Best Acoustic Amp under $500

[Fret-O'File]

Originally Posted by sdelsolray

Good suggestions so far. About 15 years ago, I bought two Ultrasound AG50 powered speakers (just like the current Ultrasound DS4 but with no preamps, controls, etc., other than volume). I had pole mount receptacles added to the bottom of each and used them (on sticks) as a mini-PA with a separate preamp, eq and effects. Sounded very good and dispersed well too. I don't know if Ultrasound/Dean Markley is still making the powered extension speaker any more, but what I'm getting at is the following:

1) Speakers on stick project better than speakers on the ground;

2) A single powered speaker on a stick with a separate and simple preamp/eq front end can easily match or outperform an integrated acoustic amp.

Thank you, that's a great idea for the stick mounts. I'll give that some thought when i finally chose and amp.

[Fret-O'File]

Originally Posted by dannyg1

I'd say either the Fishman Loudbox Artist or Schertler Jam 100/Acus one for six. Both of these have different character but I doubt you'll find a better reproduction of clean, pure acoustic sound and vocals than the Schertler or better weight and sound carving control than the Loudbox Artist. In the $500 bracket, these two amps are authoritatively the two best choices out there.

Haven't tried the Marshall AS50 and AS100 and never played the Ultrasounds or Carvins either.

I think I have it narrowed down to the Schertler Jam100 or the Carvin AG300
and I'm leaning towards the Jam even though it almost 100 more. Decisions, decisions but like most say it's a good time to be in the market for an acoustic guitar amp.

[Mandobart]

Originally Posted by sdelsolray

1) Speakers on stick project better than speakers on the ground;

2) A single powered speaker on a stick with a separate and simple preamp/eq front end can easily match or outperform an integrated acoustic amp.

One of the things that sold me on my Carvin AG300 is that it mounts on a stick. Coupled with another cabinet on a stick, its a portable 250 W PA.

[Towzer]

Acus amps
Better and cheaper than AER

Best acoustic amp I have owned and I h had Aer,Schertler,Baggs,ultrasound,fishman,bose,roland

[Fret-O'File]

Thanks again everyone!
I ordered the Schertler Jam 100 so I'm excited to see how it sounds.

[ricdoug]

This is FACT!!! Ric

Originally Posted by Ed-in-Ohio

Carvin AG200 ($425) or AG300 ($510). End of list!

[aknow]

Originally Posted by Fret-O'File

I was and still am considering a battery powered amp like the Roland AC-33 but now that I've read about supplying power with and inverter and a deep cell marine battery, it opens up my choices for amps. I've never played an acoustic guitar plugged in and the ones I've heard always sounded horrible to me. I just ordered the K&K Meridian Pro and now need to choose an amp. It will be used for busking and possible small coffee house gigs. What do you all recommend under $500 as the best acoustic guitar amp?

Carvin AG 200.......slam dunk w/ matching extension speaker

[musicman1951]

Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa

+1 on the Carvin AG300...

+2 on the Carvin AG300.

[MikeB1]

Does anyone have experience with this Schertler model; Guilia Y?

https://secure.schertler.com/en_US/s...fiers/giulia-y

It is 50 watts, weighs 14 lbs. and it goes for $499.

The Schertler may not be as loud as the Carvin 200, but how does wattage relate to tone?

Can a 50 watt amp have just as good quality and tone as a 250 watt?

[Mandobart]

The dark art of rating amplifiers is steeped in fiction, folklore and fantasy. The 250 watt rating just doesn't jive with the 100 VA input rating on the AG300. Every mfr uses some creative advertising here.

250 watts may be RMS, may be peak power, who knows. However, the name plate by the AC IN plug on my Carvin clearly states "90-260 VAC 50/60Hz, 100 VA". For those that haven't spent their careers making electricity, VA stands for "volt-amperes." Power is a vector - it is the cross product of the across variable (voltage) and the through variable (current). Since it is a vector cross product it has three components that form a right triangle. When plotted the horizontal component is true power, expressed in Watts. This is consumed by the resistive elements of a load, usually dissipated as heat. The vertical component of power is reactive power, expressed as volt-amperes reactive or VAR. This is the power used by reactive components (inductive or capacitive). These loads are expressed in impedance, since the reactance varies with the frequency. Reactive load is a big deal on the grid and for a power station. The hypotenuse of this triangle is called apparent power and is expressed in VA. It is the largest component of the power triangle - there is no way a load can draw more true power (watts) than apparent power (VA). So Carvin has posted both 250 watts and 100 VA on my AG300. They cannot both be accurate.

