Small AER amps

**Adrian Cho** · #1 11-14-2006, 02:28 AM

Has anybody tried any of these for bass? Like the Compact Classic Pro or the Compact 60?

Nuno A. · #2 11-14-2006, 03:27 AM

Adrian:
did you ever tried the Schertler David? its only 80 W , but thats what im currently using with the Dyn-B, more than enough sound for my needs and its really small( i carry everything, amp, cords, strings) on the padded case. im using it with the new designed Dyn-b(not muddy at all, much more balanced , they took that boomy bass away) and with the David, its really a great combination. i dont know with piezos, i tried with realist and underwood and didnt like it, but i guess schertler amps are designed for their pickups.. try to give it a try, it has 2 channels, i mix the dyn with an audix.
good luck

Nuno

**Francois Blais** · #3 11-14-2006, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adrian Cho

Has anybody tried any of these for bass? Like the Compact Classic Pro or the Compact 60?

http://www.aer-amps.de/Sites/sites_E...ages/alpha.htm for those interested!

Are they available in Canada, Adrian?

I'm curious about the SUB10 cab too!

**Damon Rondeau** · #4 11-14-2006, 08:21 AM

I haven't tried one myself but a year or two ago I was at a Dave Young master class and Dave was using one. Don't know the model number but it was a tiny little cube of a thing. The class was held in a small theatre in the university's music school -- excellent natural acoustics -- but the bass filled the space with light, very natural sound. Dave had a band with drummer, electric guitar and trumpet and the bass absolutely held its own.

That event was memorable as Dave played a quiet, subdued and exceptionally beautiful "Autumn Leaves" to demonstrate how an ensemble can play quietly but with dynamic intensity. His bass sounded wonderful.

**Adrian Cho** · #5 11-14-2006, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by francois

http://www.aer-amps.de/Sites/sites_E...ages/alpha.htm for those interested!

Are they available in Canada, Adrian?

I played with a guitarist on Saturday nght and he had a new amp and it was one of the Compact Classic Pros. He said he got it from Steve's music. I was surprised they would sell these. He said he loves it but it was quite expensive. The AER website does list a distributor in Vancouver.

Their bass gear is too big and heavy for me but the smaller boxes while not having a lot of power, seem to be well made with tonnes of functionality in the heads not unlike the AI heads, and like some of our favourite amps, they are using 8" woofers. In this case they appear to be some kind of dual-cone 8'. Is that some kind of co-axial design?

Sadly, the number of models and the marketing is all extremely confusing and not made any better by the really bad translations of German to English.

**Damon Rondeau** · #6 11-14-2006, 09:20 AM

Elderly Instruments (in Michigan, I think, but with a huge online & catalog presence) is a dealer.

brianrost · #7 11-14-2006, 10:01 AM

I've played two bluegrass gigs where a small AER amp was the entire PA (one with a Compact, one with a Domino)!!!! Bass (DIed) sounded fine through both so they are definitely suitable for low volume gigs.

BTW one of the gigs was outside and the Domino wasn't straining to project the bass.

Tbeers · #8 11-15-2006, 01:21 PM

Aren't AER amps fairly heavy for their size? Last time I checked, they haven't switched over to neo magnets yet....

**Adrian Cho** · #9 11-15-2006, 01:23 PM

They are using neos in some of them and I'm not talking about their bass specific stuff but the smaller stuff that is aimed more at guitarists, etc.

basstef · #10 11-15-2006, 02:50 PM

I have no experience with smaller AER combos, but I've had the chance to try Basic Performer and Basscube. Both are great amps but so big and heavy !!! I feel the smaller ones wouldn't give justice to the sound of the bass, though. I've just purchased a new Markbass Cmd 121 P. I am shocked ! 350 W in 12 Kg ! It's just like twice the size of a classic GK MB150. Amazing !

A. Munk · #11 11-16-2006, 12:39 PM

hey adrian,
ive had the opportunity to try a bass cube,a domino and a compct 60.
my opinion is the basscube had too much bass not enough hi-fi quality.
both the domino and compact 60 sounded much better to my ears.
i'm thinking about getting one for my eminence travel bass.
they are small and i could carry it onto a plane.
if it's only used in quite to medium gigs i think they're great.
they really throw the sound.
i also think they sound better than the shertler stuff.
ari

**Adrian Cho** · #12 12-15-2006, 11:29 PM

I'm still dying to try a Compact 60. It would be wonderful to have a box that small and light. Any more thoughts on this Ari? Which model are you thinking of getting?

