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Excerpts of Testimonials from
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DI MAX Preamp
The two channel input feature is what sold me.
I shoulda just listened to what the sound guys told me!
What I like about the DI Max is that it is just as clean as my Baggs ParaAcoustic DI but much cleaner than the Fishman Platinum Pro Bass EQ. But the two channel input feature is what sold me. It's a very good product at a good price.
Regards,
Martin Chapman
A Brilliant Little Box
I had been using a Fishman Aura Dreadnought Pedal and a Baggs ParaDI in combination with the DS4 to get the tone I wanted from my guitar. I was satisfied with this arrangement and bought the DI Max to address a different issue . Out of curiosity I tried it in lieu of the Aura and ParaDI.
The result was a revelation; a warm and extremely clear acoustic sound that blew the doors off the other combo. This is a brilliant little box. (Oh, it also completely cured the problem I was having interfacing with our church's PA, which was a primary reason for getting it in the first place.)
Thanks very much.
Taylor Carey
DI Plus Preamp
I put the direct box up against the best acoustic amps at my disposal
While UltraSound amplifiers are highly regarded for their superior clarity and reproduction, many serious acoustic players find lugging an amp around to be impractical and certainly undesirable. Furthermore, until now even the finest direct boxes could not produce the kind of sound that could satisfy tone-conscious players.
I’m happy to report that the engineers at UltraSound have come up with an answer for these discerning individuals: the DI+. Combining crystal-clear signal delivery with the same full-featured preamp found in UltraSound’s AG Series amplifiers, the DI+ represents nothing less than the future of direct boxes.
I used my favorite Ovation to test the unit, first adjusting the DI+’s input gain so that the hottest possible signal hit the preamp without distortion; this is recommended to attain the best signal-to-noise ratio. The DI+’s active bass and treble controls allowed me to tailor the core EQ, while a mid-scooping “shape” circuit provided an extremely open dreadnought-style tone and added elasticity to the guitar’s feel, I didn’t experience any feedback problems during my test, but, in the event I did, the DI+ features a notch filter with a single frequency control designed to pinpoint and annihilate offending wave bugs between 100 and 350 hz.
Providing connection options for any situation are a single XLR balanced output and an unbalanced line level output. These can be used together or separately and feature individual level controls. While I chose to juice the unit via the board’s 48-volt phantom power and XLR connection, standard power options include a nine-volt battery or regulated nine-volt Boss type adaptor.
With a Boss tuner in the Instrument Output and my Maxon chorus in the DI+’s superb effects loop, I had a complete rig at my feet. I put the direct box up against the best acoustic amps at my disposal and preferred the UltraSound’s sonic quality and ease of operation in almost every situation.
Sure, there are situations where specific tone can be achieved only by traditional means. But after trying the versatile and transparent DI+, I can’t imagine any need for an acoustic amplifier.
Eric Kirkland
No More Lugging My Amp
This is the first DI box that I have owned that was a true DI. I get the exact same tone of my AG50DS2 amp but 23 lbs. lighter. No more lugging my amp to church or gigs that use a PA. It has all the tonal features and controls of the AG series amp but without the efx. It's basically a 3lb. amp. I play acoustic fingerstyle and folk music and this box has been a fantastic addition to my gear setup. I love it.
Nelson Schroeder
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DS4
The acoustic sound was enough even for an enormous club.
FYI: I've been using the Ultrasounds and as expected they sound wonderful and have evolved into a killer piece of gear. I started using them long ago after Greg first released them and still have my original 4X8 100W Satellite cabs from the old production design, I still dig them and still use them.
So check this out… I was doing a big label showcase downtown a few weeks ago and had a stereo rig set up of the Pro 250 and DS4, preamp out of those into the 4X8 cabs set up on each side of the drum riser, seriously glorious and full sound that was totally present all over the stage but not obnoxiously loud, not that I couldn't rise to the occasion if need be because of some pesky Matchless or Marshall or something or even a friggin VST for that matter. The sound guys were amazed at how transparent everything sounded and I was able to quell any feedback from my full bodied Taylors, we were cranked my friend. Any way they said the acoustic sound off the stage was enough even for the friggin Wildhorse which is an enormous club which ultimately did two things:
1-helped break the dangerous and obnoxious Nashville audio habit of always taking the acoustic direct and slamming backwards through the monitors, the closet thing to death there is.
