Roland SA-300

[Adan]

Quick report on this mini-PA system, which I got last week. I'd been thinking for awhile about pulling the trigger on it, and did so when Sweetwater had a demo for reduced price. So far, I'm impressed with it and like it alot. Extremely lightweight. Good volume and very clear, transparent sound.

 

My main reason for getting it was to use on the routine, small room piano or duo gigs, where logistics really have to be simple to make the gig worthwhile and enjoyable. For this reason, I'd like to have one unit rather than go with a pair of powered speakers. For most of these gigs, I suspect the top half (no sub) will be quite adequate.

 

Stereo functionality is good, not for separation, but simply because DPs sound better running stereo. Even the Nord Piano, which has a pretty good mono function, sounds better that way.

 

I haven't used it as a mini-PA yet, but I did use it over the weekend as a stage monitor. With 4 stereo ins, and the option of running either stereo XLRs or a mono quarter-inch out to the house, it's very adaptable. Usually I will run mono to FOH, but not always. For the gig, I used only the top unit, perched on a guitar amp style speaker stand to get it closer to ear height. Positioned that way, it was more than loud enough, and this was on a small stage, so there was a lot of sonic competition.

 

No, I would not say the SA-300 is the equal of a good pair of powered speakers. But for some purposes, it could be a better fit.

[bhodaway10]

Thanks Adan.

 

I know you've tried/owned the Motion Sound units and the Traynor K4. How does it compare to those?

[Ken Beaumont]

I saw one used last year by a local piano player. He was playing smaller gigs using just SA-300, no out to the PA. I was quite impressed by it. It sounded a lot better than any of their KC amps!

[AnotherScott]

Congratulations on avoiding alien abduction, Adan!

 

Your take on the SA-300 largely reflects my own. Yes, the top portion alone is surprisingly usable all by itself... very small, very light, and very convenient with its built in mixer. They should sell that as a product by itself.

 

It would be nice if the individual channels had their own bass and treble controls, and if you could enable the "wide" effect on a channel-by-channel basis instead of only globally.

 

Bhodaway, I think it's better than the Motion Sound 200 I tried a while back. More neutral, and a whole lot easier to move around.

[Adan]

Thanks Adan.

 

I know you've tried/owned the Motion Sound units and the Traynor K4. How does it compare to those?

 

Again, I've only given it a brief trial so far, but I think the sound quality is more transparent than the K4, and maybe even more than the Motion Sound. The Motion Sound would give better stereo separation. The top end of the SA300 is somewhere around 25 lbs. If it gets the job done, then I'd much rather be carrying that than one of those keyboard amp beasts.

 

I liked both the K4 and the Motion Sound, but they are both more powerful than I need for a stage monitor, and being keyboard amps, they are not optimal for projecting to an audience.

 

I have vocalists sometimes, so having reverb and anti-feedback (assuming it works -- I haven't tried it) will be very useful. Most Keyboard amps will not have that.

 

The complete SA300, top and bottom, is very easy to carry when you have a piece in each hand. I suspect I'll be taking the sub in my car but bringing it into the venue only if I need it.

[Adan]

Congratulations on avoiding alien abduction, Adan!

 

I live in San Francisco. Stranger things happen to me on a weekly basis.

 

Separate equalizing would have been nice. I haven't tried the "wide" effect yet. I doubt that stereo separation is going to be very useful, but we'll see.

 

The SA300 is pretty loud with the sub connected. The MS200 is widely recognized to be kinda weak in that department. I can'at A-B the two, but I suspect the Roland may be louder.