What to avoid in an amp, when one has a preamp (LR Baggs Venue)
- Thread starter Jupu
- Start date
I hate when that happens. This site seems to throw idle logins out very quick, but luckily it remembers what one has written, when it asks for a relogin, at least with me. What is strange though is that when I try to edit and click on the text box, it just deletes the whole post. That is frustrating.
Please do send, I don't see anything yet.
Dr.Ukenstein
Well-known member
OK, here goes... My computer service glitched so I am @ the local library. Nix the PowerWerks due to small speaker size (a uke has enough treble as is), limited Euro availability, and poor off grid potential. Done. That little Vox MV50 AC puts out a true 50 watts @ 4 ohms and only has 3 control knobs, volume, tone, and gain. Your sound modeling will happen thru your very fine pre-amp pedal. Just keep the gain down and use the volume and tone controls for the basic adjustment. If you want to chase the sounds of Jimi Hendrix, Mark Knopfler, Carlos Santana, or Leslie West, crank up the gain. Plug that little Vox box into a 12' or 15" unpowered 4 ohm p.a. speaker or monitor cabinet with or without horn and you will be heard. There is also a headphone jack on the back. If you cannot find a 4 ohm cabinet just get an 8 ohm one and purchase the same later to parallel should you need more volume in a larger venue.
Dr.Ukenstein
Well-known member
So, I posted more. And, the website devoured it. From now on, short & sweet and register again prior to posting. The pic I posted was a monitor cabinet made from past parts that supports both my ubass and the bari-tenor 5 string solid body uke. The Vox MV50 AC is plugged into a Black & Decker 20v lithium battery that came from my trim saw. Usually, these Nu-Tube amps come with a power cord to plug into an outlet. Should you go this route. Get the one that matches European power supply specs. Vox is well known in Europe. You might find some good deals on eBay or used. Be sure to get the AC model as they have that special Vox chime that rings thru the mix. Best wishes on your quest.
Peter Frary
Well-known member
You might look into small keyboard amps as well. They're more like a mini-PA—woofer and tweeters—since they need to handle 7 octaves and often have an XLR input for a preamp/DI.
Thanks for your efforts, dr.! Seems like a versatile and upgradable solution. Looks cool too.
I might even start with a 16 ohm one, for band practice purposes, but if the tone is really dependant on the element size, there probably isn't a 12" choice, is there.
The Vox BC112 probably fits very fine, but I suppose there might be more cost-efficient alternatives to be found, being quite a general type of product and all. Of course the design fits - and probably they've matched the tones etc well enough.
Yeah, that's also an option.
I was gonna say there's a lot of them being sold in the local market for musicians, but now that I checked the speaker section, it's that stuff that there's the real shitload of! How am I ever going to be able to guess, which of them is of fair quality (for ukulele)...
Dr.Ukenstein
Well-known member
Jupu, as much as I like Vox, the BC-112 is not the right combo, here. And, way over budget. Google [unpowered 12" stage monitor]. The Behringer Eurolive VP 1220 looks like a quality product that will project the entire range of your uke. Also, unpowered aka passive wedge monitors are really cheap at intstrument swap meets. Also, 8 ohms or 4 ohms. 16 ohms is just resistance to overcome and less power out the speakers.
It seems that the Behringer is meant to be used as a wedge monitor too, although AFAIK, isn't the main difference between a monitor and a loudspeaker for the audience (FOH) the dispersion? The Behringer seems to have a fair amount of it, with the horn.
Or are there sonic differences too? At least I gathered that some (active?) speakers that swing both ways have a different EQ setting for being used as a (wedge) monitor, so as to enhance the midrange, in order to cut through the mix or something?
Or are there sonic differences too? At least I gathered that some (active?) speakers that swing both ways have a different EQ setting for being used as a (wedge) monitor, so as to enhance the midrange, in order to cut through the mix or something?
cdkrugjr
Well-known member
As is often the case, the issue isn’t “ this doesn’t exist “ but rather “OMG, so many choices! How do I choose?”
Can you get to a shop where you can plug your Venue into a bunch of different amps?
Can you get to a shop where you can plug your Venue into a bunch of different amps?
That's a good question. I would guess there are either music shops that sell mainly instruments and dedicated instrument amps with proper logos and on the other hand PA shops that concentrate more on some big stuff aimed for big audiences and not so much on cool ukulelists wanting to jam around on a cool looking but ear-pampering delight box with their friends and their parties etc.