2-finally make the electric guys realize that some acoustic players will not be intimidated by a bunch of friggin half stacks and 100 watt combo's, now there's a quote.
Your friend and grateful endorsee,
Michael Spriggs
Makes My $16,000 Guitar Sound Its Best
I just bought a CP-100 Amp. It is fantastic. I have played flamenco guitar for the last 53 years and never liked any amps, only nice PA systems at various gigs and shows I did. My guitar sells these days for $16,000. Your amp really delivers and keeps the guitar sounding the way it was made to sound. It is nice and compact. My only complaint is that the numbers of the 16 effects can not be read by my old eyes anymore. I have to use a magnifying glass to see the numbers. I finally settled on a nice reverb and just leave it there from now on. Thanks for making a great amp.
by Antonio
I love this amp!
I use this amp when I play coffee shops, and it works great as a self-contained PA system. It really sounds terrific, with minimal feedback problems that are easily taken care of, tons of headroom, and lots of clean, transparent sound. I put my vocal mic into channel one, and it sings out loud and clear. I have a Santa Cruz guitar with a K&K Mini-Western pickup, and I run straight into channel two—no preamp—and get a really warm, natural guitar sound. This is one beautiful little amp.
by Bruce Jones
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Just Awesome—10 out of 10
After using filters and pedals to run my acoustic though my reg amp and never really getting that crisp clean acoustic tone, I decided to get an acoustic amp. After trying out several, a couple Crate, Fishman, Kustom, and Fender, I found this UltraSound. It’s very compact, was cheaper than some of the others I had checked out, and I can now see why Acoustic Guitar gave it their Gold Award. It beat all of the others hands down. Well designed, and some of the best amp'ed acoustic tone I have ever heard. Well worth the price.
by McC
Great, Natural Reproduction; Stellar Support
I purchased an Ultrasound DS4 late last year after reading countless reviews of acoustic amplifiers. I was not disappointed with its accurate reproduction of the natural sound. Its power output is perfect for personal venues and the effects help with a range of music.
A few months after my purchase I discovered that Ultrasound not only makes a great product but also supports their customers to the MAX; my own negligence (momentary-but-fatal 220 vs 110 ignorance) was discounted by their repair staff and the amp was restored and returned to me at virtually no cost!!!! In a world of “read the fine print” warranties, it is refreshing to find a company that believes in building a loyal following. All I can say is that Ultrasound leads the way!!
by Gary Bennett
Great for Coffee House Gigs and Weddings; Friendly Support
This is what I came to talk about. I auditioned everything the local shops had to offer. Fender, SWR, Crate, Roland, Marshall, Fishman and none of them had the sound I was looking for. I liked the Roland AC 90 but it was much more expensive. I ordered an Ultrasound online based on the list of fingerstyle artists who have used or endorsed this amp. I love this amp! Very natural sounding, full tone, and a reverb that I like. I have a PA for larger rooms but this is great for coffee house gigs and weddings.
Spoke with them on the phone before buying and found them to be friendly and helpful.
I've been playing for 35 years - yeah I'm old enough to know what sounds good. I have a small PA with two 12 inch cabs but don't want to carry it around if I can get it done with one light, great sounding amp. I highly recommend this amp for solo guitar.
Overall Rating : 10
by BBQ
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I Would Buy It Again in a Heartbeat.
Purchased used, but looks and acts as if it were brand new. Perfect for what I need: I use channel 1 for a mic (Beta SM58) and channel 2 for my Taylor 914. Often used at church, with groups of 10-500+. Of course, it's direct line out is connected to the PA for larger groups. Then I use it as a stage monitor. The effects are OK, though I wouldn't use them much even if they were spectacular. A little reverb and chorus are sufficient for me, and preset #5 combines them nicely—I control the level of the effects, which can be switched to either channel. 50 watts sounds small, but this lightweight amp can do credible job in surprisingly large rooms.
I've used this amp mainly with a Fishman Blender-equipped guitar, but also with K&K pickups, and even an archtop electric. No one will mistake it for a Plexi, but it does what it does well. I love the straight acoustic tone. It sounds like my guitar, only louder. The tone controls look very basic, but they sounds so good I really don't need more. For a fairly quiet room of 50 people or so, I rarely have to push it beyond about 40% of available power. But I bought it for it's tone, not raw power. I have PAs for that.
