Shopping for a Keyboard Amp

batninja · Post by **batninja** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:57 pm

I searched the forums, but didn't find anything specific, so here goes.

Although I plan to eventually buy a component PA system for my rig, I'm shopping for a single amp for small- to medium-sized club use. I'm using a Yamaha CP33 stage piano and my Korg TR61, and sometimes a vocal mic for small solo gigs.

I've narrowed my choices down to the following:

Behringer K1800 FX
Roland KC-350
Crate KXB100
Peavey KB3/KB4
Hartke KM100/200

Any comments, reviews or horror stories from any of the above? Are there any other amps I should know about?

Thanks in advance!

candlewick · Post by **candlewick** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:44 pm

Gigged for many years utilizing the Peavey KB series amps and they will take loads of abuse, sound decent, and have adequate power for smaller rooms. I would offer , however, that seeing you are using more than one board...........consider a small mixer and a powered speaker cabinet. I currently use a powered wedge monitor with 7 band EQ to throw sound from my keyboards as well as light vocal and V-drums. For larger spaces I can add a second speaker and even run stereo. (I use this for wedding work, processionals , recessionals ect.) You mention that you are eventually looking to go component anyway.........so why wait.

look at the Tapco Thump, or Mackie SM450s as examples.

Voltan · Post by **Voltan** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:48 pm

candlewick wrote: You mention that you are eventually looking to go component anyway.........so why wait.

I'd recommend this too for one simple reason - going mono is a crime against the sound of your synth (unless it's actually mono

)

SCHWEATS · Post by **SCHWEATS** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 12:09 am

I recommend…
A Behringer Eurorack Pro 8 channel line mixer… ( Approx $100.ºº US)
or the latest 12 channel model that has XLR inputs, I think
and 2 powered wedge monitors … size and budget to taste

I use a Euro rack Pro + Ultra-DI Pro + a Furman Pl-8 in a 3 spc SKB rack

and 2 Mackie SR450(s) the monitors plug into the PL-8 with long J cords
as do the 2 keyboards used for live performance
Small , compact, light , powerful… IMHO an 'amp' is for bonehead guitar players

HTH - Schweats

batninja · Post by **batninja** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 1:24 am

Yeah, I was trying to go the cheaper route with a single amp cabinet for a few months until I could save enough for the full component PA rig.

My eventual setup would include the Behringer EuroRack Pro RX1202FX Mixer...but then I'd want a rack case, then a power conditioner, then...

Powered wedges, you say...hmmmm...

Any suggestions on those?

::EDIT::

...must learn to read suggestions already posted.

batninja · Post by **batninja** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:39 am

Okay, I've done a little research and narrowed it down to the following powered monitor options:

Behringer B215A
Fender 1270P
Tapco Thump TH-15A
JBL EON15 G2 ($$!)
Mackie SRM450 ($$!)

I figure I'll use a tiny Behringer mixer until I can afford to build up my rack system. My income tax refund comes in a few weeks...

Any other suggestions? Thanks everybody!

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 2:15 pm

Check out QSC speakers. They blow away the JBL and Mackies on your list sound-wise.

Marc

justin_havu · Post by **justin_havu** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 5:16 pm

I use two Behringer B215A's live, and for the money, they sound great! Stay away from the EON's. I've not been able to get a good sound out of them yet.

markorg · Post by **markorg** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 1:30 pm

I have two Wharfedale Diamond 8.2 Pro Active monitors for use at home.

Is there any reason why these would be unsuitable for live giging?

Or do I need to buy some more?

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:44 pm

Monitors are designed to throw sound to someone who is within a few feet of them and thus do not project very far. You can sometimes get away with it in a very small venue or if you are soloing, but the sound will get lost very easily in any space of substance.

They can be used for monitoring your sound if you connect to the house mixing board.

Marc

higskies · Post by **higskies** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 5:49 pm

Marc wrote:Monitors are designed to throw sound to someone who is within a few feet of them and thus do not project very far. You can sometimes get away with it in a very small venue or if you are soloing, but the sound will get lost very easily in any space of substance.

They can be used for monitoring your sound if you connect to the house mixing board.

Marc

I beg to differ. Monitors, even in the house system, do add to the overall dB in the room. If you were to pull the monitors out of the equation in a medium sized room, you will lose a great deal of volume. That's why a good sound engineer will check monitor volume before pulling up on the mains. I prefer to blast out the band through the monitors and add a little on top from the mains. That way the band thinks it's really loud in the room, but the crowd doesn't get a headache!

xmlguy · Post by **xmlguy** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 11:50 pm

Also look at unpowered PA speakers with a powered mixer because this configuration gives more features at a lower price.

I would suggest the Peavey PR15 unpowered speakers with the Behringer PMP2000, PMP880S, PMP860M, or PMP1280S. These have 165-225W RMS/ch stereo into 8ohms. I own the PMP2000 as well as the PR15 (and PR10s). Using a powered mixer gives you central control of the volume level as well as the convenience of a single point that needs A/C power. The Peavey speakers are powerful, rugged, and very lightweight due to the use of neodymium driver magnets and polyprop cabs.

I don't see the point of buying two powered speakers. You end up buying two mono amplifiers when you only need one stereo amp, and it's better not to have the amps on the speakers when you pole mount them, since the extra weight is not good for stability and convenience of hoisting. Amps should be heavy and located on the ground, not hoisted to the top of a pole. Powered speakers are also more prone to very rude square wave pops when they are connected/disconnected with full gain, because nobody want to go to the back of the speaker to turn down the gain when doing so, only to have to go back to turn it back up again. With a central amp/powered mixer its no trouble to turn down the gain before changing connections.

Marc · Post by **Marc** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 3:15 pm

Hig -

The monitors being mentioned are studio monitors (Wharfdale 6.5") and not stage monitors. I would never play live without stage monitors and we often find places with PA speakers don't have enough of these for all five of us to monitor the sound properly. So I agree with you.

However having tried to compete with two guitar amps and a bass amp in practice alone using studio monitors I ended up having to switch to a keyboard amp.

Like I said, it depends on the circumstances (i.e. venue size, number of other players, etc.), but studio monitors are not the solution I would use.

XML -

You make some good points on non-powered versus powered speakers. In our opinion, having used both, we prefer the integrated solution as we like fewer connection points, and most importantly prefer the sound we get from matched amps and speakers.

I wonder what the music stores would say about passive versus active speaker purchases as my sense tells me actives outsell passives nowadays.

However, at the end of the day either approach can be made to work well. So the best part of all of this is allowing others to benefit from our experience and to make a better informed decision. So let's keep sharing!

Marc