs...... *worried* </p> <p>The JJ's are by far the best bang-for-buck tube and not having them as an option changes the price of upkeep for this amp long-term...just thinking out-loud. I am excited to hear back from Dave (Vox) though. </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22348 Mon, 28 Mar 2011 23:23:00 +0000 vox_davec_dev 22348@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>Hi Guys</p> <p>We believe we’ve gotten to the bottom of it but we’ll just need another day or two for additional testing on our side. Thanks for your patience.</p> <p>Thanks<br /> Dave<br /> VOX R&#38;D </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22325 Sun, 27 Mar 2011 22:23:11 +0000 ac30owner 22325@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>Another thing you could try if you've got a soldering iron and want to prove this beyond any shadow of a doubt would be to blob about 0.5 mm of solder onto the end of all the pins on a set of JJ's and see if that fixes the problem. </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22324 Sun, 27 Mar 2011 22:09:48 +0000 ac30owner 22324@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>...No the TAD's that didn't work were EL84-CZ's - i.e. presumably JJ's and they did have the shorter pins and I've also just tried a set of TAD EL84-STR's (again 7mm pins so probably not JJ's) and they worked fine too... I think I'm going to replace those £$%&#38;ing tube sockets myself. </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22323 Sun, 27 Mar 2011 22:03:18 +0000 mcalldp 22323@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>Great find on the other user with this issue, we should contact him and bring him into this thread. SCARY PART- he's also tried a set of TAD's with the SAME result...the TAD's don't have shorter pins..... Vox's idea of 'soon' is a bit longer than what I was expecting, I hope they are still engaged and monitoring this thread and offer a reply soon. It's evident that we need to work together to find a solution. The bit about a set of TAD's not working....really sucks. I think it may be a tube socket issue....but we're looking at repairs to new amps then? I'm scared to spend my hard earned money on any tubes as it seems, at this point, it's a crap shoot if they will work or not. </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22321 Sun, 27 Mar 2011 21:45:33 +0000 ac30owner 22321@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>...Haven't heard anything from Vox yet...BUT... I have managed to get a different set of EL84's working with this amp and I think I might know what the problem is. Someone at the start of the thread mentioned that JJ's have shorter pins than other brands of tubes, so I got my digital calipers out and measured them and he's right - the pins on JJ's are about 6.5mm versus (I think) every other brand are about 7mm. I think one or two of us have got amps with looser than average tube sockets and that, combined with the short JJ pins is causing the problem. I've just tried an old set of EL84M's (which I believe are Sovteks and have 7mm pins) and they work fine. So it seems to me that if you are one of the people with this problem you are either going to have to get the power tube sockets replaced and/or tightened or you are going to have to avoid JJ's. </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22300 Sat, 26 Mar 2011 13:56:06 +0000 jmczaja 22300@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>Any update?</p> <p>Found another person that seems to have the same problem. Not sure if it is someone in this thread?</p> <p><a href="http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?2756437-Question-about-EL84-transconductance" rel="nofollow">http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?2756437-Question-about-EL84-transconductance</a> </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22271 Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:50:15 +0000 mcalldp 22271@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>Hi Dave, thanks for responding to us. If you need any information or a run down of what we've already tried let me know and I can put it all in one post (or an e-mail) for you. I've got a sound file available and I know someone mentioned being willing to make a video.</p> <p>I worked very close with Eddie at Eurotubes (though trying JJ's from other sellers as well) They've been fantastic and have bench tested the stock tubes against their own etc...</p> <p>Between them, several of us owners and you, I hope we can get all the info needed to solve this.</p> <p>By the way all, after testing stock tubes I sent to them, matching and sending me a second set of JJ's (they even paid postage) They offered a full refund as well and they have spent a lot of time talking to me about this issue, I can't say enough about Eurotubes customer service. </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=4#post-22270 Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:31:47 +0000 zacha1 22270@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>Thats funny because I put all JJs in my AC30HWH and it would only work correctly on the 15 watt side. As soon as I switched it to 30 watts it had a terrible distortion on all volume levels. </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=3#post-22260 Thu, 24 Mar 2011 04:49:23 +0000 oddjobpeters 22260@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>In case this helps troubleshoot, I have the AC15HW1 and run it on JJ's at full throttle without issue. </p> http://www.voxamps.com/forum/topic.php?id=3962&page=3#post-22245 Wed, 23 Mar 2011 21:21:35 +0000 vox_davec_dev 22245@http://www.voxamps.com/forum/ <p>Hi Guys</p> <p>I spent this afternoon investigating this issue with a production unit..</p> <p>we will be in touch shortly, thanks for your patience</p> <p>Dave<br /> VOX R&#38;D </p>