VOXAP2CR amPlug 2 Classic Rock Guitar/Bass Headphone Amplifier Black

I bought the "Clean", "AC30", and "Classic Rock" versions. I also own the Blackstar version of the Amplug2, which isn't as well known, but just as good -- it's most similar to the Vox Classic Rock, but a bit heavier with more powerful lows (think Zeppelin for the Vox CR and Soundgarden for the Blackstar). But back to the Vox's -- all versions are really good for their size and price point. The effects are the same for each model and surprisingly decent (chorus, delay, reverb). Note that you can only do one of the three effects at a time, although you can combine one of the effects with gain/distortion. The AC30 has one additional effect -- tremolo -- which is actually enabled by switching channels (not the effects button), so you can simultaneously do tremolo and one of the other three effects and gain/distortion. Each of the three effects has three strength levels -- some online videos/blogs mistaking state that the effects are simply on/off (they clearly didn't read the instructions) when in fact they each have three strength levels. The AC30's tremolo has two levels (or three, if you count "off" as a level), which again is controlled by switching channels.In terms of individual models, the "Clean" model does what it says, so not a whole lot to say. The green channel is pure clean, the orange channel is a bluesier/jazzier twin amp sound, and the red channel can give you some dirty blues tones with the gain maxed-out. The "Classic Rock" model competently does three channels of various 70's-style overdrive (or I suppose 90's-style too, since grunge was similar to the 70's -- so you get two decades for the price of one!). The AC30 is a version of the original 60's British invasion sound, although I've never owned a full AC30 to say how accurate it is -- but I definitely like the sound with the gain maxed-out. You can also get some surprisingly beautiful tones out of the AC30 using the orange tremolo channel with no gain, and with the chorus effect setting on low. I bought the AC30 for the overdrive sound, but did not expect getting such other beautiful tones out of something for $40!One thing I will stress is that headphone type matters a lot. Use the wrong headphones (in-ear or on-ear), and these things are simply toys. Use the correct headphones (over-the-ear, and preferably "closed"), and they are surprisingly good little practice amps. For guitar practicing, I use 80-Ohm Beyerdynamic DT770 PROs, which I highly recommend. As a side note, I'd also recommend a one-time investment in a AAA-battery charger, to save in the long run.Another tip regarding hum, which I've seen others mention -- I also have a low hum on the Clean & Classic Rock models when using the higher-gain red channel (but not the other channels), although this is always with the guitar volume pot at 100% w/treble bleed. The AC30's red channel is not higher gain, so it does not have this issue. In any case, I found that simply rolling down the guitar volume pot a little (like 10% or whatever is required to squelch your treble bleed) eliminates the hum. In any case, it's really only a factor when playing clean, and treble bleed is usually only desired with distortion anyway. If you have separate pickup volume pots like me -- rather than rolling down the master volume, I simply roll down the neck pickup volume 10% or so (since I mostly use that pickup when playing clean), and keep the bridge pickup volume at 100% w/treble bleed, which I mostly use with high gain anyway. Plus, you can't hear the hum when playing anyway, so not that big of a deal. At the end of the day, it's a practice amp, not a performance amp -- but a darn good practice amp for the money!

I bought the VOX amPlug 2 Classic Rock headphone amp after buying and returning the Danelectro HoneyTone mini amp. I liked the style and price of the Danelectro but I ended up having problems with the Danelectro's speaker. The speaker problem was fortunate because the VOX ended up suiting my needs far better than the Danelectro would have even if the speaker had worked properly.Even though the VOX cost more than the Danelectro, its compactness, quality, and more versatile sound was well worth the extra money. I have a 40-watt modeling amp I practice on at home. But if I want to take my guitar somewhere without lugging that amp around and need to practice quietly, the VOX amPlug 2 fits the bill perfectly. It is roughly the size of a large matchbox so you can easily carry it around in your case or even your pocket. The amp's 1/4" plug goes directly into your guitar and rotates 180° in 45° increments. The output on my guitar is on the bottom edge so I plug the amp in and rotate the amp until it locks at an angle flush with the edge of the guitar. The power button and the 3.5mm headphone input are on opposites side of the amp. The FX button is on the top/outside along with the 3.5mm Aux input and the gain, tone, and volume dials. This layout makes it easy to learn to adjust the amp without having to look at it.I typically play everything from the blues to classic, modern, and hard rock. I didn't get to demo the different amPlug 2 models in person but from reviewing the various models on YouTube it sounded like the Classic Rock model was versatile and met my overall needs the best. I'm able to get everything from a nice clean sound to a crunchier rhythm sound to a hotter lead sound out of it in addition to a 3-level adjustable chorus, delay, or reverb effect. As long as you don't have unrealistic expectations for a headphone amp, I think you'll be happy with it. I am.On a side note, if you don't already have one, I recommend also buying a 3.5mm extension cable so you can connect your cell phone's audio output to the amp's Aux input and play along. I had already purchased the iXCC 3-Ft Tangle-Free Male to Male 3.5mm Auxiliary Cable off of Amazon and it has worked well for me. And if you're in the market for a decent pair of inexpensive earbuds, the Panasonic RP-TCM125-K have worked well for me over the years. (Mom Disclaimer: Just don't play too long or too loudly with earbuds/headphones or you'll permanently damage your hearing.)

Worth every penny! I recently got this so that I could practice without being restricted to the room my amp is located in. WIth this, I can plug-in my headphones, strap on the guitar and go to town. I can walk freely all over the house or sit anywhere I choose. Even out on the patio if desired. Love the extra mobility I get with.But, does this thing deliver? In short, it does. I love the variety of sounds you can get with it. From clean to overdrive, or throw in some delay, chorus or reverb and you have many different sounds at your fingertips. Ease of use is a breeze. Simple and straight forward in getting setup and working. Worked great on the guitars I tried it with. I will also mention it works great on acoustic electric guitars too. I really enjoyed playing through my Yamaha acoustic electric with this little headphone amp plugged in.What are you waiting for? You need one of these! Essential for practice when you do not want to disturb others or do not want to be shackled to your amp.