Stereo rig?

[dazzjazz]

Hi,

 

Anyone running a stereo rig for general gigging purposes?

I would like to run my CP33 in stereo.

Not sure I wanna lug another speaker.

Anyone using a Bode L1 system?

 

Any other ideas??

 

Darren

[J Graul]

I don't run stereo. We don't run stereo with our PA and my personal mixer doesn't mix stereo to mono.

[DanL]

I have a stereo rig that I run on certain gigs. Kinda hard to run stereo if you don't want to lug another speaker, so if you don't want to do that, then you probably made your choice.

 

I use 2 wedge monitors, one on each side of me. I have a stereo EQ and amp in my rack. It sounds awesome. I wish I could use it all the time but some gigs don't have enough space.

[ITGITC]

Hi,

 

Anyone running a stereo rig for general gigging purposes?

I would like to run my CP33 in stereo.

Not sure I wanna lug another speaker.

Anyone using a Bode L1 system?

 

Any other ideas??

 

Darren

 

Hi Darren.

 

My brother used to have a saying, "If it feels good, do it."

 

Of course, he went blind at 10.

 

In this case I've said, and still say, "If it sounds good... consider it."

 

Use your ears. At each venue, go out into the audience and listen while someone else plays your rig. How does it sound to you? You could monitor in stereo, but pan L/R signals to center for the FOH.

 

If lugging another speaker so that you can monitor your sound in stereo helps to inspire you, it might be worth it. Otherwise, keep your rig as lightweight as possible.

 

I am not familiar with the Bode L1 system. I imagine it's a knock-off of the Bose L1 System, kinda like Behringer blatantly copied the designs of Mackie and many others.

 

Tom

 

[Tonysounds]

Used to run stereo. Not any more. I want to know what the audience hears.

[David Loving]

My xk3 runs mono; the privia runs mono; I run the NE2/61 mono because when we use house sound it is mono, and when we run our own PA it's mono. Like he say, I want to know what they're getting out front.

[Synthoid]

I am not familiar with the Bode L1 system.

 

Probably just misspelled it... $50 fine.

 

[ITGITC]

I am not familiar with the Bode L1 system.

 

Probably just misspelled it... $50 fine.

 

 

Oh I know.

 

I figured if I didn't say something about it, one of you other guys would. I couldn't let it just lay there... unattended and under-appreciated.

[AnotherScott]

Used to run stereo. Not any more. I want to know what the audience hears.

In a small venue with no separate PA (playing a solo gig at a coffeehouse, perhaps), what you hear from your "stage rig" and what the audience hears is the same, regardless of whether you run stereo or mono. I think you have to be careful about broad answers without knowing the specifics of what someone is doing.

[AnotherScott]

I would like to run my CP33 in stereo.

Not sure I wanna lug another speaker.

Anyone using a Bode L1 system?

 

Any other ideas??

 

Isn't the Bose L1 mono, unless you lug around another speaker?

 

The only self-contained units I'm aware of that provide some stereo spread are the Traynor K4, the ones from Motion Sound, the SpaceStation if they're still around, and some Rolands like the SA-300. I have read bad reports about how piano sounds through all of them, except possibly the SA-300.

[wineandkeyz]

I prefer to monitor myself in stereo, but I match my onstage setup to whatever the FOH has: If the mains are stereo, I run stereo onstage and send a stereo mix to the FOH. But if the mains are mono, I run mono onstage and send a mono mix. Mono seems to suck the life out of everything, but at least I know that what I'm hearing is also out front.

 

Oh, and I use a Traynor K4.

[Tonysounds]

Used to run stereo. Not any more. I want to know what the audience hears.

In a small venue with no separate PA (playing a solo gig at a coffeehouse, perhaps), what you hear from your "stage rig" and what the audience hears is the same, regardless of whether you run stereo or mono. I think you have to be careful about broad answers without knowing the specifics of what someone is doing.

 

Thanks, but no thanks. I dont need to know what HE is doing to give an answer about what I AM doing. He asked what we are doing. But thank you for playing.

 

Heres the funny thing about stereo, especially when it is not reinforced by PA: The farther from the cabinets you get, the less stereo the presentation. Unless you are playing on a stage that allows you to put the cabinets 8-10 feet apart (and if you are, why arent you using a full band PA?), the audience 20 feet away doesnt perceive stereo. So if your cabinets are more realistically 3-4 feet apart from each other, by 20 feet away, there is no differential.

