AndyW

It's a matter of taste. I do like a lot of bass and may get a sub just to hear for myself but in small/medium venues the SS holds the bass well. Also I play jazz/groove stuff with only trios and quartets, maybe the bass can be lost in larger groups.

Thanks Chris.

Aspen, great amp- didn't know what i was missing all these years playing in mono until I started playing live using my SS w/ true stereo! Definitely a game changer ... I have a question regarding your comment using a sub along with it ... I have the SS and a powered sub (I'm using my Presonus Temblor T10 250W) and was gonna start bringing the sub with me for bigger venues (150+ seats or so) and outdoor gigs. The Temblor has an adjustable crossover built in along with a HP filter option and outputs for left/right to send to mains. Do you recommend plugging my sound source (keys) directly into the left/right inputs of the sub and then using the built in crossover along with the HP filter and sending the outputs to the SS or should I be hooking it up the other way around (go INTO the SS first and then out to my subwoofer using the SUB OUT to my subwoofer)? I'm assuming I should do it the way I have been by going into the sub first, but would like to know the proper way to do it ... I seem to recall on some of your videos it seems like you may be doing it the reverse (going INTO the SS and hooking up the sub to the SUB OUT) ... Sorry if this is elementary but I just want to get the most out of the SS V3 ... Thanks again! Chris, will the T10 allow use of multiple inputs at once?

My 2 cents, and worth exactly what you pay for it! I went to that site and read the specs on your passive mixer. The only one you need to pay attention to is this one: "insertion Loss: 12dB (typical)". Ooops, as expected...no gain, more pain. That means it sucks gain, and this happens with all it's faders FULL UP(w/o any passive gain reduction). Trust me, 12dB is not a small amount of loss, you will hear it and you feel it! BUT if your KB has a lot of headroom (technically speaking that is called "poop") you might be able to live with it. The SS V.3 has a pretty sensitive input stage so probably it can recover much of this 12 dB insertion loss (unlike most power amps). However the noise floor will rise +12dB no matter if the SS can recover the -12db loss. IMHO, a passive mixer is to be avoided for these reasons. But remember my perspective is delivering my SS V.3 the best signal possible (so consider the source here, I am predujiced). Of course they can "work", but certainly there will be some trade off, and hopefully gain loss is not the only thing lost (I suspect some FR as well, and probably some dynamics). I also notice output impedance is lowered as well..not a bad thing in this case...so maybe a xfmr inside? But again, at what cost? What happens to the dynamics, much less the FR with a xfmr? (basically it's lots of wire...like a really long cable!). Exactly how much loss will happen w/ this passive mixer? That will depend on the KB's output stage, some are hotter than others. A "powered" (active) mixer has many advantages, foremost being no loss of signal. It may even improve the way your KB drives an amp, especially a SS V.3. It also may add a mic input or backing track inputs useful for those smaller gigs, or just rehearsals. I like the Alesis mic pres in the Multimix series, and you will see me using them in my videos. I also like the hall reverb FX if I add a mic or maybe even on a AP. (believe me, I need all the talent enhancement I can get!). Here are a few several small format mixers (albeit w/ wall warts) on the SW site I like: @ $90 - http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PowerMix3 @ $149 - http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MM8USBFX Thanks, I guess a wall wart is in my future.

I have positive experiences with the Mackie 402 VLZ3/4. No audible signal cut. The tape input can also be used for stereo keys so that it offers a total of three stereo input pairs. Very handy footprint. Should fit on top of any keyboard. The only drawback is the unavoidable wall mart. I want to avoid the wall wart so does anyone use passive mixers like this one: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SplitMix4 ?

My Hammond XK2 had extra inputs but the SK line is stripped down and lacks them. Are there any good passive little mixers or do those cut the signal too much?

This may be the wrong thread for this question but: Is there a good wheeled bag for the SK2?

I bought a Fender Rumble 200 (15 inch woofer) to round out the sound but realized it did not add anything to the SS sound. The Rumble is a good keyboard amp by itself though; want to buy it? I play bass lines and use pedals too. Honestly, I do wish the SS had another set of inputs and an aux stereo 1/8 in input. I know there are plenty of good little mixers but for small time giggin traveling light is a must. (says the guy with bass pedals at almost all gigs, haha)

For Hammond sounds it is unlikely that you will need a sub, or the Vent. Hammond's Leslie effect is great in stereo. I think I've said this twice before but since it is such a long thread I'll say it again--yelling!: IF YOU USE HAMMOND SOUNDS YOU NEED A SPACESTATION! I'm in NC, if you are near you can try it at my studio.