I love this little amp! It fits my needs perfectly, better than similarly priced offerings from Fender, Roland, Fishman, etc. Great tone, adequate power, decent features, all in a light weight box. I'm ordering a Tuki cover for it, just to keep it looking new for longer. I would buy it again in a heartbeat if something happened to it, especially if I could get as great a deal as I did. It's not as powerful or versatile as some of the much more expensive acoustic amps, but I think the AG-50DS4 offers a HUGE amount of music power for the dollar.
Overall Rating : 10
by Cotten
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Anything Else I Might Want is More than Twice the Price.
Made 2005, give or take. I play straight-up pop folk, some jazz. Rugged enough. No issues with the cosmetics or covering. Enough subtle effects that I can find what I want. Phantom power provided for condenser mics. Only 13.6v, not the full 48 -- but enough to power my AudioTechnica-2020 just fine. Both jacks are combination XLR-1/4”, which is nice (and why I opted for this amp over Roland's AC-60, even tho' this amp is a bit heavier (24 lbs.)). Effects assignable to either Input 1 or Input 2, and input 2 also includes a notch filter.
Enough sound to fill a small to medium hall. Cleanly amplifies voice & acoustic guitar (SM58, L.R. Baggs iMix) or voice & mandolin (SM58, and mandolin (AT-2020), or my Kent-Armstrong equipped archtop.
For a one-man show, it's just fine, and an excellent value for the price.
I've also owned & used a Polytone Mini-Brute II and Roland Cube60. For $450, I don't know what else is out there -- certainly nothing else I know of that offers the dual XLR input option.
If I could change one thing, it'd be a full 48v phantom power supply for the input, and make it switchable. And a headphone output would be nice.
Anything else I might want is more than twice the price.
Overall Rating : 9
by Richard
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NEVER Heard My Guitars as Clearly and Incredibly as with This Amp.
I've been playing live for years now and have never had a tool that made my acoustic guitars sound this great! I have a Taylor 414ce and a vintage 1967 Epiphone FT110 Frontier and both sound great through this amp. I've used countless different brands and types of direct boxes, both with and without effects options. I've used chorus pedals and delay pedals but have NEVER heard my guitars as clearly and incredibly as with this amp. The very first time I plugged it in, I instantly heard my acoustic cutting through the mix—something I usually have to strain to do. I wish I'd picked this up years ago.
AdamGcc
Absolutely Best Acoustic Amp I've Played.
I absolutely love the DS4. Absolutely best acoustic amp I've played. makes my manouche guitar sound amazing. Thank you so much for making a great amp!
Peter Storzenecker
I Highly Suggest Acoustic Players Check This Amp Out.
Since I play a multitude of styles, e.g. fingerstyle, jazz, rumba, flamenca, thumbpicking, flatpicking, and in alternate tunings, I'm very critical of my sound…. This amp sounds terrific in all styles, and provides great definition and a truly transparent sound. The amp manufacturer claims the amp has studio to stage sound management. The amp does sound equally well on stage and in the studio and is studio quiet. You have to check the on/off switch light to see that it is on, it's that quiet. On stage it can serve as the main signal conditioning amp, or even as a monitor and send the direct out to the mixing desk. I highly suggest acoustic players check this amp out.
Wayne Wesley
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Tone and Sound are Simply Fantastic.
I play thru it using my Taylor 514ce with an LRBaggs Element Active pickup and the onboard controls. Tone and sound are simply fantastic. Cleanest and most pure acoustic sound I have heard. No coloring like with the Fender Acoustasonic or the Marshall AS50. I also play my Takamine EAN45C thru this amp and even it sounds fine. But with my Taylor, the sound is wonderful.
Nelson Schroeder
Lives Up to Its Reputation for Clear, Authentic Sound.
I play a Martin Jumbo body JC-16RGTE. Has the Fishman Stereo Prefix Blender. This in combination with this amp gives extra depth and shape to my sound. The guitar has a ribbon transducer pick up on the saddle and an onboard microphone in the Blender. Great sound combinations and possibilities. The amp is very quiet, although it has taken a little time to experiment with the amp gain and volume settings with the Blender to minimize feedback. The amp lives up to its reputation for clear, authentic sound that does not loose the guitars true tone. The digital effects are cool but I choose to only use a small amount of reverb to give my sound some shape and definition. Some of the other effects like rotary speaker seem more for electric guitar use. The bass is thick but not muddy, and the highs are clear, crisp and sharp. Not brittle or the ice pick in the ear. I am completely impressed by the clarity and full definition of sound this amp produces. You would hard pressed to find another amp that compares in this price range.
