My van was stolen recently and along with it my AER Cube 60. I'm looking to replace it and and have come across the SR Technology Jam 90 amp. I've never seen them before and I'd welcome anyone's impressions of them. Thanks.
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My van was stolen recently and along with it my AER Cube 60. I'm looking to replace it and and have come across the SR Technology Jam 90 amp. I've never seen them before and I'd welcome anyone's impressions of them. Thanks.
Hi Mike. Let me first say how sorry I am to hear about your losses. Hope you get your stuff back. Believe me when I say I know a LOT about the pain of loosing gear. Let me also apologize for ignoring this thread. When I saw the title I didn't click it since I'm not familiar with SR Technology and figured I couldn't add anything important. But I thought I'd bump it up since it was heading for Page Two where nobody would see it.
Even though I don't know anything more than the specs I've read up on, sometimes it's useful just to have someone to bounce ideas around with. What were you using the AER Cube 60 for? Are you looking to upgrade from it for some reason? What more are you looking for than you had in the Cube 60? The SR 90 is an impressive looking package. What makes you consider it over just getting a new Cube 60?
I didn't comment earlier because I'm not familiar with that SR amp, but just by looking at the specs on their web site, it doesn't look that impressive compared to the AER Compact 60 (which I assume would be the replacement for the stolen amp?).
It looks like the Jam 90 only has Low and High EQ, compared to 3 bands on the main channel with the AER amps. One of the first things I look for with an "acoustic amp" is the EQ setup, and I think having control over the midrange is essential for tone control, especially if you're using a pickup instead of a microphone. The Jam 90 also lacks phantom power on the mic input, which may or may not be important to you (it would be for me, since I use a clip-on condenser mic).
Finally, there are the questions about build quality and repair service. AER amps are widely distributed, and (if I'm not mistaken) there are repair outlets here in North America. I'm not sure what the repair situation would be with that UK-made SR Technology amp.
I'm a big fan of AER in this particular category of very compact, basic acoustic amps, and I have no experience at all with the SR Technology amps. So, take this with a grain of salt. Just doing the armchair spec shopping thing here.
There are other ways to put together a very compact rig that could sound better and have more capability than a compact AER amp... say, an 8" or 10" powered PA speaker with a little A&H Zed 10FX mixer. But it's hard to beat the AER amps if you want it all in one lightweight, compact box. I'm actually looking at the AER Compact Mobile as a potential upgrade to my Alpha, since we have some outdoor wedding gigs coming up this summer where a battery amp like that would be very useful.
Thanks guys. I got the van back finally. I persuaded the insurance company to pay for the towing by my son to his place of business about an hour out of town to where he did the minor repairs. So that's all good. The AER Cube 60 and the AKG C411 and assorted cables never made it home (and as contents are not covered by car insurance, and with a $500 deductible I'm not sure it's worth going through the hassle for another $500). I used the system basically as as my onstage monitor. I send the DI out to the board and let the sound guy take care of the rest. The Jam 100 (an upgraded Jam 90) is a couple hundred cheaper than the AER and does have two phantom powered mic XLRs with three band EQ and a proper DI output. The dealer gave it to me to try out for a while so it's at home and I'm playing with it now. I've tried it with my KSM 32 and 141 (the new AKG C411 isn't here yet) and with the K&K that's in the A Jr. I'm happy enough with the sound, I sure don't hear a significant difference from the AER but perhaps I don't have that critical of an ear :) . As you can see, the way I use the amp doesn't demand A-1 sound anyhow, when I use this rig I'm playing in noisy bars etc. and I use my 141 when I can otherwise. It is the compact size that I appreciate, amp over one shoulder and mando over t'other and out the door I go.
Again, thanks for the comments and the sympathies guys. Play it purty.