|
Post by shuffle on Nov 7, 2006 0:50:59 GMT -7
Okay - im after an honest opinion here -
I own an ac30 and love it heaps! I am curious as to whether or not it is worth me trying to afford to buy a stingray as well.
How much does it differ or compare?
Should i rather invest in something that wont sound the same at all?
Cheers,
|
|
|
Post by Hohn on Nov 7, 2006 1:11:25 GMT -7
I haven't played an AC30 since I played a pre-Korg RI back in '01 that was a backline amp.
It's jmo, but I think the 'Ray is better. It's not spot-on to an AC30, but it does everything I ever wanted from an AC30 and then some. in fact, I was actually going to buy an AC30 (despite my concerns with modern quality of the Korg units) when I discovered the Z site and heard the clips of BP on the new 'Ray. There it was! The sound I wanted!
While both amps have the capability to delivery painfully bright highs, the Ray is much smoother overall, to my ears. I think the Ray can cut more before it gets painful, because the brightness blends in with the tone quite well-- on an AC30, the brightness can come off as added after the fact, instead of integrated in the tone, imo. Hope that makes sense.
That said, the AC30 is a great amp, and I can't say I'd really invest in a 'Ray to add to it unless you want more AC30 tone, just bigger and a little rounder. Otherwise, the Ray sounds close enough to an AC that I'd look at another Z to complement it. I'd actually think of a RT66 or Z-28.
I love my Stang Ray, though-- it's easily the best amp I've ever heard, period.
(dusclaimer: the AC30 I played had greenbacks in it, IIRC, so this might not be fair to compare it to my Ray with Blues, since it's not quite the same, now is it?) jh
|
|
|
Post by billyguitar on Nov 7, 2006 8:45:12 GMT -7
I have a Korg reissue AC30 with blues and a Stang Ray. When I play the AC30 I only use the top boost channel so they sound different to me. The Ray is designed more around the normal channel. To me they sound different enough to want both. But, it could also be partly due to the blues. I would sure put more trust in the Z to gig with. All AC30s can be trouble. Zs are much better built and designed to be easily serviced should the need arise.
|
|
|
Post by cbstrat on Nov 7, 2006 11:05:05 GMT -7
An AC30 especially a vintage one will go into overdrive rather quickly. The Sting Ray will need some type of OD pedal to achieve the same results. Both have a nice three dimensional clean chime. If you need more clean headroom then the Z is best.
|
|
|
Post by Bill on Nov 7, 2006 12:18:25 GMT -7
An AC30 especially a vintage one will go into overdrive rather quickly. The Sting Ray will need some type of OD pedal to achieve the same results. Both have a nice three dimensional clean chime. If you need more clean headroom then the Z is best. Yes, dial up some volume on an AC-30 and you'll get some decent drive. Do the same on a Stingray, not near as much drive...if any. The 'ray needs pedals, but accepts them like a champ. Bottom line, I see the Stingray as not only a beautiful, smooth clean amp that loves pedals, but also a dependable amp you can count on night after night. I had one weird problem with mine in the tube socket, but the doc got to the bottom and we're good now. An easy fix. Just the difficulty of changing out the tubes on an AC-30CC worried me enough to, in the end, not buy one. I see them as different animals, shuffle...enough to where I seriously considered buying one. Maybe you can find one to demo. I just put a Cannabis Rex in my Z cab and the Stingray SPANKS with a tele like you wouldn't believe! ;D
|
|
|
Post by brando on Nov 7, 2006 12:32:06 GMT -7
An AC30 especially a vintage one will go into overdrive rather quickly. The Sting Ray will need some type of OD pedal to achieve the same results. Both have a nice three dimensional clean chime. If you need more clean headroom then the Z is best. You guys are right. I had a '62 Vox with Blues (my brother has it now) and it definitely doesn't have the headroom of the 'Ray. The Vox I would say is a little creamier, but the 'Ray has better string definition and cleans. I could never get my Vox to clean up like the 'Ray, yet I can get the 'Ray to mimic a nicely overdriven Vox by tapping on a good OD or RM pedal. -Brandon
|
|
|
Post by Hohn on Nov 8, 2006 21:39:47 GMT -7
That's the beauty of the Ray. You can always take away headroom with a pedal, but you can't create headroom that doesn't exist within the amp already.
So when I heard the Ray didn't have much drive, it didn't bother me, as I could always ADD drive, but not take it away, you know?
What I DIDN'T know about the Ray was just how stupid loud the thing is. Having owned a Classic 30 as a reference for a 30W EL-84 I thought I knew what to expect. WRONG!! The Ray is about three times louder to my ears.
Normally, I'd complain that the amp is too loud, but because the ray sounds just magnificent even at low levels, and just improves with volume:)
|
|
|
Post by Bill on Nov 9, 2006 6:25:13 GMT -7
What I DIDN'T know about the Ray was just how stupid loud the thing is. Having owned a Classic 30 as a reference for a 30W EL-84 I thought I knew what to expect. WRONG!! The Ray is about three times louder to my ears. Stupid loud is right. Last night at practice I debuted the efficient and clean Cannabis Rex 1x12 with the 'Ray. I swear the rig was as loud as my old Maz Sr/ ZBest . So loud with the RC Booster kicked it I had to twice reach down and dial back the knobs on the pedal...and this is with a Fender HRDx, another Stang Ray, and a Music Man powered steel in the same room. Loudest 30w I've ever seen...think I need to go back to my alnico blue speaker.
|
|
|
Post by billyguitar on Nov 9, 2006 9:59:17 GMT -7
Try a 5V4 rectifier. It reduces the volume a bit.
|
|
boomer
Junior Member
Posts: 54
|
Post by boomer on Nov 11, 2006 22:19:18 GMT -7
I own a Vox AC30 and also just bought a Stangray. I have been doing Some extensive AB'ing to see their differences and similarities. The stang is definitely bigger sounding. It has one of the most beautiful cleans I have ever heard. The Vox will get a lot dirtier. They are definitely in the same ballpark. The Ray has definitely shown me some of the shortcomings of my AC30. My only complaint about the Ray is that it doesn't seem to like pedals as much as my Ac30 and definitely not as much as my Maz 38. Pedals seem to add an annoying fizziness. It can be dialed out a little with the cut knob. I think I am keeping both for now.
|
|