Which Amps do you folks like here?

[Randelph]

I'm using the Motionsound KP-500sn. Stereo, 2 x 12", 500 watts, expander circuit, 2 channels with 3 band eq and expander circuit, 50 pounds, good carry handles on side and top.

So far so good- haven't used it in really noisy settings yet. It's not like speaker on a stick stereo, it's a one-point-source stereo that sits right behind you (typically) about 3-6 feet. So essentially it's a personal monitor that can potentially (depending on the size of room and how loud everyone is) be your only source of amplification.

I like it a lot. It doesn't feel TOO heavy, and with casters it's only the stairs where i do have to carry it. Piano sounds good (need to turn off the expander knob), plenty of bass, and it's nice having the 3 band eq. The expander circuit works only on stereo signals, and effectively enhances whatever chorus, reverb and delay you've got going- snds good. Can get the full bass on organ, synth and rhodes sounds- very satisfying, and being one box simplifies things: I just set it up behind me and I'm good to go.

I ALSO USE a Fender PD-250 (out of production now). This is a folding clamshell design that has two separate speakers and a mixing section that all fold together. Good concept but heavy and awkward to move when everything is folded in together. Wonderful sound- like a really excellent home stereo system: rich and deep sound, detailed, just about perfect- except that the woofers are 6.5", so it struggles a bit with the low end- otherwise it sounds fantastic. I've heard that the speakers were made by Bose.

[koloman]

I bought recently a Motion Sound KP100s Amplifier and I am very satisfied with the clean sound and also the stereo effect. A glissando on the piano gives a good feeling to sit on an acoustic instrument. For home use I put the amp on a 60 cm high chair direct behind the Nord.

The nord Ch1 & Ch2 signal goes to a Mackie 802 mixer. As other gear around the nord I connected my Siemens Fujitsu Tablet PC (6 years old, with pen, no keyboard, fits very well on the note stand) used as base for my Band in the Box or Realband application or audacity and other music software and to show also simple scorebooks as PDF file. The tablet is also connected via Midi to the nord and is used also with USB for the Nord Manager connection. I like also very much as the simplest possible MIDI recorder & player the RED Dot Forever program which I use very often to listen again to something I improvised.

From the Tablet I connect via Firewire to a simple Behringer Dig/Analog Converter to the Mixer and also back from the mixer to the tablet for recording of analog signals. For my saxophones I connected 2 microphones to the mixer.

On the mixer I use the main channel to the amp MS KP100s, the ALT channel to record something (mic or nord) to the tablet and the AUX channel as output to the PA System I when I play with the band.

The Motion Sound KP100s seems to be one of the last amp products made really in the United States and it was very complicate to get one for testing purposes here around Vienna/Austria. I compared a lot of amps (also normal Monitor loudspeakers) in my price range (around 1000 EUR), but the Motion Sound was best especially for piano and the more delicate synth sound mixes (like Rachel, Rachel 2 I found her on the forum).

I have my Nord now 8 month and explore daily more sound possibilities. Very satisfied with my "Ferrari".

Wolfgang

[joeljjison]

For many years I've owned a pair of Roland KC150's. They're massive, relatively heavy, and sound crap.

In fact I currently use one of them attached to my cheap hifi, with all the treble off, acting like a sub!!!!!! Best use of it.

I wouldn't want to just get a bigger Roland, as I don't like the flavour of this one, it doesn't accurately reproduce the sound... and I don't have high expectations of that range of amps.

I'm not averse to using monitors or PA speakers, but the big question is which...

I have no need for a mass of channels, I use a mixer already, to give myself a headphone mix. (From the headphone out put of the Nord stage, If I had an amp 2, that would be on an auxilary on there, and I'd send sound to FOH straight from the stage).

I'd want to have 2 speakers or a stereo speaker that isn't of RIDICULOUS size. Its got to be loud enough... and I have nothing against buying one speaker now, and another later, if its useable as one speaker (Ie start working on getting a pair of PA speakers.)

Does anyone have any recc's for me?

[kaufmann6988]

I use the Roland KC-880 for everything. Nord, Moog, Rhodes, Yamaha CP-5.It is a monster ! Nice as a monitor on big stages and extremely powerfull for backline jobs. Guitarists, watch out !

[ybakos]

You guys must either be super-strong or have roadies.

I strongly recommend the QSC K8 or K12. They're light and sound excellent. If you feel your acoustic pianos don't "sound good" through the amp you've got, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the QSC K-series.

I've been through all the "popular" keyboard amps (Rolands, Traynor K4, etc) and the QSC just blew me away.

[musicman100]

Im using a Traynor K4 on stage at present, but really the stereo field is lost on stage and our FOH is in mono, but its loud enough to overcome the other instruments stage volume ,plus I can monitor my vocals thorugh it, also

. I have a K2, but it just isn't loud enough

But when weight and space are a factor the QCS K10 is perfect, ample volume, clear and present tone , and running in mono doesnt seem to be an issue, it also has a LO-Z out , both pre and post, so u can run to the board.

AFA Rolands,, well I have two KC500s that are door stops, terrible tone, they do horrible things to a pianos tone .BUT YMMV

[Fritz]

Has anyone here tried the EV - ZXA1 speakers? I'd be very interested to hear opinions on these.

Fritz

[ybakos]

Those EV's are a well-regarded alternative to the QSC K-series.

[iamtara]

I'm using the Motionsound KP-500sn. Stereo, 2 x 12", 500 watts, expander circuit, 2 channels with 3 band eq and expander circuit, 50 pounds, good carry handles on side and top.

So far so good- haven't used it in really noisy settings yet. It's not like speaker on a stick stereo, it's a one-point-source stereo that sits right behind you (typically) about 3-6 feet. So essentially it's a personal monitor mix that can potentially (depending on the size of room and how loud everyone is) be your only source of amplification.

I like it a lot. It doesn't feel TOO heavy, and with casters it's only the stairs where i do have to carry it. Piano sounds good (need to turn off the expander knob), plenty of bass, and it's nice having the 3 band eq. The expander circuit works only on stereo signals, and effectively enhances whatever chorus, reverb and delay you've got going- snds good. Can get the full bass on organ, synth and rhodes sounds- very satisfying, and being one box simplifies things: I just set it up behind me and I'm good to go.

I ALSO USE a Fender PD-250 (out of production now). This is a folding clamshell design that has two separate speakers and a mixing section that all fold together. Good concept but heavy and awkward to move when everything is folded in together. Wonderful sound- like a really excellent home stereo system: rich and deep sound, detailed, just about perfect- except that the woofers are 6.5", so it struggles a bit with the low end- otherwise it sounds fantastic. I've heard that the speakers were made by Bose.

Wow, that was really helpful. Thanks for sharing that. I may not understand some of it but it is a good start for a beginner like me. )

[DJKeys]

You guys must either be super-strong or have roadies.

I strongly recommend the QSC K8 or K12. They're light and sound excellent. If you feel your acoustic pianos don't "sound good" through the amp you've got, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the QSC K-series.

I've been through all the "popular" keyboard amps (Rolands, Traynor K4, etc) and the QSC just blew me away.

I have to second this opinion. I just bought a QSC K-10 (see the Keyboard Magazine shootout of 11 different powered speakers for keyboard use). 32 pounds, it is light, small, easy to carry and sounds great. More bass than I need (even with the Deep switch turned off) smooth mids and high end. Three inputs (no eq) and pre and post fader output options. Pretty nice rig. My Nords really sound great through it.