I'm not calling out Carvin on anything - the AG300 is the best acoustic amp I've played through. It completely fits my needs as a musician. All amplifier manufacturers use obscure means to express the power output of their products. It doesn't matter to anyone until you start sizing a stand alone power supply for your amp.

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by MikeB1

Does anyone have experience with this Schertler model; Guilia Y?

https://secure.schertler.com/en_US/s...fiers/giulia-y

It is 50 watts, weighs 14 lbs. and it goes for $499.

The Schertler may not be as loud as the Carvin 200, but how does wattage relate to tone?

Can a 50 watt amp have just as good quality and tone as a 250 watt?

The owner of Django Books, who sells just about every brand of acoustic amp, is quite impressed with the Giulia.

[SLJ710]

You should check a Ultrasound out.

[Cayoot]

Count my vote in for the Carvin AG300 group.
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]

Sounds great on just about any acoustic or electric instrument, and accepts 5 inputs at one time! Oh yeah, it comes in snakeskin too!

[ricdoug]

Carvin's very honest about their ratings. The AG200 and AG300 are Class D 100 watts RMS and 140 watts program into 8 ohms. With the Carvin matching 8 ohm extension cabinet in parallel it is 200 watts RMS or 250 watts program. My Carvin S400D is 60 watts program and 100 watts program with it's matching 8 ohm extension cabinet. It dominates a Jam 100 in acoustical output, sound level, coverage, throw and tonal quality and can also be mounted on a stick and run 3-4 hours on the two internal batteries.


QUOTE=Mandobart;4919257]The dark art of rating amplifiers is steeped in fiction, folklore and fantasy. The 250 watt rating just doesn't jive with the 100 VA input rating on the AG300. Every mfr uses some creative advertising here.

250 watts may be RMS, may be peak power, who knows. However, the name plate by the AC IN plug on my Carvin clearly states "90-260 VAC 50/60Hz, 100 VA". For those that haven't spent their careers making electricity, VA stands for "volt-amperes." Power is a vector - it is the cross product of the across variable (voltage) and the through variable (current). Since it is a vector cross product it has three components that form a right triangle. When plotted the horizontal component is true power, expressed in Watts. This is consumed by the resistive elements of a load, usually dissipated as heat. The vertical component of power is reactive power, expressed as volt-amperes reactive or VAR. This is the power used by reactive components (inductive or capacitive). These loads are expressed in impedance, since the reactance varies with the frequency. Reactive load is a big deal on the grid and for a power station. The hypotenuse of this triangle is called apparent power and is expressed in VA. It is the largest component of the power triangle - there is no way a load can draw more true power (watts) than apparent power (VA). So Carvin has posted both 250 watts and 100 VA on my AG300. They cannot both be accurate.

I'm not calling out Carvin on anything - the AG300 is the best acoustic amp I've played through. It completely fits my needs as a musician. All amplifier manufacturers use obscure means to express the power output of their products. It doesn't matter to anyone until you start sizing a stand alone power supply for your amp.[/QUOTE]

[Mandobart]

Originally Posted by ricdoug

Carvin's very honest about their ratings. The AG200 and AG300 are Class D 100 watts RMS and 140 watts program into 8 ohms. With the Carvin matching 8 ohm extension cabinet in parallel it is 200 watts RMS or 250 watts program. My Carvin S400D is 60 watts program and 100 watts program with it's matching 8 ohm extension cabinet. It dominates a Jam 100 in acoustical output, sound level, coverage, throw and tonal quality and can also be mounted on a stick and run 3-4 hours on the two internal batteries.

Not doubting the specs you reference, but they're not found on their webpage or the literature that came with my amp. Again, I'm not saying Carvin is dishonest. I've worked in power plants all my life as an engineer and operator. There is power as the rest of the world understands and applies it, and there is "power" terminology applicable only in the world of audio amplification. "Program power" applies to the speaker rating - that's why it goes up when you add another speaker cab; you have twice the load to dissipate the output of the amp which makes it able to take more power. This cannot make the amplifier produce more power, however.

The most accurate rating is the VA rating at the AC power input. If the amp pulls 100 volt-amperes from the outlet, the amp cannot produce 200 watts RMS. I believe what they may mean is the speakers can handle a continuous audio signal equivalent to 200 W RMS. It should not be taken to mean the amplifier produces 200 W audio power.