The first shop I can think of (I'll have to dig more)
https://www.soundtools.fi/verkkokauppa/pa-laitteet-ja-mikserit
for example has a 185€ 12" JBL as their only speaker under 233€ (which is the price of the 15" version), and it is not even on stock now.
https://www.soundtools.fi/verkkokau...iuttimet/jbl-jrx212m-12-2-tie-multiangle-info
By the way, that is also described as a kind of either/or - monitor or FOH. Is it that these kind of speakers are either prone to feedback to other speakers (monitor-style) or not spreading the sound very wide for the audience (FOH-style (horn))? Jack of all trades? Is the tonal range reproduction different with stage speakers (FOH)? Why make dedicated monitors anyway, if one can double duty them?
Dr.Ukenstein
Well-known member
Jupu, after logging in, I crafted a reply that took 20 minutes to address all previous issues. The website devoured it. So, at the risk of sounding snarkey (PS - the Snark tuners are great). Bottom line: there are many choices but only one that the Dr. prescribed. Should you wish a more involved reply, my email address is: keylargoafterdark@gmail.com. I've got a uke of my own to work on. Enjoy and learn from whatever you pick. (Pun intended) Fretting can be a good thing.
Dr.Ukenstein
Well-known member
Jupu, the Vox MV50 AC amp is what I prescribe from more than positive experience. The Behringer looks to be an affordable speaker and likely available cabinet in Europe as a match to your pedal, amp, potential speaker combo. But, check out any 12" to 15" speaker cabinet in the 4 or 8 ohm range that you can plug into. They go pretty cheap at swap meets. Enjoy.
Oh yes, sorry, I misquoted the recipe! You too.
Dr.Ukenstein
Well-known member
Jupu, Though I stand by my recommendation as the best long term set-up for your pedal, check out the YouTube video of Tim from Vox at A Strings. A Google search of [Vox VX50 Acoustic Amp Overview] should get you there. Notice the tone with a little 8" speaker. A 12" speaker cab. w/ horn or piezo will sound even better. But, the price on the VX50 is pretty good. A consideration if the prescription cost is too high.
Thanks, I'll check that video out!
I don't think your prescription is too expensive. Now that I think of it, it would make sense to use the MV50 as a headphone amp until I really need a speaker. And as a power amp, when needed, of course.
Takes up much much less space at home and doesn't bother others.
But the VX50 does look nice, though! Would probably be nice thing just to look at in the corner.
PS. Somebody sell me a nice solid/chambered body uke
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I don't think your prescription is too expensive. Now that I think of it, it would make sense to use the MV50 as a headphone amp until I really need a speaker. And as a power amp, when needed, of course.
Takes up much much less space at home and doesn't bother others.
But the VX50 does look nice, though! Would probably be nice thing just to look at in the corner.
PS. Somebody sell me a nice solid/chambered body uke
.Dr.Ukenstein
Well-known member
I have 50 years of nice things to look at cluttering all of my corners. Stay with the Vox MV50 AC. The most power in a tiny space that I have found anywhere and easily turned into off grid use. Best wishes looking for the uke. Probably best to start another thread.
As well as playing ukes I also play guitar, bass and keyboards and agree with DocUke.
My suggestion to you is twofold.
1 - an amp like a Vox VX50GU which at 50W is plenty powerful enough for most venues, its also very small and hence very portable if you do go this route do note that there are different versions and the suffix denotes its intended use ie KB for keyboard, B for bass and GU for guitar.
Add in a mixer like a Behringer 1002B and you can feed a mike or two and other instruments into the amp and each input has its own Gain and three way Eq.
For even more versatility add in a Zoom G1X Four pedal unit.
2 - a powered PA speaker or two, I have 2 Behringer B108D which at 300W each is more than powerful enough but a bit heavy to carry around and again a mixer will increase flexibility
All in all option 1 will give you what you seek in an easily transportable system.
My suggestion to you is twofold.
1 - an amp like a Vox VX50GU which at 50W is plenty powerful enough for most venues, its also very small and hence very portable if you do go this route do note that there are different versions and the suffix denotes its intended use ie KB for keyboard, B for bass and GU for guitar.
Add in a mixer like a Behringer 1002B and you can feed a mike or two and other instruments into the amp and each input has its own Gain and three way Eq.
For even more versatility add in a Zoom G1X Four pedal unit.
2 - a powered PA speaker or two, I have 2 Behringer B108D which at 300W each is more than powerful enough but a bit heavy to carry around and again a mixer will increase flexibility
All in all option 1 will give you what you seek in an easily transportable system.
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