Schertler Roy vs AER Domino 3

[ceciltguitar]

Has anyone here had the opportunity to compare these two amps? Both appear to be ideal for acoustic duos.

[lkingston]

I would have loved to. I got my Roy because I got a good eBay deal, but I have no doubt that I would have been really happy with Domino 3 as well. Had a deal on that amp presented itself, I could have easily gone that way.

One thing I will say is that I absolutely LOVE gigging with this format of amp! I use xVive U3 wireless on my mics and the noname version of the Carvin WG5 wireless on my guitar. The only cable I use is one extra long one for power. I use the effects built into the amp. Setup is about two minutes and the sound is just awesome! I absolutely love the lack of clutter!

[Spook]

AER Domino 3 seems closer to the Schertler Unico in terms of function and power. 2X8 speakers and 200W for the AER and 1X10 speaker and 250W for the Unico. Seems the AER at $2800 is kind of overpriced compared to the $1500 Unico and especially the $2100 Roy which is quite a bit more capable that either of them.

[Woodstock School Of Music]

Originally Posted by Spook

AER Domino 3 seems closer to the Schertler Unico in terms of function and power. 2X8 speakers and 200W for the AER and 1X10 speaker and 250W for the Unico. Seems the AER at $2800 is kind of overpriced compared to the $1500 Unico and especially the $2100 Roy which is quite a bit more capable that either of them.

That's my thoughts too


ceciltguitar I can tell you I use the Roy for solo and duo gigs and and it's an amazing amp/PA. It's handled every room and outdoor gig I've thrown at it without breaking a sweat

[lkingston]

Originally Posted by Woodstock School Of Music

That's my thoughts too


ceciltguitar I can tell you I use the Roy for solo and duo gigs and and it's an amazing amp/PA. It's handled every room and outdoor gig I've thrown at it without breaking a sweat

I certainly love mine, and yes, it is amazing what it can handle!

[capefisherman]

I've owned both and while they were very nice I much prefer my ACUS OneForStrings 8. Absolutely silent when not engaged, superb acoustic reproduction, wide range of tonal adjustment, plus it looks soooo classy and cool with its wood cabinet. Highly recommended if you're in the market for a higher end amp designed for acoustic guitar!

[Jinder]

Both are good-I owned the Domino 3 but returned it as it had a faulty channel. Replaced it with the Roy but found the input gain too sensitive for my microphones-I couldn't sing at significant volume without making it overload.

I returned the Roy and bought a Hughes & Kettner Era 2, which is magnificent amp. Sounds better than both the Domino and Roy and has a great feature set. Less channels than the Roy but just such an outstanding tone for both guitar and vocals...can be used as a bass combo too.

[lkingston]

Originally Posted by Jinder

...Sounds better than both the Domino and Roy...

I seriously doubt that. I wouldn’t judge the Roy solely by your experience with one particular amp. The sound I am getting is absolutely stellar. It is certainly equal to what I was getting with my much more complicated Bose L1/T1 setup.

[Jinder]

Originally Posted by lkingston

I seriously doubt that. I wouldn’t judge the Roy solely by your experience with one particular amp. The sound I am getting is absolutely stellar. It is certainly equal to what I was getting with my much more complicated Bose L1/T1 setup.

As I said, the Roy is very good, superb for guitar certainly, but as you know, my personal experience is that the one I was sent couldn't cope with my vocals/mics without clipping. Thomann have since sent it back to Schertler who have been in touch with me several times to discuss the issue (very good and communicative customer service!) about the issue, have fully tested the amp and confirm that it is functioning to within spec tolerances regarding the gain stage. Schertler suggested using a mic pre with strong attenuation in front of the Roy to help reduce the gain, but I wasn't keen on adding another gain stage and more complications when my aim when purchasing an amp in the first place was to simplify matters onstage. I guess it just wasn't the right amp for me, but it was a very odd problem and one that I've never experienced with any AERs or similar amps/mixers/interfaces/anything.

It was doubly frustrating as I really did like the tone of the Roy. However the H&K is absolutely flawless and delivers in every way that I could wish for. I've run it with Sunrise pickups, K&K, MagMics, Piezos, condenser mics, dynamic mics, mic'd percussion, a mixer into the line level Ch4 input, and it's just great. I've been gigging it 3-5 times a week for the last three weeks and it's coped with big rooms, small rooms, loud, quiet, everything. Superb dispersion and projection, not beamy or muddy off axis, just VERY high quality tone with versatile EQ options and great onboard FX.

Both the Roy and Era 2 are in broadly the same price bracket, and are contemporaneous of each other in many ways (same speaker layout, output, size and target market) so bear comparison against one another. I'd strongly recommend that anyone shopping in the Roy/Domino 3 area audition the Era 2. The Roy is the closest thing to it sonically, the Domino 3 felt a little harsh and lacking in depth of soundstage in comparison to me, but still a well specced and high quality amplifier. I liked the portability and light weight of the Domino 3, the Roy is one heck of a hefty beast in comparison and the Era 2 is halfway between the two.

I think unless you are a particularly loud vocalist or using high output mics, you could be quite happy with any of the three. If I was in your shoes, I'd be auditioning the Roy or Era 2...both are a step on from the Domino 3 in terms of tone and development in my humble opinion.

