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Fishman SoloAmp
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Davanlo Davanlo
Published on 03/02/10 at 06:30
Line-array (available to speakers and cohesion phase for uniform diffusion of sound)
200 Watts

The Fishman SoloAmp What is it? This is an amp combining the capabilities of an amplifier dedicated to the guitar (or acoustic instruments), with the projection of his own in a public address system. The idea is to reach the general public with a sound broadcast uniformly avoiding the effects of "diffusion cone" to own a small receiver placed on a support. This release can also do without an additional monitor. That is the theory and marketing.

In front, there is Jack and XLR inputs for two separate channels. The channels have a phantom power and a reduction of 10db Input (pad). We have a master volume and a mute to mute the output volume for the auxiliary input and volume control in case you would use an additional monitor on a dedicated output.

Each channel has own settings for EQ (low, medium, treble but with fixed frequency chosen for acoustic instruments) Gain (indicating overload), reverb level. At the fight against returns, each channel has an anti-feedback (EQ close to track the frequency of return) and a phase inversion.

The rear panel is generously endowed, a (good) habit Fishman. Each channel has an effects loop and DI output type, called "pre", inserted before the effects and EQ, if you would like to remix the signal from each channel separately. The amp also has a DI output my. transplanted out to the general output signal. A volume control adjusts the tweeter&#39;s acoustic characteristics of room for problems. The amp has an output for a tuner and a connector for a footswitch to mute the sound to match or change the instrument in silence (quite handy device on stage).

UTILIZATION

The construction is solid, although I found the adjustments to various elements less specific than for my Fishman Loudboxer 100. These are details, alignments screws, wedges reinforcements. The knobs are very good, with a very smooth race, but the small buttons - mute, phase, pad, etc.. less convinced me to touch as they move around a lot in their homes. It is obviously difficult to comment on their strength or their life.

The Levels adjustment is a breeze, it pushes the mute button, it adjusts the gain until the light flashes briefly indicating saturation, it comes down a tad below and can open the sound. It then chooses the trimmings

With regard to the sound, the first surprise was a blast this enough, without being intolerable. It&#39;s just that I used my Loudboxer 100 has better material. Resistance feedback (Larsen) is impeccable, the reverbs are clean and well-chosen (note the absence of the chorus who was present on the LOUDBOX, but I imagine that a process of broadcasting audio playing on several stages Broadcasters should not love the chorus). To report another loss, the headphone jack on the ... Fishman, she previously served for recordings, and to check the dynamics of my game, but I&#39;m going very well.

I tested the receiver in different rooms of the house, because the sound is very dependent on the environment. In a large room, the amp finally finds its mark. I felt the midrange to be quite hard on the ear. Finally, by slightly changing the ratio of piezo / mic my Fishman Ellipse, for the microphone, the sound has found a more natural and flexible. This amp will adapt very well to guitars with magnetic pickups or mixed systems (mic / pickup). I think the ultimate combination would test it with a Fishman Aura system, which allows a close rendering of a guitar picked up by a studio microphone.

I appreciated the dissemination of sound that is very pleasing to a few meters (I was up to 5-6 meters). The highs are detailed, the bass is beautiful, no need for a subwoofer at first sight (at least with my guitar). It also imposes by his looks, his stature and efficient construction.

If assembly disassembly is smooth, in transport, the bag tends to switch on the side instead of staying on his skates ... if you have no free hand (guitar + amp + bag + ...) is boring . The bag starts to oscillate sometimes while driving. For a concert tour (which is not my case, of course) I imagine that after a few days, it must annoy. Some elements have given me an impression of relative fragility (screw the foot, push buttons).

Nevertheless, Fishman Soloamp is very well equipped, and it has nothing to be ashamed of ... compared with other sound systems. When compared with other dedicated amps (even the same brand), it is somewhat less convincing.

Outdoors, in a concert hall type of cultural center, a church, a cinema, I would take it without hesitation. To accompany one or more singers sing myself or play in a band, I would use it well.

In a cafe-concert hall or more confined, and instrumental solo concert, I probably prefer the Loudboxer 100, which I find most universal and easy to implement. I&#39;m curious to test it with a pedal Aura.

Last thing, it costs about 1200 €.

SOUNDS

Madden, however, small details.

To obtain a sound setup that suits me, I can reduce the gain sufficiently far from saturation, which decreases the relevance of the reflex to "push the gain to flash the clip, a bit lower gain, ok." Throughout the system gave me the impression of less cash the dynamic changes of a sudden a little bit tough. It was a fast "full mouth", which forces to contain the game (and I do not remember hitting).

Outdoors, in a concert hall type of cultural center, a church, a cinema, I would take it without hesitation. To accompany one or more singers sing myself or play in a band, I would use it well.

In a cafe-concert hall or more confined, and instrumental solo concert, I probably prefer the Loudboxer 100, which I find most universal and easy to implement. I&#39;m curious to test it with a pedal Aura.

OVERALL OPINION

I have been using qqs months.

I tested the Loudbox100, Roland 60 Watt, an EAR of Kustom.
I love the ease of use and handling. Penetration and projection of sound.
I like a little less sound in the lower midrange, but with a parametric EQ DI can be corrected.

The value for money is very good.

Yes, but I would like to compare with the Bose system, to see.