What are you using for stage amplification?

Bitflipper · Post by **Bitflipper** » Tue Feb 28, 2017 11:13 pm

I am currently using a pair of Roland KC-350 keyboard amplifiers and I do not like them. I have to resort to extreme EQ to avoid annoying resonances that make certain notes sound hollow, and organ patches shrill.

My band is not overly loud. We play in medium-size rooms for 100-300 people. But even in these small venues I sometimes max out the Rolands and they start to distort.

I've decided they've got to go, but I'm gunshy about gambling thousands on amplification that I might come to hate in a couple of months. Top of my short list ATM is a pair of QSC K-10 powered PA speakers. They get good reviews, but they'll be $2K after adding the cost of a mixer (the one good thing about the Rolands is no external mixer is needed).

I'm asking here because I think the Kronos pianos should sound better than they do with my rig. That's why I'm specifically seeking advice from other Kronos players.

jimknopf · Post by **jimknopf** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 12:22 am

There are lots of high quality active stereo speakers out there, with a broad, high quality, quite neutral sound spectrum. The Roland KC 350 sound really bad, as I know from own experience.

I use a pair of Mackie SRM 550, and they are working extremely well for purposes like yours.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 12:29 am

I also hear good things about the K10s. I use only the FOH PA and in ears myself.
Why do you need a mixer with two K10s?

Falcon2e · Post by **Falcon2e** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 1:02 am

I'm very happy using an EV ZLX15P. Lots of power and great sound. You can feed the FOH direct by tapping off the XLR output too.

Bitflipper · Post by **Bitflipper** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 1:13 am

I need a mixer because I require 6 channels: the Korg's main outs, outputs from a laptop, and a separate out from the Kronos that goes to the Ventilator. Some day I may want to run a couple microphones into it, too. Also, none of these little PAs are stereo.

Bertotti · Post by **Bertotti** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 4:13 am

Love my K10's them and my dt headphones are all I use with the Kronos. if I need a mixer I use an inexpensive yamaha MG10 i have never had a problem with it but I am not mixing a band or anything.

Bitflipper · Post by **Bitflipper** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 4:26 am

Good to hear.

Coincidentally, it is the MG10 that I'd be buying for this setup. I've had nothing but good luck with Yamaha mixers for decades; the pots don't wear down and get scratchy (like every Mackie I've ever used).

Do you use the K-10's for live performance? Can they get pretty loud without distorting? I've never used 10-inch speakers with keyboards before, and I'm concerned about over-stressing them.

psionic311 · Post by **psionic311** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 5:24 am

I use QSC K8s with subs live and they are plenty loud for a bar band, including running my bass guitar direct without a rig. Vocals, guitar, keys, drum mics all through an XR18. No distortion, plenty of non-colored clarity and full bottom end.

Nice thing about the K8s is that they fit in the wheel well behind the driver's seat, leaving the passengers seat for the instrument cases and the back for the subs.

Derek Cook · Post by **Derek Cook** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 6:09 am

I use a KC550 and think it sounds great. EQ is always flat and no resonances ever in all the venues I have played.

Also have a smaller/lighter Berlinger FX1800 which also sounds good but that is not as loud.

midinut · Post by **midinut** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 7:18 am

I've heard from people that have both the K8s and K10s and most say that the K8s will do the trick - cheaper - lighter - plenty of bottom end. Personally, I use either Behringer B212a powered speakers or my Spacestation V3.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 8:21 am

Bitflipper wrote:I need a mixer because I require 6 channels: the Korg's main outs, outputs from a laptop, and a separate out from the Kronos that goes to the Ventilator. Some day I may want to run a couple microphones into it, too. Also, none of these little PAs are stereo.

Ah ok. Well for a hack solution you could run the Vent back into the Kronos and then out the mains, and use the Kronos as USB audio interface for your laptop. It's not necessarily the most flexible setup but it saves some cables and you wouldn't need a mixer right away.

Alternatively, what kind of soundcard are you using? If something from, say, RME or MOTU it will have a pretty comprehensive mixer in it.

michelkeijzers · Post by **michelkeijzers** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 10:39 am

I have a pair of around 20 year old JBL Eon 10's ... still working.

JPROBERTLA · Post by **JPROBERTLA** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 2:15 pm

I have tried many combinations over the years and have settled for a pair Alto TS210s because of their tonal balance, weight and cost effectiveness. Alto has improved a lot over the past 2-3 years; I am no longer concerned about quality or design. You can get more expensive monitors, but in the context of live stage volume, I am not sure if you can hear the difference. You will need a mixer if you want outboard tone controls. and/or if you use more that 4 outputs (the TS210s have 2 inputs with separate volume controls for each). I have a Behringer XR18 digital mixer, but you can now get the XR12 for much less, if you don't need the channels. Both have the same effects capabilities and are extremely versatile. I don't know of the TS210s can be used in a live loud setting without sending signal to a sound system. They can get loud, but do you really want that much volume right in your ears and I can't imagine the total stage volume without a sound system for front of house reinforcement.

benny ray · Post by **benny ray** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 2:42 pm

Falcon2e wrote:I'm very happy using an EV ZLX15P. Lots of power and great sound. You can feed the FOH direct by tapping off the XLR output too.

Me too very good sounding speakers for the money!

Bitflipper · Post by **Bitflipper** » Wed Mar 01, 2017 3:00 pm

SanderXpander wrote: Ah ok. Well for a hack solution you could run the Vent back into the Kronos and then out the mains, and use the Kronos as USB audio interface for your laptop. It's not necessarily the most flexible setup but it saves some cables and you wouldn't need a mixer right away.

Alternatively, what kind of soundcard are you using? If something from, say, RME or MOTU it will have a pretty comprehensive mixer in it.

You're right; I have no mixer in the studio because I don't need one. But I want to avoid carrying around an audio interface, and prefer the physical knobs on a mixer for on-the-fly tweaks, sometimes in the dark.

Unfortunately, I had to abandon the USB connection between laptop and Kronos. I don't know if the fault is with the Korg or the laptop, but the USB connection proved unreliable. It would randomly stop working altogether, or send out occasional loud blasts of nasty noise. I had to revert to using the laptop's headphone output, which works fine with a Velcro strap to keep the connector from popping out.

Q: IIRC, the Kronos outputs are balanced...am I remembering that right? If I'm wrong about that, it would be another reason to use a mixer.