HSS

I agree with the recommendations in the post above, including flipping your QSC's channel 1 mic/line switch to mic and dialing the gain up carefully. I've done it on my QSC K12 a few times in a pinch. But IMO a Key Largo or small mixer is the way to go. If a Key Largo is too expensive, just about any decent quality small mixer can work to boost the gain out to the QSC. I usually use a small Yamaha MGO6x. Having said this, I confess that I'm gassing for a Key Largo because its routing options are geat for keyboards. FWIW... I also have small Behringer 802 or 502 mixers as backups which are cheaper and lower quality than the Yamaha MGO6 but work OK.

True but not for my admittedly selfish purposes. I mainly play AP, EP, B3, and occasional clav with the old school blues and soul bands I gig with. If I played more synth, I'd probably feel differently. Each to their own.

IMO the new Numa Compact X SE seems to be an incremental improvement over the Numa Compact 2X which I already have and like due to its portability, sounds, and controls at its price point. I also like its semi-weighted compromise action (with aftertouch) which for me works for piano, organ, and synth. Unless I missed it, it's not clear to me whether dedicated controls or buttons for favorites/ registrations are present in the new Numa Compact X SE. This was a limiting factor for me for gigging or even rehearsing with the Numa Compact 2X. Also, it would have been great if a 73/76 key version was offered. Like a previous poster said, I often gig with bands on small, cramped stages and using an 88 key board is usually difficult or simply not possible. A second split point, similar to the Yamaha CK's, would have been desirable as well. I also wonder if the internal speaker system is improved compared to the Numa Compact 2X, which IMO is pretty lame despite its hyped 2 x10 watt specs. The new enhanced synth capabilities don't interest me much since I don't play much synth.

I have a Zoom L12 and I agree.

True... But the CK's having onboard speakers and battery power is giving me GAS. But then again, I already have too much redundancy in my gigging boards. FWIW... Do you or anyone have opinions for which B3 emulation is better, the CK's or the PC4's?

Agree... A 73 / 76 key 15-20 lb. CK with decent piano-organ compromise semi-weighted action would hit the sweet spot for me.

OT: I gigged a lot with a SP76 up until about 15 years ago. In hindsight, it had my favorite semi-weighted action for piano playing, I now wish I hadn't sold it for just a couple of hundred bucks about 10 years ago. Newer is not always better, even in the world of digital keyboards.

When using my Nord 5d 73, I also usually use Studio Grand 2 in loud band mixes. For more mellow exposed band stuff, I usually use the White Grand. At the risk of coming across like an antiquated clueless old fart (which I am), I confess that I still like the old much-maligned Kurz Triple Strike "Pro Piano" sample in loud band mixes when using my old Kurz SP4-7 or even newer PC4-7. IMHO newer and/or more detailed and realistic AP's don't necessarily work best in loud band mixes. Disclaimer: I play in mono at band gigs because IMO that's what works best for FOH and, I confess, because I'm old and lazy.

I'm 66 and a retired petroleum geologist with a nice family and home, no debt, and a healthy retirement nest egg. In addition to SS and a small pension, I siphon approx. 1% off of the nest egg annually to maintain a comfortable lifestyle for my family. I pay for my music gear addiction with weekend warrior dive bar gigs a couple of times per month. So far this year I'm about $2000 in the black after spending $1500 on new toys. My main current old fart complaint, in addition to being a crappy keyboardist, is that when I take a bath my balls float.

I purchased a used mint Kurz PC4-7 a few months ago via Sweetwater Gear Exchange. The transaction went smoothly, and I have no complaints. I received the board via Fed Express promptly and it was in mint condition as advertised by the seller.

At most I'd perhaps do a solo gig with a drum machine but beyond that playing a band gig with full-blown backing tracks isn't for me. I'd rather sound like crap that than be a mime pretending to play. Having said this, I don't begrudge anyone doing what they want or need to do, especially to pay the bills. It's interesting that one of the bands I play with is a Grateful Dead band. Needless to say, Dead songs aren't very amenable to using the backing-tracks and the dancing hippie Deadheads would probably walk out of any show if backing tracks were used. Having said this, I'm not a Deadhead and play with that band mainly because it's the best paying gig I have and it's fun playing in front of folks who are actually focused on the band's music. My other gigging bands are musically better than the Dead band, but they don't pay as much, and their audiences are pretty much unaware of what the band is doing on stage. They could use backing tracks and, for the most part, their audiences wouldn't know the difference or care.

