Members lenster Posted January 29, 2012 Members Share Posted January 29, 2012 No offense Terry, but the OP wants to use the solo amp for a main, so its obviously for smaller/quiet gigs and you recommend a $500 dollar, 80 pound sub? Would you take your own advice? fingerpicker, I'm not the OP , just hijacked the the thread. Terry i've already got a powered wharfdale sub 400 watts, just thought there'd be a smaller sub as the idea is to scale down what i take as i am already taking a powered Peavey desk with 2 passive Yamaha C115V to my solo gigs. Solo amp + small sub if the solo amp can't handle the stomp box. Again i'm only doing acoustic performance without MIDI is i hate MIDI hence the stomp box for some beats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fingerpicker Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 fingerpicker, I'm not the OP , just hijacked the the thread. Ok--1000 pardons! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted February 2, 2012 Members Share Posted February 2, 2012 fingerpicker, I'm not the OP , just hijacked the the thread. Terry i've already got a powered wharfdale sub 400 watts, just thought there'd be a smaller sub as the idea is to scale down what i take as i am already taking a powered Peavey desk with 2 passive Yamaha C115V to my solo gigs. Solo amp + small sub if the solo amp can't handle the stomp box. Again i'm only doing acoustic performance without MIDI is i hate MIDI hence the stomp box for some beats. No prob...just offering some insight. And I hear ya about trying to travel as lightly as ya can! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tinfish Posted February 4, 2012 Members Share Posted February 4, 2012 where are you guys playing that a little loudbox is loud enough to cover the gig? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dparr Posted February 4, 2012 Members Share Posted February 4, 2012 I've played the Chapman Stick through the solo amp a few times and was very impressed. Nice highs, mids and a smooth bass. Not a earth shaking bass but surprisingly good. If I didn't already have a several amps I would buy one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Keithos28 Posted February 8, 2012 Members Share Posted February 8, 2012 Before 2009 I was going to buy the BOSE L1 but it appeared high-priced. I have the SA220 since 2009 and its one of the best buys in my musical hardware that I have ever bought. Cool for acoustic gigs in a coffee house or private party. Can be loud as hell too! Here are a couple of reviews that steered me onto the Fishman path. Premier guitar Review:http://www.premierguitar.com/Video/20090505/641/Fishman_SoloAmp_Video_Review.aspx and Acoustic guitar review : http://www.acguitar.com/article/default.aspx?articleid=22921 Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fingerpicker Posted February 8, 2012 Members Share Posted February 8, 2012 You can get two quality powered speakers for less money. My powered speakers have 3 channels, with eq all on the speaker. My reverb/fx all come from my pedalboard. plus you can just keep chaining powered speakers into eachother so you can use one to one hundred. The fishman sounds good and all, but i dont know why its $1,000. acoustic guitar amps in general a way way overpriced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GmanJeff Posted February 8, 2012 Members Share Posted February 8, 2012 It's $1K only if you don't wait for a sale. Compared to powered speakers (I own both powered EVs and the SA-220), the SA doesn't require additional speaker stands or cables, comes with reverb built-in for those who aren't using external FX, and is packaged to be a single rolling unit to make load-in and out easier than is the case with a conventional PA. The design also lends itself to self-monitoring without a separate floor wedge; that is, you can usually position it behind and slightly offset to yourself without the same kind of feedback challenges you'd typically encounter if you place conventional PA speaker behind your vocal mic. The SA is a focused tool, suitable for certain environments and uses. Depending on what you use, powered speakers can be used in noiser/larger environments more successfully, and can be used with a separate mixer for even more flexibility, but typically at the cost of weight, simplicity, and convenience. It's all a matter of optimizing your gear for the application - neither too much, nor too little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vintagevibes Posted February 10, 2012 Members Share Posted February 10, 2012 I've been using one for over a year. I do classic rock (Santana, REM, Allman Brothers, etc...) I play a strat through a Lin6 HD500 with backing tracks. I take a lot of time making my backing tracks sound really fat with lots of bass. The solo amp works great! The bass is tight and punchy and the dispersion is far better than any 2 speaker system I've owned. The bass isn't quite as deep as an L1 with sub but I don't really miss it and I could connect a sub if I really wanted it. I play to crowds from 50 - 200. If I needed more power I would definitely get a 2nd unit. Other than the price it totally beats the Bose in portability - complete, powerful PA in one hand. Very solid build and great company. I don't think many rock players have considered this because it's marketed to acoustic players but I went in to Sam Ash to get some Mackie Thumps and left with this. Great purchase! