VOX T-100 Cabinet

[Bassman 63]

Some say the Vox T-100 cab is awful...
They say 2 15 inch speakers is too much for such a small box. They are probably right. Well it was used by Paul McCartney during the touring years of The Beatles from 1962 thru 1966...but what does he know.
However it has a unique tone to it like it or not. If used at low wattage I'm sure it would work fine. Anyway, it is the coolest looking bass cab ever!

 

[Rick James]

I used to have an MGB. I really needed two, one to drive and one for the shop to work on. I bet the Vox was just as fine a piece of 60s British engineering.

 

[Bassman 63]

Funny but I once owned a 1973 MGB also! I found the car pretty good...didnt have any real problems with it....wish I had a TR 6!

 

[Bflat]

Here's mine:

 

[Bassman 63]

Fantastic! I only have the cabinet. Your' s looks amazing.

 

[ScottTunes]

I had a T-100 cab from North Coast, and didn't like the back rattling and huffing. Sold it, and built one. It's roughly the same size as the 215 cab JohnK built (Starliner?). Loaded with KappaLites. Very nice cab! IMO of course! I like the tight sound, and gentle low end roll off.

I've another in the works that will actually "look" like the Vox, with grill cloth, rounder corners and chrome trolley. I'll also make the matching head box... The Quilter BB800 should fit nicely in it! ;-)

 

[dbase]

I had bought a Vox AC60 in 1965. Thought that it would be great since the Beatles used them. big mistake, big... huge..

 

[Bflat]

I wish I had the stand...they look so much better that way!!!!!

 

[BassmanPaul]

Some say the Vox T-100 cab is awful...
They say 2 15 inch speakers is too much for such a small box. They are probably right. Well it was used by Paul McCartney during the touring years of The Beatles from 1962 thru 1966...but what does he know.

I very much doubt that Sir Paul was a cabinet designer of any sort. It was simply stuff he didn’t need to know.

JMI supplied the Beatles with VOX equipment. The only bass speaker cabinets they made at the time were the 18” Foundation, sold with the AC50 (my very first amplifier pair), the T60, 15 plus a 12 in the same airspace, mated to a 60W SS abortion of a head and the 2x15 usually paired with an AC100 head. My memory does not include a T100 cabinet.

All of these cabinets were 'speakers in a box’ where a box was built and drivers stuffed into it. No actual engineering went into their design.

My Foundation cabinet had a Tannoy 18” driver in an unlined box that sported nary a single handle. it was almost impossible to carry. I added correct VOX handles, one on each side.

I think that this is the third thread you have started about this twin 15 cabinet. What do you need to know.

I guess I should add that I grew up with VOX the same way that North Americans grew up with Fender. The best bass sound I ever got from a VOX amplifier was at the Silver Blades ice skating rink in Liverpool with a borrowed AC30B open back 30W 2x12 combo. That thing took everything my Gibson EB2 could throw at it. It was literally walking down the sloped stage.

 

[Bassman 63]

Like I say, the Vox T-100 to me anyway sounds great at low volume. I suppose you could remove one speaker and block the cut out. Then the cabinet is a more appropriate size. Or just take the back off all together. It all depends on what sound you like.

 

[BogeyBass]

I very much doubt that Sir Paul was a cabinet designer of any sort. It was simply stuff he didn’t need to know.

JMI supplied the Beatles with VOX equipment. The only bass speaker cabinets they made at the time were the 18” Foundation, sold with the AC50 (my very first amplifier pair), the T60, 15 plus a 12 in the same airspace, mated to a 60W SS abortion of a head and the 2x15 usually paired with an AC100 head. My memory does not include a T100 cabinet.

All of these cabinets were 'speakers in a box’ where a box was built and drivers stuffed into it. No actual engineering went into their design.

My Foundation cabinet had a Tannoy 18” driver in an unlined box that sported nary a single handle. it was almost impossible to carry. I added correct VOX handles, one on each side.

I think that this is the third thread you have started about this twin 15 cabinet. What do you need to know.

I guess I should add that I grew up with VOX the same way that North Americans grew up with Fender. The best bass sound I ever got from a VOX amplifier was at the Silver Blades ice skating rink in Liverpool with a borrowed AC30B open back 30W 2x12 combo. That thing took everything my Gibson EB2 could throw at it. It was literally walking down the sloped stage.

My only knowledge of the T100 is it is basically a T60 with a modified baffle for 2x15 instead of a 12" and a 15"

 

[Bassman 63]

Agreed.

