Need Speakers For My Kronos

[midinut]

+1 on the Behringers. They are blasted in the forums all the time. I've got a B212A that I use for live playing and it does a great job of amplifying my M3 & Motif. Just got my Kronos 61 today and haven't played out with it yet. At home I am using M-Audio BX8 Studiophiles for studio monitors.

I've seen lots of people raving in the other forums about the QSC K Series. If it were me and it was my money, I'd get 2 K10's or K12's and a KSub and call it a day. Plus it would also make someone a helluva PA for most size venues. I'd add a dbx driverack PX if I were going to use it for PA. Either way I would also invest in a good Radial Direct Box for times when you would use the K's for keyboard amplification and use the DI to send the Kronos to FOH.

Just my two cents worth ...

...oh and I love my Kronos!!!!

[latnjazfan]

How much money you are willing to spend
Active,Passive
What speaker sets you checked till now

I can spend up to $3000US
I don't know what defines Active Speakers vs. Passive Speakers - please explain

I've tried several JBL and Roland speakers priced in the $600/ea range, but the output was a poor replica of the Kronos I hear in my headsets.
Also, I had the use of a JBL Monitor speaker for 2 weeks and returned it. Excellent product but made for a different purpose. It just wasn't designed to handle the full spectrum of frequencies from my Kronos - especially on the mic'd pianos.

Very interesting websites you provided - I am going to look in to them. The speakers appear to be European? Available in the US?

This is a nice active(powered)speaker
http://www.fbt.it/ENG/PAE/PRODOTTI/SPEA ... roMaxX-10/
http://www.thomann.de/gr/fbt_promaxx_10a.htm

Thanks for any additional thoughts you can offer.

[latnjazfan]

I've seen lots of people raving in the other forums about the QSC K Series. If it were me and it was my money, I'd get 2 K10's or K12's and a KSub and call it a day. Plus it would also make someone a helluva PA for most size venues. I'd add a dbx driverack PX if I were going to use it for PA. Either way I would also invest in a good Radial Direct Box for times when you would use the K's for keyboard amplification and use the DI to send the Kronos to FOH. Just my two cents worth ... ...oh and I love my Kronos!!!!

"Radial Direct Box for times when you would use the K's for keyboard amplification and use the DI to send the Kronos to FOH."
I must confess, I'm a beginner at this stuff - what's a Radial Direct Box, DI, and FOH? And what do they provide you??

[mercede1]

I don't know what defines Active Speakers vs. Passive Speakers - please explain

Understanding Active and Passive Speakers

All speakers, regardless of the number of drivers, pole type, enclosure type, or other characteristics, fall into one of two categories: active or passive. How they're classified depends on their relationship to the amplifier driving them.

The vast majority of speakers are passive. A passive speaker doesn't have a built-in amplifier; it needs to be connected to your amplifier through normal speaker wire. This speaker level signal has been amplified enough to drive the speakers sufficiently.

Active speakers, on the other hand, have a built-in amplifier and are fed by a low-level (line-level) signal passed along an interconnect cable originating at your preamplifier or controller. Because the amplifier is an active electronic device, it needs power, and so you have to put any active speakers near a power outlet.

For most audio systems, the subwoofer is probably going to be your only active speaker (though you can also find passive subwoofers, and some high-end audio systems use these). There's no practical reason for any of your other speakers to be active.

Active speakers limit your ability to pick amplifiers tailored to your audio system and are generally expensive. They are also much harder to find. Most active speakers either fall into the low price/low-end category (designed for hooking into PCs or portable CD/MP3 players), or the really high end category (where the speakers cost several thousand dollars each

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/u ... akers.html

The speakers appear to be European?

ITALY
http://www.fbt.it/ENG/PAE/CONTACTS/Headquarte/index.asp

Available in the US?

http://www.fbt.it/ENG/PAE/CONTACTS/WD/A ... /index.asp

[SanderXpander]

This must be different in the US than in Europe then. Here in Europe, you can find active and passive versions of virtually any speaker except the really huge festival systems. They're not generally disproportionally expensive either.

An active speaker is much more convenient for this application, in my opinion. You don't have to lug around and hook up a separate amplifier and you don't have to match amplifier with speaker yourself either. Just hook up your Kronos and plug them both in.

[oy5t3h]

I don't know what defines Active Speakers vs. Passive Speakers - please explain

Understanding Active and Passive Speakers
...

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/u ... akers.html

Actually, that definition of "Active Loudspeaker" is incorrect.

Or perhaps more usefully, that definition used to be incorrect, but so many people use the term "Active Loudspeakers" as defined above that it now means "Speakers with an Amp built in", rather than the "correct" definition of "Speakers powered by a multiple amplifiers using active crossovers".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powered_sp ... e_speakers

[ShaneFF]

Im happy to be one of the behringer Blasters. I never liked there stuff at all and I stand by the you get what you pay for.

IMHO if you want the best recreation at this budget a pair of nexoPS8 and the matching Nexo amplifier. I find that they will get you very close to the quality of good studio monitors but will actually cope with quite a lot of volume for live use and are also rugged enough for the road.

Just my 2cent

[Zeroesque]

How much are you willing to spend?

I'd like to pay no more than around $3000 for the pair.

