Roland Mobile Cube - yay or nay? - GuitarTalk Community

Roland Mobile Cube - yay or nay?

aja

What do you guys think about it?

I want one to use like a tiny PA when playing music with an MP3 player at a picnic or braai and also a playing guitar at friend's houses and such.

Seems nifty.

Impressive range of instruments that it can take:

WantzChas

Price?

aja

WantzChas wrote: Price?

I think I saw one at Music mate a while ago for R2000. But that is a ripoff IMO

In the USA they go for $160 - so about R1200

WantzChas

You will be really lucky to find it for R1200. I have a little formula (not really, but a guide) to converting from US$. You multiply with the exchange rate then add 15-25%. With the US$ currently at R8,16. You will be more likely to pay R1500.

Keira-WitherKay

hello aja ...mobile amps are my thing .... itravel a lot and even busk when i do... till not so long ago i used a peavey solo amp.... it can be powered by adaptor or battery's .... but recently up graded to a crate taxi amp( unfortunately not available in this country) but the crate taxi 15 w is avialable online...

the advantage of the crate and the peavey is that they use a 8 inch speaker which creates a fat sound..... and the peavey is available locally ... and has a power output of 15 w on adaptor and 1o W on battery.... but the portable roland and line 6 make one too...only ofer 5 watts and 4 inch or 6.5 inch speakers so the sound is quite small ... my crate push's out a whopping 30 W into an 8 inch .... i tested the crate and peavey to all the battery amps available namely the roland one you looking at ...also roland offer a "street" amp which is 5 W but into 2x speakers but it truly sounde thin .....

before you spend a fortune on a 5 W amp check out the peavey solo ..... ( you just too late i sold my old one for R500 a few weeks back) the solo does not have all the onboard effects but offers a way better sound ..remember you can always plug an overdive pedal (battery powered) into it ....

anyway there's some alternatives for you to think of....

let me know what you decide...or if you find other options since when it comes to mobile amps i am always on the lookout

peace and light

Keira

aja

WantzChas wrote: You will be really lucky to find it for R1200. I have a little formula (not really, but a guide) to converting from US$. You multiply with the exchange rate then add 15-25%. With the US$ currently at R8,16. You will be more likely to pay R1500.

Music company in Melville used to sell Roland gear cheaper than musician's friend. When the exchange rate gave a price of R3300 for the Roland Cube 60, I bought mine there for R2900. But that seems to be in the past. I get what you are saying though. Although it shouldn't be like that. Especially gear coming from the UK like Blackstar and Vox and Laney etc etc... Computer parts are the same story. Flippin' ripoff

aja

Keira WitherKay wrote:anyway there's some alternatives for you to think of....

let me know what you decide...or if you find other options since when it comes to mobile amps i am always on the lookout

peace and light

Keira

Thanks Keira! I appreciate the input! Yeah the Roland street sounded terrible when I heard it, like a shower radio or something. Way way too expensive!
I am actually more keen on using it like a portable speaker than a guitar amp though. But the quality is definitely a factor...

Incidentally, what do you think about the Vox DA range? The DA20 seems like quite a nice portable unit, albeit the limited power output on battery power

Keira-WitherKay

helo aja ... no i don't know that vox DA 20 ...although i have heard the DA series vox but it was only a 5 W or 10 W one...and sounded much like the roland.... but if by DA20 it's a 20 W amp then it should sound fatter ....
i have found that the size of the speaker and the wattage make the biggest difference....

so my answer is NO i don't know the vox but will be keen to hear it .........

heheh see you in jhb ..if you near norwood tomorro at lunchtime pop into zahava's restaurant (47 grant ave) i do a lunch show there .... and only use the crate taxi 30 W battery amp to play to a pro gig ...and i get a full fat sound.... and natural too...

but i guess it depends what you want to do with it ...... i also use it as a full PA like you said you wnated so maybe our needs are similar

peace and light
Keira

aja

Keira, you know I have been following every gig you have been doing and without fail they happen a day or two before a test or exam of mine, like for the past three weeks! I really want to come, ever since I saw the videos of you on youtube (the old ones you first put up yonks ago) But I finish on the 19th so then I can come see what al this acoustic jazz whoo haa is about hehehehe ?

Keira-WitherKay

hehhe yeah life can be like that.... but the idea was not for you to see me ... but to see the crate taxi..and hear what i consider to be one of the better mobile amps..although AER make a 60 W one i'd love but it's way too heavy and too expensive..... just thinking if you have a point of reference you could judge better what to buy..... and tomorro i use the crate as the only amp..... where like last night i used the crate but added in some powered speakers .... cos the venue was much bigger

but yeah pop in when you done with exams and catch a gig

peace and light
Keira