 

[ScottTunes]

Likely given a T-100 moniker due to the AC100 amp driving it, and being mod'ed (as mentioned) from 12"+15" to 215.

The proof of how it sounds is in the live recordings. Check out The Beatles' 1st Washington, DC concert.

IIRC, The Beatles amps were "off stage" but still used during the 1st 2 Sullivan shows... No idea if they were used on Sullivan's stage after that...

Also, the T-60/T-100 cab is nearly identical in interior volume to the original 215 Showman cab, which was used frequently for bass in the 60s and 70s. I used one for years (most of the 80s) with 2 EV SROs in it. IMO, everything you need, and nothing you don't, sound-wise!

 

[BassmanPaul]

My only knowledge of the T100 is it is basically a T60 with a modified baffle for 2x15 instead of a 12" and a 15"

Then most likely this was a North American name. it surely wasn’t used in the UK. The T indicated Transistor and was only used for the T60 in the UK. The T60 amplifier was implemented using Germanium transistors and was prone to thermal runaway. The outputs were OC28 IIRC.

 

[Bassman 63]

Likely given a T-100 moniker due to the AC100 amp driving it, and being mod'ed (as mentioned) from 12"+15" to 215.

The proof of how it sounds is in the live recordings. Check out The Beatles' 1st Washington, DC concert.

IIRC, The Beatles amps were "off stage" but still used during the 1st 2 Sullivan shows... No idea if they were used on Sullivan's stage after that...

Also, the T-60/T-100 cab is nearly identical in interior volume to the original 215 Showman cab, which was used frequently for bass in the 60s and 70s. I used one for years (most of the 80s) with 2 EV SROs in it. IMO, everything you need, and nothing you don't, sound-wise!

I wish I had the stand...they look so much better that way!!!!!

Likely given a T-100 moniker due to the AC100 amp driving it, and being mod'ed (as mentioned) from 12"+15" to 215.

The proof of how it sounds is in the live recordings. Check out The Beatles' 1st Washington, DC concert.

IIRC, The Beatles amps were "off stage" but still used during the 1st 2 Sullivan shows... No idea if they were used on Sullivan's stage after that...

Also, the T-60/T-100 cab is nearly identical in interior volume to the original 215 Showman cab, which was used frequently for bass in the 60s and 70s. I used one for years (most of the 80s) with 2 EV SROs in it. IMO, everything you need, and nothing you don't, sound-wise!

So cool! Mine has the 15's that came with it so probably not many watts handling power.
I use it for recording only.

 

[BogeyBass]

IMO, everything you need, and nothing you don't, sound-wise!

For the most part a good old standard 2x15 could satisfy most players yes.

Aside from the its small talk... a sealed 2x15 has its magic as well. Seems to be a lost concept.
And likewise yes certain EVs and even JBLs would do extremely well in this volume.

Of all the power monsters out there the cabs i miss often. Is a somewhat smallish YT-15 traynors. Same thing, small sealed 2x15 and i got amazing tone out those things. Always as a pair though. So i could see 2 T100s as being pretty darn good in any situation. And definitely definately look heck alot better than most these ugly modern things.

And absolutely at low volumes you pretty much got a very sweet classic bass tone found in many recordings. And with highend drivers would surprisingly crush very very over priced 2x10s that players now think are the sizzle

So i can see and understand your love for the Vox.

 

[Bflat]

Then most likely this was a North American name. it surely wasn’t used in the UK. The T indicated Transistor and was only used for the T60 in the UK. The T60 amplifier was implemented using Germanium transistors and was prone to thermal runaway. The outputs were OC28 IIRC.

Yea my t 60 sounded pretty bad, and the transistors blew but it is a driver transformer design, so it is pretty easy to use 2n2955s and change 2 resistors and shes back up and running and still sounding pretty bad.

 

[BassmanPaul]

@Bflat Thank you for making me laugh! Yours is the smile of the day.

Edit: I’d forgotten about the driver transformer. It’s been a long time since I saw one.

Sir Paul didn’t like the T60 either and requested an AC100 to put on top. Then moved to the twin 15 under it. At least that’s how I remember it.

 

[Bflat]

I actually wrote that for you, but its true!!!! I have 2 vox super Beatles, viscount and they are pretty bad too.. but I do have a 64 vox ac 30 with top boost and a separate 2 12 cab that really cooks!!

 

[BassmanPaul]

The VOX AC30TB is arguably one of the best guitar amps ever made. My heart gives a little leap whenever I see one on stage.