AER Alpha 40-Watt Acoustic Guitar Combo Amp

92
GEARANK

92 out of 100. Incorporating 60+ ratings and reviews.

Street Price: 

$899
AER Alpha 40-Watt Acoustic Guitar Combo Amp

Gearank Recommendation

The Alpha appeared on our now defunct recommended list of Acoustic Amps Up To 50 Watts from July 2016 until January 2019.

You can view our current recommendations in our guide to The Best Acoustic Amps.

Rating Source Highlights

Website Source *Rating Value
Guitar Jar John 98/100
Audiofanzine Tonton.Babar 100/100
*Displayed values are prior to the Gearank Algorithm's adjustments it makes when evaluating the source.

Overview

AER has been one of the dominant brands in high-end acoustic guitar amps for many years and the 40-Watt Alpha is their popular 'entry level' amp.

Tommy Emmanuel is one of the most notable artists who uses AER acoustic amps, albeit with their much more expensive Domino 3.

Although you can plug both your guitar and mic into it, it's less useful as a small PA than many other options because it only has 1 channel meaning your effects loop is applied to both inputs. It does however provide 24V phantom power on the XLR input.

One notable point is that I didn't find many customer reviews recommending it for vocals.

The Alpha 40 is recommended by both nylon string and steel string guitarists, for both fingerstyle and strumming

If you want a high-end 40-Watt amp and you have the funds, then this is a great option. If your budget can't quite stretch this far then you'll find excellent alternatives in our recommended list of The Best Acoustic Guitar Amps.

Specifications

  • Power Rating: 40 Watts
  • Amplifier Type: Solid State
  • Channels: 1 with 2 inputs with individual volume knobs
  • Master Volume: Yes
  • Inputs: 1 x combo 1/4" instrument input & XLR, 1 x 1/4" instrument input, 1 x 1/4" stereo jack for dual footswitch, 1/4" effects return
  • Outputs: XLR balanced DI before master volume after tone control without effects, 1/4" line out preamp output after master volume, 1/4" tuner out, 1/4" stereo headphone out, 1/4" effects send after tone control before master volume
  • Controls: 2 x Input volume, Master volume, Bass, Mid, Treble, Effects return volume, Colour switch that activates the midrange contour filter &boosts presence and slightly cuts midrange frequencies on Input 2.
  • Speakers: 1 x 8" dual cone
  • Weight: 13.7 lbs
  • Dimensions: 10.24“ x 10.43“ x 9.25“

Demo