The advent of making amplifiers smaller and lighter seemingly goes against the traditional opinion that size matters. However to a musician, size enhancement isn't always better. Going from gig to studio to home to practice, etc. can be hard on the back and the back seat of your car. Until recently, even an amp of modest power was somewhat big and bulky. In addition, having a large heat sink and speaker did not always guarantee a great sound. Thankfully, AER has taken new technology and it's excellent standard for tone to create an outstanding line of acoustic amplifiers. The Alpha defines the starting point of serious acoustic amplification at AER. Based on the success and the experience with the Compact 60, the Alpha is even smaller and lighter, with the ability to fill a room with pure tone and stand up to the rigors of heavy use.
The Alpha is a single channeled 40-watt monster in a 10" x 10" package weighing less than 15 lbs. While some manufacturers seem to boast ridiculous power ratings, AER focuses on quality over quantity with very conservative wattage listings that remain very clean and clear at the highest volume settings. In other words, while it's not necessary to bring a 500 watt amplifier to a small venue, the 40 watts the Alpha is rated at is more than up to the task. In addition, the DI output can hook right up to any PA system, making the Alpha useable for large stages as well.
I didn't trek 5 miles through the snow to go to school like grandpa did, but I remember the joy of trying to stuff an oversized keyboard amp into my Honda Accord for gigs. There weren't many acoustic guitar amplifier options in the early 90s, and until recently, if you were unable to plug into a PA system, big, bulky, and very loud were your only option. Fortunately, technology is now able to debunk the notion that bigger is better.
Specifications: 
Input 1: XLR
Line: Unbalanced, 1 MEG, mic: balanced, 600 Ohm, Voice filter 300 Hz
Input 2: line: Unbalanced, 2.2 MEG, pad: -10dBV, eff.return: -10dBV/10k
Outputs: line: 0dBV, DI: -20dBV, send: -10dBV
Foot switch tip: built in effect, ring: external effect, sleeve: ground
EQ: Bass, Middle, Treble w/Mid Color Contour
Analog signal processor: Limiter, Subsonic Filter, Enhancer
Effect: Digital Reverb
Rating: 40 Watt / 4 ohm RMS
Speaker: 8" twin-cone speaker-system (96 dB 1w/1m, freq. range 60Hz-18kHz)
Dimension: 10.24" High, 10.43" Wide, 9.25'' Deep - 14.33 lbs.
Finish: water based acrylic, black spatter finish
Serial Number: 018000592
Case: Padded Gigbag Included
