noobstas Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 This was my first time buying a stage piano and I had no idea it didn't have built-in speakers. Besides stereo headphones and amps, is there a way to connect the keyboard to my laptop and have the sound play through the speakers? If someone could tell me how to do this I would be very grateful. The piano is a yamaha cp-33 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noobstas Posted August 18, 2011 Author Share Posted August 18, 2011 Also the piano I bought was a yamaha cp-33 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Paxton Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Am I understanding you correctly that you want to run the piano through the actual speakers built into your laptop? I ask because, no disrespect intended, doing that will sound like utter crap. But if that's really what you want to do, just run a stereo cable (with a 1/4" adapter if needed) from the headphone out of your piano to the input of your laptop. You may need a program like LineIn on a Mac; don't know what the Windows equivalent is. But please note that even a cheap (<$75) external laptop speaker system with a subwoofer will sound much better than actual laptop speakers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noobstas Posted August 18, 2011 Author Share Posted August 18, 2011 I see Would you recommend a cheap stereo keyboard amp instead? I found a 15-watt amp for 68 bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Paxton Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 Instead of running it through your laptop's built-in speakers? Yes, definitely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noobstas Posted August 18, 2011 Author Share Posted August 18, 2011 Thanks for your help, much appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offnote Posted August 18, 2011 Share Posted August 18, 2011 don't you have stereo system with speakers at home (home theater etc)? you could run your piano through and have much better results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikecorbett Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Avoid tinny little keyboard amps, or keyboard amps in general, they are useless at reproducing piano sounds, its a waste of time. Hit a garage sale and get some used hifi equipment... or get a logitech home theater system or something as suggested. Getting a system with a subwoofer means you dont need to have huge speakers to get a pretty decent representation of piano and other keyboard sounds. To really know how good your CP33 can sound, I would get a set of decent headphones. I use Sony MDR 7506 and I love them. We are all slave's to our brain chemistry! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I see Would you recommend a cheap stereo keyboard amp instead? I found a 15-watt amp for 68 bucks. I'd recommend you return the CP33 and pick up a P155 or P95 with built-in speakers, if you're on such a tight budget that you're considering a $68 amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffLearman Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 For a cheap solution, I recommend a used pair of Bose Lifestyle Powered Speakers, as shown in this user's manual: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bose-Lifestyle-Powered-Speaker-Owners-Manual-Original-/260837440694?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item3cbb1f7cb6 I can usually find them on ebay for under $100, which is a good deal. The sometimes go for as little as $50. Unfortunately, no listings right now. These are plenty loud for normal home use, and I've even used them when playing with friends on electric guitar for impromptu sessions. (The guitars were kept quieter than usual for electric guitars, but loud enough to sound good.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I agree... if you don't need the MIDI controller features of the CP33 (i.e. wheels, MIDI program change assignments), at the same price you'd probably be better off with the P155 with its built in speakers at the same price. Though the piano sounds of the CP33 and P155 are slightly different from each other, and some people prefer one while others prefer the other. Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 Though the piano sounds of the CP33 and P155 are slightly different from each other, and some people prefer one while others prefer the other. If he/she's considering a $68, 15-watt amp, he/she's obviously not too concerned with sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 My daughter got a Yamaha DGX 640 and likes it. ( But she is a horn player not a serious pianist ) It has weighted action and decent speakers. I think it is the same price point or cheaper than the CP33. "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 My daughter got a Yamaha DGX 640 and likes it. That's a nice board too. It wouldn't be my choice for gigging, as it's a bit heavy/bulky and it has no MIDI ports. But for home use, sure. I actually prefer its lighter action to the CP33/P155 though I know others will have a different opinion there. I'm not sure how its piano sound compares, though it also has the advantage of a lot more other sounds to play with too. It's a pretty versatile board, for what it is. Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 She likes it. She plays some piano she also uses the auto arranger thing that plays songs. She will use that and play along with a horn sometimes. "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZeroZero Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 You could get an Audio device for your laptop (a box linked ot the laptop which gives decent sound) There are many around, then link your paino to this. Windows sound card drivers (MME) are a bit of a mess and givew terrible latency issues (hit the key - wait then the sound). A decent Audio device will give you an Asio driver which is a musicians sound card driver. A laptop will normally be using the on board sound card on the motherboard, which is ok for watching the news, but not for music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonglow Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 Headphones? "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashville.Guru Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 You could get an Audio device for your laptop (a box linked ot the laptop which gives decent sound) There are many around, then link your paino to this. Windows sound card drivers (MME) are a bit of a mess and givew terrible latency issues (hit the key - wait then the sound). A decent Audio device will give you an Asio driver which is a musicians sound card driver. A laptop will normally be using the on board sound card on the motherboard, which is ok for watching the news, but not for music I believe you might have misunderstood the OP's question. He doesn't need a better digital-to-analog convertor (which is what an external audio 'device' is). The question of drivers and latency arises only when the computer needs to generate or process the sound. The OP has a stage piano, and all he needs are speakers to hear the sound. The OP's question is whether a laptop can be substituted in place of speakers. Which, as has been pointed out, is a terrible, terrible idea, to begin with. CP33->Laptop->Audio Interface->Speakers is an even more terrible idea - when all he needs is Cp33->Speakers. Much better alternatives have already been suggested. Nothing to beat SG's suggestion of replacing the CP33 with a P95. This is really what MIDI was originally about encouraging cooperation between companies that make the world a more creative place." - Dave Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffLearman Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 http://www.ebay.com/itm/220837894036 - $50 so far. I'd get them myself but I already have two pairs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjsm Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 One cheap solution is to go to Best Buy and check out the computer speakers. A $50 pair may give you decent sound. My cheap computer speakers have a fairly good sound. But beware the real cheap $20 speakers. They will likely sound like cr@p The eBay solution learjeff pointed out is good, and basically what I'm talking about. Or, as someone else said, if you have a stereo system run it through those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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