what is the best mobile to go amp?

[Tom Wright]

There is appeal in a combo package, but separating functions frees you to use a small head with a generous and efficient speaker cabinet. Conversely, a small, inefficient cab can be rich with enough power to run it, as in my rig with tiny speaker and powerful but lightweight head.

Similarly, you could use any modern solid-state amp, especially those called class D (mostly bass amps like my GK MB200) with an external battery and inverter and play for a long time with a true performing amp. Even the modest battery in my FIOS modem (8 amp-hours at 12V) would run my rig for at least an hour at high output---a car battery would serve for all day. Or you could use the little Electro-Harmonix 44 magnum amp pedal, which has an external power supply like a laptop (24V at 3 amps), and would be happy with two motorcycle batteries and give you a clean 25W for 75W power input.

So if you set up near a car you're fine, or hauling a car battery is not a problem if the amp is lightweight. My performing rig weighs roughly 8 pounds including cables and can play against drums with clean tone, but it is not inexpensive.

[Mike Bunting]

The best are AER and SR amps in my experience though they are AC powered amps. A clean and full sound and they offer phantom and have low-Z connections. Sorry, I have no experience with the amps in the original post so I can't make a comparison there.

[foldedpath]

Yep, I think the AER Alpha is the ideal compact busking amp, if there is AC power available. Just 14 lbs., about 12" cube size, a decent reverb if you want it, and phantom power if you use a clip-on mic. A bit expensive, but you get what you pay for.

AER does make a battery-powered version of their larger Compact 60 amp called the Compact Mobile. However, aside from being very expensive compared to the little Alpha, I'm not sure how easily the rechargeable battery can be replaced. On the other hand, it is rechargeable, which is convenient if you gig this way frequently.

For wedding gigs, we sometimes have to play in a remote location for the ceremony like out on a beach without AC power. Usually we just play acoustic, but if it's a large crowd, I have a compact rig cobbled together from a small gel-cel marine battery with an AC inverter strapped to the case. We use that to power a small Electro-Voice ZXA-1 PA speaker, through a compact Zed10FX mixer. You could use the same arrangement to power an AER Alpha or any other good small acoustic amp. A little more gear to haul than a battery-powered amp, but it lets you use any amp you may already own, or an actual small PA setup like we use.

For situations like that, I've been tempted by the Roland BA-55 or the smaller BA-330, both powered by AA batteries. I don't know what they sound like though, and I suspect anything running off AA batteries will be using very efficient and not terribly hi-fi speakers.

[Tim2723]

At the risk of having run off poor Aleks on his first post, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that to give yourself a little boost to compete with an acoustic viola and a cello, a small battery amp will work perfectly well and give you enough to do the job while being really easy and quick to set up without a tangle of wires and a lot of technology clutter.

Put a pickup or a small mic on your mandolin, set the little amp down next to your chair, run a single cable so it's not ugly and obtrusive, and you're in business.

[foldedpath]

At the risk of having run off poor Aleks on his first post, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that to give yourself a little boost to compete with an acoustic viola and a cello, a small battery amp will work perfectly well and give you enough to do the job while being really easy and quick to set up without a tangle of wires and a lot of technology clutter.

Put a pickup or a small mic on your mandolin, set the little amp down next to your chair, run a single cable so it's not ugly and obtrusive, and you're in business.

Well, I hope we didn't run Aleks off, but since this thread is named "best mobile to go amp?" and that will come up in future Cafe searches, and as usual the word "best" is quoted without reference to available budget, I think it's worth discussing all the options.

Also, I have to disagree about how well a small battery amp will work in the OP's situation, like the first amps mentioned. A cello makes a powerful acoustic sound, and there is also a viola player hogging a big part of the midrange. The mandolin will presumably occupy the sonic range where you'd normally hear a violin. Those are some big shoes to fill, with our relatively quiet instrument. Balance is needed, and I don't think you're going to get much balance out of a small battery powered amp with a 4" speaker.

Just my opinion, and I could be wrong because we don't know the OP's exact situation... like what kind of music they're playing, for starters. I do know that it's possible to amplify yourself with cheap equipment, and sound worse than you would with no amplification at all.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Peter - You're quite correct,the small Pignose amps do distort very quickly,but usually at quite a high volume level. That's why so many guitar players used them as a small amp to haul around. No need for any elaborate foot pedals or fuzz boxes. However,for normal purposes,they are so loud that you'll deafen yourself before to get to that area,
Ivan
http://youtu.be/Y4f76ng49wA - 'Pignose' demo vid.

[Tim2723]

Of course you wouldn't want to go with some cheap toy-like amplifier. That pretty much goes without saying. But there have been some reasonable solutions offered. A number of the amps mentioned and a respectable pickup or mic will get you over a cello. They aren't bagpipes.

[Terry Allan Hall]

The Pignose and AER are two remarkable exceptions to my experience with battery amps. The Pignose itself has gone through a significant evolution since its introduction oh so many years ago. But these are not the type I (and probably Charlie) were talking about in the beginning. My caution against a lot of these amps is that they have to make certain compromises unless they use some of the best technology (read: expensive). To get a decent battery life many of these new amps resort to lightweight speakers with small magnets that, while being fine for radios and such, break up quickly when pressed by the strains of live music at any appreciable volume. I also really liked the Crate Taxi series by SLM. I think those are discontinued across the line now though.

Both the 15 watter (Taxi 15) and the 50 watter (Limo 50) are still available, the original 30 watter (Taxi 30) is discontinued...know nothing about the 15 watter, but the Limo 50 I use a great deal, as my "day job" is performing for shut-ins at institutions (nursing homes, hospitals, etc.), and do 3 to 5 a week. Also used for restaurants and some private parties (solo).

Much better sounding than the Roland, Fender and slightly better sounding than the Carvin, and can often be found used for around $175 ($399, new). Batteries hold a charge @ usable volume (the limitation being how loud I can get before my SM58 microphone feeds back) for about 6 hours before needing to be recharged, and last about 3 - 5 years before needing to be replaced (any battery store carries them). Have been using the Limo for almost 8 years, and now own 3.

Very good quality 10" woofer and 2" tweeter, only complaint most people have is that they're not the lightest battery-powered "mini-PA" on the market. Has a very handy socket for use with a speaker stand, too!

[Tim2723]

Thanks Terry. I'm glad to hear they aren't dicontinued entirely. The Taxi 30 was the one I had the most experience with, but I'm sure the others would be useful as well. They are the kind of portable amp I would use against a viola and cello.