Feature:
I wish it had two real channels, but then again most of the really nice amps don't. I've figured out ways around it, but in this price range for an amp made in china, I shouldn't have to. I played the cheaper version with the regular speakers next to the one with the blue speakers and I have to say that there is no comparison. They shouldn't even offer the cheaper one, it's just for people who want a vox because it looks cool and don't care about sound. The lesser speakers void the whole purpose of getting a vox because you can't make out the nuances that sound so unique. get the blues on a payment plan if you have to and you'll never have to buy another amp.
Quality:
get a case for it because a) it's heavy and you need wheels, b) the black casing nicks very easily. If you keep it in the case you won't have a problem. You might get a lemon, but just make sure you buy it from a repuatable company that will let you exchange it.
Value:
it's expenisve, but I use it everyday and it helps me get "my sound." To me, it's worth it. I play in a trio indie-rock band and the guitar tone is crucial to fill up the sound. I'm not going to say that another amp wouldn't be able to, but this one is portable, looks good, sounds great, and suits me very well.
Desirability:
compair it to all the other amps at your local guitar store and see for yourself why this amp is the most commonly recorded amp in rock music of all time. hands down, it is the best. Ampegs are cool too, though--if you want to save a grand and get a pretty frekin good sound with a cool vibe. If I had $1000, I'd get the ampeg 2x12 for $800 over the ac30 with standard speakers. If you can't put a price on your music, go for the blues on an ac30.
Sound:
This is my favorite sounding amp. However, there are a few musicians in my circle that prefer amps like a vintage marshall, or an ampeg to the vox. Most of my buddies like the vox, though. I say this because it's all about what kind of sound your after. I used to have a marshall 30th anniversary, but I found it to metal sounding. For my indie-rock band, the ac30 with blue speakers sounds perfect. The notes come through articulately when I drive it with a fulltone fulldrive 2 and the clean is round and buttery. You can even use an a-b switch to take advantage both imputs (set one to clean and the other to drive). This makes your one channel amp a two channel (kind of). The distortion destroys marshall's distrotion and the clean is the best--nobody argues that. ps, I use a gibson les paul through a boss compression/sustain pedal and I can get any sound I want. It's a great set-up.
Support:
don't know yet.
Overall:
personally, I think it's the best amp out there. The cleans are silky smooth, warm, round and break up perfectly when you hit the chords hard enough (if you want it to). The amp gets lounder than my old marshall half-stack used to. It's portable (don't kid yourself, that's important), it's got the look, versitility, features, quality, and reliability. There are just so many good sounds in this amp. All of those out there thinking about going with a modeling amp, ask yourself this: Why do you need to emulate the best amps out there when you can have the best amp out there? Because you want versility? If you have two pick-ups and a pedal board with an ac30, you will have better tone, and more control over your sound. Everyone I know with a modeling amp is jealous of my set-up.
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