Hughes & Kettner era User Manual

MADE IN
GERMANY

MADE IN
GERMANY

A NEW ERA OF
ACOUSTIC
AMPLIFICATION

A note is just a note. It’s how the
instrument responds to your touch
that turns the craft of playing into
the art of music.

A great acoustic guitar has a
personality of its own, and a great
acoustic amp captures and delivers
every nuance and overtone so your
audience can hear the same magic at
work that’s inspiring you – the player.

Total tonal transparency for every
stage.

Welcome to a new era of acoustic

amplication.

ACOUSTIC AMPLIFICATION.
MADE IN GERMANY.

You can only focus on giving your best performance if you can place
your full trust in your instrument and onstage equipment to do likewise
– from a transparent, natural sound to a supreme dynamic response.

This is where the range of era ampliers come in.

The era range is designed by legendary German acoustic amplication

guru Michael Eisenmann in collaboration with the Hughes & Kettner
team. Eisenmann’s renowned development skills – coupled with
Hughes & Kettner’s industry-leading technological expertise –
make these amps a reality.

The amps are crafted using superb engineering skills, painstakingly

matched components, exquisite nishing, and extraordinary quality in

our workshop in Germany.

HIGHLIGHTS

The era amps give you richly detailed definition for peerless
authenticity and tonal brilliance, as well as a number of
remarkably innovative and intuitive features that make every
performance better

• The most transparent, natural reproduction of your true acoustic tone

• Plenty of headroom for a wonderfully responsive, dynamic feel

• Two identical channels equally well suited for instruments and voices

• Intuitive three-band EQ controls - and two separate EQ Modes ­ for each of these channels, plus other sound-shaping options

• Comprehensive FX section with 16 adjustable and saveable FX presets

• Inputs and outputs for every conceivable professional purpose

• Amplifies all different kinds of acoustic instruments: steel-string guitars,
nylon-string guitars, accordions, harmonicas, and other stringed
instruments, as well as keyboards, etc.

ERA 1 AND ERA 2

QUICK CHECK : WHICH IS FOR YOU?

POWER

CHANNELS

SPEAKERS

DIMENSIONS

WEIGHT

BUILT-IN FX

SUMMARY

era 1 era 2

250 watts 400 watts

4 4

1 x 8”, 1” dome tweeter 2 x 8”, 1” dome tweeter

350 x 285 x 290 mm 350 x 475 x 290 mm

Ca. 10 kg / 23 lbs. Ca. 14 kg / 31 lbs.

16 16

The ideal all-in-one acoustic amplier for every

conceivable application, era 1 is supremely

portable and exible, with ample power and

features to cover everything from band shows
and busking to classical and orchestral perfor­mances, and even recording.

The same feature set as era 1 but bigger, lou­der and with more low end! era 2’s extra power
and bass response make it the ideal choice
for larger venues and players who want to use
instruments with lower frequency ranges, play
percussive styles or use drum machines, etc.

CONTROLS & FEATURES

Clip

Lights up to let you know that the incoming
signal is overdriving the input stage of the given

channel

-10 dB

Cuts the input gain by 10 dB when pressed

Shape

Activates a pre-EQ that slightly cuts the
midrange and boosts the top end to accentuate
the fundamental bass and lower midrange

frequencies and bring out the overtones

Mute

Silences the appropriate channel

Gain

Adjusts the input’s gain level to suit the incoming
instrument or mic signal

EQ/Mode 2

Channels 1 and 2 each oer two separate EQ

Modes; switch between them using this button.
EQ Mode 1 is voiced to excel when amplifying
the frequency ranges of guitars with steel strings
and male voices, while EQ Mode 2 is optimized

for guitars with nylon strings and female voices

EQ controls

Cut or boost bass, middle and treble frequencies
to taste, always keeping your instrument’s true
acoustic tone intact

FX Preset/FX Vol

The FX Preset rotary selector activates one of

your amp‘s 16 eects programs, while FX Vol
regulates the volume of the selected eect.
Turning FX Vol to the far left (to O) bypasses the

FX section and removes FX from the signal path

Channel 3/Aux In

Adjusts the volume of the selected signal source,
for example an MP3 playback device

Notch

Allows you to control and remove feedback and
other unwanted, interfering frequencies by

addressing and attenuating a specic target
frequency. Bypass the notch lter by turning the
knob to the far-left (O) position

Master Volume

Adjusts the overall volume of your era amp

era 2 features the same control panel and layout as era 1.

