Battery powered multi-instrument busking combo - recommendations, please.

[solo4652]

Looking for ideas for a half-decent, busking combo to amplify my cajon when busking. 20w to 30w should suffice, with 4 inputs to accommodate; acoustic guitar, two vocal mics, and my cajon mic. All recommendations gratefully received.

Edited October 15, 2021 by solo4652

[Woodwind]

Will you be busking in resonant spaces (eg railway arches) or completely outdoors?

 

I ask as I used my phil jones double4 running off a battery as a two channel system for my Contrabassoon effects and samples.

In railway arches it is the perfect volume.

 

In unsupported areas - footpath etc it completely dissappears. It's like I'm making no sound at all.

 

I have seen people running multi instrument sets ups in outdoor spaces using the new 240v powerblock systems and using a mixer into a single powered pa speaker.

 

If I was starting from scratch tomorrow this is the route I would go. The battery for my double4 was 100quid right off the bat which makes this thing pretty good value -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jackery-Portable-Explorer-Generator-Outdoors/dp/B08RNPYLQW/

 

It says it will provide 200w (400w peak) so that would do a mixer and 100watt+ PA speaker

[Woodwind]

other options -

 

I see a lot of solo singer guitarists using the Roland street cube.

Once away from a supportive resonant wall they sound awful to my ears - really straining hard.

 

The newer street cube ex is much better.

I was watching a player with one yesterday. It is clearly more powerful and they were running several inputs. The sound was much nicer.

 

I see Harley Benton now have a busking amp that may be worth a look:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_streetbox_60.htm?ref=mobile#bewertung

 

If you could run two of these you'd be spreading the headroom a bit - ideal for percussive instruments like your Cajon

 

[Mottlefeeder]

1 hour ago, Woodwind said:

Will you be busking in resonant spaces (eg railway arches) or completely outdoors?

 

I ask as I used my phil jones double4 running off a battery as a two channel system for my Contrabassoon effects and samples.

In railway arches it is the perfect volume.

 

In unsupported areas - footpath etc it completely dissappears. It's like I'm making no sound at all.

 

I have seen people running multi instrument sets ups in outdoor spaces using the new 240v powerblock systems and using a mixer into a single powered pa speaker.

 

If I was starting from scratch tomorrow this is the route I would go. The battery for my double4 was 100quid right off the bat which makes this thing pretty good value -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jackery-Portable-Explorer-Generator-Outdoors/dp/B08RNPYLQW/

 

It says it will provide 200w (400w peak) so that would do a mixer and 100watt+ PA speaker

The problem with inverter + mains systems is the standing current drawn by the amplifier. It may only be 12 watts which is insignificant on mains, but that alone is 1 amp continuously from the battery, and that assumes that your inverter is 100% efficient. My amplifier plus inverter takes 1.5 amps before it produces any sound.

 

A better route is to use a car audio amplifier connected directly to a 12 volt power pack - less voltage conversion eating up your battery power.

[Woodwind]

Car amplifier is a great idea.

Several 12v mixers around to run all the OP's inputs from this as well

[Mottlefeeder]

On 15/10/2021 at 17:29, Woodwind said:

Car amplifier is a great idea.

Several 12v mixers around to run all the OP's inputs from this as well

The picture below shows:

On the left, a Class AB stereo car amp bolted to a piece of plywood, and connected in bridge mode to give 75W RMS into 8 ohms or 150W RMS into 4 ohms. With the 7 AHr battery shown, it gives about 2 hours of playing time.

On the right, a Class D 4-channel amp which I use as 2 bridged pairs, each giving 35W into 8 ohms, or 80 W into 4 ohms. Using the 7AHr battery, I busked for nearly 5 hours and it was still going.

 

The mixer I use is the Behringer 1002B, which runs on mains, or two 9 volt batteries.

 

https://www.andertons.co.uk/behringer-1002b-battery-powered-analog-mixer-000-a0401-00010?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=surfaces&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtrSLBhCLARIsACh6RmgidspbWPV-o7EHRGp4bv5UzMbTzEJSkdUOqxtAMiEnW3izZmrxuAMaAgUrEALw_wcB

 

Not a combo, but less than half of the price of a street cube if you use an existing smallish speaker cab.

 

David

Edited October 18, 2021 by Mottlefeeder
Added mixer picture