Newbie searching for keyboard amp suggestions ASAP

I know almost nothing about Keyboard amps, yet I need one asap...any suggestions on what would be appropriate for a live band performance? It's a long stretch but I'm looking for a good value for my $$. and by $$ I mean cheap.

thanks.

You don't need a keyboard amp. Use the best headphones that you can get your hands on for free, and then maybe buy earphones later on. Your band will be using a PA for vocals, right? Plug into that for the audience. If your PA isn't good enough, then that's a band expense, not a keyboardist's expense. That's how to be cheap, get your band mates to help pay for gear you share. Plus you don't have to haul around an amp in addition to a keyboard.

what is your budget?

For a band you DO need an amp- unless it's your PA and the mixer is within reach. Nothing is worse than having no control over your sound (a soundman's wet dream).

If your mix is just right there are alot of factors that can change it- everyone else will turn up and leave you behind, or someone will fiddle with the board and throw the moniter mix off. Every now and then I have to work like that (no amp) but its always miserable.

But you would be better off doing that temporarily while you save your money for a decent amp, instead of wasting $$ on a POS like the Alesis Sumo series (for example) or Behringer stuff- which may sound OK but has a poor track record for reliability. Stick with Roland or Peavey stuff, or keep an eye out for a used JBL Eon which may go for less than $300. Good luck!

yeah go for a s/h powered speaker like the JBL EON, Mackie SRM350, Yorkville....theres loads of options. Forget dedicated keyboard amps

Traynor K4.

Depending on your budget, I'd recommend a Motion Sound KPS200. It's a great little versatile amp, and has DI outputs on back for a PA (which you'll need at a large venue). You can get a sub-woofer/slave cabs as well. I'd grab the motion sound, and an amp stand that tilts the unit back.

The reason why I recommend this, is because it holds it's own, it's easy to bring around, and you got your mixing board/DIs and stereo monitor all in one box (As opposed to carrying around mixing boards/DIs and wires and all that {censored}).

However, if you are jamming with a very loud drummer and 100-watt guitar tube amps, it will act as a great monitor, but won't make the cut quite so well with the audience (hence why I love the DI outputs on back for a venue).

Ideally, JBL EONS/Mackie SRM 450s, etc. are the {censored}, but you have to carry around speaker stands, mixing boards, lots of cables, etc. If you're a gigging musician, keyboards are enough of a pain in the ass. If you cart that extra {censored} around, it's that much worse. Usually, the venues have house systems, so just dial in your volumes on the KPS, and then go line-out. However, the only {censored}ty thing about the Motion Sound amps is that if you switch the volumes, it also switches the volume on the line out so beware of that!

Peace,

Phil

I have a mackie srm 450. Why would you need a speaker stand for it? If a keyboard amp sits on the floor...Why cant the powered speaker. The thing is like crazy loud and clean. As for the mixer ,, man it doesnt take much of a mixer I have alittle yam mg 8 fx. Totin lots of {censored} is just part of being a keyboard player.

I own a Roland KC-550 it is decent, I dunno how much the sound quality would jump if I had 2 of them (if someone has please tell me).

Anyway everyone seems to recommend the GT2 s so they must be pretty good...

+1

I've used the KP-200s for years - no problems, great sound, convenient package. Costs a bit more but better to invest in good sound up front than suffer with a junky amp that you'll resell for a loss later.

I have my own PA setup for my rig. 2 15" JBL passive speakers and a Yamaha powered head. It's perfect because I control independant channel volume and EQ. When I play at larger venues, I can bypass the power amp and still control my line level and EQ.

Best of both worlds...get a PA

PA = (stereo): (2) speaker cabinets, (1) PA head or mixer, (2) audio cables to speakers from mixer, (2) audio cables per keyboard, (1) mixer stand. If powered speakers add (2) power cables (and probably extension cords).

Keyboard amp = (Motion Sound stereo amp): (1) cabinet, (1) amp stand, (2) audio cables per keyboard, (1) power cable.

I own a JBL EON PA system and I own two keyboard amps (KP-100s/KP-200s) and the keyboard amps get the most use. Plus I can always use the PA as an extension of the keyboard amps for larger venues.

The SRM450 is no doubt louder than the KP200S. I'd rather have a pair of SRM450s doing my sound, and you are right, you can lay the thing on it's side in a 'slanted' position. However, if it is your only source for the crowd, then you will want to have it up on the stand.

I think it's a no brainer... For convienience, the KP200S wins hands down. It's got 4 stereo 1/4" inputs, and two mini-mixers. Sound quality between the two is debatable. For setup, it's way more efficient. If you don't mind the time, and bringing the extra stands and cables, then go for the Mackie speakers.

It's a win-win either way. I drag along drums as well, so any piece of equipment that saves setup time, etc., and is of high quality, I am all for:thu::thu:

Altho, I think the ultimate solution is the KP500S. I think this little 2x12 will be king. I am going to sell my KP200S and get my hands on this one. It's the same size, but only 5 pounds heavier and more than double the power. More than twice the power of the KP200S will be more than suffice...

