The latest release from pop phenom Ed Sheeran’s product line is The Sheeran Special Edition Busker. Harkening back to Ed’s days of busking in British train stations, he hasn’t forgotten his roots. This portable mini-P.A. is designed to be an all-in-one powerhouse with 200W of power, built-in Alesis DSP effects featuring reverb, delay, modulation, and a 3-channel mixer. The mixer offers two Combo inputs for mics, instruments, and line level sources with both XLR and 1/4” inputs. A master +48-volt Phantom power button powers condenser mics. The third channel is a Bluetooth input that also features a mini plug Aux In. The output section has an XLR Mix Out and a pair of RCA plugs for Record Out.
The Busker has a comprehensive feature set. Gone are the days of a portable speaker with no life to it—this amp has every connection you can imagine for both live performance and home recording. The Busker is a very well-made amp, and versatile. It feels solid to the touch and sturdy. Sonically it belies its small size and low weight. With a 6.5” driver and 1” tweeter, it is loud and clean, with pleasing sound from both instruments and music playback.
Connectivity is enhanced by the available Alto Pro App for iOS and Android which gives you Bluetooth 5.3 control over Busker’s mix and EQ parameters directly from your phone or tablet. You can connect a second Busker for stereo monitoring and control them from the app. And as you would expect, Bluetooth can be used to pair the Sheeran Looper+ to complete Ed’s system. I was able to pair my phone easily and control it quickly after downloading the Alto Pro app. But you don’t need the Alto Pro app, The Busker can appear as a Bluetooth device for playback.
The Busker can be powered either by the provided standard IEC power cord, or by the built-in battery that provides 20 hours of battery life in standard mode and up to 24 hours in Eco Mode. A four-segment LED meter gives you battery charge status and a switch toggles standard or economy mode. Battery can be charged either by AC or via a 5-volt USB port.
In addition, the Busker has individual modes that will adjust the sound output depending on how the device is oriented for your performance—monitor style in vertical and horizontal positions or pole mounted on a tripod or subwoofer. With excellent design and sound, it’s a great little amp! $349
