Vox Pathfinder 15R V9168R Guitar Combo Amplifier (15 Watts, 1x8")
No longer available at zZounds
Put your tone in good hands with the Vox Pathfinder 15R. The Pathfinder features spring reverb and ample tonal control for great sound.
Overview
With the classic good looks of its bigger brothers, the new 15-Watt, 1 x 8-inch Pathfinder 15 combo packs a profusion of Vox style and sound into a highly compact and affordable package. Like other family members, it sports typical Vox characteristics like basket-weave vinyl, diamond grille cloth, white piping, gold beading and, of course, "chicken head" pointer knobs.
The Pathfinder 15R is identical to the Pathfinder 15 but also features an onboard Spring Reverb system with a Reverb control that adjusts the level of the effect.
- Gain Control: Set higher for crunch and distortion sounds and lower for cleaner tones.
- Boost… read more Switch: Press in for more gain and distortion. Press out for cleaner sounds. You can turn this function on and off remotely with the optional VFS2 Footswitch.
- Volume Control: Controls the overall volume. Set high for clean sounds. Lower the level when setting the Gain control high for distortion.
- Treble Control: Adjusts the higher frequencies or treble in your tone, from soft and full at one extreme to bright and cutting at the other.
- Bass Control: Adjusts the lower frequencies or bass in your tone, from warm and light at one extreme to dark and heavy at the other.
- Tremolo Speed Control: Controls the speed at which the built in tremolo oscillates.
- Tremolo Depth Control: Controls the intensity of the built in tremolo.
- Boost/Tremolo foot switch jack: For the connection to the optional VFS2 dual On/Off footswitch with which you can turn both the Boost and the Tremolo functions on and off independently.
- Power ON/OFF switch & LED: On/Off switch for mains (AC) power to amplifier. Plus power indicator LED.
- External Speaker Output jack: For connection to an alternative speaker cabinet.
- Headphone Output jack: The headphone jack on the rear panel mutes the built-in speaker and lets the guitarist play "silently" at any time.
- Line Output jack: Specially filtered line level signal for recording/live work.
- The usual Vox cosmetic refinements: the gold logo, basket-weave vinyl, white piping, gold facial strip and the diamond fret cloth.
- Specially designed "Blue" speaker
- Pointer Knobs
- Vox Handle
* Note: Pathfinder 15R has one extra control for Reverb level
* Specification subject to change read less
Performance Control
The Pathfinder 15 houses a wonderful sounding, vintage Tremolo effect and is extremely versatile when it comes to tone. Its distinctive, maroon colored top panel features a Gain Boost switch plus controls for Volume, Gain, Treble, Bass, Tremolo Speed and Tremolo Depth. Both the Gain Boost and the built-in Tremolo are footswitchable via an optional Vox VFS2 dual footswitch, offering you even more performance power.Bulldog Speakers and More
The Pathfinder 15 produces 15 watts of power that drives a specially voiced 8-inch Vox Bulldog speaker. In addition to a Headphone output that mutes the internal speaker for "silent" practice, the rear panel also has a specially filtered Line Out jack for recording/live work and an External Speaker output as well.The Pathfinder 15R is identical to the Pathfinder 15 but also features an onboard Spring Reverb system with a Reverb control that adjusts the level of the effect.
Features
- Input Jack: Standard 1/4-inch jack for guitar connection.- Gain Control: Set higher for crunch and distortion sounds and lower for cleaner tones.
- Boost… read more Switch: Press in for more gain and distortion. Press out for cleaner sounds. You can turn this function on and off remotely with the optional VFS2 Footswitch.
- Volume Control: Controls the overall volume. Set high for clean sounds. Lower the level when setting the Gain control high for distortion.
- Treble Control: Adjusts the higher frequencies or treble in your tone, from soft and full at one extreme to bright and cutting at the other.
- Bass Control: Adjusts the lower frequencies or bass in your tone, from warm and light at one extreme to dark and heavy at the other.
- Tremolo Speed Control: Controls the speed at which the built in tremolo oscillates.
- Tremolo Depth Control: Controls the intensity of the built in tremolo.
- Boost/Tremolo foot switch jack: For the connection to the optional VFS2 dual On/Off footswitch with which you can turn both the Boost and the Tremolo functions on and off independently.
- Power ON/OFF switch & LED: On/Off switch for mains (AC) power to amplifier. Plus power indicator LED.
- External Speaker Output jack: For connection to an alternative speaker cabinet.
- Headphone Output jack: The headphone jack on the rear panel mutes the built-in speaker and lets the guitarist play "silently" at any time.
- Line Output jack: Specially filtered line level signal for recording/live work.
- The usual Vox cosmetic refinements: the gold logo, basket-weave vinyl, white piping, gold facial strip and the diamond fret cloth.
- Specially designed "Blue" speaker
- Pointer Knobs
- Vox Handle
* Note: Pathfinder 15R has one extra control for Reverb level
* Specification subject to change read less
Specs
Dimensions (W x H x D): 396 x 400 x 193 (15.9 x 15.75 x 7.6 in.)
Weight: 8 kg (17.7 lbs.)
Weight: 8 kg (17.7 lbs.)
