Help with living room keyboard monitor/speaker choices

[JediMasterThrash]

I'm trading up my current digital ensemble piano for a keyboard workstation (kronos 2 or something similar).

 

I'm wondering about what's a good monitor speaker for this keyboard are. From that point of view, I mean something that's quality enough to reproduce the quality of sounds from a higher end keyboard model. Full range of bass and treble, articulate, and not much coloration.

 

I figure spending something in the 500-1k area for monitors for a 3k keyboard is reasonable. But the use case for these is primarily my living room. I'd like something that does a good job of filling a living room with good sound, versus filling a venue. And that means also something that's a bit more omnidirectional.

 

I see QSC cp8 gets recommended as very high quality. But it seems like they may need an external sub-woofer and I'm not sure if i need 8" size. Or 2000W headroom.

 

The JBL 305p MKIi is what I've been leaning towards based on my research so far. It has the bass response built in so it doesn't need a subwoofer. The tweeter is designed to be wider angle so not as directed. Even though it's 5", it's spec' or permanent ear damage 126db anyway.

 

My main question on the JBL is whether two 5" is enough (I'd be getting two for stereo), or would I want a 6 or 8" version? I'd rather keep it small, something that can live under the keyboard, as it's just going into the living room. But if 5" won't cut it I can go up.in size.

 

And is there anything/brand that might be a better option to consider.

 

Thanks,

[Doerfler]

IMO, you are going to want 8 inch woofers. Most likely then you won't need a subwoofer also

[Markyboard]

 

My main question on the JBL is whether two 5" is enough (I'd be getting two for stereo), or would I want a 6 or 8" version? I'd rather keep it small, something that can live under the keyboard, as it's just going into the living room. But if 5" won't cut it I can go up.in size.

 

If you"re talking about using them while they"re under your piano I cant imagine anything is going to sound very good. You may want to reconsider this approach.

[Mighty Motif Max]

If you're going to be putting them on the floor, get yourself a stereo pair of monitors or PA speakers with the cut edge for floor monitor usage. I've done that for years and it works great. Studio monitors on the floor will sound like crap.

 

If you're hanging around a $1000 budget for a stereo pair (which is quite good and I only wish I could), I recommend the Yamaha DXR10 speakers. A stereo pair runs about $1100. Since you're going to be doing a lot of orchestral stuff and working with heavier music, 10" woofers would be ideal (PA/monitors are totally different than studio monitors).

[Ledbetter]

For home monitors, I use the QSC K8.2"s I use for performance when called for. I add my Hartke KB12 as a subwoofer for more bass if needed. I don"t mind the sound of the K8.2"s alone.

 

In smaller, simpler situations, I use only the Hartke for performance.

 

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/KB12--hartke-kb12-kickback-500w-1x12-inch-bass-combo

[timwat]

I don't think studio near-fields are going to give you the "omni" you're looking for, and putting them on the floor is really not how they are designed to be used. 5" studio monitors can provide great personal listening for piano at reasonable volumes for the player, if used on stands. If it has to be on the floor, I'd suggest something else - maybe an Acoustic Image bass amp or similar? Even powered-PA speakers like a DXR8 gives its best off the floor on a stand or pole.

[El Lobo]

I've been using QSC K8's for some time now. They have plenty of bass. And people on this forum speak highly of the K8.2s. But I mainly wanted to agree with what others are saying about not putting whatever you get flat on the floor. You want to put them on low stands. That's what I do with my K8's. It makes a noticeable difference in the sound.

[Mighty Motif Max]

Even powered-PA speakers like a DXR8 gives its best off the floor on a stand or pole.

 

Just throwing this out there but I've used a Yamaha MSR-100 (now discontinued) all the time since 2013 (wow, it's been that long?). It's kind of like a DXR8. It is not able to be pole-mounted at all (no hole etc). It sounds just as good on the ground as on an amp stand. So I would think that the DXR8 would be equally good on the ground, and the same with the 10s (which I have used at other venues).

 

I forgot - I really like the QSC K10s (the originals, haven't tried the 10.2s) as well. Some will say they are "honky" in the midrange. I notice that with acoustic instruments like accordion, but my keyboards always sound great through them. Again, on the floor.

[JediMasterThrash]

putting it up on speaker stands isn't out of the question. I just didn't know if I wanted my face to be just a few feet from the speakers, especially if they're bigger ones. I'd lean towards filling the living room with sound vs. sitting in a tweeter cone. I've also read a lot of the bigger speakers have more white noise in them, which is fine for rehersal/band, but not solo house playing.

[DJkeys]

Another vote for the QSC K8.2. A pair of them have really good bass response for a small speaker, and if you need to gig, you can use them for that as well-

 

-dj

[Docbop]

putting it up on speaker stands isn't out of the question. I just didn't know if I wanted my face to be just a few feet from the speakers, especially if they're bigger ones. I'd lean towards filling the living room with sound vs. sitting in a tweeter cone. I've also read a lot of the bigger speakers have more white noise in them, which is fine for rehearsal/band, but not solo house playing.

 

I use small nearfield studio monitors for my keyboard at home and being near them is what they for close listening. I have an 88 piano and have small tables on each side of my keyboard they put the speakers almost level with the keyboard and the monitor are on the tables on speaker pads to raise them a touch and angle them. Using the small tables also give me an area for music, coffee mug, my iPad on a stand, etc. So makes for a really handy practice area. Especially since I live in an apartment and like to practice late at night I can turn down the monitors keeping sleeping neighbors happy, but still hear enough since speakers are close.

