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Post subject: Passport Mini or Powerwerks (Kustom) PW50???
Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 4:11 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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I am looking at both of these mini PAs just for solo use playing and singing. Can anyone give any advice here?

I have the guitars and gear listed in my signature line: and would most frequently be hooking up a dynamic mike and the acoustic/electric Hellcat guitar but occasionally my electrics.

I really like that the Passport Mini is as much of an amp as it is a PA and would give me some modeling and effects options for both acoustic and electric; but I have no idea what to expect from a system with only 7 watts.

The Powerwerks PW50 I can get for $40 less (because it is now labeled as a Kustom and they are firesaling the units with the Powerwerks logo.) It does not have battery-power capability. But it is 50 watts and has the ability of two mics plus two instruments. Of course, no effects so I expect only my Hellcat would sound good through it without running some kind of effects processor between the PA and guitar.

Anyone have some insight on either of these starter level PAs?

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Tiger J

my gear:

Jackson USA Phil Collen PC-1
Warmoth Custom-Build Stratocaster (The Andersong)
Fender American Special Stratocaster
Squier J. Mascis Jazzmaster
Fender Mustang GT40
Eleven HeadRush w/ two Alto TS212 FRFRs


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Post subject: Re: Passport Mini or Powerwerks (Kustom) PW50???
Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 6:29 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Well, after the overwhelming response to this post :oops: I decided to pull the trigger on the Passport Mini over the Powerwerks/Kustom.

Like the battery operation possibility and the presets/effects for both acoustic/electric and electric. Won't be doing any duets though!

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Tiger J

my gear:

Jackson USA Phil Collen PC-1
Warmoth Custom-Build Stratocaster (The Andersong)
Fender American Special Stratocaster
Squier J. Mascis Jazzmaster
Fender Mustang GT40
Eleven HeadRush w/ two Alto TS212 FRFRs


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Profile
Post subject: Re: Passport Mini or Powerwerks (Kustom) PW50???
Posted: Wed Feb 05, 2014 8:29 pm
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Rock Star
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Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 5:14 pm
Posts: 3169
Location: Linningrad
I don't own a Fender Passport and almost never come down here. Did you by any chance consider a Fender Acoustasonic amp? They are perfect for the singer/guitarist, and often make more sense than a small PA system.

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2012 Lefty American Standard Jazz
2017 Lefty American Professional Precision
2018 Rumble Studio 40 Combo
2016 Rumble 200 Combo
One day they shall name a GREAT city after me, and they shall call it LINNINGRAD


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Post subject: Re: Passport Mini or Powerwerks (Kustom) PW50???
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 9:18 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Thanks Linnin... that would have been an option to seriously consider. I am mostly an electric player but do have the one Tim Armstrong Hellcat. An Acoustasonic 15 would have been a contender had I known about it or even thought about looking at acoustic amps. I would have assumed that an acoustic guitar amp would not have an XLR vocal mic input!

I will have to think about it some: I haven't received the Passport Mini from Amazon yet but I could always send it back and order the Acoustasonic 15.

Pros and Cons seem to be:

Passport has battery-operation capability/Acoustasonic does not

Passport has presets and effects for both acoustic and electric guitars/Acoustasonic is made specifically for acoustics and has one effect - chorus

Passport offers tone and reverb for the vocal channel/Acoustasonic only has volume knob

Acoustasonic is 15-watts/Passport is 7-watts

I may need to take the Passport to a music shop that stocks the Acoustasonic and play them side by side.... Sometimes life has too many choices and not enough cash! :mrgreen:

_________________
Tiger J

my gear:

Jackson USA Phil Collen PC-1
Warmoth Custom-Build Stratocaster (The Andersong)
Fender American Special Stratocaster
Squier J. Mascis Jazzmaster
Fender Mustang GT40
Eleven HeadRush w/ two Alto TS212 FRFRs


