Alto Trouper

Ruppster · #1 03-09-2017, 10:21 AM

I usually play my solo gigs using a Bose Compact and/or Schertler Jam 150. Neither are cheap but both do a great job at smaller gigs.

Last week I bought an Alto Trouper for about $180. It's got three channels, 200 watts, bi-amped, and bluetooth capabilities. This thing is a beast for the money!

At this price you can use it as an added speaker, monitor or even by itself. I bought it to keep in my practice room so I don't have to set up and tear down every time I work on my gig.

Added bonus: my daughter can use it when her friends come over and, with the bluetooth capability, it rocks!

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fitness1 · #2 03-09-2017, 10:29 AM

I had a pair a while back and thought they were pretty good - I wish they'd come out with a "super trouper" with 8's and a slightly larger cabinet instead of the 6.5's - think it might give them just a little more warmth

martingitdave · #3 03-09-2017, 10:51 AM

I'm considering adding one to my Line 6 L2t to get a little extra coverage to the back of rooms.

I've been looking at all kinds of "box and stick" line array systems. But, each compact line array option forces me to compromise on features I have built into the Line 6, when I just want a little more penetration in a wine bar I occasionally play in.

In this situation, I would use the Trouper on a pole and the line 6 in monitor position. The Line 6 can be tilted so that it fires to the audience and the performer, from the floor. Nice feature. I'd get bass, and mixing, from the 10" woofer in the Line 6.

I don't want to invest $2,000 or $3,000 in a Bose system, because I won't recoup the cost using it as little as I do.

The only downside to this configuration is more stuff to carry. Hence, I keep coming back to the Eon One with a dbx gorack to get the EQ, compression, and feedback suppression in the Line 6.

Anyway, it's fun to think about.

TheShadowKnows · #4 03-09-2017, 11:05 AM

Alto, like many other manufacturers use peak power in their advertising to make you think you're getting something that will blow anything else out of the water. With that said, the specs for the Trouper are 65 watts rms for the LF & 35 watts rms for the HF. Albeit the HF really doesn't need a whole lot of power to work, having at least 100 watts for the LF will give you more headroom.

I've not played or tested a Trouper myself so I can't say if 65 watts for the LF is adequate. I do know that subs and LF speakers are power hungry and will eat up the wattage quickly. If the OP could tell us how the Trouper sounds cranked, bass wise, that would be helpful.

I was going to buy one but since GC did not have any in store to test, I went with a pair of Kustom (Powerwerks) PA50's, which are 2x 4.5" + 1 piezo horn at 50 watts rms. When you put 2 of them together it can sound very nice in a large room with your acoustic plugged in. There's not a lot of bass but the mids are great!

Cuki79 · #5 03-09-2017, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fitness1

I had a pair a while back and thought they were pretty good - I wish they'd come out with a "super trouper" with 8's and a slightly larger cabinet instead of the 6.5's - think it might give them just a little more warmth

What about the Laney A-Duo

After their audiohub AH4x4 which is close to an alto trooper the made a 1x8" amp

PS: Correction: it is not nearly as powerful as the alto

Cuki

Ruppster · #6 03-09-2017, 03:09 PM

"If the OP could tell us how the Trouper sounds cranked, bass wise, that would be helpful."

It sounds pretty good, especially relative to its price. It's not as clean as the Jam 150 or as dry and crisp as the Bose, nor it is as loud.

But, when you factor in price, it really fills the niche I bought it for: a decent sounding all in one amp/speaker that can supplement your current system, use on its own for practice and/or small gigs, or rock the den at teenage dance parties.

leew3 · #7 03-09-2017, 03:31 PM

In an acoustic duo we use a pair as mains on stands with an unpowered mixer and haven't found a venue in which they were insufficient. We play small rooms that aren't generally too loud so that likely helps. They're hard to beat since we already had the mixer so now have a serviceable PA for not much money. I have a Fishman Artist that we can use to supplement the sound as needed but honestly we've typically used it as a monitor as we haven't needed more than the Altos will provide. As a bonus, when we've run out of inputs (between multiple guitars and mics) I have plugged my mandolin directly into one of the Trouper's channels we aren't already using for mains and it sounds pretty good. I'd recommend them with the caveats other posters have noted in terms of RMS. We have yet to need them maxed out and usually run the master volume at about 65%, channel volume about the same. Since we use them on stands the 6' power cord was somewhat of a problem. I bought a pair of 25' power cords on Amazon for pretty cheap and they work well. As a bonus, I can use the longer chord with any of my other amps and then have less need for additional extension chords when we're 'live.'

