Looking for small amp

quinng · January 25

I recently purchased a ATpro70 for stupid cheap and would like to try some amplification with it, I have a 150watt powered behringer speaker but I'm assuming I'll need some kind of preamp with it, the henrickson and the AER are bit pricey for me at the moment and I'm not playing out enough at the moment to justify that. Was considering getting a XLR-1/4 converter and try that with my line6 hx stomp and using the tube mic preamp on there

seeing what other options are out there. Just something small maybe in 500$ range

Thanks

geese_com · January 25

Check out the Bugera AC60.

It is essentially an inexpensive version of the AER Compact 60. I have had both at the same time and the Bugera compares quite well.

Russell Letson · January 25

As nice as the Henriksen Blu Six is, the discontinued Roland AC-60 offers a lot of the same sonic virtues (and adds a second channel) and can be found used at around $300-400. I went to the Henriksen mainly to save my aging shoulders--seven pounds or so lighter than the Roland and very compact. The Henriksen also has about twice the power, though to my ears their voices are not all that different, at least in the combo settings where I've used them.

I'm sure that it's possible to rig a pre-amp to drive a powered speaker, but a quick search suggests to me that a conventional small combo amp makes more sense logistically, and maybe economically. My rig (Blu on one shoulder, guitar on the other, and gear bag in one hand) from the car into a venue in one go.

MichaelHorowitz · January 25

Generally using mics through an amp is difficult to impossible due to feedback. I can’t think of a single person who has succeeded doing that in a performance situation, save for maybe very low level amplification of rhythm playing. The volume required for lead will just result in a ton of feedback. Mics are great through a PA when used in conjunction with monitors, good acoustics, and a quiet attentive audience. Even then, controlling feedback can be difficult.

bbwood_98 · January 25

I'll jump in and mention my pre-amp, sadly not the cheapest, but mostly it works quite well even at fairly loud volumes through both my Roland AC-60, Acoustic image Coda and my AER Compact. I generally run a DPA 4099 through a headway edb-2 into whatever amp I am using. pretty good eq, and notch filtration on it- so mostly I can adjust to not feedback too much in spite of using a mic for just about every gig.

Several people in town us those very tiny portable behringer speakers for their guitars with both mics and mag pickups in Gypsy jazz settings. Sometimes the sound is pretty good.

B

flaco · January 25

Fishman Loudbox Mini is another inexpensive and good-sounding option. It has a channel with a 1/4 input and another channel with an XLR input

voutoreenie · January 25

Fishman Loudbox Mini

Agree with @flaco - used this for a couple years before upgrading to a Compact 60 and while the AER sounds a lot better in comparison, you'd be pretty hard pressed to tell at any loud gig.

Buco · January 25

I'd say first get a preamp for acoustic guitars with EQ and a notch filter, phase button and such... feedback fighting tools. To use a mic you're going to need a preamp with these features whether you're using the amp or your powered speaker.

Chiefbigeasy · January 25

If I recall correctly, the AT pro 70 has a kind of small battery operated preamp included in the package, which also has a low cut button on the little box. You can plug that directly into your Behringer PA microphone input and get sound. How you shape that sound and deal with the feedback is a whole other topic.

If the PA speaker is mostly in front of you, feedback may not be much of an issue. Placement of the microphone on the guitar is another consideration, both in relation to the PA speaker and in relation to the sound hole. I have found that petite bouche guitars seem to fare better than grande bouche guitars as they seem to be more forgiving re: mic placement.

So, all I’m saying is, you already have the beginning of a system that you can test. If it’s enough for what you want to do, you may not need to buy anything else. Beyond that, I can assure you a long trip down the rabbit hole of amplifying your guitar schemes that many here have fallen into.

quinng · January 25

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/119660#Comment_119660

I did recently come across those, I've had so much bad luck with cheap amps, but this is a new realm, I think there's one at my local GC I'll have to try