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12 Jul 06 - 04:38 PM (#1782043) Subject: Any recommendations for a keyboard amp? From: danensis I've decided by synth just doesn't sound right through my ghetto blaster, and as I want to start playing with other musicians. I'm looking around at what's available. Choice seems to be between something small ("practice amp") with a line output so I can hook into a PA, and something big that will presumably sound better, but won't do a lot for my hernia. John |
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12 Jul 06 - 04:54 PM (#1782055) Subject: RE: Any recommendations for a keyboard amp? From: dwditty Peavy, for one, makes a whole line of amps specifically for keyboard. http://www.peavey.com/products/browse.cfm/action/list/cat/70/begin/1/Amplifiers.cfm |
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12 Jul 06 - 06:21 PM (#1782120) Subject: RE: Any recommendations for a keyboard amp? From: Richard Bridge I have PM'd you. If budget is a major consideration, try an old small PA head - they sell second hand for peanuts these days as they are not powerful enough for modern PA requirements. I got a mate of mine an 80 watt H/H off ebay for 30 quid and he is dead happy with it. H/H PA heads are nearly bulletproof, and clean if a little clinical - but that is good for keyboard. The old Carlsboros are not bad either. Up to about 300 watt they are still cheap-ish because they are too small for rock band PA. Keyboard demands hifi response not guitar-like distortion so avoid guitar amps or speakers. You can build a cab with Eminence PA speakers pretty cheap, but again I got a mate of mine some little Laney theatre cabs off ebay for next to nothing. If you are not going to DI into the main PA rig you are going to need much higher power. Remember some bass rigs these days are 2,000 watts. I know a bloke who plays bass in a pub rock band who uses two! Read the reviews with care - Torque used to sell a keyboard amp advertised as having "valve-like warmth" - that meant distortion. Avoid, avoid! |
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12 Jul 06 - 07:18 PM (#1782151) Subject: RE: Any recommendations for a keyboard amp? From: treewind We get a terrific sound out of a Trace Elliott TA50 on electric piano. Have a balanced line out (XLR) and remarkably punchy sound for something so small. Not the cheapest option, but I got mine about half new price from a shop that specialises in S/H musician's gear and should have known better (most of their stuff was over 90% new retail price) Anahata |
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13 Jul 06 - 03:40 AM (#1782414) Subject: RE: Any recommendations for a keyboard amp? From: Richard Bridge Trace are very expensive - and usually good, but the bass freak I mentioned above is now running Ashdown stacks, and his previous Trace Elliott stack spent an awful lot of time at the menders. If you like a hard-edged sound, the Hartkes pack an awful lot of punch into quite a small box, but again they are very dear. Another friend of mine runs his keyboard (for bigger gigs) through a Mashall combo - but it HAS to be a keyboard one, guitar distortion is the very last thing you want. |
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13 Jul 06 - 04:30 AM (#1782441) Subject: RE: Any recommendations for a keyboard amp? From: redsnapper I second Anahata's recommendation of a Trace Elliott TA50. I use a rather venerable early half-timbered one (which I luckily got for £140 in a Cash Converters shop) and it functions beautifully alongside the Yamaha StagePAS 300 (very portable PA system 300W) which we also use. RS |
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13 Jul 06 - 03:32 PM (#1782834) Subject: RE: Any recommendations for a keyboard amp? From: danensis Many thanks for your comments, I shall peruse ebay with care. John |