 

And if the player is hard panning his stereo rig with either the 10ft. cabinet separation, or worse yet, with the full band PA (with an engineer who is also doing hard-panning), now you have a recipe for what the F is up with that sound?

 

Like I said, I want to know what the audience hears, and minimizing the variables and increasing the focus of the sound guarantees they get more of what I intended.

 

[Synthoid]

I am not familiar with the Bode L1 system.

 

Probably just misspelled it... $50 fine.

 

 

Oh I know.

 

I figured if I didn't say something about it, one of you other guys would. I couldn't let it just lay there... unattended and under-appreciated.

 

 

Of course not... gotta go for it.

 

[JeffLearman]

I lug an extra speaker. The NE2 Leslie sounds so much better that way. But, I'm playing for my own enjoyment, and at most once a week. If I were a pro or gigging more and reducing hassle was a priority, I'd go mono and learn to love it.

 

No idea about the Bose L1, sorry.

[Adan]

The OP doesn't say whether he just wants to hear himself in stereo or whether he wants to project to the audience in stereo, and if the latter, in what kind of venues. Without that information, it's hard to advise.

 

The Traynor K4 has the awesome feature of giving you the option of sending to FOH in either summed mono or stereo. A keyboard player should always have that option. I use a K1 now, to save on weight and space, so I can only send mono from the amp itself.

[Tonysounds]

 

The only self-contained units I'm aware of that provide some stereo spread are the Traynor K4, the ones from Motion Sound, the SpaceStation if they're still around, and some Rolands like the SA-300. I have read bad reports about how piano sounds through all of them, except possibly the SA-300.

 

The Yorkville 300K is another stereo keyboard amp. (I used to use them; sometimes one, sometimes two). Great amp, clean tone, LOTS of power, not too heavy.

 

As I noticed though, putting it 10 feet away from me, I was less aware of a stereo presentation, even when I was the only one playing. (See above.) I ran stereo for years until I did some testing and listeningnow its back to mono. (Again, see above.)

 

Dont take my word for it (in fact, dont take ANYbodys word for it if you care about your tone), do your own evaluation. Set your gear up, but put your amp as far away from you as you cables will allow, and see if you like what you hear. Its not easy to do when playing with a band, but you can test the results when its just you. Move those boxes around. See what you like.

 

[ITGITC]

I lug an extra speaker. The NE2 Leslie sounds so much better that way. But, I'm playing for my own enjoyment, and at most once a week. If I were a pro or gigging more and reducing hassle was a priority, I'd go mono and learn to love it.

 

Jeff - do you post a schedule of where you are playing? Keep me in the loop. I need to get BluesKeys outta the house (we're overdue for our Somewhat Irregular Executive Beer-Sampling Consortium Meeting - and it's his turn to pay).

 

Tom

 

 

[DanS]

Was going stereo with my K4, but sold it and now go mono with a K10.

Don't miss the stereo, in fact didn't even notice the difference at the last gig.

I'll save stereo for the studio.

[Synthoid]

I need to get BluesKeys outta the house (we're overdue for our Somewhat Irregular Executive Beer-Sampling Consortium Meeting

 

Ever try a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA?

 

[ITGITC]

I need to get BluesKeys outta the house (we're overdue for our Somewhat Irregular Executive Beer-Sampling Consortium Meeting

 

Ever try a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA?

 

 

No. But it's on the Beer Menu at The Flying Saucer.

 

Do you recommend we try it?

[Synthoid]

I need to get BluesKeys outta the house (we're overdue for our Somewhat Irregular Executive Beer-Sampling Consortium Meeting

 

Ever try a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA?

 

 

No. But it's on the Beer Menu at The Flying Saucer.

 

Do you recommend we try it?

 

 

Now that's a beer list!

 

Dogfish has been a favorite of mine for awhile now. If you like a hopsy beer that holds up after it sits awhile--try the 60 or 90 IPA.

 

 

[AnotherScott]

Used to run stereo. Not any more. I want to know what the audience hears.

In a small venue with no separate PA (playing a solo gig at a coffeehouse, perhaps), what you hear from your "stage rig" and what the audience hears is the same, regardless of whether you run stereo or mono. I think you have to be careful about broad answers without knowing the specifics of what someone is doing.

