Bugera AC60 NAD & Review

[jonfields45]

A new Bugera arrived yesterday and after letting it run for 24 hours I've tried it out. It seems as loud as I would expect for a 60 watt amp into a single 8" speaker. EQ flat compared to my Yamaha DBR10, both on the floor about a foot from a wall, I like the DBR10 a little better but a tweak of the bass control on the AC60 makes it close enough. Clearly the AC60 is an AER Compact 60 clone with an AUX input, a full speaker stand adapter, and a Roland AC-60 style tilt feature. Here are some pictures to hammer that point home...













Approximately 15 lbs and 12 oz.



If you wait for an MF 15% off sale and consider the 8% points as cash in your pocket eventually; $195.50 which is very competitive for something that appears well built and sounds good. The aux input runs into the master volume control and playing "Hey 19" off my phone did not come that close to the DBR10 but it was eminently listenable, something I could not say for the Lunch Box Acoustic I used to own. I bought this as a bench amp as I am doing a fair number of repairs and pickup installs for friends. I also plan to use it for my now very infrequent pit band gigs. For my duo I have no plans to change from the DBR10 high and behind driven by a Yamaha MG06x.

Prior to a now gone Lunchbox Acoustic I bought and returned an AER Alpha. It had a bad volume pot and I was not going to spray cleaner into a new amp. However, I was never able to get it to sound as good as the DBR10 no matter how long I tweaked the EQ. Just like the Bugera AC60, the AER did not have nutted down POTs, which is unacceptable to me at that price point.

[dannyg1]

Jon,

Can you give us a relative comparison of the qualities of the sound as compared to a common standard like the Loudbox mini? How are the Fx? Vocal channel qualities?

[jonfields45]

I don't have any first hand experience with the Mini except trying out guitars at Guitar Center. I liked what I heard on those occasions. I think the lack of a tweeter and the compensating "color" switch of the AC60 (and AER Compact 60) are something you might like better or not as well. If you like the shimmer of a tweeter this might not be the right amp for you. If you want to play an electric guitar through the amp at times, then maybe the single driver design (color turned off) is a plus (and no tweeter for your Tube Screamer to blow out). I consider my DBR10 to be a pretty good flat response reference and a good way to judge acoustic guitar amps.

I tried out the mic channel on the AC60 and thought it sounded quite good but IMO voice is relatively easy to amplify; acoustic guitar is harder as you compromise size.

The Mini is physically a little smaller and a few pounds heavier.

[RogerPease]

Very useful info, Jon. Thanks! _Roger

[jonfields45]

One more comment, the built-in effects are quite good. I am very happy with the reverb.

[dogdog49]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

One more comment, the built-in effects are quite good. I am very happy with the reverb.

It looks like there's no way to combine reverb and chorus - correct?

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by dogdog49

It looks like there's no way to combine reverb and chorus - correct?

That is correct.

[jonfields45]

Now that I've had it a few months and the honeymoon is over I put it up on eBay to get it out of the house. No amount of knob twiddling and reverb gets it to sound as good as direct into my Yamaha DBR10. The Bugera did not get used much; even when testing pickup installations on my work bench. Maybe anything in that small a box is going to sound inferior to a decent powered PA speaker to my ear. I did buy and return an AER Alpha and I think the Bugera is definitely in the same tone ball park.

The price, projection, features, great effects make it still one to consider, but I'm just going to have to haul something bigger around. And this is from someone who is perfectly happy with a UST (Mi-Si Trio in my case).

[dannyg1]

Hey Jon,

Are you looking elsewhere because you think this amp sounds lifeless without a tweeter? It seems to be the perfect compromise product out for the mix of features/price/power, would you agree with that?

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by dannyg1

Hey Jon,

Are you looking elsewhere because you think this amp sounds lifeless without a tweeter? It seems to be the perfect compromise product out for the mix of features/price/power, would you agree with that?

I'm not sure it is the lack of a tweeter. I can't put my finger on what did not work for me and no amount of tweaking the equalization or application of its very good effects could close the gap. I think it could work perfectly for someone else.

I am using a UST that I'm sure most people on this group would not like. But when I use/add a SBT or or microphone, the hassles in a live gig don't pay back whatever advantage there might be (for me). What I conclude is it is impossible to trust any review. You've got to try it and like it.

[PaulieDC]

I know all this is subjective, but I gave the AC60 a go as my personal monitor on stage at church because where I stand there's no floor wedge and I couldn't hear myself when accompanying a vocalist. Whether there or in my room I'm loving this thing! I use the color switch and cut back the bass so it isn't too boomy which is often an issue with my guitar. The reverb sounds surprisingly good for an amp I got on MF for $212 w/promo code. Usually the tail is cruddy but not on here! When I do this one song requiring chorus, I use the DD/Chorus mode and the slight delay provides good enough ambience for me.

The source of tone is going to define the outcome over all as well obviously, so the electronics in some guitars may work with this, and others not. I'm paying a Taylor 618e, the newer reworked version from 2015. It's a huge body with a ton of bass and for some reason the Expression 2 system in that body works great with the AC60. I run the Treble and Volume at center detent on the Taylor with the bass about 10:00 position. On the amp I use the color tone button and a bit of bass rolloff (please note, most standard size cutaway guitars probably don't need the bass rolloff), and it sounds great even without my simple pedalboard. When I kick in the Boss AD-2 preamp and the CP-1X compressor, I'm loving it. Just sharing my setup because so far it's successful (I tried and returned a lot of other stuff, believe me). Other rigs may not fare well with the AC60, so get it from somewhere where it's returnable, lol.

[dannyg1]

I can see one big difference between the amps in the photos. Though they're both rated at 60w RMS, the Bugera has a 30w draw printed on it and the AER says 120w.

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by dannyg1

I can see one big difference between the amps in the photos. Though they're both rated at 60w RMS, the Bugera has a 30w draw printed on it and the AER says 120w.

As a retired EE, I would suggest you disregard those numbers. The AER is likely rated at some approaching full power and the Bugera is likely rated at 20% power (I suppose another lecture from me on peak to average power for a no distortion audio system telling you that 60 watts RMS translates to 6 watts of average power in our usage is wearing thin... :~).

[dannyg1]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

As a retired EE, I would suggest you disregard those numbers. The AER is likely rated at some approaching full power and the Bugera is likely rated at 20% power (I suppose another lecture from me on peak to average power for a no distortion audio system telling you that 60 watts RMS translates to 6 watts of average power in our usage is wearing thin... :~).

Any idea why Bugera would use a 20% rating?

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by dannyg1

Any idea why Bugera would use a 20% rating?

If you were really concerned about power consumption; for example running the amp off a battery and inverter, 20% is roughly double the likely average power (10:1 peak to average means for undistorted peaks, the average will be around 10%). 2:1 margin is a reasonable safety factor for a battery where deep discharge could damage it.

Power consumption at 20% power output is a relatively wide spread way to spec audio equipment that is not meant to distort.

If you are curious, check out QSC data sheets. Power consumption at 20% rated output is the only way they bring rationality back to their marketing of "continuous" power numbers that would melt down the speaker and be unsustainable from a 15 amp 120VAC outlet.