Irish Pennant · #8 03-09-2017, 03:56 PM

I wonder how much the Alto would be improved if you put a BEHRINGER EUROLIVE B1200D-PRO subwoofer under it.

rokdog49 · #9 03-09-2017, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by leew3

In an acoustic duo we use a pair as mains on stands with an unpowered mixer and haven't found a venue in which they were insufficient. We play small rooms that aren't generally too loud so that likely helps. They're hard to beat since we already had the mixer so now have a serviceable PA for not much money. I have a Fishman Artist that we can use to supplement the sound as needed but honestly we've typically used it as a monitor as we haven't needed more than the Altos will provide. As a bonus, when we've run out of inputs (between multiple guitars and mics) I have plugged my mandolin directly into one of the Trouper's channels we aren't already using for mains and it sounds pretty good. I'd recommend them with the caveats other posters have noted in terms of RMS. We have yet to need them maxed out and usually run the master volume at about 65%, channel volume about the same. Since we use them on stands the 6' power cord was somewhat of a problem. I bought a pair of 25' power cords on Amazon for pretty cheap and they work well. As a bonus, I can use the longer chord with any of my other amps and then have less need for additional extension chords when we're 'live.'

What he said ^^^^

ricdoug · #10 03-09-2017, 05:23 PM

When you plug a 1/4" plug into the subwoofer out on the PA50's, the output of the cabinets will increase. This is due to not amplifying frequencies below 150 Hz, which are power robbing and also below the usefulness of the 4.5" drivers. Ric

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheShadowKnows

Alto, like many other manufacturers use peak power in their advertising to make you think you're getting something that will blow anything else out of the water. With that said, the specs for the Trouper are 65 watts rms for the LF & 35 watts rms for the HF. Albeit the HF really doesn't need a whole lot of power to work, having at least 100 watts for the LF will give you more headroom.

I've not played or tested a Trouper myself so I can't say if 65 watts for the LF is adequate. I do know that subs and LF speakers are power hungry and will eat up the wattage quickly. If the OP could tell us how the Trouper sounds cranked, bass wise, that would be helpful.

I was going to buy one but since GC did not have any in store to test, I went with a pair of Kustom (Powerwerks) PA50's, which are 2x 4.5" + 1 piezo horn at 50 watts rms. When you put 2 of them together it can sound very nice in a large room with your acoustic plugged in. There's not a lot of bass but the mids are great!

rockguitar2000 · #11 03-10-2017, 07:58 AM

I purchased the Alto Trouper last week, and I am using it for the first time tonight as a single main speaker for my acoustic solo show. I will report back how it sounds. I am using my QSC K10 on the floor as a monitor, which I will also angle towards the crowd to supplement the sound.

martingitdave · #12 03-10-2017, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockguitar2000

I purchased the Alto Trouper last week, and I am using it for the first time tonight as a single main speaker for my acoustic solo show. I will report back how it sounds. I am using my QSC K10 on the floor as a monitor, which I will also angle towards the crowd to supplement the sound.

That's the same arrangement I'm considering. Let us know how I works out.

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lkingston · #13 03-11-2017, 08:07 PM

Roland street cube ex

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lkingston · #14 03-11-2017, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lkingston

Roland street cube ex

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My search just became a post. No delete function. How frustrating!

tgaume · #15 03-11-2017, 08:22 PM

I have a pair of these and think they are great. I feed trouper 1 with the DI signal (post EQ) from my Fishman Loudbox Artist, and then link that to the other speaker.

Works great, for my solo performances. Played a fairly large (about 100 people) VFW the other night and my concerns that they were not big enough to put to rest at my sound check.