CONTROLS & FEATURES

Optical Out

This optical S/PDIF Toslink audio output sends
your era amp‘s master audio signal to target
devices equipped with an optical Toslink input,
e.g. recording devices

Line Out

Sends the unbalanced, line-level, stereo preamp
CH 1 and 2 signal to a mixing console, recording
device, or similar. This is a post-EQ composite
signal that includes internal FX as well as the
CH 3 and FX Loop/CH 4 signals

Phones

When headphones are connected, your amp’s
loudspeaker is muted

DI Out

Sends the balanced preamp signal of Channels
1 and 2 to another destination, e.g. a mixing
console. The signal is dry – that is, without

internal eects and the FX loop/CH 4 added

in – and can be tapped before or after the
EQ section

Input/Channel 3

Connect an external audio source, such as a
smartphone, MP3 player, etc., here

Footswitch

era amps accept standard two-way
footswitches, such as the Hughes & Kettner

FS-2. The rst button mutes the amp, and the
second toggles the onboard FX on and o

Tuner

Connect a tuner pedal here. Tuner remains
active when your era amp is muted, so you can

tune up onstage in silence

FX Loop/Channel 4

Connect external FX devices using the parallel
FX Loop, and/or use the input for connecting

other line-level signal sources (mixers, drum
machines, etc.). The Level knob controls the

volume of connected devices

Channel 1 and 2 Inputs

Combination instrument/microphone inputs
with phantom power if needed

The era 2 and era 1 back panels feature an identical set of controls and inputs.

APPLICATIONS

Whatever your acoustic performance
needs, the era amps are your perfect

companion.

MUSICAL DUO

Two identical channels, both equally at home with
instruments or voices, make era amps the ideal
solution for duos. Achieving high quality
complementary tones is an exercise in convenience
thanks to the amps’ intuitive, easy-to-use controls,
and the numerous built-in practical features mean

you can set up to perform together in seconds at.

BAND

The most convenient,
best-sounding onstage
acoustic monitors
you’ll ever experience,
the era amps are
perfect if you’re
performing as part
of a band and want
to be able to clearly
and directly hear what
you’re playing. The DI

and Line Outs make

transporting your true
acoustic tone to the
PA amazingly simple,
while practical features
like the tilt unit and
pole mount options
help make gigging as
stress-free as possible.

SINGER-SONGWRITER

The era amps are the acoustic troubadour’s convenient one­stop solution for a superlative-sounding live performance. A
fully-customizable channel each for guitar and vocals means
you have unprecedented control over your precious personal
sound, and the amps also have all the features you need to
adapt your show to any venue or occasion.

ORCHESTRA

You can’t turn down the string section for
your solo spot… but you can increase the
volume of your acoustic guitar! And with an
era amp, you can enjoy imperceptible sound
reinforcement, maintaining the unique tone
of your instrument while cutting through the
clutter. Plus, the era range’s sophisticated

and classic looks will t perfectly into even

the most formal of black-tie settings.

RECORDING

The era range’s professional quality recording
outputs make laying down incredible-sounding
acoustic performances hassle-free whenever using
a microphone is not possible or practical. The amps’
optical out captures the digital signal before it gets

CLASSICAL GUITAR

Premium solid woods, high-quality nylon

strings and skilled ngers are the ultimate

tone makers. But for those moments when
your instrument is not quite loud enough and
you need the support of imperceptible sound
reinforcement, era is your savior. Whether
you choose to mic up your guitar or plug in
using your pickup system, your era amp will
reproduce your true acoustic sound without
coloring the tone in the slightest.

transformed to analog again, preserving the quality,
so you can record vocals and guitar – with FX and
all your favorite EQ settings too – simultaneously
and simply whenever inspiration strikes, be it on the
stage or in the studio.

How did you hook up with

Hughes & Kettner?

In 2011, I started looking for new partners

who might be interested in my passion for

acoustic ampliers. A friend in the industry

put me in touch with Hughes & Kettner. The

chemistry was right, so we dived right in!

Hughes & Kettner is my partner of choice

because of its great reputation, skills in

cutting-edge audio engineering – which

is one component of an acoustic amp

– its vertical integration, background in

acoustics, and the German location, which

I found to be very promising. Designing an

acoustic amp with a rock and roll company

was also a very exciting challenge –

communicating with the various

departments, familiarizing people with

a very dierent market, bringing digital

signal processing to the more conservative

acoustic player’s analog world.

