Roland AC-33 - Page 2

BuleriaChk · #16 01-26-2010, 03:42 PM

The BA-330 certainly is attractive, but why would you want one if you already have a SoloAmp? (If you need more inputs, add an inexpensive front end to the SA?)

(For me, it won't fit on the motorcycle...:-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by kramster

Nice buy BC. I will be waiting for a full report.. I am thinking about the BA-330 myself.

mynameis · #17 01-26-2010, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuleriaChk

The BA-330 certainly is attractive, but why would you want one if you already have a SoloAmp? (If you need more inputs, add an inexpensive front end to the SA?)

(For me, it won't fit on the motorcycle...:-)

But the soloamp won't run on 8 AA batteries.

kramster · #18 01-26-2010, 07:48 PM

Plus more imputs, effects, and stereo for us keyboard guys. Stuff like that.

.

.

BuleriaChk · #19 01-26-2010, 08:07 PM

Did you use Krazy Glue to glue the BA-330 to the motorcycle seat?..

Quote:

Originally Posted by kramster

Plus more imputs, effects, and stereo for us keyboard guys. Stuff like that.

.

.

kramster · #20 01-26-2010, 08:12 PM

No....velcro...

BuleriaChk · #21 01-28-2010, 08:07 PM

Actually, the AC-33 is set to arrive on Saturday, in time for my gig (if I have the nerve to try it untested....:-)

The specs indicate that it will be a perfect fit into my Ventura rack pack on my motorcycle (which serves as a gig bag).

I like a lot of things about it, sight unseen, but I do wish it had a DI out, a S/R, although my Takamine DI+ has those if I want to bring it along.....

bfloyd6969 · #22 01-29-2010, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuleriaChk

Actually, the AC-33 is set to arrive on Saturday, in time for my gig (if I have the nerve to try it untested....:-)

The specs indicate that it will be a perfect fit into my Ventura rack pack on my motorcycle (which serves as a gig bag).

I like a lot of things about it, sight unseen, but I do wish it had a DI out, a S/R, although my Takamine DI+ has those if I want to bring it along.....

I'm curious to hear your opinions between the AC-33 and the KC-110. I'm contemplating back and forth between the two myself. As you stated the stand mount is a bonus feature of the KC-110 but I also like the loop featire of the AC-33. Plus you get an additional channel with the KC-110 I believe...

BuleriaChk · #23 01-30-2010, 12:37 PM

The AC-33 just walked in the door, and although I have to leave in 5 min I will post first impressions after firing it up and playing for 5 minutes or so.

1. Reverb/Ambience are great; much better than Mobile Cube (which I liked), and even the SoloAmp(which I like even better).

2. Chorus is extraordinary IMO - I never used to use it, but may well with this unit. The stereo effect is obvious and effective.

3. Sound is well balanced, and lush (I hate to sound like Roland marketing, but that's the only way I can describe it). The sound is not colored, but somehow fuller than other amps. It seems FRFR, though, so this is just preliminary. But I was very pleasantly surprised.

4. Size is just perfrect for my Ventura sportrack acting as a gig bag on my motorcycle.

5. Plenty of power for my usual gigs (restaurants, rehearsals, etc.).

6. WHY IN HELL DIDN"T THEY PROVIDE A POLE MOUNT!! It would have been so easy, and so useful. Sheesh, what were they thinking, that the unit was ONLY going to be used for street husking?

7. EQ is effective (I run mine flat, since the Takamine PU/Premp is so good I don't have to worry about basic sound any more....()

8. But I could discern the effect of the tube in my CTP-2 - still not very pronounced, but more than in either my SoloAmp or A-Ref.... (might be the nylon string rather than steel string difference).

Anyway, if is a keeper; it would have been PERFECT if it had a pole mount....
ARRRGGH!

bfloyd6969 · #24 01-30-2010, 01:33 PM

Thanks for the initial review. Yeah, pole mount would be nice. I really like the chrous on the Mobile Cube (which as you know is a fixed setting) so the fact that you feel the chorus on the AC-33 is better is a def plus selling point for me. Please let us know more when you get more time with it...

mynameis · #25 01-30-2010, 01:37 PM

Thanks for the review. Do you sing as well or will this just be for guitar?

