Keyboarding Amp Question

[Ael]

Alright, for my birthday I got a $350 limit on any keyboarding amp I want for my K2600XS.

Here is some information...I am not part of a band, this would be used mainly for home use, but I do go and jam with a lot of bands in which the members I am friends with, so I need something that can "compete" with everybody's guitar amps, and I need it to be able to carry around easily, considering the keyboard is a pain, I don't want my amp to break my back.

So based on teh suggestions of some people, here are two amps I've narrowed it down to.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=040618150926067087168166597644/g=key/s=amps/search/detail/base_pid/480193/

and

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/sid=040618150926067087168166597644/g=home/search/detail/base_id/107608

I don't know which one is better, and which one will give me more for my money...if anyone knows of a better amp in that range of 350 bucks, let me know, I need help.

[ChrisMcCoy]

If this is any indication, I checked Jordan's FAQ:
and it looks like he uses PEAVEY KB5 Keyboard Amplifiers.
I'm guessing that the model you are looking at is probably in the same line.
Cheers,

Chris

[Omega Monkey]

I have used a similar Roland amp (the 300 I think) and it was very nice. Had no problems really with 3 or 4 keyboards (including Rhodes which is really hard to amplify) competing with guitar and drums. The only Peavey keyboard amp I ever used was kind of junky, and the sound was very coloured, although the thing was probably 15 years old and they be better now. But I KNOW Roland makes good shit NOW, and also they specialise in keyboards which Peavey really doesnt.

Your other option, since you are on a budget especially is to look on eBay and see what you can find. You may be able to find the next model up for the same price used (which means you will get more of your money OUT of it if you sell it). Just do a search for keyboard amp and see what comes up. You can then do research on the various models at Harmony Central.

[Ael]

The thing is I don't want to go through ebay, I would like to get something brand new and avoid as many problems as I can with it...does anyone else know of other brands in similar price ranges that would help me "compete" or give me what I want ?

[merijn]

save for Studio monitors..

[X-dark]

save for Studio monitors..
Is it good to play with other people or are studio monitor only good to play alone ?

[Ael]

Yea, I was going to ask that...cause I really need to get this thing soon, my dad is getting mad that I'm using his guitar amp, plus it sounds like shit through a guitar amp....I need something I can use to jam with people...

[Tusker]

$350 is where you begin to have options, but also trade-offs. Perhaps with Ebay, you could filter to a seller near you and ask to inspect the product. This would enable you buy a $500 unit for the same price.

The two amps you mention are fine. They will do the job, in an umh, adequate way. Since you are bothering your dad, and it's in his interest to get you to cough up his guitar amp ... perhaps you could persuade him to step up to a Motion Sound at $600:

http://www.zzounds.com/item--MOTKT80

These motion sound amps provide a really nice punch, warmth and clarity, even at low levels. You will hear the difference. Find a dealer and try them out. Take your dad with you. :wink:

Best,

Jerry

[ritchie21]

Hello, maybe you need a active speaker with a mixer, it's more "expandex" if you buy new gear in the future.

It could be something like this...

http://www.mackie.com/products/srm450/index.html


http://www.wharfedalepro.com/frames/loudspeaker.evp_p.html


http://www.behringer.com/UB1002/index.cfm?lang=ENG

Maybe you need a little more money, but the diference is big...

[merijn]

About the monitors. Studio Monitors always give the best keyboard result! And for 350 dollars, you really have a nice pair! They are called studio monitors, so their best use is in a studio. I have never used them live, but they'll do in a small room. If it's really big where you play, you have to use the PA. I can recommend a DMTI for playing over a PA.

[lighthouse]

I think Hi Fi speakers and studio monitors are the best cause the thing with keyboards is that you need a very wide range of response because of the different sounds you have, so a guitar amp, wich sound has a limited range specific for that instrumnet will never sound good with keyboards.

[Ael]

I know, that's why I'm getting a keyboarding amp, when I orderd the Kurz I didn't have enough money for an amp so I just jack into my dad's amp.

It's not necessarily big where I play, but I want an amp or something that will be good for my keyboard, allow me to play with other instruments and be heard, but also be good for when I play by myself...

I was considering studio monitors, but then I can't go with a friend's band and jam with my studio monitors...wouldn't cut it, unless I'm goign about this the wrong way.

[Tusker]

The motion sound amp I mentioned has a "Hi-Fi channel" which reproduces the full range. The "Tube Channel" has some slight attentuation of the high end, but not as much as a guitar amp. It just a slight rounding that's best for rhodes clav, b3, and analog sounds. The tube channel doesn't distort the way a guitar amp does. It just gets round and warm (like an analog synth).

Through either channel the amp sounds punchy and clean ... punchier than a set of monitors, and punchier than your average amp. When you want more volume, get a second one, a sub and a mixer. The pieces of a system won't break your back as you lug them around.

Barbetta has some good amps also. Not sure about prices and systems. Frank may know.

Jerry

[merijn]

Jerry knows more about this than I do, so listen to him hehe. It's a matter of taste too. Don't buy an amp you haven't heard!

[Tigerfolly]

I know, that's why I'm getting a keyboarding amp, when I orderd the Kurz I didn't have enough money for an amp so I just jack into my dad's amp.