You said it! Altho, I think you can consider selling the EONs, with the new KP500S monster coming out... can't wait...

I bought a KP200s based on comments by the Pro and Gigman and they were spot-on. I used it for a LOUD 8-piece wedding band gig Sat. (monitering) and although I was pushing it pretty hard it held up. If you have to do alot of piano-based tunes (esp. ballads) and you have a piano (like my P120) that doesn't sound as good mono, the KP200s is a Godsend. It has made alot of gigs much more enjoyable. It also works great for a lower-volume coffeehouse gig. Although not as "hifi" as some solutions, it's a very versatile piece of gear. Even vocals don't sound too bad through it.

Hey PFC - good for you! Palaver was right on the money in his assessment: the Motion Sound KP200S is a great monitor when playing with a good-sized (and medium-high volume) band but it won't project out into the audience above the band's stage volume - for that you definitely need to run a line out from the back to the band's main PA out front.

Otherwise the KP200S is a great little amp - very warm sound, cuts right thru for smaller, low-volume situations. I used to play my keys thru one of my JBL EONs - I had bought a pair to use one as kybd. amp/stage monitor and occasionally use both as a main PA on the few gigs I book myself (which I still use them for). But I've been using the KP200S as a kybd. amp instead of the EON in the last couple years since it sounds so nice - the EON is definitely louder but a bit more harsh on the upper end of the acoustic piano sounds, since it has a horn in it.

This Motion Sound KP500SN intrigues me though -

http://www.motion-sound.com/product?name=kp-500sn

...it looks like a lot more power (500 watts) at only 2 lbs. more weight! The KP200S clocks in at 55lbs. & yet this new KP500SN is only 57lbs.! It doesn't seem to be available at any of the usual online dealers yet though (Musician's Fiend, American Musical Supply, Sweetwater, zZounds, etc...)

BTW -

I love the new look of Motion Sound's website - well, I don't know how new it actually is since I haven't been on their site in a while... but the previous look was horrendous. Funny, though - I almost thought it was cool that it looked so bad, in a way: it proved they were putting money into their product development instead of their marketing.

Motion Sound announced a new KP500 at NAMM. More than twice as powerful, 12" speakers instead of 10", only slightly larger than the 200, and 2 lbs heavier.

Sounds like another winner.

And yet the upcoming KP500sn weighs only two pounds more than the KP-200s and is nearly the same cabinet size! No doubt this will be a terrific asset... the question will be price. Considering how the price of the KP-200s has gone up due to popularity, I expect a hefty price on the new 500 watt model. None the less, the Motion Sound KP-500sn may be the new keyboard amp champ. Word is it'll be available late May or June.

Yep... I am definitely buying this. I e-mailed motion sound with a request for street price.

I recently joined a classic rock band and needed an amp. This is straight-ahead rock and roll and blues (think Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Van Morrison), and most of the time my keys will be going through a mono house PA.

I bought a Roland KC-350 and used it for the first time at a gig Saturday night, and it worked great. Plenty of on-stage volume even with the guitarist having a 100w Marshall and the bass playing having a wall of speakers five feet tall. Four stereo inputs, stereo link capability (if I buy another KC-350), direct out to PA, 120 watts, very compact size, and only $480.

...so I wrote to Motion-Sound's sales dept. asking when the KP500SN will be available to purchase - this was their response:

Gary,

Thanks for your interest in our products, the KP-500 will be available on

the market at the end of March.

Hajie Goll

Manager

Phone: 801-265-0917

Fax: 801-265-0978

hajie.goll@motion-sound.com

www.motion-sound.com

What did they tell you would be the street price?

Don't settle for anything less than this system. If the Grateful Dead didn't why should you?

The SRM450 is no doubt louder than the KP200S. I'd rather have a pair of SRM450s doing my sound, and you are right, you can lay the thing on it's side in a 'slanted' position. However, if it is your only source for the crowd, then you will want to have it up on the stand.

 

Yea i should have bought two ,, since i nailed this one on sale ,, with a 20 percent off on black fri, 400 bucks for a new one. I dont know about the stand ,, Hell I gigged soem pretty big rooms with my old keyboard rig back in the day ,,,, that was a bassman with double bottoms and a fender leslie. Hell that mackie will blow that old rig away .... that old bassman would start breakin up if you got it much over 6. We ran caveman style ,,, with a backline , and just vocals out the PA. no monitors That was pretty standard for bands back then. It worked,, but you had to know what you were doing. No sound board,, no sound man. mix right off the amps from the stage.

I've done that w/my JBL EONs - had one (one time even both) up on a speaker stand when playing w/a bar band. I subsequently realized it was not necessary: the EON had enough punch for stage volume that it could even sit on the floor and face up & as long as I ran a line from my mixer to the main PA for the front of house (sound to the audience) I was fine.

BTW -

I had Mackie SRM450's for stage monitors (vocals & keys) once at a summer concer/street festival where there was a sound company - soundede great. But I still think the JBL EON15 G2's sound better...