Aside from the cost, my wish list would be for 2 speakers (stereo effect for Leslies, etc.), light weight (20+ lbs ea) and small (12"x24"), portable with a durable case; little distortion when playing acoustic string bass, and an accurate - realistic - reproduction of the sounds of my Kronos. Further, I'm not looking for high volume - just a faithful amplification of the potentials sounds of the instrument - especially pianos - for solo use and in a small combo.

Can you recommend speakers that would reasonably meet this spec??

Get a pair of QSC K8 loudspeakers. They are very compact, only 27lbs per unit and have a bunch of connection possibilities. I use mine live and as "mains" in the studio as well (I use headphones for most critical listening, unfortunately). The Kronos sounds absolutely fantastic through them, pianos included. I often only use one live if there is a house PA.

I even DJ mid-sized events (100+ people) from time to time, though I do add a cheap Mackie sub for extra thump on the dance floor (not necessary when just playing keys).

I replaced a pair of Roland KC500s with these and never looked back. Barbetta would be one of the few keyboard amps I'd care to listen to (and carry) again.

A buddy of mine does his solo acoustic guitar / singing bar gig with one K8, dozens of times per year. He says it's his best setup yet. He's had EONs and Mackies before.

You'll even save some money for other stuff.

[latnjazfan]

I replaced a pair of Roland KC500s with these and never looked back. Barbetta would be one of the few keyboard amps I'd care to listen to (and carry) again.

Thanks for the advice, though I could a used it 2 weeks ago - Wish me well: After trying out the available speakers at Guitar Center (and you know how "trying" it is at Guitar Center) just last week I bought 2 JBL PRX612s. They seem to deliver a good sound so far and appear to be well made. These speakers will eventually be used for jams and parties. I'll replace them in the future if they can't cut it.

With addition of a mixer, I was led to believe the PRX612 could also perform OK as a PA for singing. Have you combined voice and Kronos on the same speakers?

Thanks again for your input.

[hitektodd]

I use a QSC K10 live as a stage monitor, it is a bit pricey (make sure you buy the tote bag). I have no regrets. This speaker delivers even in a really loud band context. There is nothing worse than not being able to hear yourself clearly on stage. Generally I run Mono for most Jobbing gigs. I would highly recommend running your kronos through a nice preamp or EQ first. I tried a handful of EQ pedals and maximizers. Most pedals and rackmount units I tried coloured the sound greatly.

Now i'm using a HEADWAY EDB-1 Acoustic Preamplifier. Its small, has transparent sound and pairs with the QSC K10 very well. It doubles as a DI box. Runs off batteries or power. It can even combine both your left and right channels if you want it do. It even fits ontop of my kronos 73 beautifully. When I set it, It makes my QSC speaker sound like very clear studio monitors.
http://www.headwaymusicaudio.com/produc ... preamp.php

Since the sound-guy is using PA speakers that are probably similar to the QSCs in terms of EQ I like to give them this processed signal as well. I have the attitude "if it works beautifully for me if will probably work well for them too." Every now and then a sound guy will ask me for a direct signal and I am always happy to comply. This year I started to realize that keyboards and pianos sound great in the studio because of their high end signal chain, great mics and great audio processing units. Keyboard players expect their live sound to sound as good as that. How could it possibly sound better if your are using NOTHING in your signal chain!?

I set the EDB-1 to "guitar mode". every band of the eq is like magic. Very effective EQ for a keyboard player and quick to adjust. There is a presence knob that will amplify the attack and punch of your pianos and rhodes and put you in front of the mix on stage without having to crank your overall volume. I don't use the notch filter too much but its nice to have it there.

I recently hijacked the Piano Mic at the Rex hotel jazz bar here in Toronto, ran it through the EDB-1 Acoustic Preamplifier and was able to get that muddiness out of the stage monitors. Worked beautifully and is such a pleasure to play through it.

If only they made it in stereo, I like them enough to buy a second one for when i need to run stereo. about $500 for two of them.

[Bruce Lychee]

The QSCs are great. They are really well designed, with many features that benefit gigging musicians too. I was a long time JBL and Mackie user but recently switched to QSC K10s for my VV64 setup. Couldn't be happier. No sub required.

[geoelectro]

What are those stands?

Geo

[Bruce Lychee]

What are those stands?

Geo

Billy Bags.

[roly D]

FWIW, as a new K owner I have gone with QSC 10s and I love 'em. They are handling the K through one channel on each speaker and my guitar (via a Boss GT5) through the other with plenty of room to spare. True stereo is bliss.

[midinut]

As much as I am satisfied with my Behringer B212a, as I posted way back when, I am really tempted to put a pair of QSC K10's on my short list. In a way, when I'm at home in my studio, I either use my studio monitors (M-Audio BX8's) or headphones (Beyer-Dynamics DT-990's). And the Kronos sounds excellent through those. But now, when I take the Kronos to rehearsal or a gig, I'm not quite as satisfied as I once was. It's like something is missing. I'm thinking that stepping up my live sound from a single B212 to a pair of K10's might be just what my ears need. Considering a Ventilator too.

Plus with a pair of K10's and my B212, that gives me my own small PA with a monitor just in case I wanna DJ or something - lol