Reviews
Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars.
(83 ratings)
Submitted December 4, 2009 by a customer from yahoo.com
"it thinks it's a tube amp"
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
This review has been selected by our experts as particularly helpful.
This amp served me well for many years until I gave it to my nephew as a present with his first good electric guitar, and it's still working for him. I like my nephew but I wish I had kept the amp! I am going to buy another one for myself. I think this is the best amp of its type, in its price range. Certainly performs and sounds a lot better than a Line 6, a Peavey, or the Marshall MG range. It's easy to practice with and easy to record with. An all around winner in my opinion.
Sound
Some people describe this as "the solid state amp that thinks it's a tube amp," which is a fair description, but I would add that it thinks it's a Vox tube amp. I've had tube amps that didn't sound as good as this little amp. The Pathfinder sounds like a Vox, and for anyone who is a Vox fan, you'll know what I mean. It is an amp that is nearly perfect for practice and studio work, but I have also done small gigs with it with great results.
Features
The Pathfinder has everything that I need, personally. The inclusion of tremolo (and a good sounding tremolo at that) is especially appreciated. I think tremolo is a very underrated effect. I don't use the boost much, because it gets LOUD! I prefer to dial in a good sound from the normal channel and use some effects to tart it up if necessary, but honestly the amp sounds fine running straight from the guitar to the amp. The parts and the materials are good, but I wish everyone would stop… read more using plastic input and output jacks. However, at this price, no manufacturer at all uses metal input and output jacks. That's the only weak point. And to be fair I haven't had a problem with the input and output jacks, it's just something to keep an eye on based on past experience with other amps.
Ease of Use
The Pathfinder 15 is very easy to use and fun to tweak. There are a lot of good sounds in the amp, and the controls interact with each other effectively, which cannot be said of other amps in this size and price range. It's far more responsive and flexible than any other amp of its type.
Quality
The product is well made indeed. I have one of the first ones that came out, to be honest, and it's still running strong. I have actually gigged with this amp, as well as recording with it, and it's never let me down. That sounds strange to say about a sub-$200 amp but that's my experience.
Value
I think the Vox Pathfinder 15 is the best buy in a sub-$200 practice amp, without a doubt. Granted you don't get bells and whistles like onboard effects, tuners, etc., etc. - you can go to the VT series for that - but what you do get for the money is a small solid-state amp that in many cases sounds, reacts, and performs like a "real amp." It'll sit up and bark for ya. Like I said, I have a tube amp that I don't like as well as the little Vox.
Manufacturer Support
Never needed any upgrades or repairs to this, and never had a need to contact the company, so I can't really say.
The Wow Factor
The amp has a classically Vox look that is very pleasing to my eye. It doesn't give you a light show when you turn it on or anything like that; the look of the amp is very Vox. It looks very '60s and British, understated and classy.
Musical Background:
active musician
Musical Style:
rock read less
Sound
Some people describe this as "the solid state amp that thinks it's a tube amp," which is a fair description, but I would add that it thinks it's a Vox tube amp. I've had tube amps that didn't sound as good as this little amp. The Pathfinder sounds like a Vox, and for anyone who is a Vox fan, you'll know what I mean. It is an amp that is nearly perfect for practice and studio work, but I have also done small gigs with it with great results.
Features
The Pathfinder has everything that I need, personally. The inclusion of tremolo (and a good sounding tremolo at that) is especially appreciated. I think tremolo is a very underrated effect. I don't use the boost much, because it gets LOUD! I prefer to dial in a good sound from the normal channel and use some effects to tart it up if necessary, but honestly the amp sounds fine running straight from the guitar to the amp. The parts and the materials are good, but I wish everyone would stop… read more using plastic input and output jacks. However, at this price, no manufacturer at all uses metal input and output jacks. That's the only weak point. And to be fair I haven't had a problem with the input and output jacks, it's just something to keep an eye on based on past experience with other amps.
Ease of Use
The Pathfinder 15 is very easy to use and fun to tweak. There are a lot of good sounds in the amp, and the controls interact with each other effectively, which cannot be said of other amps in this size and price range. It's far more responsive and flexible than any other amp of its type.
Quality
The product is well made indeed. I have one of the first ones that came out, to be honest, and it's still running strong. I have actually gigged with this amp, as well as recording with it, and it's never let me down. That sounds strange to say about a sub-$200 amp but that's my experience.
Value
I think the Vox Pathfinder 15 is the best buy in a sub-$200 practice amp, without a doubt. Granted you don't get bells and whistles like onboard effects, tuners, etc., etc. - you can go to the VT series for that - but what you do get for the money is a small solid-state amp that in many cases sounds, reacts, and performs like a "real amp." It'll sit up and bark for ya. Like I said, I have a tube amp that I don't like as well as the little Vox.
Manufacturer Support
Never needed any upgrades or repairs to this, and never had a need to contact the company, so I can't really say.
The Wow Factor
The amp has a classically Vox look that is very pleasing to my eye. It doesn't give you a light show when you turn it on or anything like that; the look of the amp is very Vox. It looks very '60s and British, understated and classy.
Musical Background:
active musician
Musical Style:
rock read less
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