Thanks, but no thanks. I dont need to know what HE is doing to give an answer about what I AM doing. He asked what we are doing. But thank you for playing.

Ah, I thought the OP was asking for an answer that was relevant to what he was doing.

 

(You read his first line literally; I read it as defining his target group to whom he wanted to address the rest of the message.)

 

Regardless, I think my statement is correct. If you set up a Motion Sound, stereo Yorkville, SA300, whatever as the only sound system for the gig, then what you hear is also effectively what the audience hears, which negates the implied argument that you necessarily need to run mono to hear what the audience hears, which is what I was responding to. Though yes, the stereo effect will diminish with distance. Which brings me to...

 

Heres the funny thing about stereo, especially when it is not reinforced by PA: The farther from the cabinets you get, the less stereo the presentation. Unless you are playing on a stage that allows you to put the cabinets 8-10 feet apart (and if you are, why arent you using a full band PA?), the audience 20 feet away doesnt perceive stereo. So if your cabinets are more realistically 3-4 feet apart from each other, by 20 feet away, there is no differential.

I agree that people a good way back from the performer will lose the stereo effect. However, I don't think that necessarily means it's useless. For example, if your favorite piano sound is a stereo sound that doesn't collapse well to mono, sending it out in stereo--even if the stereo speakers are hardly separated at all--will allow you to use the sound you want. Also, people close to the stage (and the player himself) may enjoy the added spaciousness of the sound. For another example, something like a rotary organ effect in stereo may sound nicer for people up close, even if it sounds essentially mono to the people further back.

 

Personally, I run mono. But if it makes a player happy to run stereo, AND it still sounds fine out in the audience (even if most of them lose the stereo effect), I think he should do whatever gives him the result he wants.

[kanker.]

I'll save stereo for the studio.

Yessir

[DanS]

I need to get BluesKeys outta the house (we're overdue for our Somewhat Irregular Executive Beer-Sampling Consortium Meeting

 

Ever try a Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA?

 

 

 

No. But it's on the Beer Menu at The Flying Saucer.

 

Do you recommend we try it?

 

Bein oui, in stereo!!

 

[Bobadohshe]

Right on cue the Stereo debate erupts again, spilling the hot magma of opinion all over everyone's nice day.

 

On solo piano gigs in a jazz setting, when there is room for it, I run stereo. Accrugroove Tri112 and Tri115. It sounds so much better to me. Maybe it doesn't to the patrons enjoying their dinner party, but I think it does, and they don't care a hell of a lot anyway.

 

On many other gigs I run mono or into the house. For most other sounds mono v stereo doesn't make much of a difference. For piano it does.

[DanS]

Dogfish has been a favorite of mine for awhile now. If you like a hopsy beer that holds up after it sits awhile--try the 60 or 90 IPA.

 

When I was working in DE a few years ago, we used to go fairly often to the Dogfish Head brewery/restaurant. I had the sampler pack a few times, great stuff, and more beer than you think in those little glasses!

 

[Synthoid]

They have Dogfish Head in Canada as well?

 

[DanS]

I'll save stereo for the studio.

Yessir

 

Yep, the Kankman was 'instrumental' in my paradigm shift.

[Aidan]

I think solo stuff in small rooms, which is really my bread and butter, is fine working with stereo.

 

Bands in similarly small rooms may feel that stereo can be justified, given that the space available doesn't really allow the spacial variations that Tony and Kevin are worried about in the size of venues they regularly play. Particularly if the DJ on the same gig is also putting out in stereo.

 

However, in such situations, unless you're well blessed for cash and space, you're probably still monitoring in mono, so the advantages from your point of view are minimised...

 

Anyhoo, here seems as good a place to jump in with another attempt at CP5 mono

 

Clonk here

 

[DanL]

Dogfish has been a favorite of mine for awhile now. If you like a hopsy beer that holds up after it sits awhile--try the 60 or 90 IPA.

 

When I was working in DE a few years ago, we used to go fairly often to the Dogfish Head brewery/restaurant. I had the sampler pack a few times, great stuff, and more beer than you think in those little glasses!

 

I'm not even an hour from Dogfish... the 60 Minute is my favorite beer. The beauty of living so close to the brewery is that the time from brewery to the store is so short. The case I have sitting in the garage now was bottled 2 weeks ago.

 

Oh- stereo rules!