Fender Acoustic SFX Review
Price: $899.99Overview: This gorgeous little amp might be designed as just a Fender acoustic guitar amp, but it’s capable of so much more. Designed with simplicity in mind, the Acoustic SFX offers two independent channels and a variety of built-in effects. Patented SFX (Stereo Field Expansion) technology gives the amp a dynamic, wide, room-filling sound and both the Walnut and Natural Blonde color options bring a fantastic aesthetic to the stage.
Features: The first thing we noticed (after gawking over the beautiful, natural wood, minimalist design) was how light Acoustic SFX is! At 19.5″ by 17.5″ and offering 160 watts of power, Acoustic SFX weighs in at just 25 lbs, a perfect portable amp for traveling. Acoustic SFX has two independent channels rated at 80 watts each that utilize a combo XLR/¼” jack designed specifically for acoustic guitar and vocals, effectively giving you a mini PA perfect for a stripped down sets at small venues or rehearsal. Each channel features volume, low, mid, high, reverb, and effects control knobs as well as a phase invert button, with an additional knob to control the “Stereo Field Expansion” (or width of the effects). The innovative Stereo Field Expansion is achieved by adding a 6″ side-facing speaker to the 8″ front-facing speaker, while a headphone out, direct out and aux input bring a host of I/O options. Reverb, echo, delay, chorus, and Vibratone effects with tap tempo round out the features of the Acoustic SFX.
Sound: The Acoustic SFX is a beautiful sounding amplifier, with enough control over the EQ to reign even the boxiest sounding instruments, but the real magic of the Acoustic SFX comes in the stereo effects. Spanning from short slapbacks to long clear delays, to washy immersive reverb, the effects on the Acoustic SFX are stunning. The side-firing speaker is incredibly useful for filling a room and giving the impression that you’re hearing more than just one amplifier. Using the SFX control knob, users can adjust the width of the stereo effects such as hall reverb and delay. The Vibratone effect was a fun surprise, modeling the 1960’s Fender spinning speaker answer to the Leslie cabinet. For both vocals and guitar, the Acoustic SFX is a standout for the stage in sound and looks.
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