Norre · #13 12-16-2006, 02:14 AM

Adrian, did you know that AER released a new,(hopefully) improved, version of the Basscube? It now has a 500W digital power amp, SMPS (switching) power supply, a 12" coaxial neo speaker (Ciare) with 1" tweater and all the features a bassist will ever need.
I haven't heard it live and I didn't have the opportunity to test it yet. I still remember I was impressed by the first version of the Basscube so I'm really looking forward to a test-drive.
AER also released a head/cab line. It's called "Head One", "Cab One" - a 2x10", and "Cab Two" - a 15".

Ciao,

Norre

A. Munk · #14 12-16-2006, 03:07 PM

Hey Adrian,
I'm not looking that hard for anything right now,although if I found a used 60 I'd probably snatch it up.
A friend of mine just got a bassic performer and after a month or so of useing it he absolutly loves it.(wieght is not an issue with him)
One thing about the AER stuff is that it really throws the sound. In other words it sounds louder and clearer and more present 20'-50' out than right in front.(IMHO)You might have to make some adjustments in regards to that.
Another great feature is the direct out. I think it sounds nice and full and the sound guys really liked the signal they were getting(my Eminence)
I've had the opportunity to use a 60 on a jazz trio, quintet gig a few times and in a few different venues.I liked the way it really cut through. I can tell though that in a setting that required a bit more volume?I'm not so sure it could handle all the low note fundamentals.If theres anyway to try one, i'd recomend that.
just a little anectdote...
The first time I ran across these amps was back about 6 years ago in Iceland.A gypsy jazz trio (Robin Nolan Trio)was playing in a fish processing plants caffeteria(now thats a gig),
maybe big enough for a hundred or so dinners.The Bass and Rhythm Guitar were both playing out of ONE 60. Sounded full and clear
hope that helps.
Ari

**Adrian Cho** · #15 12-16-2006, 06:01 PM

Unless it's a dramatically different speaker, it's way too heavy for me.

**Adrian Cho** · #16 12-16-2006, 06:26 PM

Thanks for the response Ari. What worries me is the frequency response of the Compact 60 only goes down to 60 Hz.

prikkers · #17 11-29-2007, 09:13 AM

Today I tried their latest amp one combo.It's a 200 W single 10" combo suited for db and bg.
It sounded huge and powerful and it's very light 30 lbs!
Maybe soon I'll check it with my own instruments ,but it looks very very promising.Street price in Europe is €1100, more info can be found on aer-amps.de/AER_News/News.htm

**Adrian Cho** · #18 11-29-2007, 09:18 AM

Unfortunately 30 lbs is no longer very light. Many of us are now using 16 - 17 lb cabs (e.g. Wizzy 10, Schroeder Mini 10+L) and 2 - 3 lb heads (e.g. Micro 300, Clarus SL). Thanks for the info though - I'll check it out.

minuskel · #19 12-18-2007, 08:25 AM

In France I heard a (double)bassplayer with an SR combo (that was a top of the bill combo: light and small with a warm acoustic sound). Same quality as the Schertler/AER combo's.

http://www.sr-tech.net/inglese/serie_jam.html

Greetings

Dennis

The Netherlands

basster · #20 12-20-2007, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adrian Cho

Unfortunately 30 lbs is no longer very light. Many of us are now using 16 - 17 lb cabs (e.g. Wizzy 10, Schroeder Mini 10+L) and 2 - 3 lb heads (e.g. Micro 300, Clarus SL). Thanks for the info though - I'll check it out.

I use two aer ag8 monitors as multi-functional speakers in many situations and of course with my upright, too.

For smaller gigs one ag8 works fine to enhance the sound of my bass. You can´t call that sound really loud, it´s only a little bit more presence and less fighting against the other instruments. It helps me controlling myself. My setup is upright into k+k golden bullet into baggs gigpro into ag8. If you have a playing situation where using a mike is no problem, then the ag8 will work. If you need more power and more piezo-typical punch you should go for another system.

Don´t care about the frequency range, down to 60 Hz is deep enough for an upright. The lower response at 60 hz means that alle frequenzies below being reproduced with a little bit less power, it´s not a kind of a hardknee-cutoff, it´s softknee (hope you understand what i mean, translating technical things is not my cup of tea....). It helps the upright beeing less boomy.

AER has many (maybe: too much) different systems for similiar applications, i try to explain:

-alpha: too small, only 40 W, should be o.k. for acoustic guitar

-compact: 60 W, 8" speaker, close to
-compact classic, which has another preamp, close to
-compact mobile, which is a compact with battery

-ag8: speaker and poweramp like compact, simple preamps

-domino: two compacts in one box

-basic performer: four compacts in one box (very good, very heavy)

-basscube and acousticube: the aer-hightech-line

The new bottom line amps are designed for electric bass, they are very heavy and very expensive. That new small beast amp one could be nice for upright, i don´t know.

hope that helps, c.