Used AER Compact 60 or new ACUS One 6?

[zurdillo]

I promise it's the last time I'm going to ask for advice for a while on the subject of amplifiers!!!

I need an amplifier for small to medium venues with classical and acoustic guitars (with a condenser mic). I have good quality instruments and I want a high-end sound. Within my budget I have seen two amps in my area, one is a new Acus One 6 ($600 with gigbag) and the other is a used AER Compact 60 MkII ($450 with dust cover). I can’t decide!

Can you help me to decide? I don’t have the possibility of test this amps.

[Yrksman]

I’ve owned both. Great amps, at that price I’d go for the used Compact 60 as long it’s in full working condition.

[zurdillo]

Originally Posted by Yrksman

I’ve owned both. Great amps, at that price I’d go for the used Compact 60 as long it’s in full working condition.

Thank you! I'm waiting detailed pictures and a video for choose

[jseth]

I have an AER Compact 60/2 that I purchased used, and I love it! It's a great little amp that puts out a LOT of very clean sound... I've played some fairly large places with it and have never had the master past 11 o'clock on the dial...

Even with great instruments though, how your guitars sound will depend largely on the type of pickups you have in them... once you "plug in", the quality of the guitar itself has very little to do with how it sounds.

I purchased (after the fact) one of the small folding "wedges" that AER makes for their amps; it allows me to tilt the amp upwards slightly. With the amp on the floor, the bass response is quite full, and the sound "blooms" after about 10' from the amp, then spreads throughout the room nicely!

I have found that, for any sort of higher volume application, having a bit of distance between my guitar and the amplifier helps reduce feedback potential as well as allowing me to hear myself clearly. I try to position the amp diagonally off my left shoulder (away from the body of the guitar) about 8-12' away from me.

I have not tried an Acus One, so I can't comment on that unit, but it's hard to imagine you'd be dissatisfied with the Compact 60... especially at that price, if it's in good condition. You should be able to tell from pictures whether it's been beat up or treated poorly.

[zurdillo]

Originally Posted by jseth

I have an AER Compact 60/2 that I purchased used, and I love it! It's a great little amp that puts out a LOT of very clean sound... I've played some fairly large places with it and have never had the master past 11 o'clock on the dial...

Even with great instruments though, how your guitars sound will depend largely on the type of pickups you have in them... once you "plug in", the quality of the guitar itself has very little to do with how it sounds.

I purchased (after the fact) one of the small folding "wedges" that AER makes for their amps; it allows me to tilt the amp upwards slightly. With the amp on the floor, the bass response is quite full, and the sound "blooms" after about 10' from the amp, then spreads throughout the room nicely!

I have found that, for any sort of higher volume application, having a bit of distance between my guitar and the amplifier helps reduce feedback potential as well as allowing me to hear myself clearly. I try to position the amp diagonally off my left shoulder (away from the body of the guitar) about 8-12' away from me.

I have not tried an Acus One, so I can't comment on that unit, but it's hard to imagine you'd be dissatisfied with the Compact 60... especially at that price, if it's in good condition. You should be able to tell from pictures whether it's been beat up or treated poorly.

Thank you very much for the information, it is very valuable for me, since we are more or less in the same situation.

[varmonter]

If you just play guitar. than i would go
with aer.. If you sing as well. I will say i
sold my aer because the vocals never sounded good to me. I dont know if its
the lack of mid control on the mic ch.
But i needed a mini pa. and the aer
sounded great for guitar. but not so
great for vocals. I bought a EAE d-68.
this is the mini pa i needed. Ive read
some great reviews on the acus stuff.
But have never heard one..so i cant offer up any comments on acus.
The advice on getting some distance is great.
I needed my d68 for a sideman mandolin job i had
last summer. fellow and his wife had a jbl array thingy
but only 2 ch. They played pretty loud. I found putting the
d68 on a pole across the stage from me worked really well.
if it was directly behind me it would feedback quicker.
.

[zurdillo]

Originally Posted by varmonter

If you just play guitar. than i would go
with aer.. If you sing as well. I will say i
sold my aer because the vocals never sounded good to me. I dont know if its
the lack of mid control on the mic ch.
But i needed a mini pa. and the aer
sounded great for guitar. but not so
great for vocals. I bought a EAE d-68.
this is the mini pa i needed. Ive read
some great reviews on the acus stuff.
But have never heard one..so i cant offer up any comments on acus.
The advice on getting some distance is great.
I needed my d68 for a sideman mandolin job i had
last summer. fellow and his wife had a jbl array thingy
but only 2 ch. They played pretty loud. I found putting the
d68 on a pole across the stage from me worked really well.
if it was directly behind me it would feedback quicker.
.

Thank you very much for the info. I will use the amp only for classical and steel string guitars. I will use a condenser mic so I hope the 2 way eq was no a problem for the sound!

[varmonter]

Originally Posted by zurdillo

Thank you very much for the info. I will use the amp only for classical and steel string guitars. I will use a condenser mic so I hope the 2 way eq was no a problem for the sound!

Hmm This could be an issue. the aer
sends only 30v phantom power.
if your mic requires 48v . and yes
that would be the channel 2 xlr input.
with no mid control..
You should edit your original post to
contain this info.(that your micing the guitar) as this is crucial info.
The acus may be better suited for you.
as its more of a mini pa.

[zurdillo]

Originally Posted by varmonter

Hmm This could be an issue. the aer
sends only 30v phantom power.
if your mic requires 48v . and yes
that would be the channel 2 xlr input.
with no mid control..
You should edit your original post to
contain this info.(that your micing the guitar) as this is crucial info.
The acus may be better suited for you.
as its more of a mini pa.

Thank you for the info! I have to consider this. 🤔

[Dakota Red]

My experience with bought-new AER Compact 60/3 is the phantom power works fine with every mike I've plugged in regardless of spec'd requirements. Any number of putatively-acoustic amps seem not to offer full 48V phantom power, but I've [for ex] not found problems with Acoustasonic Fenders' phntm pwr either tho' I prefer the AER.

[zurdillo]

Originally Posted by Dakota Red

My experience with bought-new AER Compact 60/3 is the phantom power works fine with every mike I've plugged in regardless of spec'd requirements. Any number of putatively-acoustic amps seem not to offer full 48V phantom power, but I've [for ex] not found problems with Acoustasonic Fenders' phntm pwr either tho' I prefer the AER.

Precisely one of my previous opton was Fishman Loudbox Artist, with Phantom Power less than 30V. I consulted the distributor of musical instruments and he told me that there was no problem to suite a microphone Oktava MKII that works with 48V. Here the issue can be the lack of meddle control in the xlr input.

[zurdillo]

I wonder what must I test in a used amplifier like the AER. Perhaps some HUM, or noisy buttoms?

[jseth]

My AER Compact is whisper-quiet... no noise, no hum, very quiet - even with mics and guitars plugged into it.

There should NO noise whatsoever from any of the knobs/dials/switches...

I'd say to check out the outputs on the back of the amp, as well, like the DI and line output.

[zurdillo]

Originally Posted by jseth

My AER Compact is whisper-quiet... no noise, no hum, very quiet - even with mics and guitars plugged into it.

There should NO noise whatsoever from any of the knobs/dials/switches...

I'd say to check out the outputs on the back of the amp, as well, like the DI and line output.

Good quality, indeed. Now I have a idea of what check. Thank you!

[lppier]

I like my acus 5 , I chose it over an aer. Do give it a try at least !