Experience with the Vox AmPlug Headphone Amp?

**jasaco** · 02-17-2016, 09:04 PM

Considering this for practicing late at night without disturbing sleepers in the house. The earlier models didn't have any effects but this one seems to have chorus, reverb & delay. I mostly just want a touch of reverb.

Anyone have experience with this and, if so, which model, and your opinion?

Thanks.

**medblues** · 02-17-2016, 09:51 PM

I have that one, their Twin model and the Twin Amphone (headphone combo) and I use the Twin Amphone the most. Also great (less portable is) battery operated Yamaha THR10C.

**coolvinny** · 02-17-2016, 10:01 PM

I'll admit it's in a different price range but I have the Phil Jones Big Head at $250 and it's AWESOME.

Compact yet built like a tank and sounds great. Don't worry about the apparent lack of "reverb" - it does not sound too dry...has a touch of reverb. Sounds basically as good as my Mambo amps (which also have headphone circuits).

**jasaco** · 02-17-2016, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by medblues

I have that one, their Twin model and the Twin Amphone (headphone combo) and I use the Twin Amphone the most. Also great (less portable is) battery operated Yamaha THR10C.

I'm not sure what you mean by "their Twin model". As far as I can see, the 2nd generation AmPlugs (i.e., AmPlug2) have four models called: AC30, Classic Rock, Metal, and Bass. Do you perhaps have a first generation version that was called "Twin"?

@Vinny: thanks but, yeah, not in the same price range at all. I'm talkin' $39 and you're talkin' $250. I know that there's better stuff out there. I just want to know if anyone is familiar with the AC30. I'm not gonna pay more for this function at this point.

**medblues** · 02-17-2016, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by jasaco

I'm not sure what you mean by "their Twin model". As far as I can see, the 2nd generation AmPlugs (i.e., AmPlug2) have four models called: AC30, Classic Rock, Metal, and Bass. Do you perhaps have a first generation version that was called "Twin"?

@Vinny: thanks but, yeah, not in the same price range at all. I'm talkin' $39 and you're talkin' $250. I know that there's better stuff out there. I just want to know if anyone is familiar with the AC30. I'm not gonna pay more for this function at this point.

Yes, it's an earlier model there is an overpriced one on Ebay: Vox Amtwin amPlug Twin Headphone Amplifier New | eBay

**Jabberwocky** · 02-18-2016, 12:11 AM

I have 3 Amplug2 (AC30, Classic Rock and Bass) and an Amphone Twin.

For clean tones, the Classic Rock is best with Gain set to about 3 to 3.5. The Amphone Twin works very well in the same vein. But you can get nicer cans for not much more.

The Amplug Bass works well; the treble notes sound dry though; the overtones are scrubbed off. You can hear the treble but keep trying to turn the treble knob up. The bass notes sound nice, bouncy and rubbery.

As a practice gadget, inoffensive sounding as long as your expectation is not high.

I don't like the AC30 as much set to a Gain of 3 to 3.5. Sounds trebly with an anaemic bottom. The Classic Rock module sounds the best as a clean "amp", in my opinion. The Twin module is out of production.

They don't have much output so don't get really loud. I plugged one into a pair of computer speakers and at maximum it was at daytime speaking volume i.e. at about 90+dba.

There are 3 Master Gain settings for each one: Low, Middle and High. I think I used the Middle setting the most for decent clean output and set the Gain thumbwheel to 3.

The Efx are kinda useless so I don't bother with them.

**jasaco** · 02-18-2016, 12:21 AM

Ah, Jabberwocky, this is just what I was hoping to hear, thank you. I do want clean tones, so Classic Rock at 3 to 3.5 sounds best for me. Is the reverb (minimally) acceptable? I don't expect pro quality reverb, of course, but I don't want the sound to be bone dry...

Thanks.

**Jabberwocky** · 02-18-2016, 05:30 AM

The dry tone isn't all that dry. I find it quite pleasing without Efx. The "reverb" efx is rather heavy-handed; I find that there is too much of it and I can't set it to an acceptable level. There are only 3 levels that you can use. So, I don't use the Reverb Efx at all.

I got eneloop AAA rechargeables for them.

**travisty** · 02-18-2016, 06:05 AM

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

I got eneloop AAA rechargeables for them.

+1.

They chew up batteries pretty quickly.

I have one of the earlier ones. Largely inoffensive if expectations are not high. I find it a little bothersome as the connection isn't great but if you are using earbuds (i.e. without a heavy cord) it works. Good quite cheap way to play amped w/ headphones.

