drand48a

I don't want to add a mixer. Adding gain with a mixer is just pushing the speaker into higher distortion, unless the source is weak to begin with, but in my case it's +4dBu. If that isn't loud enough, adding more gain is not the answer. I'd love to get a chance to test drive the gear, but the nearest GC is an hour away and is the smallest GC I've ever seen with very little inventory. The next out is 2 1/2 hrs away and there are several options including Sam Ash. I realize that's what I *should* do but it's inconvenient. (Then again, I drove 10 hrs to try a piano ... fortunately I had an almost-sold house halfway between and some stuff to do there so it was only really a 5 hr cost. And I did buy the piano!)

Aha, that's the "older model" I mentioned above (corresponding to the "older model" button on the Amazon page.) I didn't notice the model number change. Anyway, that clears that up. The Behringer worked OK as a vocal monitor. But I remember playing a CD through it. You're right that it'd be OK for some keyboard sounds, but piano is crucial for me.

I should add one thing about the 18880: it's solid enough for me, but not "like a rock" and I doubt it's as stable (side to side) as the Omega. It would be, with a pair of diagonal cross-braces. It comes with a detachable parallel brace that is completely useless and which immediately joined my scrap material heap. Additional cross braces would be easy to add but a nuisance for gigging. The 18880 is stable enough for me, even during boisterous palm smears, but nobody would call it a rock. Other than a tiny side-to-side wobble, it is totally stable. No chance of tipping over or a board flying off, barring a body check.

Thanks! I wasn't aware of these, but a definite contender. Must be efficient drivers (or loose specs) to get that SPL from 700W. Yamaha usually isn't too sloppy with specs, at least they weren't back in the old days. There were comments about reliability with the Altos, which I wouldn't worry about much from Yamaha.

OK, thanks. I can't find any hits for "TS308", only "TX308", which aren't loud enough at 116 dB, but amazingly cheap at $140. On Amazon, there are two versions of the TX408, the older without BT @$374, and the current with BT @$298. The Behringer I hated was a B212A, and from what I hear, they got louder but not much better. They sounded truly awful.

I think you mean TS408. They also have a TX308 which isn't nearly loud enough. The TS408 looks great based on specs, but at that price I'd expect it to sound like a Behringer. If it's even half-decent, that's incredible at such a low price! Frankly, at that price I'm tempted to just go for it; unless it sucks (e.g. like the Behringer I had a band get once) it'll do great for now and if replaced by better ones someday they'd still have plenty of useful less-demanding applications. I'd really like to hear what others have to say about these speakers. Someone needs to hone their math skills, though:

I want 123 dB per speaker. Two K8.2's at 128 provide at least 131 dB (and up to 134 for mono sounds.) Plenty loud enough. A previous rig had about 123 per speaker and was enough; if it got too loud on stage for that I generally left the stage. (Note: I don't recall actual measured SPL levels. Just that my system with these specs was enough and I don't want to go lower.) I hope you're talking about the original K8's. Mostly, stereo, but both; also dispersion/location.

I need to get a pair of stage speakers. The QSC K8.2 look ideal. The small size is great. They're loud enough -- sadly I think I need at least 123dB SPL, for those too-loud stages. But I'm cheap, so I'm considering less expensive alternatives, and I'd like to hear what people think about these in comparison, or any others I've missed. EV ZXA1 JBL EON 710 QSC K8, used on ebay ... I never had golden ears and now that I'm old I hear even worse than I ever did. (I can still hear 8K clearly enough but it drops off pretty fast around that point.) But I'm still pickier than the audience or bandmates who all seem to be tone-deaf for anything other than their own instruments. 😉 I don't need thumping bass. I don't kick pedals, and I don't want to compete with the bass player. When using 12" wedges I used to roll off the bottom a bit end so low piano wouldn't interfere. No subwoofer required! But I do need the low mids to be powerful, and of course, clear flat response up to the top is important. Finally, these are both my mains and monitors for most (small venue) gigs. I'll send a line to FOH too when appropriate. If I win the lottery, I'll get RCF TT08's.

This is a great video, showing two reasons why I wouldn't want this stand. First, I'd love to post a video of setting up the 18880 with the same number of tiers. 10 seconds rather than 45. Second, I'd knock my keyboard off that stand when doing a palm smear (especially if I'm doing it on my hammer-action keys on the lower tier. And especially after a few too many beers, which of course never happens.)

I haven't done it, because I usually want the same height all the time. Though, recently I played at a place where there's usually a short barstool, only it was MIA and I had to use a normal barstool, which was too high, and I'd have liked to make a quick adjustment. So, I might do this mod. (The shorty barstool did turn up before the show, thankfully. And normally I have my own stool but at this regular place I don't bother because, there's one there ... maybe!) I'd use something like this, but hope to find a shorter one: https://formufit.com/products/formufit-small-diameter-pvc-quick-release-pin-4-pack Also, I'd drill holes in the bottom of the stand's legs. I just noticed that these bolts don't go through holes, they sit in a groove, meaning that if not tightened, the feet could fall out when carried. Another thing about the 18880 that I learned: If you only need 2 tiers (base and one additional), consider getting the 18882 (mid-level tier) rather than the 18881 (top level tier.) The reason (for me) is that I like the tube openings at the back for various purposes. Currently I made little wooden speaker stands that pop in there for small monitors. Great at home, not quite loud enough for a typical too-loud stage. (I wish I could find some small powered speakers with say 110 dB SPL but so far no luck, and I have bigger fish to fry.) And above, I see a mic stand attached, which would be great too. Or possibly, a music rest. It's just a real handy way to add stuff to your rig.

The height on the K&M 18880 can be easily adjusted by simply replacing 4 bolts with quick release pins. At the gig, before opening it up all the way, place it upside down for easy access, pull the two pins on one leg, slide to where you've marked your fave spot for the purpose, and pop the pins back in. Repeat for the other leg. I just can't stress how easy this stand is to set up. Ten seconds, literally. Spread it out, plop it down, tighten the two knobs on the scissors brace. Drill a few holes to fix the limited adjustment on tier height (to get tiers closer together). I've never found a need to shorten the tier arms, for either 18881 or 18882, with an Electro over a stage piano. The biggest limitation is if you want it very short AND want your tiers very close, because the tier bottom inserts hit the tops of the feet inserts, inside the leg tubes. That's fixable too, with a hacksaw, but then you won't be able to set the tier as high as before. Pick your compromise. The only other thing I wasn't delighted with is that the tubes clack inside the other tubes. Fixed with electrical tap around the ends of the insert tubes. Best stand ever. After losing mine I replaced it right away. Forgive the necropost.