Alto Busker

A very nice little amp ideal for small venues:
- 2 channels combined jack / canon (the first one with phantom power for condenser mics)
- 1 channel for Bluetooth / aux (to play along a backing track)
- outstanding battery life and built in charger (no external transformer... just connect the power supply and the alto busker will recharge)

Pro:
practicality, great build quality, reasonably easy to use
Cons:
- only channel 1 is suitable for voice... connecting a mic to channel 2 will provide very low output.
- connecting an acoustic guitar makes it sound ok, but an electric guitar sounds very bland. TIP: Connect an overdrive in front of it as a treble booster (a Soul Food or an Electro Harmonics Hot Wax) and even if the OD is not engaged the sound improved dramatically.
- connecting the app is a bit tricky... to do the initial pairing it rewquires you to enable the location services. If pairing is not successful, control to have the location enabled.

The Alto Busker is a compact, portable speaker ideal for home use, street busking, and small venues like coffee shops or libraries. I use it for acoustic performances because I wanted something light that still delivers clean, strong sound without needing high volume to perform well.

Despite its 6-inch woofer, it can sound surprisingly full—especially when you're just 1–2 meters away and use the EQ via the Alto app or onboard controls. It handled a small gig beautifully: loud, clean, and full, especially for its size.

A lot of people confuse peak power and RMS power—so let’s clear that up: the Alto Busker is 200 watts peak, but realistically about 100 watts RMS. That’s the usable power, and for its intended use, it’s enough.

The main limitation is projection. Beyond 10–15 meters, the sound thins out. In a medium-sized restaurant with a chatty crowd, you’ll likely get drowned out. But if your audience is close—within 2–5 meters—they’ll hear a clear, full mix.

The Alto app is a standout feature: simple, responsive, and loaded with just the right basic effects like reverb and chorus. Nothing fancy, just what a solo performer needs.

Pros:
Compact and lightweight

Full, clean sound at close range

Alto app with useful, simple effects

Great value (much cheaper than a Bose S1 Pro)

Ideal for small venues and intimate gigs

Cons:
Sound thins out past 10 meters

Not powerful enough for noisy, medium-to-large spaces

Limited bass (as expected with a 6" woofer)

Final Thoughts:
If you’re playing to small, close-up crowds, this speaker is a solid choice. It's not a full PA system, but for libraries, quiet weddings, room gigs, or cozy cafés, it’s a smart, portable, budget-friendly solution.

I use a pair of Bose S1's for my smaller gigs, similar to the altos but not as much power, and a bit bigger. I bought the Atros to link to the Bose using a cable with the Bose on stands and the Altos on the floor pointed up for bigger gigs. That was the plan, but I now use the altos for gigs instead of the Bose. Nothing wrong with the Bose, but the Alto has more sound and effects. What I like- well almost everything. Small, not too heavy and runs a long time. For a case I bought a long playing record case that was made to hold 80 L.P.s and put some padding inside it. A cheap way of making a case.
What I don't like- well only one thing really, The volume control is designed to be used from an app on your phone. I don't use a smart phone so I have to hold a button down on the amp to adjust the volume. Not a deal breaker, but it would have been nice not to have to do this.
I liked the amp so much I bought a second one. (and made a second case like the first!)