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pikappant82 Posted April 24, 2012 Members Share Posted April 24, 2012 Alright, I'm interested in a small, compact system. If you look at my signature, you'll see that I already have a very nice PA setup that I use pretty frequently, and I really would not like to change anything with it since I'm very happy with it. But the deal is, I'm in the military and away from my hometown. Every time I go home on leave, there is an event, or something going on where I'm asked to play and sing. Well, I don't have a PA set up there, and I really don't want to rent. I have some musician friends that I grew up with, but if I borrow some of their gear, I feel guilty because I don't get to spend much time with them. So anyway, most of the events or "get togethers" that I'm asked to perform at are usually pretty small (50 people or less). The larger would probably be at some of the horse trail rides we go on and sometimes the camp sites want music, etc and people gather later in the evening after dinner. So in that case I MIGHT get 75 people on a good night, and it being outdoors need a little bit more throw and spread. But all in all, its just one acoustic guitar and vocals....so I don't need much. The other issue is storage size. I'll be keeping this setup at my mom's house, so I don't want to ask her to store something that she really doesn't have space for. So I've kind of narrowed it down to 3 systems (other suggestions welcome): Bose L1 Compact-Small, light, wide angle coverage...but no FX....and no loop in what it calls a built in mixer. it would be fine, but I like at least a little reverb. so id probably end up buying a small mixer to run fx. Another $100? not too bad. Fishman Soloamp-Seems like a nice setup, sturdy, small, light, built in reverb....how much bottom end does this thing get compared to the bose? I don't expect either one to be amazing, but just for acoustic and low country music vocals....anyone want to compare?does it throw/spread pretty well? other than that id say its almost a replica to the bose, price wise and all. Carvin AG100D and 112AG extension cab-Ok, I've used an acoustic amp before, years ago. I had a genz benz shen jr. and for what it was had a pretty great sound with some nice fx. I realize this is not a genz benz. but i like what they have done here with a matching extension cab.. the amp and cab will mount on speaker stands. built in fx......so i realize this is a little more bulky....and #1 i have no experience with these, does anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fingerpicker Posted April 24, 2012 Members Share Posted April 24, 2012 ....So I've kind of narrowed it down to 3 systems (other suggestions welcome):....... I have used all three systems you mentioned!For what you described:First choice: Fisman soloampCarvin setup isnt all that loud, even with the ext. cab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted April 24, 2012 Members Share Posted April 24, 2012 I have used all three systems you mentioned! For what you described: First choice: Fisman soloamp Carvin setup isnt all that loud, even with the ext. cab 2nd this. The Carvin unit is only 100 watts, while the "Fishstick" is 200 watts. The Carvin does have slightly better bottom, and can be ordered w/ a battery pack (making it usable where conveniet AC access is not available) and reverb, but both are an added $$$ option.Still, for solo voice/acoustic guitar gigs w/ easy access to a power socket, the Fishstick is pretty nice, and, from what you describe, will likely serve you better (and I'm a enthusiastic fan of Carvin PA gear! ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fingerpicker Posted April 24, 2012 Members Share Posted April 24, 2012 Terry I think your thinking of the Carvin stagemate, not the AG100d. Stagemate offers the battery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Louis Schwartz Posted April 24, 2012 Members Share Posted April 24, 2012 I agree that the Fishman is the easy answer for your purposes. I will say, though, that if you liked your little Genz Benz Shen Jr., you might want to look into a Shen 150LT, which also mounts on a pole if you want, and can take an extension cab. Nice combo amp/small PA. The amp is surprisingly light (27lbs), and its 12" woofer puts out some nice, full sound with a rich bottom. For gigs of only 50 or less, I use a Genz Benz Pro LT, and that alone is more than enough (richer tone and more flexibility and power than the 150LT). No pole mount, but up on an amp stand the ProLT covers a small room very nicely. It's also lighter than you'd think, but at 37 lbs and a few inches bigger all around, it's not as light and easily portable as the 150LT. Other mid-to-high end combo options that would do the job are amps by AER or Schertler, or one of the SR Technologies Jam series amps. Louis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted April 24, 2012 Moderators Share Posted April 24, 2012 Okay, this all got me going...remember I was thinking I needed an acoustic amp @ ~60W...and then I started researching all the options...and after