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Why are monitors so darn expensive?


Promit

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I can get a really fancy guitar amplifier, with a slew of digital effects, a carefully voiced speaker, all kinds of tube emulation junk, etc for about a hundred bucks. But I play through a ToneLab LE nowadays, and I'd prefer to switch from an amp to something with a mostly flat response and a better speaker.

 

Apparently that's not so easy. Am I missing something? Keyboard amps, studio monitors, etc -- all crazy expensive. I know a lot of this stuff is intended for studio use and is very high end, but isn't there anything with a basic flat and full-range speaker that will be a step up from my stupid Spider III without costing me double?

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Most studio monitors are self-amplified, adding to their cost.

Yeah, but I don't need a 50W stage unit or something. Maybe 20W would be fine, basically not that different from a typical small guitar amp. There's a few inexpensive keyboard amps, but reviews aren't flattering. I would get a power amp and an unpowered monitor, except that stand-alone poweramps are usually large rack units that put out like ten billion watts max RMS.

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They are pretty sophisticated they need to duplicate the music accurately and need to be tuned as a pair.

 

I like my behringer truth they sound good but i think I need to isolate them, they are a little bassy. And loud, they work for a small practice PA

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I mostly play through a DRRI or an AC15 these days but when I ran my Tonelab, I ran it into the FX return of a Peavey Prowler tube amp with an upgraded speaker. I got a lot better results running into the FX return than into the front end of the amp. It just felt like a more cohesive unit. I think I have less than $200 in the amp and the upgraded speaker.

 

I've always found that if I run a modeler into speakers and monitors, they sound like you're listening to a CD and you lose the visceral impact that you get running into either a guitar/keyboard amp or a PA.

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I know, but my budget is really closer to one hundred, not two...plus I'd prefer a single speaker unit for convenience reasons.

 

so go to www.partsexpress.com or www.madisound.com or and buy you some full range drivers,a pair of cabinets,and a pair of crossovers and build some.PE has everything from dayton audio to eminence to peerless...madisound has stuff from vifa,silver flute,seas...too much stuff yo list realy.and a little unkown fact to most people,most speaker companies use oem drivers,even the big name companies.edesignaudio.com will custom build them for you with a 10 year warranty and some of the best customer service in the biz...just my $00.02...at any rate,$100 ain't gonna' get you much unless you buy raw drivers and MDF to construct your own cab(s)...

 

Damon

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Hrm. How about this then -- what's going to be an inexpensive guitar amp with an FX Return jack, so that I can just go straight to poweramp? Something that's a 1x10 or 1x12 for a decent sound, I should think...

 

[EDIT] Hey, stereo/MP3 inputs are the same thing as an FX Return jack, aren't they? I bet that will work if I can just find an amp with a decent speaker...and of course the Kustom 12 Gauge doesn't have that input :facepalm:

 

[EDIT again] Oooh, A Flexwave ought to do the trick, right?

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here you go buddy...

 

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RCA aux in should work shouldn't it?you can get RCA to 1/4" adapters if not...actualy,i've got a pair laying around somewhere...

 

Damon

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The Tonelabs and Pods sound great through those Tech 21 power engine cabs They are essentially made for the modeler amps but can do the modeler pedals just as well.

Ive played a all tube loaded Atomic Amp 1x12 with a Pod Xt running as the preamp(vox's work also) and the tones were Very impressive. These are a bit more expensive though.

There is also a few other mfgs out there that make these "power engine" type of guitar amps.

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I haven't tried my Tonelab through anything smaller than a 40W 1x12, but I think I'd lean towards a used Peavey something and put a Celestion/Eminence/Warehouse Speakers/Weber upgraded celestion type if you plan on playing with much gain or a Fender solid state of some sort if you mostly play clean or with low gain. Most if the Fenders come with decent sounding speakers for clean, or replace it with something on down the road.

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your all nuts

 

Buy a Tech21 Power Engine if your into amping your ToneLab.

 

I do it, and I'm not the only one who is impressed.

 

Top quality build, perfect sound reproduction, and rock solid. 300 bucks. (bought mine nearly new for 125... :))

 

60 Watts SS through a 12" Celestion 70/80. (Has a 3 band Cut/Boost EQ.)

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your all nuts


Buy a Tech21 Power Engine if your into amping your ToneLab.


I do it, and I'm not the only one who is impressed.


Top quality build, perfect sound reproduction, and rock solid. 300 bucks. (bought mine nearly new for 125...
:)
)


60 Watts SS through a 12" Celestion 70/80. (Has a 3 band Cut/Boost EQ.)

125?! I would be on top of that in a second if I had the chance.

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Roland Cube and use the line in?

 

 

Tried it with my Cube 30 and Tonelab LE. A Cube is about as far from a FRFR speaker as you can get. It sounds terrible.

 

I had better luck running into the clean channel so I could use the Cube's EQ as well as the Tonelab's, but it just doesn't sound very good no matter what I do. I'm satisfied with my tones through nice headphones which leads me to believe a decent monitor would be the best amplification method.

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