[lkingston]

I personally love working with other musicians in a duo or trio format. For me, it really has to be a multichannel amp. It also has to be able to handle the low frequencies of a cajon and acoustic bass. My absolute favorite format is my guitar and voice with one or two other singers trading off vocals and harmonies. Other times I might work with another guitarist or jazz violinist. I really need the extra channels. The Roy is probably the best game in town for my particular needs. If I was using a mic that was overpowering the preamp, I would probably just get a 10db pad something like this:

[Spook]

Originally Posted by capefisherman

..much prefer my ACUS OneForStrings 8...

Seems I saw where the last generation Jam series which was called the SR Technology Jam series, were designed and built in Italy by the people now producing Acus gear. Could be mistaken. But seems I read that somewhere and the designs are certainly very similar.

I have an ACUS All for One. 350W, 2X8, 6 channel, sounds great. Pretty similar to the Jam 400 that preceded the current Schertler Roy. So I was happy to find a good deal on an ACUS 350 a few weeks back on Amazon. Not as happy when it arrived not working which is OK.. happens.. but the tech support for the small town in Italy was awful. Which is not OK. There's just no support for these.

[Spook]

Originally Posted by Jinder

,, bought a Hughes & Kettner Era 2, which is magnificent amp. Sounds better than both the Domino and Roy and has a great feature set. Less channels than the Roy but just such an outstanding tone for both guitar and vocals...can be used as a bass combo too.

Given the similarity in design, I'm also wondering how the Era 2 could sound better than a Schertler Roy. But sound is a subjective thing and musicians hear what they hear. Glad you found something you like and fits your needs.

From my perspective, the Roy is a bit upscale from the Era 2 in features and price. An input pad for your favorite mic not withstanding. And I do like the 31lb weight and 400W power of the H&K. However, some need the full array of inputs and other features available on the Roy.

For me the 2 channel setup is fine. But I can't live with a weak EQ section. And the Era 2 only has a simple bass, mid, treble set up. Roy isn't all that great in this regard either but at least has a couple of channels with a parametric mid. Wish either company would just offer a 400W, 2X8 powered speaker. Would really rather provide my own signal processing but want the high quality sound.

[Jinder]

Originally Posted by Spook

Given the similarity in design, I'm also wondering how the Era 2 could sound better than a Schertler Roy. But sound is a subjective thing and musicians hear what they hear. Glad you found something you like and fits your needs.

From my perspective, the Roy is a bit upscale from the Era 2 in features and price. An input pad for your favorite mic not withstanding. And I do like the 31lb weight and 400W power of the H&K. However, some need the full array of inputs and other features available on the Roy.

For me the 2 channel setup is fine. But I can't live with a weak EQ section. And the Era 2 only has a simple bass, mid, treble set up. Roy isn't all that great in this regard either but at least has a couple of channels with a parametric mid. Wish either company would just offer a 400W, 2X8 powered speaker. Would really rather provide my own signal processing but want the high quality sound.

I was skeptical about the Era 2's EQ options but with the shape button and EQ shift switch, it's surprisingly effective in terms of tone shaping. The thing that impresses me most about the Era 2 is the depth of soundstage and its ability to fill a room with remarkable dispersion. It is detailed and articulate without ever being harsh, and warm and full without ever being woolly.

As you said, "better" is an entirely subjective concept. I know players who adore their AERs but I couldn't get on with them. I know guys who do solo acoustic shows with 15" powered speakers and subs and love the tone and bass extension for percussive playing or looping. Whilst I occasionally employ that style of playing, that setup would be overkill for me.

I really liked the feature set of the Roy, and the guitar tone was fantastic. The gain issue was odd and, whilst I would have lived with it if the gain scenario had been different, I found it a heavy unit and wasn't mad about the reverb tone. That stuff is all just salad though...the main course is overall tone, which both the Roy and Era 2 have in spades. The latter was right for me but I think you would be happy with either...both worth an audition.

[Spook]

Originally Posted by Jinder

<snip> The latter was right for me but I think you would be happy with either...both worth an audition.

Running a very similar ACUS design (6 channel, 2X8, 350W) and like it quite a bit. But when it breaks it won't be repairable without support available so I continue to browse. Hopefully will find a powered speaker designed with acoustic instruments in mind one of these days.

BTW.. your Era 2 was designed by an AER engineer/founder.

[ceciltguitar]

Thank you to all responders so far for an interesting and nuanced discussion!

Although part of me wants to buy a Roy after reading the discussion, I will probably end up buying 1 or 2 QSC CP8s and a Soundcraft 12 channel mixer, because:

1) CP8s weigh about 20 lbs each, vs 30ish lbs for Domino 3, 50ish lbs for the Roy.

2) Mixer can be placed right beside me on a lightweight foldable waiter stand for immediate access, and speakers can be placed ANYWHERE.

3) Mixer is more channels than I need, but will be usable on the rare occasions that I want / need more channels.

4) Mixer can be used with ANY powered speakers, so easy to make changes if needed or desired down the road.

Still open to suggestions, though, and learned a lot from the great discussion so far.