The Roland Micro Cube mains powered or battery amp is a very portable amp. It works on the mains or can be if you prefer powered by batteries and work as a busking portable battery amp. Great for busking or the “Morris Team” player who needs help to be heard when no mains electricity is available.
Roland designed this battery amp in the first instance as a guitar amplifier, good for out door work this busking battery amp is the best portable amp we have come across in a long time. You can read all about its features below but suffice it to say that we have tried guitar, mandolin, fiddle and harmonica through this portable amp and they all work remarkably well. This is an ideal busking amp or for use out doors in those situations where by you need to be heard but have no electricity mains close by. A remarkably loud battery amp for the number of watts and the size of the speaker with an incredibly versatile range of tones. Even when you come in off the street yet still want to be heard in the session it’s great for this too and with the handy tuning fork setting you have a reference for every one to tune to. We really like the fact that when you are not using this is as a battery amp you do not need to buy a separate AC adapter as this is included and that Roland have chosen to make it work with easily obtainable battery sizes. At only 3.3 kg (7lb 5oz) its dimensions of 244 mm wide x 166mm deep x 266 mm high this really is as Roland describes it “The Ultimate Portable Battery Amp”. The fact that this is both a Roland product and works equally as well as both a mains powered amp and battery amp gives this particular busking battery amp and advantage over the competition.
This is a compact yet highly functional DSP mains and battery amp featuring a 12 cm (5inches) speaker and outputs 2 watts.
Powered by either six AA batteries or the included AC adaptor, you can use the micro cube to perform just about anywhere with up to 20 hours of battery powered playing time (with alkaline batteries; battery life may vary according to playing conditions).
The Roland Micro Cube battery amp comes equipped with a newly developed digital tuning “TUNING FORK,” which you can use to tune your guitar. This function includes three tuning key options (normal/half step/whole step down). It can also be used for heavy bottom tunings. As far as we know there are no other portable battery amps that have this feature making it ideal as a busking amp.
With this battery amp Roland offer six different COSM amp types in this one model. COSM stands for Composite Object Sound Modelling (COSM). This is Roland’s innovative and powerful sound modelling technology. COSM analyzes the many factors that make up the original sound, such as the electrical and physical characteristics of the original, and then produces a digital model that can reproduce the same sound. What this means to you the player is that you have six different sounds you can make use of through this one battery amp.
The Roland Micro Cube battery amplifier also accepts a microphone input, allowing you to use the Micro Cube as a portable microphone amplifier. Once again it is possible to use this as a portable battery amp.
With onboard EFX which includes 4 digital effects types, chorus, flanger, phaser and tremolo this battery amp has more features than you would have imagined a busking amp ever had the right to have.
A separate “DELAY” and “REVERB” effects are provided in addition to the EFX, again this is something we are not are that any other manufacturer of a battery amp is offering.
The versatility of this battery amp is added to being equipped with REC OUT” jack” convenient for use in recording and for use as headphones out.
Offers two types of jacks for external input; a ¼ “phone" jack and a mini jack. This allows you to connect CD players and other backing devices.
Also included with this portable busking battery amp is a handy strap for ease of portability.
Panel Description with explanations of the features of the Roland battery amp.
1. Input Jack – This is where you connect your instrument or microphone to the battery amp.
2. Type Switch – You can select from the following seven amp types with killer BOSS effects which are included on this Roland battery amp…..
a. ACOUSTIC – The original amplifier model gives you a dynamic acoustic sound when an electric guitar is plugged into this battery amp.
b. JC CLEAN – This is a model of Roland’s famous JC-120 Jazz Chorus guitar amplifier. The ultra-clean, ultra-flat sound offers a smooth clean electric guitar tone – This becomes more effective when used in combination with external effects which can be easily plugged into the Roland Micro Cube battery amp.
c. BLACK PANEL – This is modelled on the classic Fender Tin Reverb amplifier, used in a wide variety of musical styles, from country to blues, jazz and rock. Exhibiting rich lows and bright high end, once again a standard feature on the Roland Micro Cube battery amp.
d. BRIT COMBO – This is modelled on the Vox AC-30TB, the rock amplifier that created the Liverpool sound of the 60’s. In this battery amp it can produce a broad range of sounds, from clean to overdrive, with increased distortion and greater power in the low-mid range when the amplifier gain is boosted. The Roland Micro Cube battery amp offers these features whether plugged into the mains or used as a pure battery amp.
e. CLASSIC STACK – This is modelled on the sound and response of a Marshall JMP1987. The legendary JMP1987 is renowned for its smooth tone and presence-perfect for classic and hard rock.
f. R-FIER STACK – This is modelled on the MESA/Boogie Rectifier. This super high gain amp is capable of producing slash metal, grunge, and a whole wide rage of other lead sounds. Giggle inside as the crowds watch with amazement how such sounds are possibly achieved from a battery amp that is so small and obviously made for busking.
g. MIC – This position is selected when a microphone is connected, whether attached to the mains or as purely a battery amp.
3. GAIN Knob – Adjusts the sensitivity of the input jacks.
4. Volume Knob – To adjust the volume.
5. Power Indicator – Indicates when power is on but when operating on battery power only, the unit’s indicator will become dim during playing when battery power gets too low.
6. TUNING FORK Switch – This switch plays the modelled tuning fork sound to use as a reference pitch when tuning. We don't believe we have seen this before in a battery amp.
7. KEY Switch – This selects the tuning fork pitch which can be dropped in ½ steps (semi tones) i.e. A, Ab, or Abb, A = 440 Hz
8. Tone Knob – Dependant upon which direction this control is turned you get a brighter or milder toner.
9. EFX (Effects) Knob – Use this knob to select either chorus, flanger, phaser or or tremolo.
a. CHORUS – In this effect a slightly detuned sound is added to the original sound giving the sound greater breadth and fullness.
b. FLANGER – This creates a flanging effect that creates a sort of spinning sensation with the sound.
c. PHASER This effect adds a variable phase-shifted signal to the direct sound, giving sound a swirling character.
d. TREMOLO – is an effect that creates a cyclic change in volume.
10. DELAY/REVERB Knob – Adjusts between Delay and Reverb.
11. REC OUT/PHONES - Designed for use with a standard ¼” jack.
12. AUX IN Jacks – For connecting for example a CD player or MP3 player or any other device that you want to use to play along with, this works equally well when powered by mains or battery amp.
13. POWER SWITCH – Turns the power on and off and is coupled to the very useful circuit protection device. Which means you need not worry whether using on the mains or as a battery amp.
14. AC Adaptor Jack – Connect the AC adaptor to this jack when not is use as a pure battery amp.
15. Cord Hook – To prevent the inadvertent disruption of power to this unit and avoids applying undue stress to the AC adaptor Jack.
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