TEST: AES Elite Acoustics M2-6

 Battery-operated micro multifunctional amplifiers are currently popping up like mushrooms on a damp autumn day. With the Elite Acoustics M2-6 Acoustic Amplifier, the Californian manufacturer with production in the USA also has an amplifier in its ranks that attracts attention with its small dimensions and a variety of inputs.

The construction of the Elite Acoustics M2-6 Acoustic Amplifier

The Elite Acoustics M2-6 Acoustic Amplifier is a 4-channel mixing amplifier which, in addition to a complete effects device, also offers the option of Bluetooth streaming. When you pick up the amplifier for the first time, you notice at first glance that it weighs just under 11 kilograms, which is unexpectedly heavy, which is hardly noticeable for the amplifier, which is only (W x D x H): 330 mm x 279 mm x 229 mm would have believed. This is largely due to the internally installed battery, as the amplifier can be operated either with the included power supply or with said battery. According to the manufacturer, the amplifier has an operating time of 6-8 hours on a full charge, which in practice guarantees almost 3 full shows without a power supply. Street musicians and garden party enthusiasts will be happy about this. The accessories also include a 12 V car adapter.

At first glance, it is really difficult for me to define the exact area of application of the Elite Acoustics M2-6 Acoustic Amplifier, although this is a very positive review. Although the amplifier is marketed as an acoustic instrument amplifier, the extensive input section allows you to think outside the box. Conceptually, the amplifier is designed as a floor monitor / wedge due to its trapezoidal shape, but thanks to the additional rubber feet on the sides it can also be driven upright as a backline or in high stand mode thanks to the 35 mm flange.

The Elite Acoustics M2-6 Acoustic Amplifier works in mono and uses a 6.5 inch bass/midrange driver and a 1 inch diameter Silk Dome tweeter driver, which are protected from external influences by a solid, white metal grille. According to the manufacturer, the frequency response of the product is 70 Hz - 22 kHz, although both key data are more of a mathematical nature. In the low-frequency range, housing dimensions of this size should perhaps, with good intentions, allow a realistic perception down to around 150 Hz, and in live operation anything above 16 kHz is obsolete anyway. The Class D power amplifiers together produce an output of 30 watts with 103 dB SPL. Whether this is sine, RMS or peak could not be elicited from the manufacturer anywhere. Let's therefore start with the lowest value and assume 30 watts peak.

The top of the Elite Acoustics M2-6 Acoustic Amplifier

The first thing that stands out is the solid plastic carrying handle, as it is connected to the screwed side panels via metal rails. Wearing out like soft rubber, or worse, unnecessary leather handles? Not possible, 10 out of 10! The housing is covered with a durable carbon-look film, and four metal corners protect the product from the front. Due to the amplifier section and the trapezoidal shape of the housing, the corners of the product are unfortunately unprotected towards the back.

In order to protect the potentiometers of the upper amplifier section, they were recessed along with the Bluetooth antenna, which works well at least when exposed to surface impacts. In general, I recommend a transport case for products of this and similar design, especially since EAE unfortunately does not have a transport case available for purchase for the M2-6. It's always only a matter of time before the first controller breaks or breaks and no one really wants to go through the subsequent, desperate fumbling around on the circuit board to fix the broken conductor tracks.

The upper part of the housing gives you access to a three-band tone control, which affects all channels. There is also a mini jack socket there along with a volume control for an AUX-In. You also have access to the master volume control, a hum mute switch and an internally installed FX device, which has 16 different reverb, delay, chorus and flanger programs and is controlled by 3 controls. A total of 8 LEDs provide information about an applied signal, clippings and switched 48 V phantom power.

The back of the Elite Acoustics M2-6 Acoustic Amplifier

The sloping back has a lot of sockets and controls to manage a total of 4 channels, with channel 1 receiving the most attention. In addition to a three-band tone control with parametric mids, the channel has a notch filter that can be tuned between 100 - 450 Hz, a combined FX or AUX control, phase switch, PAD switch and three different inputs for guitar, line or XLR. Channel 2 has to do without any tone control, with the combined channels 3 and 4 only receiving one TRS socket as an input.

In the sum area there is also an FX loop, a footswitch input for FX activation, a monitor output for daisy chain and 2 XLR outputs for other active speakers or similar. A USB port allows you to charge a smartphone, a 5-digit LED provides information about the Amplifier charge level and a recessed switch allows battery operation to be blocked.

The Elite Acoustics M2-6 Acoustic Amplifier in practice

Let's start with the primary setup of the system, as a floor monitor. This is where the first limitation in ease of use becomes apparent, which is due to the extensive connection panel. Setting or readjusting a sound proves to be very complicated due to the downward-facing control surface on the back of the housing. A typical sequence is as follows: plug in an acoustic guitar (or similar), stand in front of the amp, test play, step behind the amp, place the amp on your face, adjust the settings, put the amp back on its feet, stand in front of the amp pose, rehearse, … repeat.

Especially when using the parametric filter, setting a sound can often involve up to 20 of these sequences or more, which means it doesn't work that way. The only solution is to position the amplifier upright on a case, table or similar, adjust the sound and then move it to its monitor position on the floor. Inconvenient, but unfortunately unavoidable.