I met Joe a few times about 15 -20 years ago when I lived in Houston. He recommended KC to me. He's a good dude.

When gigging with one of my low-brow blues or soul bands with one of my clones, regardless of the song, I always start with the old standby 888000000, with C3 on, 3rd perc / fast on, and Leslie sim off / brake. I then start pulling/pushing draws and toggling things on/off dependent upon the song's vibe, the band mix, and my mood. During solos I tend to pull /push draws and toggle things on/off more, often pulling upper draws to add some screaming sizzle during the solos' climaxes. I would add that I'm a mediocre payer at best and in my old fart dotage, I'm lazy and don't want to and often can't remember specific settings for different tunes, so I go with my gut feeling in the moment. I suspect if I wasn't so lazy and more professional, I would probably memorize settings for specific songs and/or take copious notes on stage with me.

True... I have a new PC4-7, which has excellent sounds and controller features, but I'm reluctant to give up my old SP4-7 because of its small footprint and sturdy steel build. Of course, the SP4-7's sturdy steel build comes with an extra 5 or 6 lbs. of weight vs. the PC4-7. Sorry for wandering OT.

I have a P121 which I really like. The reason I'd prefer a semi-weighted version of a CK is because I suck at playing organ chops on a fully-weighted hammer action board. Each to their own. In any case, a small footprint 73 or 76 key option is a sweet spot for many low-brow dive bar players like me who usually end up on dinky little stages fighting for a few extra inches of space.

The CK's look like a lot of bang-for-the-buck. If Yamaha came out with a 73 or 76 key semi-weighted CK, I'd probably jump on it.

I recently bought a used mint-condition Kurz PC4-7. I really like it's sounds, portability, interface with numerous assignable knobs and sliders, midi capabilities, and compromise SW action. IMO it's AP's and EP's are top shelf, especially after adding Dave Weiser's sounds and the Purgatory Creek Rhodes. It's KB3 and Leslie sim, although not quite as good as my Hammond SK1 or NE 5dD, work for me in a band setting. My only slight concern with the PC4-7 is its durability with its lightweight plastic shell FWIW... My old SP4-7 feels more durable with its largely metal shell. Of course that metal shell adds about 5 lbs. of weight.

Paul McCartney's tribute to Jimmy Buffett was impressive both in its length and content. RIP Jimmy. I hope you found that lost shaker of salt. https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/paul-mccartney-pays-tribute-jimmy-204155085.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Sorry for going OT, but barf buckets and tubs were real in some of the joints in New Orleans when I lived there during the 80's. I know because on one ill-fated night of debauchery I partook of one at a joint called "Nick's" (?).

Crap... RIP Robbie Robertson.

I lived in N.O. during the 80's so my knowledge might be dated. Besides the usual suspects, (e.g. Maple Leaf, Tipitina's, etc.), there used to be a joint I frequented on Frenchmen Street in the Faubourg Marigny called "Snug Harbor" that had good live music. I used to catch Walter Wolfman Washington and Charmaine Neville there on a fairly regular basis. I remember one night Dr. John came and sat in with the Wolfman for pretty much the entire show. There was another fun place in Mid City called "Rock 'n Bowl" which was a bowling alley with live bands.

Thanks. So I might have been originally correct that no specific string resonance effect is available for the piano samples on the CK's, only damper resonance. Could the CK's "Harmonic Enhancer" which creates harmonic overtones be an effect that is roughly equivalent to string resonance if it's dialed in correctly? Sorry if that's a stupid question which I excel at. FWIW... Here is the spec page 25 from the P125-121 manual which explicitly shows string resonance (outlined in red).

Thanks! I missed it. I need bifocals. Hopefully man-sized diapirs are still a few years down the road.

It's not a deal breaker for me but when I quickly perused the CK's user manual I didn't see anything about string resonance for the piano samples. Do the CK's have it? My Yamaha P121 does so it would be a little surprising to me if the CK's don't.

Agree... FWIW, I use Vycro MX software rather than John Melas software with my MX88 because it was free when I downloaded it a few years ago and I'm notoriously cheap. Vycro MX software, however, is probably not as powerful and smooth as John Melas software but it still works for me, letting me set up complex performances with multiple splits and layers with up to 16 parts. Both the MX 88 and CK88 have USB midi and audio which is a nice feature for hooking up an Ipad / Iphone to access more sounds with one cable IMHO this can help mitigate issues with the MX's older sound set.