EF86 - Y or N?

[marqueemoon]

I’m hoping getting my old Cambridge Reverb back up and running will scratch the Vox itch, but waiting for the tech to be done with it has given me time to go down a rabbit hole of watching demos of other Vox-derived amps.

My general thoughts sound-wise so far is I like the EF86 flavor clean, but I’m pretty indifferent to it dirty, so maybe not something I would go out of my way for.

Thoughts? Is this essential to the chime/worth the potential hassles?

[ziess]

I really don’t think it’s essential. I think the speakers are a much bigger part of the sound. I’ve got a ‘64 AC30 that epitomises chime and has an ECC83 in the preamp, but it does have a pair of Blues in it.

Tommy.

[OffYourFace]

I have a lot of experience with the EF86 from my time at Matchless. I love the sound. Last i checked, the EHX version was the most reliable but it's been years. We would glue a piece outdoor carpet around the tube shield to minimize vibrations.

For cleans, it's a bold and thick sound with a fast attack. It compresses nicely. It's a good 'rock tone' when cranked, depending on the amp. I had a Matchless Nighthawk which is basically a 15w version of the EF86 side of the C-30.

The 12ax7 top boost ckt its the jangly sound.

[marqueemoon]

I have a lot of experience with the EF86 from my time at Matchless. I love the sound. Last i checked, the EHX version was the most reliable but it's been years. We would glue a piece outdoor carpet around the tube shield to minimize vibrations.

For cleans, it's a bold and thick sound with a fast attack. It compresses nicely. It's a good 'rock tone' when cranked, depending on the amp. I had a Matchless Nighthawk which is basically a 15w version of the EF86 side of the C-30.

The 12ax7 top boost ckt its the jangly sound.

Time at Matchless, you say?

A small box Spitfire combo is very high on my list, and it is EF86-less. That would be a stretch for me financially, but a damn great sounding and looking amp. I prefer that sound to the Nighthawk and Lighting.

The most appealing EF86-based option I’ve been looking at is the Winfield Typhoon. I love low powered amps and it’s quite affordable as a head/chassis which could then be isolated from the cab.

[øøøøøøø]

I’ve played AC30s that I like with EF86 and with 12AX7

If I were building one I might weigh my options

If I were buying I’d just wait for an amp I thought sounded great (or was the right price if I couldn’t play in person) and not worry about the tube complement so much

There are so many interrelated variables… ef86 might work better with this speaker, 12AX7 with that

[OffYourFace]

A small box Spitfire combo is very high on my list, and it is EF86-less. That would be a stretch for me financially, but a damn great sounding and looking amp. I prefer that sound to the Nighthawk and Lighting.

The Spitfire is like a tweed-era Fender preamp with a Vox power section. It's a great amp. My Cage Corsa is similar.

[CorporateDisguise]

I love the EF86 side of my Blackcat 30. It seems to everything well. Great, dynamic cleans, that take pedal gain and fuzz super well. It also sounds unreal cranked. I don’t have a ton of experience with Voxes 12ax7 normal channel, so I can’t really quantify a difference. But it does make the top boost side sound pretty bland and boring in comparison.

[horseblanket]

Ef86 is a clear Y for me.
I am running a 64 ac10 clone and i only play it through the ef86 channel. Cleans are chimey yet beefy and the breakup is everything i love about rock.

[marqueemoon]

A small box Spitfire combo is very high on my list, and it is EF86-less. That would be a stretch for me financially, but a damn great sounding and looking amp. I prefer that sound to the Nighthawk and Lighting.

The Spitfire is like a tweed-era Fender preamp with a Vox power section. It's a great amp. My Cage Corsa is similar.

Interesting. Yeah, I really like that sound. It has that Vox immediacy without sacrificing warmth.

Thanks for chiming in, everyone.

It seems the EF86 is just one ingredient of many, and thus far nobody seems to have any reliability horror stories.

[ziess]

As you say, one ingredient of many. I also have a ‘62 AC4 with and EF86 which isn’t especially chimey. Circuit design and speaker have more influence from my perspective.

Tommy.

[repoman]

I built a Trinty TC15 a number of years ago which is a topboost preamp on one channel and a Spitfire preamp section on another (with a AC15 based power section). I do like the EF86 channel but I use the topboost channel pretty much 90% of the time, it's a little sweeter, chimey, clearer. They sound very similar tbh.

[46346]

a big fat Y over here, i'm always thrilled when i go back to my AC-15 (haven't been playing much 'rock' lately) and *especially* love the EF86!

this is the 50th anniversary Vox where they brought back the 1958 EF86 channel
and added a second channel with the classic Top Boost preamp.

i did rock that as my main amp at gigs and studio for over two years. i most often used the thick, throaty EF86 channel,
but very often jumpered the Top Boost 12ax7 channel to blend in more chime.

the EF86 is not essential for a classic vox chime. it's actually a warmer, thicker option.
it still sounds like a Vox AC-15 chime, too, no doubt.
but the Top Boost is the sure thing Ticket to Chime.

yeah, the tube does seem prone to microphonics. i've found some nice vintage used pulls that sound great but seem to get
ringier over time from being in a combo amp. i've had a couple EHX's that have been slightly less exciting, but dependable.

having EF86 on a separate, blendable channel is a great luxury!