Not a bad practice amp I guess, but not much good for anything else. The mic input shorted out in about a month. All of the control knobs are really cheap feeling plastic. Finally, the distortion levels are really high even at low volume using any of my keyboards. If you're gigging buy something else.

In an effort to impress the gullible, Barbetta hypes power-ratings. If this thing produces 225 rms, it would have to be into two ohms. When you think about it, <-95dB signal-to-noise ratio, (with all controls at minimum mind you!) is nothing to brag about. And that "5-inch" tweeter? ...maybe the plastic horn is 5 inches. It sounds like a cheap piezo driving it. That makes sense... Two small 8-ohm speakers, plus a piezo wired in parallel would make less-than a 4-ohm load, so they could advertise 200+ watts with a cheap amp. In reality, this amp is probably closer to 50 weak-transistor watts before clipping.

Granted, the cabinet is lightweight. It should be. It certainly isn't weighed down by quality components or materials.

In my experience, all Barbetta products are junk. This was no exception.

If there is such a thing as a keyboard player's boutique amp, this is it. I have owned the SONA 31C for about 2 years now and appreciate this amp on several levels. First, its versatility; I have used it for keyboards, acoustic guitar, a small grab 'n run P.A., and as a dedicated P.A. side file monitor.

The sonics are outstanding from this bi-amped package - a very clean amp with very respectable linearity across the spectrum. Because I typically mount the amp on a stand, I rarely need to turn it up very loud, except as a P.A. at an outdoor gig and it had plenty of undistorted punch. The female XLR jack eliminates the need for me to bring a mixer just to use one mic. And the male XLR permits me to connect directly to the house when playing an instrument. Because the Line inputs are tip-ring-sleeve, I have also used the amp as a side fill monitor from the mixing console. At 35 lbs., the thing is so lightweight, I can easily pick it up with one hand, and it is the first thing I put on my hand truck (sideways) before stacking other things.

The layout of the jack/knob/switch panel on the back is very clean, with low profile knobs, rocker power switch, and no-nonsense, legible labels. I like the giant green L.E.D. on the front surface that creates no doubt when the unit is powered on. The carpet covering has proved to take the use & abuse. I appreciate the that the power cable is modular and may be removed for transportation.

The only downside is that the price is a little steep, but if you believe in buying the right device the first time and not looking back, this amp is for you.

This thing costs WAY too much for what it is.

The HF horn has a very narrow dispersion angle to it. The amp sounds great if you are exactly in front of it, but off to the side the sound is muddy and lacks definition.

The internal amplifier is SERIOUSLY inadequate; it distorts at even moderate volumes (I play jazz piano- we're not talking about some rock band). Last night the thing overheated and totally gave out on me.

This is a great product. It has the perfect combination of sound quality and light weight. Perfect for the keyboardist who has more than a couple of gigs a year. You can carry it in one hand, unlike the Roland KC500, etc. And the smaller speakers are better for piano sounds than huge 15" woofers that have a lot of oomph but lack clarity. Don't be fooled, though... this little guy can put out! And the sound quality is fantastic. Highly recommended!