Gerry J.
The Sound Is Simply Amazing.
I primarily use a Larrivee Cutaway classical with a K&K System. The sound is simply amazing. I've been playing for eons, and have heard all the hype about "natural" sound, but I'm telling ya-this amp/pup combination nails it. The amp is COMPLETELY quiet at idle. It has a built-in Alesis Nanoverb, which, to tell the truth, doesn't seem to have much effect on the sound. I understand that the effect is much more pronounced when using 2 amps. It doesn't have a lot of power with my Larrivee (I don't use a preamp), but is much louder with an electric guitar. You WILL NOT believe so much depth and sound can come out of 2-8" speakers! Incidently, the amp sounds great for regular electric guitar, though it was designed for acoustic.
Jim Caudill
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AG30
Really Shines at Reproducing the Sound of The Guitar.
I'm using a Takamine CP132SC classical/electric with the stock Accuracoustic pickup/preamp system. The amp really shines at reproducing the sound of the guitar and now I can compete with the rest of the string section. I haven't turned it up high enough to test for distortion, but it's clean up to 7.
Bill
As Good as Many $300 to $400 Amps
This is a good amp for practicing and small venues. Not "The closest approach to the original sound", but close enough to be classified as very good. In fact, as good as many $300 to $400 amps I have tried with my Garrison G20E acoustic electric guitar and sometimes even better. It becomes awsome when I use a finger picking style.
Upnorth
Sounds Just Like the Guitar.
Purchased for use with a summer 2003 limited edition Taylor 410 RCE (with the new Expression System). I play mostly folk, blugrass, and country, and this amp sounds unbelievable with this guitar (although I suspect it would sound great with just about any guitar). It is extremely quiet (no hum or buzz) and reproduces the sound of the guitar amazingly accurately. As many others have indicated, it sounds just like the guitar, only louder. It does not impart any characteristics of the amp itself to the sound. If this is what you want, look no further—you can't beat the price.
by Anonymous
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CP100
It Doesn't Change the Natural Tone of My Guitar.
I'm using an Ovation Balladeer 1861 with the built-in preamp and tuner. This amp is so transparent, it's incredible. It doesn't change the natural tone of my guitar (that's a good thing). It's the quietest amp as far as hiss and noise are concerned. No unwanted noise whatsoever. Each string is clear and precise, with lots of body and tone. Very warm tone for a non-tube amp. Nice!
Jeff W, Telford, PA
My Bass Player Did a Double-take to See Where all That Tone Was Coming From.
I am using a Yamaha 1200es archtop, a Taylor 710LTD with the fishman dual pickup system, and a Cordoba FWSE Nylon string thinline. I bought this for use with the Jazz quartet I have been playing with. I wanted an amp to do both the archtop jazz tone, as well as a warm, natural sounding gut-string tone. This amp really delivers both. The 1st night it arrived, i literally unboxed it, and ran off to an outdoor gig. After a little noodling with it, we started playing, and my bass player did a double take to see where all that tone was coming from. All coming from an amp smaller than a deluxe reverb, cool.
P. Douds
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PRO250
I love the separate Vol control on the tweeter.
Just a line to let you know that you did it right with this amp! Over the years I have played through a lot of amps (and I mean alot), but this is it! I really love the separate Vol control on the tweeter. I no longer need to try another amp. I’m sold! Maybe that’s because I own one.
Douglas Spahni, Ohio
Best thing about the PRO250: I no longer need to drag my PA to smaller gigs.
The UltraSound PRO250 is the best acoustic amp I’ve ever played. I must have played or tested every acoustic amp out there (Bose L1, Fishman’s Solo Amp-SL1, Genz Benz Pro LT200W and their Shen 300LT 300 Watt unit, as well as the SWR California Blond II, and Marshall’s 100 Watt acoustic amp), and decided to buy the UltraSound. What got me first was the tone. Or lack of tone really… the PRO250 is so transparent, my Martin D28 sounds like my Martin D28… only louder. I can also adjust the active tone controls to tweak the sound if I want to cut through a full band, but I mostly play solo gigs, so a pure guitar tone is what I’m looking for. And that’s where my UltraSound really shines.
