Udo Roesner Da Capo 75 vs AER Compact 60

[Monsum]

Hi all,

I'm thinking about getting one of these above amps and I can't find much information from the actual users of the Da Capo 75 amp.
I've watched probably all videos on YouTube about it but most of them talk about its features and specifications.
Do you have any experience in trying both and comparing them?
For the owners of the Da Capo, has it been reliable so far?

From the specifications what I like about the Da Capo is more bass frequencies thanks to the bass reflex cabinet and a mid-freq. control on the Channel 2 as well as on Ch. 1

I would appreciate any first hand opinions.

Two additional questions:

1. Has anyone tried to plug a passive HFN pickup straight into the AER or Udo amp? Does it work fine or will I need a preamp?

2. Will any of these amps work for an acoustic bass guitar for occasional session (not a loud one)? Could an bass guitar damage the speaker in such an amp?

[jseth]

I can't really comment on the differences between the two amps, soundwise... I own an AER Compact 60/2, bought it lightly used 7 or 8 years ago. I've been consistently amazed at how good it sounds, both for my 6 and 12 string guitars and vocals. Not a newcomer to amplifying my guitars and voice, I'm still stunned at how loud and pure the sound is from 60 solid state amps, not to mention one 8" speaker!!! I've used that little amp for a sole sound source in some very large venues, with not ever having the master volume above 12 o'clock...

One thing I will say is that I have already read several posts from users of the UDO having issues with various aspects of the amp... when I first researched the AER Compact, I searched for "repairs/problems" with them, and turned up NOT A SINGLE HIT!!!

Due to the pandemic and some serious health issues, I have not used my AER in several years, but I have no doubt that it will function perfectly when I plug it in next... it's the kind of gear that will keep going for a long time if it's given decent care...

The pickups I used with it were both a K&K and the Baggs Anthem SL system... although I did not care for the sound of the K&K (with either the AER or my Bose L1 Model II), the Anthem sounded very good with no issues, save for the obvious one: high volume coming from a small amp from a close-ish proximity is an Rx for feedback, no matter what amp you're using!

If the HFN is passive and high-impedance, the AER will work fine with it. Whether you can dial in a tone you like is another story altogether.

I can't say enough about the quality/fidelity of the AER...

[Monsum]

I got my Da Capo 75 a couple days ago.
Initial impression is more than positive.
Well, it's actually everything I expected from this amp - clear and loud sound, lightweight, effective EQ, lots of headroom, more bass than one might think would come from an 8-inch speaker.
When I have more time I'll do a proper review and a sound demo.

[LievenDV]

yeah the bass from that thing is impressive, I even had to tone it down a bit
Love it, works well with my Maton

[dnf777]

I missed your original post, but am glad you have a positive first impression. I've had mine for about a year now, and have found nothing to complain about, except the small emblem fell off the grill and I had to glue it back on.

My next quest is to try and use it with a Jackery power station and see if it works ok and for a useful amount of time.

I have only played an AER 60 a couple times, but find the daCapo give a much fuller sound, especially in the low end, and is easily eq'd to where you want it.

I spoke with the man at Carter Vintage initially to get an AER, but after a long discussion, decided to try the Udo. He told me he had sold a dozen at that time, all to AER owners in the Nashville area, and had lots of good feedback.

I run an OM-21 and a Maton (both with passive K&K pure) directly into it with no problem, and plenty of signal to work with. I do use a Fishman Tone DEQ just for the reverb and boost, and do find it a little easier to work with, when it has the slight signal boost, but not necessary at all.

I'm looking forward to your review as well...

Dave

[willymartin]

The udo is more "pro" than the AER as far as options/ins/outs. I own an udo...it gets very loud without sounding harsh. I'm not a fan of the reverb on either unit. Vocals, if you intend to use the amp to play and sing through, sound thin as well. To be fair, I remember a while back a few people really liking vox through the AER. As far as "issues", I've had none and have owned the unit for almost 2 years. I don't necessarily recommend either amp (if you are using as an all in one) although, I admit, I cannot bring myself to sell the Udo.

[dnf777]

Originally Posted by willymartin

The udo is more "pro" than the AER as far as options/ins/outs. I own an udo...it gets very loud without sounding harsh. I'm not a fan of the reverb on either unit. Vocals, if you intend to use the amp to play and sing through, sound thin as well. To be fair, I remember a while back a few people really liking vox through the AER. As far as "issues", I've had none and have owned the unit for almost 2 years. I don't necessarily recommend either amp (if you are using as an all in one) although, I admit, I cannot bring myself to sell the Udo.

I am a fan of the Udo, admittedly, but dont think I truly appreciated its capability until I went cordless, and plugged in a Nu-X fob, and walked away to hear the amp from a distance.

As for vocals, I truly believe the best way for ME to improve vocals, is to let someone else do the singing! Short of that, I think th3 Udo really benefits from some vocal processing. With a TC play V-G, it actually does a decent job. Again, better appreciated from a distance, IMO.