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Passport Mini or Powerwerks (Kustom) PW50???
Posted: Thu Feb 06, 2014 11:35 am
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Rock Star
Rock Star

Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 5:14 pm
Posts: 3169
Location: Linningrad
True that! I was thinking more along the lines of either the Acoustasonic 90 or 150 to get the serious DSP modeling for both acoustic and/or electric guitars along with seperate multiple effects combinations for both guitar & vocals. Very well designed concept along with excellent sounding execution. I play bass in a jazz duo and I've been wanting the guitarist to go with the Acoustasonic 150 and a Gretsch semi-hollow body electric. Nothing $1,500 couldn't cure. :D

_________________
2012 Lefty American Standard Jazz
2017 Lefty American Professional Precision
2018 Rumble Studio 40 Combo
2016 Rumble 200 Combo
One day they shall name a GREAT city after me, and they shall call it LINNINGRAD


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Profile
Post subject: Re: Passport Mini or Powerwerks (Kustom) PW50???
Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 10:57 am
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Aspiring Musician
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Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 7:36 pm
Posts: 638
Maybe in the future... my current toy budget was $100-$150 and the Passport Mini maxed that range!

_________________
Tiger J

my gear:

Jackson USA Phil Collen PC-1
Warmoth Custom-Build Stratocaster (The Andersong)
Fender American Special Stratocaster
Squier J. Mascis Jazzmaster
Fender Mustang GT40
Eleven HeadRush w/ two Alto TS212 FRFRs


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Passport Mini or Powerwerks (Kustom) PW50???
Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2014 6:56 pm
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Hobbyist
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Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 1:15 pm
Posts: 3
FWIW.... I've had a passport mini for about 3 months now and really love it. I needed something to practice mic skills with an acoustic and it has been awesome for that. It really did outperform my expectations when it came to the guitar amp side of things. Last week I added a Lucas Nano 300 and am using the passport mini as a pre-amp for it. So far, it is working amazingly well. I have also used it to record directly to my computer and it produces a very clean sound. Do note that the signal coming into the computer is VERY LOW and will have to be normalized before it will be used. It really is much more versatile than I expected. The Fuse Software alone is worth the price. Yeah, I really love it. No, I don't work for Fender. I've played for over 30 years and this thing is perfect for where I'm at now.


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Post subject: Re: Passport Mini or Powerwerks (Kustom) PW50???
Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2014 7:03 pm
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Hobbyist
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Joined: Fri Jan 31, 2014 1:15 pm
Posts: 3
FWIW.... I've had a passport mini for about 3 months now and really love it. I needed something to practice mic skills with an acoustic and it has been awesome for that. It really did outperform my expectations when it came to the guitar amp side of things. Last week I added a Lucas Nano 300 and am using the passport mini as a pre-amp for it. So far, it is working amazingly well. I have also used it to record directly to my computer and it produces a very clean sound. Do note that the signal coming into the computer is VERY LOW and will have to be normalized before it will be used. It really is much more versatile than I expected. The Fuse Software alone is worth the price. Yeah, I really love it. No, I don't work for Fender. I've played for over 30 years and this thing is perfect for where I'm at now.

I play an Alvarez Yairi DY45AV and a '73 Telecaster through it and can get great sounds for both out of it. As a PA, it is really only good for VERY quit rooms. I'm hoping to get out busking with it next time I'm passing through NOLA. I think it will be great for that. It's not going to be as loud as many of the busking rigs out there, but should suffice for my "for fun" activities. After all, it is only a 7watt amp. It sounds great up into about the 2 o'clock position for volume on the vocals. Past that it tends to burp the speaker a bit. Plenty loud for me to do what I got it for (practice mic skills). In fact, it will react harshly if you don't use good mic skills, which really helps me.

I also travel for work. This thing is perfect for that, in fact it's loaded up right now for a trip to Key West in the morning. Great to have this nice sounding little amp in a place like that. Very good close proximity sound on a tiny island of houses that are close together. I can play, be happy and not annoy the neighbors.


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