[harmonizer]

I use an Electrovoice zx-a1 (https://products.electrovoice.com/na/en/zxa1/).

It has way more power and bass than I would expect anyone to need in a living room.

It does a very nice job with acoustic piano sounds, which is probably the most challenging sound to reproduce accurately.

Its weight might not matter if you will just be using it in your living room, but if you want to move it around, the zx-a1 is under 20 pounds.

 

I have never tested a QSC K8 or K8.2, but based on what others have said (not just in this thread but in others as well) those are also reasonable choices, and based on what others have said I would expect that the zx-a1 produces a quality of sound that is similar to those two QSC models.

[JediMasterThrash]

The QSC and Yamaha 8" specify ~55Hz-20kHz -10dB range. While the JBL 308p mkii is 37Hz-24kHz.

From experience, the difference in spec'd bass response isn't really noticeable?

[PianoMan51]

Decide where you will place the speakers before deciding on what speakers.

 

As our friend Tim noted, speakers are tuned for a specific placement. Nearfield monitors are ear height in a 4-5 foot triangle facing your ears. Most self-powered PA speakers are tuned to be raised off the floor and not directly next to a wall. A few of these have a switch for tuning as a floor monitor.

 

Putting a high quality self-powered PA speaker that has an angled side for floor monitor position on the floor may seem like a solution. But bass frequencies are naturally boosted and I have never been able to EQ the response of my Turbosound NUQ10s to sound as good for acoustic piano as when they"re on poles.

 

I have no experience with speakers that have a switch for floor position.

[uhoh7]

If you have a good stereo system in the living room it may sound better than monitors.

 

I have five speakers and sub all together, but these are the heart:

Affordable and very good floor standing speakers

 

I use a little pre-amp from my mixer into a decent AV amp. Sound quailty seems outstanding. If I want to add some "tubeiness" I go through a Virus TI synth, that does a pretty great job with guitars etc. I also have two big Leslies in the same room, and the stereo keeps up quite well.

 

"Studio Monitors" are usually not high end audio, because you want to hear the mix like it's going to sound to Joe Blow. When I checked out reviews of the super high $$$$ monitors, there was often a cavet. "Well, I love them but they sound too good, so I use X"

[elif]

I looked at the intended application and compared spec's and features for the K8.2mkii, DXR8mkii, and the 820P Mkii. I'm liking the JBLs. (I have DXR10s).

 

As is always mentioned, if possible, try to listen to some recorded music through these things.

 

JBL 308P Mkii

Pro:

• No cooling fan noise (QSC and Yamaha have fan cooling)
  
• Soft dome tweeter (QSC & Yamah use a compression driver)
  
• Freq Resp.: 45 Hz - 20 kHz +/- 3dB, 37 Hz - 24 kHz (-10 dB)
  
• Coverage: 120H x 90V, wider and taller than either QSC or Yamaha
  
• the noise performance is specified (neither QSC nor Yamaha)
  
• the distortion performance is specified (neither QSC nor Yamaha)
  

 

Con:

• Power: 56 W (LF), 56 W (HF)
  
• I saw one review that said it was "overly bright".
  

 

You can really tell from the spec's that the JBL is intended as a monitor: low power, freq resp. spec'd at 3 dB, no cooling fan, distortion spec's listed, noise spec's listed.

 

For me, the question is whether the JBLs have enough power. Or, do you need a couple of 700 Watt speakers for the house?

[Redknife]

I have been quite happy with Yamaha HS8"s with the HS8S sub for my living room setup. It is loud and full enough sound to match volume with my grand piano. The array of Kronos sounds are well served by the setup. Of course monitor stands would be necessary.

[JediMasterThrash]

So near-field monitors are maybe not what I'm looking for then. What type of monitor/PA should I be looking for if filling a living room with sound is the goal vs. just hearing it from 3 feet away from the speakers.

[JediMasterThrash]

As kind of a comparison, the Kohler KD-160 I have has about 5 speakers, none of them are aimed at me. Three are under the baby grand hood, I think they're 8". They are more muffled with the hood down obviously, then you open the hood to take the lid off. But it still sounded good with the hood down. ANd there's two speakers , maybe 5", underneath aimed down. So the speakers are all aimed up or down from the back of the piano, and it fills the living room with great sound. I'm looking for something like that. But in a nice package.

[esfusion]

If your goal is to reproduce piano, then near field monitors are the best. Set them at ear level. Larger ones will also fill a room. I'm particularly fond of Adam A7s (a bit over your budget) and have even used them for small cocktail party gigs. If you are budget constrained, try a pair of iLoud Micro Monitors velcroed to your keyboard.

[JediMasterThrash]

I'd say accurate piano sound isn't my top requirement, more room filling orchestra/string/synth/pad layered sounds

[JediMasterThrash]

Took me a while to figure out what I was going to do. But I'm currently thinking of getting a set of ultimate support 36" stands to hold monitors behind the keyboard, and the adam T7x as monitors.

In A/B youtube vids, the adams seemed to blow away the others. And For my purposes the 8" seems a bit too large