It's not necessarily big where I play, but I want an amp or something that will be good for my keyboard, allow me to play with other instruments and be heard, but also be good for when I play by myself...

I was considering studio monitors, but then I can't go with a friend's band and jam with my studio monitors...wouldn't cut it, unless I'm goign about this the wrong way.

If you're going to be playing with anyone else, you don't want to be dragging a pair of studio monitors around. They're not really "roadworthy", even if they're just going into the back of a car for a short drive to a buddy's place.

I use a pair of Roland KC500 amps. They've since made the KC550s, and they normally retail for around $500 a piece. It's a 150w amp with a 15" speaker. The KC300 is a 100w amp with a 12" speaker, and the KC100 is a 60w amp with a 10" speaker. All three are good sounding, solid amplifiers, all three have onboard mixers so you can plug other instruments into them, and all three allow you to link them with another amp so you can run in stereo.. so you can pick up one amp now, and later when you start doing larger gigs and such, you can pick up another one.

My Rolands have been through it all. I play bass, guitar, guitar synth, and keyboards and can run all of them at once through the amps. They're full range cabinets, so they're basically like having a small four-channel PA. I've done small shows and jams where I plugged an acoustic guitar, a bass, a vocal mic, and my keyboard rig into just one of the amps. Also, recently we had to use our own PA for a show (quite rare around here, really) and I only had enough room onstage for one of the amps, so I used to other one as a wedge monitor for the vocals through the PA.

The band I'm in right now is a tribute band, and we play out pretty often. We're also really, really loud.. much to my dismay. I've been running my Rolands hotter than I have before, and they're still working great. I would try and talk your dad up and into the KC500, but if that's not an option, the KC300 will totally do it for you.. it just won't have the same bass response by any means.

[Ael]

Thanks for the input, I tried the 60W in it, any bigger and I won't be able to fit into my dorm room. My dad is gonna take a look and see, thanks for the input guys.

[Omega Monkey]

Carvin also makes a really nice looking keyboard amp. I havent used it specifically, but Carvin has a very good reputation as far as quality, especially for the price. I think its like 300 or 400.

[Ael]

I tried out the Rolland and Behringer lineups...Behringer was horrible...but the Rollands sounded really warm with the Kurzweil they had at the store...and the bass came out nicely, and the overall sound was really strong and powerful.

[Bastardo Demono]

I got my roland kc-300 off ebay for like 350 total off ebay, and its been great, though I do wish sometimes I got the kc 500 just cause it is only a bit more, but I recommend it, roland are a good name for this, and are pretty much the leaders in keyboard amps...

[X-dark]

Roland has make new keyboard amps : KC150, KC350, KC550.
What the difference with the KC100, KC300, KC500 ?

[Ael]

I just picked up a Rolland KC150 amp yesterday...pretty awesome...I love the warm sound and the bass from it, and it's pretty amazing for what I'm doing...a lot of power, and it competes with my dad's 100W guitar amp when we jam together...it's nice.

[Tigerfolly]

Roland has make new keyboard amps : KC150, KC350, KC550.
What the difference with the KC100, KC300, KC500 ?

http://www.rolandus.com/products/subcategory.asp?CatID=7&SubCatID=33

KC-60 (http://www.rolandus.com/products/details.asp?catid=7&subcatid=33&prodid=KC-60) - 40w, 10" + tweeter, 2 band EQ
KC-100 (http://www.rolandus.com/products/details.asp?catid=7&subcatid=33&prodid=KC-100) - 60w, 12", 2 band EQ
KC-150 (http://www.rolandus.com/products/details.asp?catid=7&subcatid=33&prodid=KC-150) - 60w, 12" + tweeter, 2 band EQ
KC-300 (http://www.rolandus.com/products/details.asp?catid=7&subcatid=33&prodid=KC-300) - 100w, 12" + tweeter, 3 band EQ
KC-350 (http://www.rolandus.com/products/details.asp?catid=7&subcatid=33&prodid=KC-350) - 120w, 12" + tweeter, 3 band EQ
KC-500 (http://www.rolandus.com/products/details.asp?catid=7&subcatid=33&prodid=KC-500) - 150w, 15" + tweeter, 3 band EQ
KC-550 (http://www.rolandus.com/products/details.asp?catid=7&subcatid=33&prodid=KC-550) - 180w, 15" + tweeter, 3 band EQ
KC-1000 (http://www.rolandus.com/products/details.asp?catid=7&subcatid=33&prodid=KC-1000) - 310w, 15", 4x 6.3", 2x 1" tweeter, 3 band EQ, compressor, RSS

The 60, 150, 350, and 550 have subwoofer outputs and EQ shape switches. They've added a couple other convenient upgrades as well.

[ChrisMcCoy]

Generally, you want to make sure that whatever amp you buy can support the high end for clarity, especially in a Piano sound, and the bottom end as well for the same reason. Just as important to consider is the midrange. Is there seperate control of low and high mids ? This makes a big difference in punchiness of many patches. Come to think of it, that was my criteria for my amp setup. I was on a limited budget and later I went back and added a small speaker to the top of my amp for added clarity. If you do live band gigs, you'll find this helps cut through the loud bass and guitar amps you may encounter.
:idea: