The Vox AC50 is often overlooked in favor of its Marshall contemporaries, but make no mistake, these amps have plenty of sound and horsepower of their own. Compared to a JTM45 or early JMP50, the AC50 tends to feel a little more controlled, with slightly less gain and a distinctly different British character.
Neither is necessarily better—they’re simply different flavors of the classic 50-watt British amp sound. This 1966 example has seen some use but still presents well overall. Due to the construction and layout of these amps, some gaps between the chassis and rear panel are normal.
The transformers remain original, while the amp has undergone some routine servicing over the years. The filter caps have been replaced, along with a few resistors and most of the coupling caps, likely in an effort to improve reliability and minimize noise - Please see circuit photos for further details.
Also, it appears that someone has added a standby switch to the top control panel. The original impedance selector has also been removed, with the speaker outputs now hardwired for 8- and 16-ohm operation. For the British amp enthusiast looking for something a little different from the usual Marshall fare, the AC50 is a fantastic alternative.
