Hey guys. So my hobby (actually now more than that) is building acoustic guitars. I build them very light and use quality tonewood, so the sound is very clean and pure.
What I'd like is a PA type amp for my home and also to use outdoors (my veranda), to amplify the guitar and singing. No high volume required, but would like at least 4 channels for guitar and voice. What I want most of all is a pure crystalline genuine tone. I want purity of sound starting at low volume.
So my question is: are there better options than sometihing like the Bose L1 compact, Fishman Sa330, also the Turbosound and HZ systems? Perhaps I just buy quality components such as mixer and speakers and make my own system? Would want some portability though.
What I'd like is a PA type amp for my home and also to use outdoors (my veranda), to amplify the guitar and singing. No high volume required, but would like at least 4 channels for guitar and voice. What I want most of all is a pure crystalline genuine tone. I want purity of sound starting at low volume.
So my question is: are there better options than sometihing like the Bose L1 compact, Fishman Sa330, also the Turbosound and HZ systems? Perhaps I just buy quality components such as mixer and speakers and make my own system? Would want some portability though.
Besides the amplification you may think about the way to pickup the sound. My personal preference is
1. microphone
2. magnetic pickup
And I do not like piezo pickups. I fitted my classic guitar with a cardiod-microphone salvaged from a good sennheiser hands-free lying around. Works nice for me.
But at the end all this is a matter of personal taste.
1. microphone
2. magnetic pickup
And I do not like piezo pickups. I fitted my classic guitar with a cardiod-microphone salvaged from a good sennheiser hands-free lying around. Works nice for me.
But at the end all this is a matter of personal taste.
With speakers creating up to 20% harmonic distortion, I find worrying about amp distortion not germain. An amp with <.5% HD will be fairly transparent, and you can buy 0.1% HD for $30 on the used market. Spend your money on good speakers. A powered mixer is fine for an audience of up to 60 people, 100-150 W. For guitar & voice, you don't need a subwoofer or response much below 200 hz. that cuts weight a lot.
The cardiode microphone pickup bucksbunny suggests gets you out of carrying three boxes, a guitar amp + a PA amp + a speaker. Most PA amps do not have megohm FET inputs suitable for guitar coils. Most guitar amps do not have an input for voice. Powered speakers are all the rage these days, but they do not have phantom power (48 vdc) for condensor microphones.
I'm porting a 2 box system for my autoharp+ voice performances. A Peavey MMA-875T has 8 inputs, phantom power, & 75 watts mono. Cost $65 used including tax & freight, low HD. A coaxial 6.5" speaker from visaton in an 8"x8"x`14" bass reflex box sounds decent and weighs 5 lb. A condensor mike with 1" diaphragm picks up very good sound. If I played guitar I would use a pickup in addition to the voice mike.
I know a more pro harp player. She uses a keyboard amp with 3 inputs. She has a headset condenser voice mike and another pickup built into her harp. A Peavey KB300 keyboard PA is about $300 on the used market and has volume sliders for 3 channels. She's using a Roland I believe, which is fine until it needs repair, from professionals exclusively.
The cardiode microphone pickup bucksbunny suggests gets you out of carrying three boxes, a guitar amp + a PA amp + a speaker. Most PA amps do not have megohm FET inputs suitable for guitar coils. Most guitar amps do not have an input for voice. Powered speakers are all the rage these days, but they do not have phantom power (48 vdc) for condensor microphones.
I'm porting a 2 box system for my autoharp+ voice performances. A Peavey MMA-875T has 8 inputs, phantom power, & 75 watts mono. Cost $65 used including tax & freight, low HD. A coaxial 6.5" speaker from visaton in an 8"x8"x`14" bass reflex box sounds decent and weighs 5 lb. A condensor mike with 1" diaphragm picks up very good sound. If I played guitar I would use a pickup in addition to the voice mike.
I know a more pro harp player. She uses a keyboard amp with 3 inputs. She has a headset condenser voice mike and another pickup built into her harp. A Peavey KB300 keyboard PA is about $300 on the used market and has volume sliders for 3 channels. She's using a Roland I believe, which is fine until it needs repair, from professionals exclusively.
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The job of a PA system is to have no tone at all, it should be a blank canvas. The closest one box solution to that is a modern high quality powered speaker, add a small tabletop mixer and you would have all the flexibility needed to capture and amplify your work. This won't come cheap though, expect to spend at least $1k on this combo because quality components cost real money, but you already knew that.
And example of what I'm talking about would be a Yamaha DXR10 mk2 or QSC K10.2 with a A&H Zed10fx.
And example of what I'm talking about would be a Yamaha DXR10 mk2 or QSC K10.2 with a A&H Zed10fx.
The original QSC K series are stone axe reliable.. all but bullet proof, but they also have a reputation for having an edgy sound. People say they get harsh when pushed... which they do, but even at low to moderate levels they sound a bit harsh or edgy like there may be a peak in the response around 2-3k that didn't get ironed our. The newer K.2 series is much improved in SQ and overall performance.
In comparison the Yamaha DXR's are smooth like an 18yr old scotch, incredibly detailed and controlled output from these for a PA speaker, I own a set of the 15's and they never fail to impress. Another option in an 8" speaker is the EV ZXa1, these are really nice sounding.... almost studio monitor quality.
In comparison the Yamaha DXR's are smooth like an 18yr old scotch, incredibly detailed and controlled output from these for a PA speaker, I own a set of the 15's and they never fail to impress. Another option in an 8" speaker is the EV ZXa1, these are really nice sounding.... almost studio monitor quality.
You know, the sonic complexities of a very fine acoustic instrument, and a powered speaker being able to replicate that (at low volume) almost sounds too good to be true. What you say is very convincing, so it is the rout I’ll be going. A man who knows what a fine scotch is must have a refined taste in all things.
Good suggestions above,let me add a system which many consider the best, and *specifically* designed to do what you need.
*All* they do is Acoustig Guitar amps, nothing else (plus killer Acoustic Guitar Pickups), talk about focusing and dedication.
Not exactly inexpensive, not ridiculous overpriceeither, you may find excellent condition used ones for reasonable price.
If anything, use them as a reference for what is needed and what is not, to build your own.
Loudbox Acoustic Amplifiers | Fishman
*All* they do is Acoustig Guitar amps, nothing else (plus killer Acoustic Guitar Pickups), talk about focusing and dedication.
Not exactly inexpensive, not ridiculous overpriceeither, you may find excellent condition used ones for reasonable price.
If anything, use them as a reference for what is needed and what is not, to build your own.
Loudbox Acoustic Amplifiers | Fishman
Sounds like good tube amp should do it.
And some hifi 12" coaxial high efficiency speakers.
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keep in mind though that the lower E string on guitar has a frequency of only 82 Hz - you do need that!
regards
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