months, literally months of reading, testing (I have a GC and a SA within a 10 minute drive) and weighing all the pros and cons...I narrowed everything down, and paid attention to many things I've read in this forum (thank you all, btw, for sharing your experiences, this is exactly why I felt we needed a forum like this!) I decided an amp was not the way to go, mainly because it would not get adequate vocal projection. Powered speakers...nice option, but heavy? YES. Bulky? YES. I have a car with a tiny trunk and a very narrow pass-through to the rear seat (designed, I think for skis), so that was a major concern. So now I came down to the lightweight, small profile (hey, I'm pushing 60, and have a bad back...and the rest of me ain't so great either ) units which pretty much left me with 2 options at under $1000: the Bose L1 Compact vs Fishman SA220. 'Head to head' (actually, I wish I could have run these side by side under identical conditions with identical gear, but sadly, that was not the case) with the similarly priced L1 Compact, the Fishstick had better features... reverb was noticeably absent from the Bose. The projection/dropoff with the Compact was pretty much the same as the Fishman (to my fairly well trained ear, although, in a store, you can't really get too far away from the unit) and the set up/tear down on the Fishman was a bit faster/simpler (except if the tripod is being scissor-y)...and the whole Fishman fits in one cover, and the cover has wheels! Also the Fishman seemed to look more like a pro-audio rig, with the metal tripod...the L1 looks, sadly, like a plastic toy. On the other hand, the Compact has a nice tidy footprint. Another Bose drawback: about their 'Tonematch' system..oh, it does this nice acoustic guitar 'shaping' thing...but unless you pony up another $500 for the T1 module, you are only getting a tiny piece of the 'Tonematch pie'. So there it was...and now, I own an SA220...so far, I have had it less than a week. I am still trying out things, but frankly, it is very capable of filling a room...not a concert hall, but a mid sized retaurant, bar, coffee house, I would think easily up to 1500sf...maybe more. I discovered a few things...it does not like cheap electronics...my Chinese acoustic fed back almost instantly, my Martin (with Fishman) and my Epi (with Shadow) both sound very natural...and with those, feedback is not an issue, even in my tiny rehearsal space at home. I tried it outdoors...no complaints from the neighbors...I guess I'll have to turn it up louder next time I am open to any advice for Fishstick owners too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fingerpicker Posted April 25, 2012 Members Share Posted April 25, 2012 Powered speakers...nice option, but heavy? YES. Bulky? Yes Is 31 pounds heavy? No. Your not going to compare the fishman to a set of quality powered speakers. I mean you can but there really is no comparison. One QSC K12 would blow the fishman away. Just saying keep things in perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted April 25, 2012 Members Share Posted April 25, 2012 Terry I think your thinking of the Carvin stagemate, not the AG100d. Stagemate offers the batteryOooops, you are right... @ self Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rodclement Posted April 25, 2012 Members Share Posted April 25, 2012 Just my two cents here... I love the fishman unit but you can't compare what it is capable of doing versus a couple of decent powered speakers...two different things for two different applications.Some of the places we play at would work great with a fishman solo, while others need the greater versatility of powered speakers, mixer, etc. My point is, I can do both kinds of gigs with my PA and would be limited with the fishman. At $900 retail, you can get 2 RCF's 310 a's (or even 312's is you shop right) and you will be much better equiped for more situations than with the fishman unit. You can also get EV Zx1A's and get light, quality, and expandable power than would make any working acoustic musician very happy! So I am not saying that the fishman product is a bad one, it's not, but it is more limited than other options at the same price level. JMO Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted April 25, 2012 Members Share Posted April 25, 2012 i looked at the fishman, the bose systems, and several powered speakers... i had been using a fender acoustasonic sfxII but the gigs we've been playing lately have been around 350 - 400 people... for my needs the fishman and bose looked to be a little less power than i needed... especially at those price points... the bose w/2 subs, L1 model II, checks in @ $3600 for 350 watts(?) @ well over 100 lbs, for 4 channels... the fishman runs $1000 for 220 watts, @ 35 lbs, for 2 channels... QSC K8's / yamaha MG124cx board, on sale @ local mom and pop was under $1600 out the door... 2000 watts, under 75 lbs including stands, cables, and board. 