PA588 piano sound ... audio out ... not speakers

paulmpianist · Post by **paulmpianist** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 3:02 am

I posted earlier.. "no buyers remorse" about my PA588. Well after listening to my piano playing some more I was thinking ..."why does the piano.. the Grand Piano sound so much like I want to get a Roland module for the piano?" Something really metallic in the lows and something really artificial sounding in the highs.
AAHAAA... I put a phones jack in the back to cut out the onboard speakers and ran the signal out to my flat response speakers ...(through and aardvark Q10 sound card THE BEST THERE IS.. and through the pc) voila!!! my nice piano sound again. yeah the PA588 speakers are good for something, but not pure concert grand piano. MY PA80 speakers were great in your face with all the style playing.

One more point on the Q10 Aardvark sound card. I only know it with XP. i don't think it will run on my Windows 7 computer and it takes a PCI slot. Powered by the computer and silent and cool to the touch, and instant latency, and they hybrid jacks for 1/4 inch or XLR and they all have mic preamps. They went out of business though. I might get a second one, but I have 8 inputs right on the front for 4 keyboards, or 3 keyboards and a couple mics or whatever.
ok bye
like this piano.

Fransman · Post by **Fransman** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 4:42 pm

Get yourself a Ketron SD2 and plug it in. (about 300 euro)
The piano's, e-piano's and most of the other acoustic instruments are a very, very good.
It's called a musical wizard (by Ketron themselves), and that's really what it is.

It's a very small piece of gear, but what a sound... you'll be amazed.

I think PA588 is a good hybrid, probably the best hybrid digital piano - arranger keyboard on the market, but...
too expensive compared to PA500. In fact it's completely the same machine, only with 88 weighted keys and with
only ONE (1!) extra Grand Piano sample, which I don't think is that good.
Korg should have put in a few extra high quality piano samples for the price PA588 (compared to PA500) is being sold IMO.

paulmpianist · Post by **paulmpianist** » Thu Jun 02, 2011 5:01 pm

Hi Fransman thanks I'll check out the Ketron. I got a really good deal on my PA588. It was a floor demo, but when I got it... it is flawless. As if its untouched. I DO like the piano sound in the PA588 if I route it to a recording track. What I would like is more synth sounds and arppegiators, motion synths and stuff. You only need so many acoustic sounds. Brass, Strings, Woodwinds. I'll take a look at the ketron. If you can get a lot in a rack module.. I will go for it. I want to keep the quantity of gear to a minimum. If you get improved pay for your gigs, the extra work hauling gear and setting up is not so bad. Nice to be able to take your time and set up a really good performance.
At full price, the PA588 is a bit high, but it is the best 88 key arranger piano. You have to be ready to include a good workout in your gigging. You need wheels on your keyboard case and its heavy. Some piano style requires the full keyboard. The PA500 is nice for just grabbing it with one hand and carrying it in a case.

thanks for the idea about the Ketron.