LR Baggs A Ref acoustic amp |
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When the A-Ref arrived at the store, after some 6 months waiting for it, we realized that the wait was worth it. Just out of the box, taking the designed handle and bringing it to the stage, it was already a winner. When you spend your time moving the amps in the store (or on stage, rehearsal, etc..) it’s ice to have something easy to move.
Yet, an empty box would work great too, so you guess there is more with that amp to make it a winner. First thing: the sound.(it looks good too, but the sound is still the priority!).
The Sound
Shaping your sound…
For those familiar with the LR Baggs DIs, you’ll find the same fine tuning functionality on mid-ranges, which is really great to shape your sound and get the best sound of your pick-up. One of the great thing too is to get a VU meter that allows you to get to the proper pre-amp level without saturating your sound. You can do it by ear of course, but it’s still a great feature.
The A-Ref also features a spring reverb, far better then any modelized one. In one word: a true reverb. As you have two channel and can use a Mic on any of them, you can definitely shape the sound of your voice and get a warm and deep sound.
…The Balanced Mode Radiator does the rest.
As usual with Amp makers, and any electronic firm, Marketing wizard go out with nice words and catchy phrases. Whatever you call the A-Ref system, there is one thing you can’t deny: it sounds loud and clear! The sounds propagate evenly in the room and I really see the A-Ref as the best solution for a single songwriter: it’s a killer Amp for one voice-one guitar configuration.
And I forgot: you get 200W of Power, far enough for many large rooms. We pushed the knob all the way right and the sound was still crystal clear. And if you get troubled with feedback, notch filters (coupled with the crazy fine tuning of the EQ) will definitely get rid of it.
A complete Amp
The A-Ref is designed to simplify your life on stage. Both channels accept ¼” jacks and XLR. They both provide 9V and 48V Phantom Power. Get a condenser Mic and here you go: the pure sound! You’ve also got a mute button for both channels. You can also invert the phase on both channels and get the clearest sound out of your Amp. If you have two picks and use the A-Ref to blend them (using a Y cable and plug it in both channels), it can be a good idea to select the perfect phase combination to avoid crossovers.
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