12 channels... plus usable effects... the speakers are easy to manage @ 27 lbs, they have an extended bass response eq available that does eat some power if you use it but extends the lower freq response to 38Hz... (subs? why?), 105 degree coverage so no monitors needed with them set a couple of feet off to the side... no feedback problems...one trip for the PA, one trip for the guitars and djembe... if i was playing solo i could probably make one trip do it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rodclement Posted April 25, 2012 Members Share Posted April 25, 2012 @Voltan, I like your thinking, my only issue with the QSC K series is price, they sound as good as the Ev's do and cost twice as much! The only direct benefit I see with the QSC's is that they do disperse better but that doesn't justify the price, at least not for me. As for power...well the qsc's are not 1000 watts each...no matter what they advertise... Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fingerpicker Posted April 25, 2012 Members Share Posted April 25, 2012 I think the comparisons made were with either the Bose Compact and Soloamp. The Bose L1 with 2 subs is way more beefy than either and could handle bigger gigs. Regardless I would take your QSC setup over any of the above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members modulusman Posted April 25, 2012 Members Share Posted April 25, 2012 i looked at the fishman, the bose systems, and several powered speakers... i had been using a fender acoustasonic sfxII but the gigs we've been playing lately have been around 350 - 400 people... for my needs the fishman and bose looked to be a little less power than i needed... especially at those price points...the bose w/2 subs, L1 model II, checks in @ $3600 for 350 watts(?) @ well over 100 lbs, for 4 channels...the fishman runs $1000 for 220 watts, @ 35 lbs, for 2 channels...QSC K8's / yamaha MG124cx board, on sale @ local mom and pop was under $1600 out the door... 2000 watts, under 75 lbs including stands, cables, and board. 12 channels... plus usable effects... the speakers are easy to manage @ 27 lbs, they have an extended bass response eq available that does eat some power if you use it but extends the lower freq response to 38Hz... (subs? why?), 105 degree coverage so no monitors needed with them set a couple of feet off to the side... no feedback problems...one trip for the PA, one trip for the guitars and djembe... if i was playing solo i could probably make one trip do it... Where did you come up with that number? From looking at the Spec sheet for the K8 I see 61hz at -10db and 66hz at -6db. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted April 25, 2012 Members Share Posted April 25, 2012 Where did you come up with that number? From looking at the Spec sheet for the K8 I see 61hz at -10db and 66hz at -6db.http://forum.qscaudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3491i found this for you M-man... isnt what i'm looking for but i'm out the door headed for tallahassee... i'll see if i can do better tomorrow for the numbers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Voltan Posted April 25, 2012 Members Share Posted April 25, 2012 @Voltan, I like your thinking, my only issue with the QSC K series is price, they sound as good as the Ev's do and cost twice as much! The only direct benefit I see with the QSC's is that they do disperse better but that doesn't justify the price, at least not for me. As for power...well the qsc's are not 1000 watts each...no matter what they advertise... Rod yeah, rod, i'd have to say i'm thinking more like 500 watts per... thats still a lot of power... 127dB...way loud enough for a duo or acoustic trio for most gigs... and for the cost? they were on sale... i got a very good deal... matter of fact i just found a set of K10's for $1000... used but in excellent condition... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted April 25, 2012 Moderators Share Posted April 25, 2012 Is 31 pounds heavy? No. Your not going to compare the fishman to a set of quality powered speakers. I mean you can but there really is no comparison. One QSC K12 would blow the fishman away. Just saying keep things in perspective. Um, to you, 31 pounds isn't heavy...to me 25 is more than I reall ywant to lift on a regular basis....I have lower back issues....and what part of "I have a car with a tiny trunk and a very narrow pass-through to the rear seat (designed, I think for skis), so that was a major concern. So now I came down to the lightweight, small profile..." This was not a matter of what is better for everyone, this was a matter of my specific needs being met. No, I'm not going to even try to say that the Fish-stick is the be-all and end-all...I heard some outrageously great powered speakers but they did not meet my space and weight requirements. The top half of the SA220 can be lifted easily with one hand (at least I can) and placed on the stand. I don't need a lot of power, as I am targeting small rooms (coffeehouses, restaurants) and frankly, I know that the average person sittng in that kind of venue only cares that the music sound okay and isn't too loud. For (us older) people with health issues, these are legitimate concerns. My point was that compared to each other, in the same price range, the SA beat the Compact, hands down. Not to say the Compact is bad, it just isn't as good all around. And Bose knows that....they had to cut a lot of corners to get a L1 unit into the $1k price range...and it shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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