Henriksen Blu vs Bud

[Woody Sound]

Downfiring port? That is a deal killer for me. I think I will just stick with my AER Compact 60. It sounds fine on the floor with carpeting or up on a chair with slats.

I never liked the Acoustic Image combos because of the downfiring woofer. My Henriksen head, like my Acoustic Image head (and my Polytone head) will all be used with my Raezer's Edge cabs for all the tone I need.

For a lightweight combo to carry on the urban gigs (I hate pushing a cart), the Compact 60 does the job.

[Woody Sound]

I wonder how the Bud/Blu can handle a 76 Keyboard at moderate vol.

[Chazmo]

I wonder how the Bud/Blu can handle a 76 Keyboard at moderate vol.

The keyboard player in my trio just bought a Bud, even though they're not marketed for keys, because he likes mine. It sounds good.

[Chazmo]

A question for Blu/Bud users.

How much does it matter whether the amp is on the floor?.

I usually put mine on the floor, but I have also put it up on a chair, window sill, table, whatever. A little more bass when on the floor. Most of the time I have it on a hard surface because that is the typical floor in the venues where I play, but sometimes it's on carpet. Sounds good either way. The EQ on the Bud is flexible enough to slightly boost or cut to make it work for the room. It's not hard to dial in a good sound.

I also have an Acoustic Image Corus combo and the Bud's bottom port is not the same as the downfiring speaker on the AI. The speakers on the Bud are definitely out front and that's where the sound is coming from.

[rpjazzguitar]

Odd questions:

What happens if you lay it on its back, so that the port is facing forward and the speaker is facing up? Same sound?

Or, turn it entirely upside down? Does having the port on the top make any difference?

[Woody Sound]

The keyboard player in my trio just bought a Bud, even though they're not marketed for keys, because he likes mine. It sounds good.

Even the very low end?

[Chazmo]

Not as much low end probably as the keyboard player's AI Coda, but still sounds good. He just got the amp and we haven't done a shootout with the two amps side by side.

We did play together at a jam recently with both of us using Buds and it worked fine. There are degrees of utility however. My AI Contra has a bigger sound, because, well, it's bigger.

[ClassicMillennial]

I always put my Blu on a wooden stool so it's high enough I can hear myself, but the bottom port is still blowing against a hard surface.

With that said, I've had it on a rug on the floor at a few rehearsals, and I didn't even think about it until now -- it still sounded great. FWIW, I'm super picky about amps and the Blu is my go-to. I leave my 80's Roland Cube and 65 remake Fender Twin Reverb at home most of the time now.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Odd questions:

What happens if you lay it on its back, so that the port is facing forward and the speaker is facing up? Same sound?

Or, turn it entirely upside down? Does having the port on the top make any difference?

I think you're halfway to reinventing the Leslie!

[jazzgtrl4]

On a similar note, anyone use a Bud or Blu in a big band setting? How abut a loud pit band? Is it loud/full enough?

I used the Blu recently for a big band gig; first time ever with the band -- the guitarist was sick, and the leader called me that day for the gig! I didn't know the band nor the venue, so i brought a 1x8 extension cab with the Blu just in case; the rhythm section was placed on the back edge of the stage, but everyone could hear my "mini-stack" fine!

very cool, i was wondering this too, as i play with a big band, but haven't brought the Bud yet.


I posted this in another thread but i think its great that the Bud has two channels. Was at a jam and the bass player, upright bass forgot his amp?! (dont know how that happened). Anyway i said plug into my Buds second channel. Well it sounded great, rolled off the presence and verb to zero. mostly flat EQ. We played with drums and sax. plenty of volume and headroom, wasn't breaking up..If i had the Blu,it would have been over, well we just would have played really quiet which is fine, but the drummer can get loud.