Schertler JAM 400 is it a PA in a box???

[JStotes]

Ditto on the Schertler stuff. I too play the Jam 150 and it works great with both guitar and vocals. When I need a big PA, the direct out works wonderfully and when I just need a little more uummph, I use a Mackie DLM12 on a stick.

I think it's the best sounding, easiest set up I have ever used in over 45 years of gigging.

[Spook]

I'm really torn.. the Jam 150 is big enough for anything I foresee in a jazz or flat top setting. Still, the Jam 400 is really tempting. Doesn't cost a lot more. Will handle virtually anything I'm likely to throw at it. So much great gear.. so little time.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by Spook

I'm really torn.. the Jam 150 is big enough for anything I foresee in a jazz or flat top setting. Still, the Jam 400 is really tempting. Doesn't cost a lot more. Will handle virtually anything I'm likely to throw at it. So much great gear.. so little time.

If you want to one hand it into the club, the Jam 150 is the way to go, and you can always add an extension cab for bigger gigs. The Jam 400 is 46 lbs and would require two hands or a cart. That said, I love it

[bayoubengal]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

No, there is no speaker mount on it, but it disperses well from the floor because of the two eights. You could probably easily enough mount a pole mount on it if need be.

Here is a link to some photos showing that playhardandloud of this forum did do a mod to his RA 400 to work on a speaker pole. Not real detailed photos but I guess it can be done! These photos were posted and taken back in '09 when he was selling it on this forum.

http://s372.photobucket.com/user/don...?sort=3&page=1

I noticed he hasn't been very active on the forum lately (last post was over a year ago), but maybe he would respond to a PM with questions.

[El Conquistador]

The problem with putting this unit on a pole is that all the controls are on top.

Steve

[bayoubengal]

Originally Posted by El Conquistador

The problem with putting this unit on a pole is that all the controls are on top.

Steve

Exactly. That is why I have left it alone! I guess if you dialed your sound in and didn't need any tweaking later you could could "run it up the pole" and be good to go.

[rockabilly69]

And, then you've got to drag the pole to the gig with you and I was trying to minimize my load in I think you could make a small case that could hold all the rest of your gear (mics, cable's, etc) and then use that as a stand when you get all your stuff out. But even better, the Jam 400 wouldn't have to be up that high to get it to disperse a little better so I thought about having metal legs made, like pedal steel legs, you could screw them into machined metal inserts. And then carry them in a little pocket sewn into your padded case!

[Toby Walker]

Nice write-up indeed. I just purchased the same model, as my Jam 100, while having an incredible sound, no longer satisfies my needs for more channels.

[Cuki79]

Originally Posted by sdelsolray

Schertler amps are actually made by SR Technology, an Italian company. Schertler itself has helped with some design aspects for some of the Schertler line (e.g., Unico, David). Recently (in the last year or so), Scherlter and SR Tech have agreed to market even more of the SR Tech amps using the Schertler name. The SR Tech Jam Series from recent years is now the Schertler Jam Series. Same exact product, except the nameplate.

Well it's not totally exact anymore. Schertler acquired SR Tech few years ago. So SR technology is not an independent company.

The people who did not want to work for Schertler started a new company called ACUS. Acus amps sound great but are a bit smaller so there is less bass and warmth. All those amps are made with discrete components and SICA italian made speakers (like the AER compact 60 for example. NB: for the SICA speaker not the discrete components).

http://www.acus-sound.it/en



see the logo in the Schertler group website, there is SR logo.
http://www.schertler.com/fr_IT/home

In France, most shops that used to sell SR-technology turned to ACUS rather than Schertler... Probably ACUS amp are cheaper (as the SR JAM150 was cheaper than the Schertler UNICO).

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by Toby Walker

Nice write-up indeed. I just purchased the same model, as my Jam 100, while having an incredible sound, no longer satisfies my needs for more channels.

Well this review is over 3 years old and I'm still using the JAM400 for a lion's share of my gigs. I did purchase a JAM 200 from fellow forum member pojack1 for some smaller gigs but it is not in the same league volume wise as it's big brother.

The only thing I should add to my original opinion of the JAM400 is that I don't like where they centered the non parametric EQs for the mids and lows, so I use a Empress Para EQ for the main guitar channel and having the extra ability to surgically correct and low/mid resonance problems had made the JAM400 the perfect gigger. Yes I know they have the resonance filter on channel 5 but that is not comparable the Para EQ. I also sourced the parts and modified the JAM 400 for pole mounting. Here's the thread that shows what I used...

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=317315

[sdelsolray]

Originally Posted by Cuki79

Well it's not totally exact anymore. Schertler acquired SR Tech few years ago. So SR technology is not an independent company.

The people who did not want to work for Schertler started a new company called ACUS. Acus amps sound great but are a bit smaller so there is less bass and warmth. All those amps are made with discrete components and SICA italian made speakers (like the AER compact 60 for example).

http://www.acus-sound.it/en

...

see the logo in the Schertler group website, there is SR logo.
http://www.schertler.com/fr_IT/home

In France, most shops that used to sell SR-technology turned to ACUS rather than Schertler... Probably ACUS amp are cheaper (as the SR JAM150 was cheaper than the Schertler UNICO).

Thanks for the update of my post which was written 3 ½ years ago and was correct at that time.

[stephenT]

I've been using a Jam 400 for the same time period, it's still fantastic and still the best acoustic amp (of many) I've owned. Even the weight hasn't bummed me, still worth hauling for the lovely sound. A hand truck is a beautiful thing.

[hotroad]

Just checking in here and saw this thread. My opinion here is just that but different than the rest in this thread so here it is. I had a Jam 400 and used it for about six months until I decided that I did not like it and sold it on this forum. The only reason I didn't like it was the lack of highs to my taste. It has a horn instead of a tweeter and while that projects great, it lacks in high end treble tone, IMHO. Of course tone is totally subjective so forgive me if I step on toes. But I wanted to give this heads up to those reading this thread and thinking that the Jam400 is the ultimate combo amp. For some it is but not this picker. I now use two Shertler Unico's on poles.

[jacm81]

It's a great amp. I highly recommend it.

[Woodstock School Of Music]

Originally Posted by jacm81

I've used a Jam 400 for about 500 solo shows over the last 3 years and the only even slight limitation I've found with it is this one that hotroad points out. I use it to sing and play guitar through and, while I think it has plenty of high end for guitar, it does somewhat lack clarity with vocals. Still, for its size and ease of use, it's absolutely phenomenal and is by far the most commented on and complimented piece of gear I've ever owned. And if you cut the lows, crank the highs and mids, and turn the reverb almost all the way up, you can still get pretty decent vocals out of it. I absolutely recommend it to any solo performer out there.

That's a shame. I never played through the Jam 400 but I own a Roy which is the newer version of the Jam 400 (with a tweeter) and the vocals are amazingly clear. I've sung through a lot of systems in my time and nothing I ever sang through has that kind of clarity and detail. The only way I can describe it is it sounds as natural as singing without a PA