Vox AC1RV 1-Watt 2x3 Guitar Combo Amplifier

I'm really happy I chose this over the amplug. It's a little bigger, but it has a built in "drum machine" (albeit non-programmable, preset patterns), tuner function, and can use batteries or wall outlet. Also, if you don't feel like putting on headphones you can still practice using the built-in speaker. I suppose you can't just slip it into the coin pocket in your pants, but it's still very portable (approximate size of 1 skinny/tall can of Redbull, bundled together with a smallish 6" sub sandwich). The only feature this one might miss compared to the Amplug is the line-out, where you might be able to use the Amplug as kind of a pre-amp/DI box.But use it as a headphone amp and it's terrific. Sounds good. Nice and warm or a little fuzzy/growly, you can play with the gain knob and the volume knob to balance the amount of overdriven sound. Great for practicing without disturbing other people. Sounds good through my in-ear, earbuds. I haven't tried yet with full, over-the-ear type studio phones like the MDR-v6, so I don't know how it sounds through that.Auxiliary input 1/8" jack to play along with an mp3 player or computer headphone-outs. Works great, but I just wish there was a volume for the Aux Input signal - as it is, I simply adjust the volume on my mp3 player, no big deal ... but it would've been a nice extra.Drum presets sound good and usable to practice along with, and has a level knob to control drum loudness. The tempo knob is fine but hard to replicate a specific bpm. The tempo knob has about 270 degrees of travel to adjust between 40bpm and 240bpm (according the manual), so small movements of the knob make fairly significant changes in tempo. So it's tough if you're trying to exactly match an mp3 song tempo, but it'll get you in the neighborhood. And that's fine for me, I love that this tiny, reasonably priced unit has drums at all! It has 66 drum patterns organized by style, and mostly sound pretty good and usable. I guess a more user-friendly solution for tempo control would be a digital-jog-dial coupled with a 3-digit LED display, but that would make it more expensive, and the low price of the AC1 (considering the features it has) is a big reason I like it so much.Tuner mode is very basic: it listens for concert "E" and tells you if you're sharp or flat, then you can tune other strings off your E-string. It's not as precise or responsive as the Snark tuner but it'll get the job done in a pinch.Playing through the built-speaker it's pretty limited, as it can only be turned up a little before it sounds a bit too "overdriven" and muddy. But unless someone designs a way to alter physics on planet earth, bass notes played over itty-bitty, tiny 2" speakers are obviously going to have some decibel limitations. Anyhow, it's perfectly fine for practicing in a non-loud environment, and that seems to be the primary purpose of the amp.Overall, I am very happy with the AC1 Bass amp and would buy it again! Vox did a good job building some very useful features into this price point and also gave it some attractive retro aesthetics to boot.

If you want a practice amp that you can use pretty much anywhere then this is your amp. I love it cause its perfectly sized to fit is almost any guitar bag, its pretty good on battery life, has an E tuner etc etc.The cons? This amp can only be used if you are the only one who needs to hear your bass. This amp is garbage when it comes to volume. At max volume it ridiculously distorted. So distorted you would think that you have a pedal/filter on. If you have anyone else playing around you this amp is inaudible. So as a practice amp its fine but I would have personally paid alot more for this amp if they improved the speakers and made it louder. If they kept it the same size and everything but made is 3 times louder, Id pay 3 times as much for it.I have a Roland Micro Cube BassRX that I bought for $250. Its the amp I use when i want to be heard. I keep this in my bag as a practice amp but guess what? I tried my bass on the regular VOX AC1RV (for guitars) AND IT SOUNDS BETTER THAN IT DOES ON MY BASS VERSION!!! Why? Because not only is the same guitar LOUDER on the regular VOXAC1 for guitars but its also MUCH CLEARER!!! I can't believe that VOX would charge more for the bass version of this amp when bass guitars sound louder and less distorted ON THE GUITAR AMP!!!! The bass version of this amp does NOTHING to help the low end tones of a bass. So basically this amp is a wash. If you are interested in getting a mobile practice amp then as a bass player you are better off getting the regular version of this amp for guitars. You will sound better if you do. Don't believe go to GC and try them out. I know from personal experience because my guitarist has the guitar version of this amp and I've gone back and forth in disbelief as to how my bass guitar sounds better on his amp than mine. My amp doesnt sound any lower, there is no advantage to buying the bass version. Its just BS that VOX created so they could charge bass players a little more for a terrible product. The bass version should be CHEAPER than the guitar version just based on performance and yes I checked to make sure that I didnt get a defective amp. I've tried other bass versions of this amp version guitar versions with the same results.