Best speakers to reproduce Kronos Piano sounds during live..

[miamibeachdoc]

The Kronos piano sounds sound amazing through my studio headphones and with studio monitors, however using a keyboard (Roland KC, Peavey KB, etc.) amp takes the richness and depth of the piano out, even when run in stereo with two amps.

So, I want to change to a mixer, powered speaker set up instead and wanted to know your thoughts on the best powered speakers to take advantage of the Kronos' amazing acoustic piano sounds as well as be able to handle all the complex/deep synth sounds without blowing them.

Thank you in advance for your recommendations.

[swarupmahapatra]

The Kronos piano sounds sound amazing through my studio headphones and with studio monitors, however using a keyboard (Roland KC, Peavey KB, etc.) amp takes the richness and depth of the piano out, even when run in stereo with two amps.

So, I want to change to a mixer, powered speaker set up instead and wanted to know your thoughts on the best powered speakers to take advantage of the Kronos' amazing acoustic piano sounds as well as be able to handle all the complex/deep synth sounds without blowing them.

Thank you in advance for your recommendations.

I use a Roland BA 330 for my jamming practice sessions and the output is really good.

[psionic311]

You'll get plenty of recommendations here. It will help narrow things down to your budget and intended uses (studio, church, rock gigs, etc). I've included a quick primer on the state of tech at the bottom of this post if interested, to help in your research.

I've been very satisfied since 2014 with my portable, powerful, and flexible PA system: two QSC K8 powered speaker tops and a Behringer XR18 digital mixer. I've got 3 different sized subs and a few smaller vocal monitors to round out the system depending on whether it's a practice, jam, or small or medium sized gig. When I'm home not on a gig, this PA is very nearly as good as studio monitors for deconstructing songs to learn and for programming. I don't record atm.

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Music technology has kept progressing thru the decades, and sound reinforcement tech has become relatively cheaper, more powerful, and smaller and with higher fidelity.

Class D FRFR powered speakers
On the speaker side, since about 2010, the trend has been toward Class D amps, neodymium magnets, and DSP for great FRFR (full-range, flat-response) systems. Keyboard amps generally color the sound unfavorably when it comes to reproducing the full musical spectrum faithfully. You'll get several recommendations from the well-known mid-grade consumer brands JBL, Yamaha, QSC, EV,Bose, Mackie etc

https://www.sweetwater.com/c134--PA_Speakers

Digital mixers
Mixing board tech has also made great strides since 2010. Although they formerly had a bad rep for questionable quality in the 90s and 2000's, Behringer (now part of the larger Music Group umbrella including Midas, Turbosound, TC Helicon, et al) made industry history when it introduced the X32 Digital Mixer. The quality is stellar, the comprehensive routing very handy, and the ability to remotely control levels using a tablet or phone is standard practice now. The built-in FX processing is great, the number of channels plenty, and the smaller size of its follow up XR series makes it a great choice for studio and gigging, if you eventually plan on going in that direction.

[GregC]

The Kronos piano sounds sound amazing through my studio headphones and with studio monitors, however using a keyboard (Roland KC, Peavey KB, etc.) amp takes the richness and depth of the piano out, even when run in stereo with two amps.

So, I want to change to a mixer, powered speaker set up instead and wanted to know your thoughts on the best powered speakers to take advantage of the Kronos' amazing acoustic piano sounds as well as be able to handle all the complex/deep synth sounds without blowing them.

Thank you in advance for your recommendations.

This just my opinion, I am not a fan of conventional mixers for your Kronos 2 audio outs. If you remove that from your audio chain, and go direct to your quality powered speakers, you might get a better result.

[holdsg]

I am also a QSC fan. I currently own 2 QSC K10s and 2 QSC K12s.
Typically the K10s are used for PA monitors and K12s for PA mains.
There is a new generation of these, out this year, that are even better, but I'm not upgrading yet. Gives me a ton of options for getting the sound I need.

The QSCs are overall very balanced. They reproduce MOST of what I hear in the phones jack, but not all, for some reason I haven't figured out, but it's got 95% of what is there, and I don't sweat the 5%. The QSC's will handle anything I throw at it, from screaming organs, to EP, Clavs, and strings. Sound is really good, rich, full bodied.


When I play live in a band setting, I will discuss my rig.
I use 2 keys, a Hammond SK-1 on top and K2 73 on bottom.
The 2 keys are connected to an Allen & Heath Zed10 mini mixer via balanced mogami cables.
I usually get a monitor from the main mix/PA, but whether I get one near me, or I am within earshot of the bass player's monitor (who is next to me),
I always have a personal monitor, run out of my mixer AUX out, and use a single QSC K10. It locate it on the floor pointing up at me, or pointed at the drummer (for some of the sequenced songs we do, we don't play to a click). In this way, I am absolutely sure I can hear myself over the band mix.

