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Bobadohshe

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Posts posted by Bobadohshe

    The "Lingus" solo - what am I missing?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Something about the realtime creation of that solo and the energy in the room when it happened is very very special. The way it built and told a story - in a totally organic way, when the ideas get more shredding, then the LH keys come in with that unique timbre, bending harmony like Neo in the Matrix in total control - was really spellbinding. I'll never forget it.

    Portable Power Solution for KB and PA - Beach gig

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I would be careful about the "very quiet" description because in my experience it's usually said in comparison to the noise level of a non-inverter generator, not as a general description. In my few stabs at researching these I've seen youtubes of campers and other amateur reviewers' videos showing them in operation. IMO, based on what I hear in these videos, I wouldn't want that sound in the background as I played a solo piano gig. Full band with drums is a different story â that would probably be fine.

     

    This has been nagging in the back of my mind. I'm glad you bring it up. I will watch some videos and see if I can go check one out at Harbor Freight.

    Portable Power Solution for KB and PA - Beach gig

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I know that Bobadohshe wasn"t looking for a generator recommendation, but if you decide to go that way, check out this A-iPower unit.

     

    https://www.costco.com/a-ipower-powered-by-yamaha-inverter-generator.product.100653776.html

     

    Yamaha engine, very quiet. I bought it last year as a second generator, for TV/Internet/lights/fans during hurricane season and I"ve used it a number of times around the yard so that it doesn"t just sit in the shed. I have some beachy gigs coming up myself, and one of them requires me to run 100+ feet of extension cords into their kitchen, so I"m just going to use this instead. Eight to nine hours on a gallon of gas is pretty good, too.

     

    These portable batteries seem nice but every battery loses life over time, some fairly rapidly. What if you"re in the middle of a gig and it dies?

     

     

    I appreciate that Synthaholic. Since my initial post saying I didn't want a generator, I have heard lots of good things about these newer very quiet generators. I think I'd be open to it.

     

    I just scoped it out. I read and reread the specs, but couldn't see anything mentioning weight. - How much does that puppy weigh with a full tank? Since it's on the beach I won't be able to roll it, I'll have to carry it and plop it in place on a towel on the sand.

    Portable Power Solution for KB and PA - Beach gig

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Ready for TMI? :)

     

    Copied from EV's page with ZLX12 BT specs:

     

    Power Consumption 3

    100 - 240 V~, 50 - 60 Hz, 0.8 - 0.5 A

    3 Current rating is specified at â full output power.

     

    "1/8 full output power" is supposed to be a "real world" spec of what the average current draw would be in an audio amp. Current draw fluctuates with the signal being amplified. Program a synth sound that's a 60Hz sine wave and lean on the key for ten minutes with all volume controls at max... well, you'll probably be exceeding that "1/8 power" figure... but that's not how most program material works. If you're playing a Hammond clone with pedals and like it loud, you may also exceed that figure at certain points. You don't want to risk tripping a breaker on your battery or causing a brownout since that's gonna "stop the music", but the figures above are a good starting point.

     

    It looks like these EVs can run on the full international range of voltages (100 to 240) and the current draw is roughly proportional, i.e. it draws .8 amps at 100V to .5 amps at 240V. As the other posters here said, you multiply volts x amps to get the power in watts. That would equate to a range of 80 watts to 120 watts needed depending on what country you're in. EV doesn't list the exact current draw at the USA voltage of 116 (120? I'm never sure what the official spec is!), but you can extrapolate to maybe about .75 or .7 amps. That would be a "typical" or "1/8 power" requirement of around 90 watts. If you're playing solo piano, I would say a battery that can deliver at least 100 watts for the EV would be OK though I might want a few more in reserve. You have to take into account the power requirements of the keyboard too, if it's gonna use AC power from the battery.

     

    Great stuff, thanks Reezekeys.

     

    So I think for a 90-100W PA speaker and an 18W Yamaha CP4, I'll be golden for an hour hit with one of the options in the 300Wh range. Of course it might be nice to get something even beefier if I need to do a multi hour hit somewhere sometime....

    Portable Power Solution for KB and PA - Beach gig

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Have you ruled out getting a rechargeable, battery-powered speaker, then a smaller inverter to power your keyboard(s) and/or sound source if they are not battery powered? It might be more reliable and convenient to go that route.

     

    Haven't ruled anything out, but I really like the sound of the EV. And I don't see myself doing this all that often. And if I don't have to spend more than I'm making on the gig that's a bonus.

    Portable Power Solution for KB and PA - Beach gig

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    I have an upcoming cocktail hour hit on the beach and need to find a solution for portable power. Let's set aside the gas powered generator idea for now.

     

    I see there are a ton of portable battery power solutions available these days. I always get confused with wattages on PA speakers and what's actually required.

     

    My EV-ZLX says it's 1000 Watts - class D. Is that a peak or RMS. Do I need 1000 W of power from my battery?

     

    Would any of those portable power stations do the trick? The hit will only be 1 hr.

    Living with the Yamaha P515

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Head and shoulders above the CP4 is a tall tall order as I do love the CP4. I wonder if you ABed the samples through a pair of PA speakers (which is my common set up on Solo Piano gigs and I think the CP4 sounds fantastic through) if you'd notice that much of a difference. I think the built in speakers are a great addition to this board though. There are so many times when that would be a very desirable option.

    Two board rig for cover band work

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    My longtime Top 40 rig is Montage 7 on top CP4 on the bottom. I do hundreds of gigs with this combo a year (not last year duh) and it's perfect for my needs. The piano capabilities on the bottom come in handy when we have an occasional extra cocktail jazz set or if I really want to play the piano parts of certain songs legitimately. Weakest part is the organ but I survive.

    Yamaha's CP1 back on the market?

    in The Keyboard Corner

    Posted

    Interesting that as much as you see people here hailing the CP1 as the flagship be all end all, you don't see them used by touring acts, but see CP4s all over the place.

     

    I love my CP4(s). Crazy it's over 7 years old now. I remember playing the CP1 and the CP5 and being impressed but that was years ago. And I didn't feel that instant connection as I did with the CP4.

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