I was also surprised by the pure power of this amp. This sucker can get LOUD when you need it! The tri-amped system feeds 150 watts to the 10” speaker, 50 watts to a 4” midrange speaker, and 50 more watts to the Super Tweeter. And the Super Tweeter also has a dedicated volume control so you can really control the top end sizzle in the room. So far I have not played anyplace that I could not handle with my amp alone. But when I DO start playing the coliseum, I’ll just use the balanced direct outs to the main board. I’ve also had great luck using the direct outs to record my gigs without all the room noise. All in all you get a lot of options on this amp.
But aside from the sound, the best thing about the PRO250 is that I no longer need to drag my PA to smaller gigs. I simply plug my guitar into channel 1, which has a cool little notch filter to cut down on feedback without destroying my tone, and plug my mic into channel 2. I can carry my guitar, the amp and a small gig bag in one trip from the car. And it only weighs 39 lbs. Thank you UltraSound!
Another very nice touch is the independent digital effects for each channel. You can get 15 different effects to choose from, but I usually run a little reverb on the mic channel and a touch of chorus on the guitar. The quality of the effects seems fine and once again, it’s less stuff to carry.
I guess what I am saying is: This is the best gig machine I’ve ever owned. Controls for everything, tone for days, and power to spare. And it’s built like a tank so it should last for years.
Monty4sounds from Bay Area, CA
Surprising clarity and plenty of volume.
As a working musician in a bluegrass band, I have owned, played through, and lugged around a lot of acoustic amps and PA gear, but not anymore! The UltraSound PRO 250 was by far the best purchase I have ever made!! I now just have my instruments and the amp to worry about getting to a gig. I play guitar, mandolin, and banjo, and this amp handles them all with surprising clarity and plenty of volume, with very little tweaking between the instruments. I don’t usually use effects, but the ones built into this amp are simple and great sounding, and give me that little “extra,” and have been very useful in certain situations. I highly recommend this to ANY acoustic instrument player!!
Anonymous Musician from Central Valley, CA
The acoustic sound was enough even for an enormous club.
FYI: I've been using the Ultrasounds and as expected they sound wonderful and have evolved into a killer piece of gear. I started using them long ago after Greg first released them and still have my original 4X8 100W Satellite cabs from the old production design, I still dig them and still use them.
So check this out… I was doing a big label showcase downtown a few weeks ago and had a stereo rig set up of the Pro 250 and DS4, preamp out of those into the 4X8 cabs set up on each side of the drum riser, seriously glorious and full sound that was totally present all over the stage but not obnoxiously loud, not that I couldn't rise to the occasion if need be because of some pesky Matchless or Marshall or something or even a friggin VST for that matter. The sound guys were amazed at how transparent everything sounded and I was able to quell any feedback from my full bodied Taylors, we were cranked my friend. Any way they said the acoustic sound off the stage was enough even for the friggin Wildhorse which is an enormous club which ultimately did two things:
1-helped break the dangerous and obnoxious Nashville audio habit of always taking the acoustic direct and slamming backwards through the monitors, the closet thing to death there is.
2-finally make the electric guys realize that some acoustic players will not be intimidated by a bunch of friggin half stacks and 100 watt combo's, now there's a quote.
Your friend and grateful endorsee,
Michael Spriggs
The UltraSound PRO 250 was by far the best purchase I have ever made!!
As a working musician in a bluegrass band, I have owned, played through, and lugged around a lot of acoustic amps and PA gear, but not anymore! The UltraSound PRO 250 was by far the best purchase I have ever made!! I now just have my instruments and the amp to worry about getting to a gig. I play guitar, mandolin and banjo, and this amp handles them all with surprising clarity and plenty of volume, with very little tweaking between the instruments. I don’t usually use effects, but the ones built into this amp are simple and great sounding, and give me that little “extra” and have been very useful in certain situations. I highly recommend this to ANY acoustic instrument player!!
by Anonymous
WOW! I will never own another acoustic amplifier PERIOD!
I purchased the Ultrasound Pro 250 about 6 months ago, and WOW! I will never own another acoustic amplifier PERIOD! I am a solo artist (play small to medium venues), and this amp can handle either setting with ease! Super lightweight, great effects, very accurate reproduction of guitar and vocals, and ins/outs for days make this the amp to own for any gigging musician, studio or live! Several other musicians have come to me after shows asking where the rest of the equipment is, and I tell them it is in my apartment gathering dust now! Buy this amp!!
by Anonymous
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