What is the best acoustic combo amp???

Darryl Dylan · #1 08-21-2010, 01:41 PM

I'm in the market for a good acoustic combo amp. I've read reviews about Vox, Fender, Fishman, Ashdown........can't make up my mind......any suggestions???

HudsDad · #2 08-21-2010, 01:44 PM

There is no overall "best" amp. What sort of features do you need? How many channels? How much power? What size speakers? Guitar only or do you need XLR inputs for mics? Home use or for gigs? How big are the venues? Need outputs for recording or PA?

Let us know your needs and we can maybe steer you in the right direction.

jalbert · #3 08-21-2010, 01:44 PM

Decide with your own ears by trying as many different ones as you can. While I'm happy with my Fishman Loudbox Performer, there are a lot of other great amps out there as well.

mutantrock · #4 08-21-2010, 02:08 PM

It does depend on what you plan to use it for. I am happy with my Ultrasound 50DS4 for coffee shop size gigs and around the house. Ultrasound makes several models http://www.ultrasoundamps.com/

clicktone · #5 08-21-2010, 02:14 PM

Shertler Unico

CoffeeGuitar · #6 08-21-2010, 02:18 PM

for me aer make the best amps

i have never tried an ultrasound but i have tried a schertler and for me the aer's acoustic channel was superior and more versatile

dont take my word for it though

go and try every amp you can get your hands on and enjoy

and word to ther wise:

alot of people dont try their vocal channels when buying combo amps but it is a mistake you will only make once

Cannon · #7 08-21-2010, 02:38 PM

I may get hung out to dry for this one, but I've been using a Roland keyboard amp (KC550), and it sounds about as good as any I've used. Great ability to reproduce a wide range of frequencies. It is rather heavy though. Glad it comes with casters.

RamóN · #8 08-21-2010, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cannon

I may get hung out to dry for this one, but I've been using a Roland keyboard amp (KC550), and it sounds about as good as any I've used. Great ability to reproduce a wide range of frequencies. It is rather heavy though. Glad it comes with casters.

Would you by chance have a sound clip of you playing and singing (if you sing) through it? Im still waiting for my nearest music store to have one in stock and would like to hear how a guitar sounds.

Cannon · #9 08-21-2010, 02:47 PM

I don't think you want to hear me try to sing... probably not even play for that matter. My recorder is out on loan now so I have no way to make a clip anyway. Sorry.

Darryl Dylan · #10 08-21-2010, 03:30 PM

Thanx for some great advice everyone. I've had my eye on the Vox aga150 combo. I would like one with enough power and versatility for guitar and vocals to go from coffee shops to maybe slightly larger venues. Great advice from coffeeguitar in regards to trying the vocal channels. It seems to me that Youtube videos only have the demonstrators playing the guitars, and not demonstrating the vocals.

brian a. · #11 08-21-2010, 05:39 PM

AER
Ultrasound
Centaur
mini PA's

chitz · #12 08-22-2010, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darryl Dylan

Thanx for some great advice everyone. I've had my eye on the Vox aga150 combo. I would like one with enough power and versatility for guitar and vocals to go from coffee shops to maybe slightly larger venues. Great advice from coffeeguitar in regards to trying the vocal channels. It seems to me that Youtube videos only have the demonstrators playing the guitars, and not demonstrating the vocals.

TRY A FISHMAN SOLOAMP.

rmyAddison · #13 08-22-2010, 08:42 AM

There are a lot of good acoustic amps (Fender, Marshall, Ultrasound, Crate, Fishman, etc.) then, with some overlap with the first group, more expensive really good amps (Genz Benz, AER, Shertler, etc.), and with a different approach the Bose and SoloAmp PA's.

The high enders are all really good and natrual sounding, I prefer the Genz Benz for two reasons: I like 12" drivers (rich full range) paired with a very nice soft compression tweeter, and it has two competely independent channels each with their own effect engine, perfect for guitar and vocal.
I have sucessfully used a Genz Benz Shen Pro with extension cabinet as PA with up to 250 people in a mid size venue.

The SoloAmp is also a good solution, not a Bose fan at all (my opinion), or a small Mackie mixer with QSC speakers (really impressive) is another choice.

Lots of ways to go and lots of good products out there, you need to audition a bunch to get a feel for what works for you.

buzzardwhiskey · #14 08-22-2010, 09:26 AM

Some thoughts on my selection criteria, which are virtually guaranteed not to be yours, but may provoke some thought...

1) Getting an amp up off the ground is of paramount importance, especially if I'm going to sing through it. This cannot be overstated. If a company makes an amp and markets it toward folks who will sing through it, but they decided not to build-in a speaker stand mount, that design has failed to meet its objectives, plain and simple. It would be a mistake for me to buy such a design.

2) Because of #1 (getting an amp off the ground is extremely important), it becomes difficult to adjust the amp at all when it's on a pole. At the very least, this means that on-board effects become a useless money-wasting feature. But frankly it also points toward the real-world research that companies like Bose have done when they put the controls of their amps in a separate box down near the singer. Mind you, I don't particularly like the sound of the Bose units, but that's another thread.

3) Once the volume is up to "concert level" the sound is dependent on a lot of variables. For instance, I'm amazed at how much different the EQ's have been for the different rooms I've played in. But one thing needs to be designed in from the beginning... headroom. That sort of "maxed-out, boxed up, or pinched off" sound vs. a "that wasn't anything, listen to this" sound is very important to me. I'm not technically proficient enough to know all of the design ingredients that go into great headroom, but I know it when I hear it.

15 Man · #15 08-22-2010, 09:30 AM

Hi Darryl!

Welcome to The Forum !!!!

There are some great dedicated acoustic amps out there. I think most of them have been mentioned; but some are worth mentioning again. Such as (in no order of preference) AER, Fender, GenzBenz, Roland, Ultrasound, Crate and Peavey; which I don't think has been mentioned.

One thing to keep in mind is this. If you’re starting from scratch, and don’t already have any effects pedals that you want to incorporate into your rig, then the dedicated acoustic amps are the way to go. Reason being....they already have a lot of effects built right into them; such as Reverb and Chorus.

On the other hand if you’re in a situation like I am and already have a separate Acoustic Pre Amp/DI Box, and some effects pedals that you still want to use, It would probably make more sense to look into a Keyboard Amp. The ones I’ve looked at have minimal effects; so you wont be spending (and wasting) your money on something that you already have. As you can probably tell, I’ve been looking at these as well. I was first thinking about a Bass Amp because I wanted to get a little more of the low end sound out of my rig. But then some of the folks here told me they were using Keyboard Amps with great results. And when you think about it, it does make more sense than a Bass Amp; because it wont be overly “bassy” and many of the Keyboard Amps also have Tweeters for the high frequencies. Some good Keyboard Amps are made by Roland, Hartke, Peavey and Crate to name a few.

Good luck with your search!