**medblues** · 02-18-2016, 07:23 AM

I agree with effects not being great, I spend minutes trying to get the low level of reverb just right and pay attention not to touch it afterward. Mine do not use up batteries in a way I feel cameras and other devices do. Maybe I don't play as much.

**Jabberwocky** · 02-18-2016, 07:48 AM

If you have a nice reverb pedal you can plug the Amplug2 into it, your guitar into the reverb pedal, your headphones into the Amplug2 and take it from there.

**medblues** · 02-18-2016, 12:02 PM

I have also tried MXR MicroAmp, it works !

**mr quick** · 02-18-2016, 12:05 PM

I also have the Ampphone twins which are first of all pretty damn good for listening to music but the guitar sound is solid! I wish I could have that tone in my amp..!

**Jabberwocky** · 02-18-2016, 12:20 PM

I see some love for these pocket wonders. I don't know why they dropped the Twin (and Acoustic and Lead) from the Amplug2 series. The trouble with the Amphone Twin is that it does not have an output jack.

The Acoustic module was fun; you could just about fool your ears into thinking you were playing a phosphor-bronze strung acoustic archtop. I had it briefly before it dropped out of my pocket in the park...

This gets into weird science what's he smokin' category but I swear it sounds warmer with ordinary carbon zinc cells than alkaline or NiMH. Carbon zinc cells don't last long though.

**gspirro1** · 02-18-2016, 12:21 PM

I have the Vox. it's okay and obviously very portable. I just picked up the Blackstar Fly battery pwrd amp. No reverb, but there's a delay setting and just a touch of it adds a nice subtle reverby effect. Tonally it's way more versatile and better sounding that any of the small battery amps I've tried. Headphone/line out is spker emulated. $60, comes with batteries and it's pretty conservative with the power.

**GingerMojo** · 02-18-2016, 02:29 PM

I have finally been able to track one of these down, all Canadian websites are out of stock and most American websites do not ship this unit to Canada. I should be receiving mine next week. I can't hardly wait, such an impressive looking unit.

**Jabberwocky** · 02-18-2016, 03:16 PM

The Vox Amplug2 or the Blackstar Fly, GingerMojo?

**GingerMojo** · 02-18-2016, 04:26 PM

The Vox Amplug2, really stoked about it. Kids and wife always cramping in when I want to practice, now I can put the headphones on anywhere.

**CC & EL Fan** · 10-21-2017, 08:53 AM

I've recently got the Amplug 2 clean.

Bought for warming & tuning up before gigs when everyone else is warming up acoustic instruments. I actually find it quite inspiring to play with, much to my surprise.

Has 3 modes, clean, bass boosted, overdrive. Both cleans stay pretty clean with gain on max & plenty of volume in headphones or on computer speakers.

Has 3 reverbs, I only use the room sound unless mucking about, the other 2 are over-the-top for me, but fun.

Has chorus and tremolo setting but also not my thing really.

**Jonah** · 04-21-2019, 01:31 AM

Which model would you prefer AC30, Clean, Classic rock, Blues?

For getting bearable sound to practice on travel silently.

I used to use Joyo that I got occasionally at 10 dollars or so, it was possible to make it sound... not much annoying (I used only one ear of headphones).
It's broken now.
I want to get amplug. It must be a bit better
I guess?
but I have to order online and can't figure out which one to order.. those labels do not really say much.

**medblues** · 04-21-2019, 02:07 AM

Clean is the best for jazz. If you can find it (more expensive also), Amphone Twin is good too (made by Audiotechnica)

**Jonah** · 04-21-2019, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by medblues

Clean is the best for jazz. If you can find it (more expensive also), Amphone Twin is good too (made by Audiotechnica)

Thank you.
Actually the store where I supposed to buy Clean is the cheapest one.
Amphone is a nice idea but a bit too expensive for my purposes. And I do not like the idea to have all - in-one... one something goes wrong then everything stops working.

**medblues** · 04-21-2019, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by Jonah

Thank you.
Actually the store where I supposed to buy Clean is the cheapest one.
Amphone is a nice idea but a bit too expensive for my purposes. And I do not like the idea to have all - in-one... one something goes wrong then everything stops working.

Amphone headphone can be independent of the amp. The only advantage over the Amplug is the ergonomics of the module on certain guitars can be awkward but you can get an extension cable and solve that issue.

**Litterick** · 04-21-2019, 07:14 PM

The amPhones Twin sounds good and has no ergonomic problems. It is also a pair of Audio-Technica headphones, sold at less than half the price you would pay in a hi-fi shop. What's more, having Vox-branded headphones puts you in with the in-crowd.