+1 If you are using Hammond sounds then order one immediately. It is louder than you would ever think but in a way that is different from sticking your head in front of huge speaker cab in a stadium.

AP sounds great up high from my SK2. The odd range is from middle C down to the G on the bottom of the bass clef--sounds 'boxy'. I've found that EQ can do a lot for that sound. Is this what some of you are finding?

Thanks again Aspen!

Last night I played w/out sub in a restaurant/bar that holds 95 people. This was alto sax, Hammond, and drums. SS covered the low end great and even though there is a 5 feet tall wall that helps divide the bar everyone could hear the SS, bass and all. I have normally used a Motion Sound KT-80 as a 'sub' but now know its not needed. I did need to tweek the EQ a little and take some of the higher drawbars out (from 8 to 6). What I noticed is that at soft volumes the bass is lost but as you get cranking the balance of low/hi improves. Maybe Aspen can comment on that. I had a Leslie 147 that did this too a few years ago.

Alan, thanks for the info. I'm not surprised at the SS sounding great with an orchestra. In fact, orchestras that occasionally use digital keyboards for convenience (celeste, harpsichord, organs, effects) may be a great market for Aspen to tap! I'll be your traveling salesman for that if you want. As for the Leslie sim and the C/V--yes! everyone is blown away by that. Basically anything with stereo effects NEEDS the SS. C/V3 on my SK2 is so strong I thought about lowering the effect last night at a church gig. One cure for blasting the person to the side of the SS (if the band is crammed in a corner) is to place the SS in the corner. This worked for me in a small, loud bar setting a couple of weeks ago. I wish I had an Aspen bobble-head to put on the top. Also, listening to recordings--you'll hear new things you never realized were there.

Thanks!

Any one heard the Fender Rumble 200 (new) bass combo? SamAsh has a great deal for that today, looks like it could be a decent keyboard amp and sub for SS.

There's no mention of it in the current brochure, but the MK2 had a 100Hz filter that automatically engaged when the sub output was connected. Right, there is no mention for several reasons, 1) there isn't one, and 2) because we now are tri=amped in the Front speaker we avoided IMD (intermodulation distortion) in a much better way so this is not necessary anymore, and 3) we wanted to provide a full range Sub so it could also be used as a Front (L+R) booster option, like setting the V.3 on top of a powered PA cab and then pumping up it's Side to balance. I bought the Berhringer, so I'll be able to test it both ways. I'm encouraged by the fact that the MK2's internal crossover was fixed at 100 Hz - same as the Behringer's - but I don't know how applicable it is considering how much the amplification has changed between the MK2 and the V3. NEW STARTS HERE: guess we hit the max on quotes: While a sub may not keep the SS from wasting amps on bass tones directly it will allow you to turn up the HF horn, mid, and width while keeping the 8 inch driver from overloading.

Got my cover today too.

I thought about one of those until I found my deal on the TC Electronics 112 Bass Combo. I think a bass guitar amp would work very well. Are you using that for Hammond tones?

I wonder how a Fender Rumble 200 bass combo would sound as a 'sub'?

I agree with your findings and certainly bright piano sounds sound better for the SS. We are all dealing with a learning curve for this special amp.

While I never dealt with the older versions, IMHO the sub/keyboard amp is needed for a great piano sound. AP needs the extra low tones more than Hammond Organ even. I asked Aspen about this and he says that it is due to the low pitches formed by the room sound (hopefully I got that right). But on a more positive side--the control of the mid speaker and hf super tweeter allows for some serious tailoring of the treble.

Thanks for that info! Fast and affordable.

No one has heard one and it is still not available. I got mine yesterday. (Of course, I'm still waiting on my SS till xmas) 42 lbs, nice big handles on the side make it an easy schlep - even for an old guy with a repaired shoulder. Hooked it up to a pair of EV ZX-A1s. Underpowered for the pair - as I expected - but once they were balanced, not bad at all. Very versatile connections and filter and crossover. It ain't exactly gonna rock the house at a dance club, but I think it'll make a nice pairing with the SS. Coincidence bordering on irony: One of the reasons I sold the SS's big brother, the Fender Keyboard SFX 200, was the weight at 82 lbs. The Spacestation is listed at 40, the Behringer sub at 42. Sweet, is it a variable crossover?

No one has heard one and it is still not available. If you have a SS or are getting one try it with a light keyboard/bass combo. I love the sound of mine with my Motion Sound KT-80. I'm itching to try it with a cheap, light bass amp.