Encore Lounge Music Gear

An acoustic guitar amp is an electronic amplifier designed to make the signal of an acoustic guitar louder so that it will produce sound through a loudspeaker. Acoustic guitar amps modify the instrument’s tone by emphasising or de-emphasising frequencies and adding electronic effects.

An acoustic guitar can be amplified by using various types of pickups or microphones. The piezo and magnetic pickups are the most common used for acoustic guitar amplification. Piezo pickups are generally mounted under the bridge saddle of the acoustic guitar and can then be plugged into an amplifier, or mixer. Conversely, magnetic pickups are generally mounted in the second hold of the acoustic guitar.

There are many great ways of producing a realistic amplified acoustic guitar sound. They vary in terms of equipment required and type of expense. The three parts of the amplification include Transducers, converting the guitar’s sound into an electric signal, Preamps, conditioning this signal so that it is appropriate for amplifiers as well as Power Amps, which amplify the signal.

When shopping for your acoustic guitar amp you need to consider what you will use it for, how loud you need to be, if you’ll be competing with electric instruments in a band and what kinds of inputs you need. For example, if you only need to plug into a standard guitar cable then you will only need a quarter-inch input, whereas if you need to use external microphones you will have more options. The outputs are also a significant consideration. It is good to use a balanced DI feed if you intend to use the amp as an on-stage monitor. Tuner outputs risk degrading the signal by running your tuner in-line with your acoustic guitars cable. It is useful to consider buying an effects loop with a level control, if your sound depends on external effects. The last consideration is the physical size of the amp. Some amps are too large to be transferable to certain venues. Therefore, it is ideal to purchase lightweight acoustic guitar amps.

There are various types and brands of acoustic guitar amps. The retailer, Fenders Australia consists of many types, such as the Acoustasonic SFX II, Acoustasonic Jr. DSP and Acoustasonic 30 DSP in their Acoustasonice Series Amplifiers. Roland Australia also has top acoustic amplifiers such as the AC-60 which uses the latest in DSP technology to deliver a rich, pure acoustic sound with projection far beyond its compact size. So there you have it, all the features and considerations when buying an acoustic guitar amp!

What a great way to have freedom of movement when you perform with a cordless microphone. There are various types and uses of cordless microphones.

Firstly, they depend on batteries so you need to ensure that you have a well charged battery set that can last the duration of the event. You need to switch off the transmitter and turn on the receiver in order to use the automated frequency selection function that is present on most devices. This will allow for a free frequency to be found that is used for communicating with the microphone, hence the term ‘wireless’. You need to set the volume of the receiver to minimal values before turning the transmitter and the synchronisation button on. Once the signal appears you are able to adjust the volume to the desired level and adjust the gain. This is a crucial step as this will determine the quality of the sound. Ensure you test the sound quality by walking around the room and making sure the signal is suited.

The uses of cordless microphones are endless, including uses for singers, DJ’s, MC’s, performers and public speaker more broadly. They are great as karaoke microphones as well as for gym classes. Things to consider when using the cordless microphone include the frequency range of how far you can travel without the signal loss. Also the frequency type, UHF, VHF and Gigahertz determines if you want a fixed frequency or digital frequency. The two types of cordless microphones include the Cardioid cordless microphone which are directional and don’t pick up sound from the rear, as well as the Omni-directionals that pick up signals from all sides.

Cordless microphones are useful as they allow you to speak with your hands-free and simply clip onto your clothing. You need to ensure the battery life is ideal, so batteries lasting more than 10 hours are best. Battery level indicators are a great way to monitor the batteries life.

Brands of cordless microphones to look out for include Shure as well as reliable brands such as Sony, Sennheiser and Samson. There are various types that you can select from. The Pyle Professional has a built-in channel lock, two 9-volt batteries and 2 cordless microphones. The Microphone System NX984, consists of wireless enhanced mobility with two professional microphones. Lastly, the Hisonic 32-Channel UHF has long-rang transmission, multiple frequencies and a compatible headset to suit most occasions.