In terms of sound, the Elite Acoustics M2-6 Acoustic Amplifier is quite pleasing in the neutral position at low volumes, although the amp has to struggle with two problems at higher volumes. On the one hand, the amplifier has a clear high-mid bias, which further increases the already existing weak point of the pickup systems, especially in acoustic guitars with piezo systems. The amplifier's tone control, on the other hand, works very tastefully and with extremely little background noise, but cannot compensate for the somewhat harsh basic sound of the amplifier. Unfortunately, even using the parametric midrange control on channel 1 in the form of lowering the midrange peak cannot help, but simply robs the instrument of its midrange frequencies and thus its assertiveness.

The amplifier's second shortcoming explains the very sparse mention of the power specifications. The amplifier is quiet, not to say very quiet. Whether this is due to the optional battery operation remains to be seen, but while the comparable competition often comes with 200 watts of output power or more, the 30 watts of the Elite Acoustics M2-6 Acoustic Amplifier have almost no headroom. The power amplifier reaches its performance limit even at moderate volumes and, as saturation increases, linear transmission suddenly comes to an end.

In the case of an acoustic guitar, the amplifier was able to easily exceed the natural volume of the acoustic guitar, but only with neutral tone control. If you wanted to boost the bass accordingly, the channel's clip LED would light up again. Unfortunately, this significantly limits the area of application of the amplifier. The amplifier will have a difficult time as a backline for a normally playing folk band; it will be completely impossible to use it in conjunction with a drummer. The volume of the Elite Acoustics M2-6 Acoustic Amplifier should only be sufficient for a quietly playing unplugged band.

Despite all the criticism, one should not forget the positive impressions of the amplifier. The extensive entrance section is ideal for the singer / songwriter who wants to act as a street musician with guitar / singing with the help of MP3s or playbacks. The triple connection peripherals for external sound sources (Bluetooth, AUX-In, Channel 3-4) alone offer many possible uses for players of all kinds. The workmanship of the product is exemplary, the sound control is sensitive and the built-in FX device impresses with its tasteful sound, which in particular can shine with the reverb presets.

Conclusion

The Elite Acoustics M2-6 Acoustic Amplifier impresses with well-thought-out connection peripherals, very good workmanship and extensive signal management. If you don't need high volumes on stage and aren't put off by the basic sound of the amplifier, you should definitely give the product a try.

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Additional Informations:

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* **Soundproof blankets:** These blankets are made from a variety of materials, including fiberglass, mineral wool, and foam. They are designed to absorb sound waves and reduce noise levels.
* **Soundproof mats:** These mats are made from a variety of materials, including rubber, foam, and cork. They are designed to reduce noise levels and improve sound quality in a variety of settings.

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If you are looking for a way to reduce noise levels and improve sound quality in your home, business, or industrial setting, AES Elite Acoustics has the products and services you need. Contact the company today to learn more about its products and services.

**Soundproofing Products for Homes**

AES Elite Acoustics offers a variety of soundproofing products for homes, including:

* **Soundproof curtains:** These curtains are made from heavy-duty materials, such as velvet or suede. They are designed to block sound waves and prevent them from entering or leaving a room.
* **Soundproof blankets:** These blankets are made from a variety of materials, including fiberglass, mineral wool, and foam. They are designed to absorb sound waves and reduce noise levels.
* **Soundproof mats:** These mats are made from a variety of materials, including rubber, foam, and cork. They are designed to reduce noise levels and improve sound quality in a variety of settings.

AES Elite Acoustics also offers a variety of custom soundproofing solutions for homes. The company's team of experts can work with homeowners to design and install soundproofing solutions that meet their specific needs.

**Soundproofing Products for Businesses**

AES Elite Acoustics offers a variety of soundproofing products for businesses, including:

* **Soundproof panels:** These panels are made from a variety of materials, including fiberglass, mineral wool, and foam. They are designed to absorb sound waves and reduce noise levels.
* **Soundproof curtains:** These curtains are made from heavy-duty materials, such as velvet or suede. They are designed to block sound waves and prevent them from entering or leaving a room.
* **Soundproof blankets:** These blankets are made from a variety of materials, including fiberglass, mineral wool, and foam. They are designed to absorb sound waves and reduce noise levels.
* **Soundproof mats:** These mats are made from a variety of materials, including rubber, foam, and cork. They are designed to reduce noise levels and improve sound quality in a variety of settings.

AES Elite Acoustics also offers a variety of custom soundproofing solutions for businesses. The company's team of experts can work with businesses to design and install soundproofing solutions that meet their specific needs.

**Soundproofing Products for Industrial Settings**

AES Elite Acoustics offers a variety of soundproofing products for industrial settings, including:

* **Soundproof panels:** These panels are made from a variety of materials, including fiberglass, mineral wool, and foam. They are designed to absorb sound waves and reduce noise levels.
* **Soundproof curtains:** These curtains are made from heavy-duty materials, such as velvet or suede. They are designed to block sound waves and prevent them from entering or leaving a room.
* **Soundproof blankets:** These blankets are made from a variety of materials, including fiberglass, mineral wool, and foam. They are designed to absorb sound waves and reduce noise levels.
* **Soundproof mats:** These mats are made from a variety of materials, including rubber, foam, and cork. They are designed to reduce noise levels and improve sound quality in a variety of settings.

AES Elite Acoustics also offers a variety of custom soundproofing solutions for industrial settings. The company's team of experts can work with industrial facilities to design and install soundproofing.