What is the box made from? Could one of these

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/EB9760B/

be attached securely to the bottom?

BuleriaChk · #26 01-30-2010, 03:32 PM

I play guitar primarily, but will occasionally sing and/or dance if provided with a half bottle of manzanilla....:-)

The box is made of covered wood (I think); I am looking into the possibility of one of those sorts of mounts (Yamaha makes one, Genelec makes one that might work). Another possibility is to attach one of those mounts to a thin sheet of plywood and velcro that to the bottom of the amp.

The carrying strap is really tight right now, which is good and bad (I can stick my PodXT stand under it securely, but I have to work to get my fingers under it). I suppose it will loosen up with time.....

One think I don't like is that there are no separate channel settings for reverb, so what ever you choose will apply to both guitar and voice. Chorus is selectable individually for both channels, however. Since I play mostly solo guitar, it isn't a deal breaker, but if you regularly play guitar and sing, it is something to think about.

Unlike the AC-60, it didn't come with a bag of its own, and the speakers are only protected by a thin grill fabric (but they are set back from it about an inch, so it probably won't be a problem in most situations).

I also have tried going into the Aux Input, using my BR-600 as the preamp/rhythm machine, and all is well there....

I will be updating as I get more and more experience with it, but so far so good.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mynameis

Thanks for the review. Do you sing as well or will this just be for guitar?

What is the box made from? Could one of these

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/EB9760B/

be attached securely to the bottom?

mynameis · #27 01-30-2010, 03:53 PM

The global reverb control was a concern of mine as well. I guess it could be set with the ideal level for vocals and make do with whatever it gives you for guitar. Or use a reverb pedal for guitar, but that kind of defeats the purpose of a compact setup.

I saw on the spec page that it runs 2x15 watts plugged in but only 2x10 on batteries. Have you been able to compare operation plugged in vs battery powered yet?

BuleriaChk · #28 01-30-2010, 04:20 PM

It'll be awhile before I try it with batteries, but I never had an issue with the Mobile Cube......

The more I play with the reverb and the ambience, the more I like them. They are different, and both enhance the guitar sound, depending on what you want...

I just tried the AC-33 into my "go to" guitar, and am thoroughly impressed (I had been using a practice guitar before). It sounds as good to me as my SoloAmp..... (maybe even better, but then I'd have to A/B it, and I'm not ready to do that just yet.)

mynameis · #29 01-30-2010, 04:29 PM

Thanks for the updates on this - and please keep them coming.

From the looks of it, except for the lack of the pole mount and the global reverb, the AC-33 looks to be a near perfect and affordable portable / practice amp.

If they'd change their minds and make the necessary changes to add a pole mount it would be great. I think I'll wait a couple months to see if they see the merit of it.

BTW, if you watch the promotional video the first shot they show of the AC60 and AC90 show them on poles, which is pretty funny considering that the mount is the one thing the AC-33 doesn't have.

maggieclarke · #30 01-30-2010, 10:09 PM

I'm in a busking band, the Meetles, and they've been pushing me to buy a Crate taxi amp.. The crate 15 is twice as heavy as the Roland AC-33 and that's an issue. I'll be interested to hear about the power using vocal and guitar with batteries vs. AC. Glad to hear it sounds lush. That's the guitar, I take it? How about the voice? What does it do when pushed to "10"? Just curious..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnHhAaB85EY
I've got the little Vox DA5 (5 watt) amp. You can hear me initially, but not after a while as more are playing. At the moment, the lead guitarist is sharing his crate 15 with me (for my voice) which has made my voice sound SO much better and louder as well while I continue to use the Vox for guitar The Vox did go on strike a couple of weeks ago, but came back after I fiddled with the batteries.

Anyway, I'm very interested to hear about this new Roland AC-33 as well as the new Peavey Nano Vypyr and anything else battery-powered that comes down the line.