Post #2381934

2026-05-09 19:38 UTC

My priority for this would be quick setup and portability. Buuuut I also don't want to compromise on sound. Is this even possible? I see all these 2x2" speaker situations, and I'm thinking, "is it even possible these sound good?"

Replies (3)

@xenogon@sunny.garden 2026-05-09 19:58

@alisynthesis@io.waxandleather.com but you still want it to sound like a real guitar amp? ie not actually all that clean objectively even though it sounds clean? my experience trying to do this without digital trickery is that the limiting factor is finding a guitar speaker that will play that quietly and still sound good, a 5w valve amp is no problem, or even less, but a speaker that will play at acoustic levels without sounding a bit lame is unobtainable or nearly so. ofc if you model your clean sound with an amp model and use a PA style amp that's another whole thing and it will go any level you like, but I've never got on with simulated amps, some combo of latency and subtle wrongness to tone and response always sends me back to my real amps. That said I haven't tried expensive simulators.

Open ##2381935
@conniptions@mastodon.social 2026-05-09 20:01

@alisynthesis@io.waxandleather.com I have adjacent experience: for a long time pre-COVID I was going to regular jam sessions with an acoustic bass that just wasn't quite loud enough by itself, so I got a Blackstar Fly Bass, which was a) dirt cheap and b) did the job, also c) extremely portable as tiny. Sound was not too bad but also not stellar. In context, though, perfect, did the job. Never did try the guitar versions but suspect they would fall in same ballpark. 3W might be a bit too little w/ piano though.

Open ##2381938
@dwenius@toot.cat 2026-05-11 19:16

@alisynthesis@io.waxandleather.com I used to watch Hideo Date play Delta and fingerstyle blues at Sushi Cal in Berkeley CA with nothing but an archtop and a Roland Cube amp. Clean as a whistle but plenty loud and very portable.

Open ##2891055