The K10 is perfect for this role, and I've been using mine for 6 years like this with no issue whatsoever.

I have had no issue with the Allen & Heath mixer mucking up my sound.

[psionic311]

If you want to build a system slowly, you have that option with today's powered speakers.

One powered FRFR speaker with multiple inputs can serve as mini PA. For example, each QSC powered speaker has 2 separate inputs, plus a stereo RCA input for connecting your tablet or phone. There is a 3-way selectable external sub/normal/deep switch, so you can add some very decent lowend as needed -- I've used one QSC K8 as a portable bass amp for smaller sessions.

Keep in mind that the Kronos has 3 separate input options (audio in 1 and 2, and stereo USB). so it can serve as a basic mixer with FX as well.

So you can start with one powered speaker, then add the 2nd when ready to upgrade to stereo. When you need more than 3 inputs that the Kronos has, like extra vocals, a 2nd keyboard, guitar/bass/drum mics, then you can add the mixer as needed.

[mikeyd]

[quote="miamibeachdoc"]The Kronos piano sounds sound amazing through my studio headphones and with studio monitors, however using a keyboard (Roland KC, Peavey KB, etc.) amp takes the richness and depth of the piano out, even when run in stereo with two amps.

So, I want to change to a mixer, powered speaker set up instead and wanted to know your thoughts on the best powered speakers to take advantage of the Kronos' amazing acoustic piano sounds as well as be able to handle all the complex/deep synth sounds without blowing them.

Thank you in advance for your recommendations.[/quote]


QSC K2 series are excellent. They are powered and handle the KRONOS well. You will need a mixer if you use more than one keyboard if you are going to play in stereo. If not you can go through the QSC’s as is. Really nice speakers.

Look around for pricing and you’ll probably find a deal.

[dfahrner]

My experience has been that just about any currently-produced powered PA speakers (you always want to have two, to run in stereo) work well with the Kronos...I've used Yamaha, JBL, HK Audio, and Behringer, and they all sound fine for Kronos pianos; I'm sure that the QSCs are good, too...it really just depends on how loud you have to play, how much stuff you want to lug around, and how much money you have to spend (louder = bigger/heavier = more $$$)...

df

[GregC]

One point thats important, with Kronos pianos, is the built in stereo imaging.

There is a subtle or non subtle panning programmed in.
It provides a sense of spaciousness.

So you may have noticed that in headphones. But on stage , or in a loud band, that 'movement ' might get lost.

Some players simply bag it, and run in mono.

You will run into some variation from 1 AP to the next, possibly.

[Falcon2e]

To quote Greg.."Some players simply bag it, and run in mono". Yep, that's me. Running our KB set-ups in stereo sounds fantastic, but I've found that in a live, and loud situation, the beauty of it kind of gets lost. I have been using either an ElectroVoice ZLX 15, or EKX 12 (both powered) and they work well for me.

[jamesfinn82]

I think you will find that the problem is the Roland KC AMP. It's been said millions of times it's awful for piano sounds especially.

[Poseidon]

If you remove that from your audio chain, and go direct to your quality powered speakers, you might get a better result.

No doubt the sound can be just amazing.
When I hook up my Mackie HR824 (1st Gen) directly to Kronos in a room (~) 4x3 m, Pianos are simply stunning, and stereo imaging mention by GregC just blow you away. Mackies have a large sweet spot, made just for Kronos Pianos.

Normally my Mackies are connected via Toslink to MOTU interface for practical reasons, still good, but not as directly.

[geoelectro]

I have the same monitors as above. I also use a Mackie SR-24-4. I know different venues will change but I run stereo whenever possible. I’m fortunate to play regularly in church with a high end system including in-ear monitoring. I even get to have stereo in my ears. Last week I played in a different church where the ears were mono but the FOH was stereo. I brought a small mixer so I could mix my stereo with the mono from the IEM. It worked great.

Geo

[mabcomp]

If you remove that from your audio chain, and go direct to your quality powered speakers, you might get a better result.

No doubt the sound can be just amazing.
When I hook up my Mackie HR824 (1st Gen) directly to Kronos in a room (~) 4x3 m, Pianos are simply stunning, and stereo imaging mention by GregC just blow you away. Mackies have a large sweet spot, made just for Kronos Pianos.

Normally my Mackies are connected via Toslink to MOTU interface for practical reasons, still good, but not as directly.

The HR824 are studio monitors

[mm-pro]

I am using a Behringer XR-18 and a pair of QSC K8.2s. This is the best on stage sound I have had in 40 years. Plenty of low end for on stage and very high fidelity.