Samamp VAC 23 Guitar Amp
I discovered this amp at the Nashville Amp Expo. After trying it for a week, I decided to buy it. I'd always hoped I would find a low-powered 1x15 combo amp, and this does the trick nicely.
*UPDATE* I replaced the Jensen Alnico speaker with a Weber Neomag, see specs below.
Amp Specs
- Brand: Samamp - www.samamp.com
- Model: VAC 23, 1x15 configuration
- Power Levels: 23, 18, 11, 5, 3 watts
- Speaker: Jensen P15N Alnico Magnet Speaker Weber NeoMag 15, paper dome, doped cone.
- Price: Base model $1400, see Samamp.com for upgrade prices.
Benefits
- Lightweight despite 15" speaker
- Very little impact on tone from power attenuator
- Several boost / tone options
Trade-offs
- No reverb (I don't use reverb that much anyway)
- No foot-switchable boosts
- Mid-level boutique price
Why I Own It
I've always loved the tone that Stevie Ray Vaughan had in the early 80s when Vibroverbs were his main amps. Unlike the more popular 2x10 version, Stevie had the more rare 1x15 version. And a 15" speaker has a different 'shape' in the lower frequencies than a 12" speaker does.
Because I'm not a rock star, I don't have the luxury of playing at ear splitting volumes on a stage in front of thousands. So I require much lower volume levels, and consquently a lower powered amp. This amp is the first 15" combo that I've found that allows me to get the fat tones of a Fender-style 15" combo amp, but at very reasonable volume levels.
Key Features
The adjustable power circuit is done using a series of small light bulbs which soak up power, reducing both voltage and current. This is different than amps that only reduce the plate voltage of the power tubes. This approach limits the current as well as the voltage, essentially causing the tube to act like a smaller tube.
This allows the amp to sound very good even when running at a miniscule 3 watts. This is the setting that I normally use at home when recording lessons or practicing.
With an upper power level of 23 watts, the amp can get very loud. Louder than what I'll probably ever need.
Friday, October 16, 2009 at 4:05PM