THE ERA STORY: DESIGNER
MICHAEL EISENMANN EXPLAINS
THE IDEA BEHIND ERA 1, THE FIRST
AMP IN THE ERA RANGE

Why is era 1 so special?

For one, it is the result of great teamwork.

A lot of trust was placed in me right from

the start. The collaboration was always

results-driven and solution-focused at all

levels. Technically speaking, era 1 is an

extremely versatile tool for amplifying

acoustic instruments, even for

complicated ones like the violin and

perhaps even traditional Asian instruments,

which is a big market. It comes very close

to the original and takes the whole concept

of being small, loud, easy to use and very

dynamic to a whole new level. It’s a step

up the evolutionary ladder and it’s made in

Germany!

What were the main goals for era 1?

Two independent channels that can

conveniently and authentically render two

dierent signal sources. One can be vocals;

the other an instrument. Hughes & Kettner

already had similar high-quality digital signal

processing capability, so now we have

diverse sound-shaping options – for the

overall system and not just the EQ at the

user’s disposal. The ultra-ecient power

amp delivers lots of dynamic range, a

fundamental prerequisite for a

good-sounding amp.

Who is era 1 designed for?

Musicians concentrate mainly on their

instruments and expressing themselves

musically. They don’t need an amp to

perform unless the instrument doesn’t have

enough power for the surroundings. That’s

where era 1 comes in.

sound. And also classical players who

aren’t big fans of acoustic amps, but need

the support of imperceptible sound

reinforcement when the instrument is just

not loud enough.

At the end of the day, all this is achieved

with the cooperation of the musicians

themselves. Measuring technology

notwithstanding, it’s the musician who has

the nal say.

Have fun with era 1!

Now check out the Hughes &

Kettner Blog Of Tone, where we

give guitarists all the insider’s

knowledge they need to “Meister”

their guitar sound! It’s also the

place where you can go to give

us feedback and swap tonal

tips and tricks with us and other

guitar players.

Jump right in to read more and

watch our exclusive Michael

Eisenmann interview at

blog.hughes-and-kettner.com

So it’s for musicians who want to – or have

to – make their acoustic instruments sound

as close to the original as possible.

Musicians who are willing to be inspired and

motivated by the amp’s response.

Singer-songwriters who’d love to have a

convenient little sound system. Acoustic

players in bands who want to hear

themselves on stage and need that direct

ACCESSORIES

Tilt Stand

Included tilt stand that serves to set the

amp to a 25° or a 35° angle (era 1) or a 35°
angle (era 2).

Cover

High-quality included cover with velvet lining
protects your era amp while in transit or

storage.

Hughes & Kettner
FS-2 Footswitch

The era amps accept an optionally available
two-way footswitch. We recommend the
Hughes & Kettner FS-2, which is available

separately.

“era 1 is the most complete and natural
sounding acoustic amp I’ve ever played!”

Petteri Sariola

Acoustic Fingerstyle Virtuoso
www.petterisariola.fi

CLOSER TO THE ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENT THAN EVER BEFORE

era 1 wood

era 1 black

era 2 wood

era 2 black

INTERNAL FX

No. Eect Description Variables

1

Reverb Room Dark

2

Reverb Room Bright

3

Reverb Hall Warm

4

Reverb Hall Bright

5

Reverb Church

6

Delay Short

7

Delay Mid

8 Delay Long

9

Delay Pan Delay

10

Delay + Reverb

11

Chorus

12

Chorus + Reverb

13 Chorus + Delay

14

Flanger

Short reverb, heavy HF damping shorter or longer

Short reverb, light HF damping shorter or longer

Medium reverb, warm HF damping shorter or longer

Medium reverb, slight HF damping shorter or longer

Long reverb, slight HF damping shorter or longer

Single echo, slapback at 80 ms DT: 20 – 170 ms

Multiple repeats, 170 ms DT: 20 – 170 ms

Multiple repeats, 800 ms DT: 170 – 800

ms

DT: 140 ms + 660 ms DT: 140 ms +

(140-660) ms

DT: 170 ms, medium reverb DT: 20 – 170 ms

Rate: 0.3 Hz Rate: 0,1 – 10

Hz

Chorus no. 11, medium reverb,
reverb level: 80 %

Chorus no. 11, DT: 170 ms DT: 20 – 170 ms

Rate: 0.4 Hz Rate: 0.1 – 10

Reverb level

Hz

15

Flanger + Reverb

16

Flanger + Delay

*DT = Delay Time (length of time between repeats)

