Battery Amp Options...........Opinions?

CASD57 · #1 05-22-2021, 05:04 AM

Has anyone been able to play:
JBL Eon One..
Bose S1 Pro
Fishman Mini Charge
EAE A1-4 MKII 40
EAE A4-8 MKII 80
Roland Street/EX

I like to know your take on the ones you've played/gigged

Vocal tone is as important as Guitar....

jricc · #2 05-22-2021, 06:32 AM

Hi Casd57, Ive been gigging the Bose S1 since Feb and I'm loving the sound and convenience of it. Ive used it in 3 different bars/restaurants, including last night!. The biggest one Ive played is approximately 60 feet long by 50 feet wide. Holds 100-120 people. Ive been using it up on a stand without a mixer, mic straight in, guitar thru a Zoom A1Four for eq and reverb. The mic volume is at 12 o clock, the guitar at 10 o clock. So plenty of volume left to play with.

Havent used the Loudbox mini, but gigged an Artist for years and while it has a little more volume, the sound is more nasal and congested in comparison to the S1. The vocals are way better thru the S1.

Hope this helps.

Rudy4 · #3 05-22-2021, 06:58 AM

I have previously owned the Cube Street and now own the Cube EX. Both of these amps are sturdy (and pricey...) workhorses for both personal use and busking amps. Their light weight and ability to run for hours on a set of fresh AA batteries make them particularly worthy of busking amps.

Both are great little amps and sound good for guitar as well as vocals. I've used both as personal PAs, the Cube EX is a better choice for that use; dual 8" drivers and 2" dual tweeters as well as the higher power capabilities go a long way towards the Cube EX's ability to be a seriously loud small format PA.

I think each of the many choices you ask about have their good and bad points, so it's going to boil down to your personal use. Number of channels, effects, driver size, weight, ease of carrying, and possibility of battery operation would be points to weigh when making your decision.

One of the main reasons I choose the Cube EX (and formerly Cube Street...) is for home use the true stereo reverbs and effects such as chorus are quite effective and add a lot to the experience of using a home amp. I also use my Cube EX as the playback device for my looper and it's an ideal companion for that use.

There are previous posts by me here on the forum where I've added Youtube videos demonstrating that use. I stuck a Tascam DR-05 in front of the Cube EX so the stereo reverb is apparent in that use.

varmonter · #4 05-22-2021, 07:35 AM

ive owned eae d68 for
years. The analog ones i would
think sound better. But the
d68 is stellar.

wweiss · #5 05-22-2021, 09:19 AM

Made this Shoot out video for YouTube. Might answer some of your questions.

https://youtu.be/LJnoeZR8QaI

lkingston · #6 05-23-2021, 06:50 PM

The Elite Acoustics stuff sounds better than anything else that is battery powered on vocals. The Bose S1 follows. Probably the Fishman Loudbox Mini Charge is next. The Roland Street EX has this weird peak at 10k which makes it very prone to feedback. It doesn't sound bad aside from that.

I think all the amps on your list sound decent on guitar. The vocal chanel us where Elite Acoustic and Bose pull ahead.

Methos1979 · #7 05-24-2021, 04:20 AM

Of the listed guitars, I've owned/played/gigged the Roland Street EX, the Loudbox Mini (non-battery model) and of course the Bose S1.

The Street EX was okay, lightweight and loud and runs on AA batteries. Sound was decent but not great. Certainly good enough for busking. It also has a bunch of tone settings that can be used for different guitars both acoustic and electric.

The Loudbox Mini (and Artist that followed it) is a fine amp that is small and lightweight, sounds very good and can get really loud. It's a great amp for playing outside and small to medium venues.

The Bose S1 Pro is small, extremely lightweight and sounds fantastic but it's a little under powered by itself. But if you preamp the signals it can get really loud. It's the best sounding of system of three above for both guitar and vocals.

We love the Bose S1 system so much we bought a second one which allows for a whole lot of different configurations. We use an EAE StompMix X6 digital mixer which is also battery powered with an internal rechargeable lithium battery. This gives us the needed preamp power plus extra inputs and tons of control of our signal.

If I was looking for a one-and-done system I'd go with the EAE amps which basically is this fantastic mixer inside of an excellent battery powered amp. If you click on the link down in my signature for reviews and scroll down past all the guitar reviews, there are several reviews of Bose S1 system that have demo videos.

Goat Mick · #8 05-24-2021, 06:39 AM

I've been using my Bose S1 Pro for a little over a year now and I just keep being amazed at it's ability. I've used it to play really small rooms with less than 20 people to large open venues with over 300 people and it just shines every time I use it. I am amazed by the clarity and the ability to fill even the largest noisy bar. I used it in a large local bar back in the winter to about 350 people and I had folks in the back of the room comment on how well they could hear and wanted to know where the PA was. I streamed some music on my break and could hear it clearly all the way in the restroom.

One thing I have found is that I can get much better sound out of it on the floor than on a speaker stand. I tilt it back in the upright position about 8-10' behind me and it sounds nice and full and completely fills the room.

CASD57 · #9 05-24-2021, 06:44 AM

Thanks All....so Far!

Budget wise I can only Afford(Cash) the EAE A1-4 MKII 40 Watt($399) with a 4in woofer.. So I'm a little worried about the 4 in woofer. I have a Kustom PA50 and a PABT40(Battery Powered) That sounds good with 4in woofers..but that is the key "Woofers" they have more than one and the EAE has only one
40 watts isn't a concern because I could always bring my Headrush 108 and a battery pack if needed
So the question is...Will the 4in woofer and tweeter cut it tonal wise for guitar and vocals?
I could always save more and get the 80 watters($699) but them I'm in the Bose territory price wise, actually the Bose is $100 cheaper

Decisions

Captain Jim · #10 05-24-2021, 07:00 AM

Yeah, I'd continue to save up. I currently have the S1, the Fishman LBM (not the Charge), and a Cube Street (not the EX)... the S1 is (by far, to my ears) the best of the lot. Also the most comfortable to cart around.

leew3 · #11 05-25-2021, 05:13 AM

S1 here and everything that's been said thus far is right on track. You'll read a lot about it being 'underpowered'. However in my experience it can fill the room at a lower perceived volume. I too prefer it on the floor behind me tilted back and the sound is just wonderful. This week's gig will see me using my Loudbox Artist though as I want to have some of the onboard effects available. It's also a good option but not battery powered. And the dispersion and throw of the LB don't come close to the S1

Cuki79 · #12 05-25-2021, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Methos1979

The Bose S1 Pro [...] It's the best sounding of system of three above for both guitar and vocals.

I disagree. The Bose S1 Pro sounds better for vocals for sure but for guitar, I like the Fishman mini better... Especially if the guitar-pickup has a lots of low end. However You can not go wrong with either of those two amps.

my 2 cents,
Cuki