AER Compact to speaker question?

[thistle]

I currently have a pair of Fishman SA220s that I have been very happy with. I rarely play places where I need them both, and am finding them a bit heavy to cart around. (I'm a weak old lady) I'm wondering if even one SA220 is more power than I need for most of my gigs.

I'm seriously considering selling them both and getting an AER Compact 60. If I was playing in a noisy pub where the AER might not be enough, can I use a line out from the AER to a speaker?

[B. Adams]

Yes, you could run the DI output directly to a powered speaker or to a mixer connected to a PA system. You could also run the line out the same way, although you may need a DI in line to connect the amp to a mixer using that output.

The line output would not be sufficient to drive a passive speaker on its own.

[sdelsolray]

Originally Posted by thistle

I currently have a pair of Fishman SA220s that I have been very happy with. I rarely play places where I need them both, and am finding them a bit heavy to cart around. (I'm a weak old lady) I'm wondering if even one SA220 is more power than I need for most of my gigs.

I'm seriously considering selling them both and getting an AER Compact 60. If I was playing in a noisy pub where the AER might not be enough, can I use a line out from the AER to a speaker?

There are two outputs on an AER Compact 60, a line out and a DI out. They are different as follows:

1) Line out: Preamplifier output after tone controls, with effects, and after master volume, Mono jack, 1⁄4” (6.35 mm), Output voltage: 1.4 V (+3 dBV), (likely unbalanced).

2) DI out: Balanced XLR output before master, after tone controls, without effects, Differential output voltage: 140 mV (–17 dBV)

For your stated use (an extension speaker), you should use the line out, not the DI out. Your extension speaker must have its own power amp, either built in or separate. Make sure that the external speaker/power amp has an input that can handle (with sufficient headroom) a nominal source voltage of 1.4 V (which is slightly north of the professional +4 dBu standard).

[jseth]

As I approach my 67th birthday, I can feel your pain about heavy gear!

My "big" rig is a Bose L1 Model II, but I own an AER Compact 60 for precisely the same reason of which you speak... it is an amazing little piece of kit! 12 #s and produces an incredible amount of really high quality noise! Yes, you can run outputs off the AER to another speaker (but you'd need a "powered" speaker or a PA to patch into, as the signal from the AER will not have any watts behind it.).

You might consider keeping one of your Fishsticks and checking out one of the new Bose S1 Pro amps - as the AER, it's small and light (15 #s). I do not think it will produce the overall sound levels of the Compact 60, however, but it will get plenty loud for a smaller room/situation. Also, the Bose is only ~$700 here in the Colonies, where the AER is $1200...

[Al Acuff]

I perform with an AER in a noisy local restaurant with a buddy who uses an SA-220. The AER can cover the room equally as well as the SA-220. It has surprising power and dispersion. Plus it's small, easy to carry, and weighs about half what an SA-220 weighs. IMHO you'll probably never need to use an auxiliary speaker.

[thistle]

That's brilliant, thank you all so much for your help!

[Andy Howell]

My AER Compact constantly astounds me when you turn up the volume! It needs a pretty big room before it gets lost!

[varmonter]

although i can never get a good vocal sound out of my aer
i think it's a great guitar amp. my thoughts on
an external powered speaker is That if you do this
you may not like what comes out of the ext speaker unless
you put some eq between the aer and the speaker.
What sounds good coming out of the amp may not
reproduce exactly out of the external speaker so a mixing
board or some sort of equalizer between the two
may be necessary. I have a rig which i use for
small intimate venues. It's a yorkville nc10c
http://yorkville.com/loudspeakers/nx/product/nx10c/
and a sunburst gear amp.
http://www.sunburstgear.com/m6br8.html
although the sunburst
doesn't have the power of my aer it makes up for
that in quality of sound.and it runs on a battery. And vocals sound great through
it. the yorkville has a great design which is a hole through
the speaker and a locking ring so you can mount it on a support
stand slide it down and mount the m6br sunburst on top.
looks like a home made line array. the yorkvill is 300 watts and
really loud if needed. adds more bass and sounds good on its own.
they both weigh in the mid 20 s but are small so easy to lug around.
just another option..
I can run this rig by itself because the m6br8 has a built in 4ch mixer.
but i find i get more control by using a small mackie mixer.

[thistle]

This is an old thread but thought I'd update - when I initially sold the Fishman solo amps I did miss them quite a bit and wondered if I'd made a mistake. I've now been gigging for well over a year with the AER Compact 60 and for most places it's been absolutely fine on it's own. For a very noisy pub gig, I also take a QSC CP8 and as suggested run a line out from the AER to the QSC.

I have been extremely happy with the sound, and can finally admit that the AER sounds much better than the Fishman solo amps. I had toyed with the idea of getting an AER XL or Domino but as I am currently happy with the set up, there isn't any compelling reason to spend more money at the moment.

[DoryDavis]

The newer AER 60 amps carry the effects through the XLR. This is a change as I understand it. The effects have always been present on the line out.

[lkingston]

I just want to mention that the Elite Acoustic D6-8 and D6-58 amps have a dedicated stereo EQ on the XLR line out jacks. It’s a full featured EQ with high pass, bass, sweepable mid, and treble controls. It helps immensely when using an external speaker or speaker pair. I find the high pass filter particularly useful.

[jr.capo]

Hi Thistle. Do you find the C60 drives the cp8 good enough? Would that set up be enough for an outside venue such as a restaurant or winery? I have a k10 and it seems like the AER is louder or punchier than the K10, as if is is not sending enough signal to the QSC

[Al Acuff]

Originally Posted by thistle

I currently have a pair of Fishman SA220s that I have been very happy with. I rarely play places where I need them both, and am finding them a bit heavy to cart around. (I'm a weak old lady) I'm wondering if even one SA220 is more power than I need for most of my gigs.

I'm seriously considering selling them both and getting an AER Compact 60. If I was playing in a noisy pub where the AER might not be enough, can I use a line out from the AER to a speaker?

I had one of the original Fishman SoloAmps which is the same as the SA-220. I sold the SoloAmp and bought an AER Compact 60. I prefer the sound of the AER and you'll be surprised how loud it can go. I've played in a noisy restaurant and had plenty of volume.

AER makes an adaptor that will allow you to put your amp up on a sturdy mic stand. I mostly put mine on the floor or on a chair but it's a cheap accessory and might come in useful sometime.

PS. Just saw that this is a ressurected thread. Glad to hear your Compact 60 does the job for you