Flanger no. 14; medium reverb, reverb
level: 80 %

Flanger no. 14; 170 ms DT: 20 – 170 ms

Reverb level

TECHNICAL DATA - ERA 1

GENERAL

FINISH era 1 black, era 1 wood

POWER AMP 250 watts

DIMENSIONS (W X H X D) 350 x 285 x 290 mm

WEIGHT

TILT STAND (INCLUDED) 25° / 35°

POLE MOUNT 35 mm

PROTECTIVE COVER
(INCLUDED)

OUTPUTS

DI OUT

LINE OUT

CHANNEL OUT

OPTICAL RECORDING OUT S/PDIF TOSLINK, optical

PHONES OUT

FX LOOP

FX SEND 6.3 mm Stereo Output

FX RETURN

9.85 kg / 21.7 lbs. (wood),

10.75 kg / 23.7 lbs. (black)

Padded

XLR; Pre/Post EQ switchable;
Ground Lift switchable

6.3 mm Stereo Output;

adjustable

FX Send; 6.3 mm Stereo

Output

6.3 mm Stereo

Headphones Out

Input: 6.3 mm Stereo Input;
adjustable

CHANNELS (INPUTS)

High Resolution Mic and

CHANNEL 1 AND 2

CHANNEL 3

CHANNEL 4 / FX RETURN

CHANNEL 1 AND 2

SWITCHES -10 db; Shape; Mute

GAIN Input sensitivity

EQ

INTERNAL FX

MASTER

VOLUME Master Volume

NOTCH FILTER 40 – 180 Hz

Instrument Combination

Inputs (XLR / 6.3 mm (1/4”) –
Phantom Power switchable)

Aux In: 3.5 mm (Mini Jack
Stereo Input; adjustable)

6.3 mm (1/4”) Stereo Input;

adjustable

3-Band EQ, 2 Modes

(switchable)

16 FX Presets (Reverb,

Chorus, Flanger, Delay,

Combinations), FX

parameters adjustable

SPEAKER

MID/LOW 1 x 8” Custom made

HIGH 1 × 1” Dome Tweeter

FOOTSWITCH

HUGHES & KETTNER FS-2
(OPTIONALLY AVAILABLE)

Switching functions: Amp
mute, internal FX mute

TECHNICAL DATA - ERA 2

GENERAL

FINISH era 2 black, era 2 wood

POWER AMP 400 watts

DIMENSIONS (W X H X D) 350 x 475 x 290 mm

WEIGHT

TILT STAND (INCLUDED) 35°

POLE MOUNT 35 mm

PROTECTIVE COVER
(INCLUDED)

OUTPUTS

DI OUT

LINE OUT

CHANNEL OUT

OPTICAL RECORDING OUT S/PDIF TOSLINK, optical

PHONES OUT

FX LOOP

FX SEND 6.3 mm Stereo Output

FX RETURN

14.1 kg / 31.1lbs. (wood),

14.45 kg / 31.8 lbs. (black)

Padded

XLR; Pre/Post EQ switchable;
Ground Lift switchable

6.3 mm Stereo Output;

adjustable

FX Send; 6.3 mm Stereo

Output

6.3 mm Stereo

Headphones Out

Input: 6.3 mm Stereo Input;
adjustable

CHANNELS (INPUTS)

High Resolution Mic and

CHANNEL 1 AND 2

CHANNEL 3

CHANNEL 4 / FX RETURN

CHANNEL 1 AND 2

SWITCHES -10 db; Shape; Mute

GAIN Input sensitivity

EQ

INTERNAL FX

MASTER

VOLUME Master Volume

NOTCH FILTER 40 – 180 Hz

Instrument Combination

Inputs (XLR / 6.3 mm (1/4”)

– Phantom Power

switchable)

Aux In: 3.5 mm (Mini Jack
Stereo Input; adjustable)

6.3 mm (1/4”) Stereo Input;

adjustable

3-Band EQ, 2 Modes

(switchable)

16 FX Presets (Reverb,

Chorus, Flanger, Delay,

Combinations), FX

parameters adjustable

SPEAKER

MID/LOW 2 x 8” Custom made

HIGH 1 × 1” Dome Tweeter

FOOTSWITCH

HUGHES & KETTNER FS-2
(OPTIONALLY AVAILABLE)

Switching functions: Amp
mute, internal FX mute

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D-2989

Subject to change without notice.