Heads-up: SpaceStation keyboard amp is apparently back

[Raymb1]

Thanks for the updates Aspen. Keep 'em coming. Later, Ray

[NosPup]

Has anyone tried the amp150 amp stand with an SSv3 yet?

 

http://www.ultimatesupport.com/product/AMP-150

 

 

I have one of these and will be trying it out when my SSv3 arrives in a few weeks. It folds up and is definitely easy to transport.

 

http://www.sweetwater.com/images/items/750/AMP150-large.jpg

[TomKittel]

Has anyone tried the amp150 amp stand with an SSv3 yet?

 

http://www.ultimatesupport.com/product/AMP-150

 

 

I have one of these and will be trying it out when my SSv3 arrives in a few weeks. It folds up and is definitely easy to transport.

 

http://www.sweetwater.com/images/items/750/AMP150-large.jpg

 

I fear that the width between the support arms is too big, it's 11". Also the vertical rod might interfere with the controls and plugs. Make sure to doubleck that. But of course you could put on the Spacestation horizontally.

[NosPup]

Good point. I already have the amp150, so when the SS arrives I will try it out and report back.

 

[theGman]

I just ordered one of those 150s. Wanted something that low anyway, and it's cheap enough.

 

[Steve LeBlanc]

This V.3 must really be a huge improvement.

[JrussoC]

hey folks, I feel kind of frustrated now, last weeks SS3 was 599$ I was excited to get all the money to buy it, when I'm finally really near that budget I see it costs now 749$, did I miss something? Was somewhere announced that the price was just an special offer? Will I ever be able to buy it for 599?

Also, it seems it will normally cost 899$. I'm just... stunned

 

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Spacestation3

[AndyW]

On Aspen's site the $599 was listed as early adopter but so is the $749.

 

It's worth it.

[HammondDave]

I think you better go to Musikmesse Frankfurt 2015, show your product range and make dates w/ the right persons of Thomann and Musicstore/Cologne staff.

B.t.w.,- there´s a very quick train connection between Frankfurt airport and Cologne.

 

A.C.

Good advice A.C., and I've been there and done that so many times I have lost count. But Frankly spoken, Frankfurt Messe is a huge expense for a one man company just starting out with basically one product in production (so far).

 

And I love the German train systems, although I usually rent a car so I can enjoy the autobahn and visit my 4 grandchildren in Stuttgart.

 

But I know the right guys will be coming to NAMM, and they are LOOKING for something new, really new. It is WHY they come; to see "what's new"! And I have that. They just need to hear it it for 5 seconds and they will know it. And as so many have already, they will fall in love with it immediately. CPS hypnotizes you...the more you play with it the deeper the attraction.

 

I have spent nearly 50 years attending and exhibiting at over 150 NAMM shows, Musik Messes, and AES conventions, and I have learned this; happiness (success) is not about how much money you invest in exhibiting, marketing and advertising...although those things can help. It happens by bringing something really new to the party...something that players will TALK about, like my first adopters are doing here in KC. And, no matter how much they heard about it before, the first time you hear it still blows you away when the Leslie spins, or the Rhodes pans around. Nothing else sound like CPS, and that's just a fact.

 

Question; How many folks here on KC bought a Spacestation because they heard one at Musik Messe or my NAMM booth last year, or heard o in a store...or they saw a big expensive advertising campaign? Answer; none.

 

They bought one because they were still seeking "truth" in amplifying their stereo instruments. I can't tell you how many times I've heard "I never heard a KB amp I really liked". Most of my first adopters already have a small fortune invested in KB and PA amps that are now sitting in the garage. I get so many emails that tell me "CPS makes playing FUN again"!

 

So CPS is growing on word of mouth alone, drop jaw open mouth I might add. No matter how many good things you hear about it, it will still surprise you. Heck it still is surprising ME!

 

So right now, as much as I'd LOVE to book a Musik Messe booth, which is heavily attended my working serious musicians (unlike NAMM that discourages end user attendance), I need to focus ALL my time and money making more SS v.3 to catch up the backlog and meet the growing demand. To do otherwise would be to cheat my customers who have been waiting sooooo long!

 

So IF the Musik Shop or Thomann guys are listening to their customers, and they just get a few emails or phone calls from you guys over there, I am sure that will put CPS on their NAMM radar...and rest will just happen naturally, as it should.

 

I hope you have a Hammond Clone and a Vent in your booth so that you can demonstrate the SS properly. No offense, but you really can't demo a speaker on YouTube. I will definitely check it out at NAMM. Looking forward to meeting you.

[Raymb1]

Hi Aspen. Those of us who ordered the SS V.3 in November are still locked in at the $599.00 price, correct? Ray

[mak1457]

I paid for mine up front. I didn't see any reason to try to hold onto $600 for (as it turned out) nearly three months. I must say SW was very obliging.

[JrussoC]

So sad really, it would be nice to know if any special offer comes, would have bought it for 599$.

[Aspen]

I hope you have a Hammond Clone and a Vent in your booth so that you can demonstrate the SS properly. No offense, but you really can't demo a speaker on YouTube. I will definitely check it out at NAMM. Looking forward to meeting you.

 

FYI, I will have a Hammond XK1c, and also the new Casio 5S in case you want to play something live. I will also have a Fender Mustang V stereo modeling floor board, probably a Line 6 POD too for the guitarist. There will also me one of my new APD DT1 condenser vocal mics there, and an acoustic guitar too.

 

But my main SS v.3 demo will be playing a wide range of video product demos, like you might find on the Sweetwater website (in fact they graciously agrred to supply some of those), or some live performance videos of some familiar artists.

 

So let's say you want to hear a Nord, or a vent, or a Hammond...so we just dial that up company's demo video and play it back thru our Center Point Stereo SS v.3.

 

Or maybe you'd like to hear a vocal w/ just acoustic guitar...or a solo concert grand piano....or a whole band...why not! We decided to load up a collection of all types of music video performances and specific product demos so a attendee could literally request whatever his own stereo application might be and hear that played thru a CPS Spacestation.

 

Also that way we can also keep a tight lid on the SPL levels. The beauty of CPS is that it doesn't have to be loud to impress...it is big and wide at even low SPL levels...so it should work out nicely.

 

All of these sources will be mixed thru a newer Yamaha live PA mixer with two stereo FX options, The video will be seen on a 42" LCD monitor and audio heard thru a single v.3. The sub will be out of the system, but can be added quickly if anyone wants to hear it.

I will bring my '65 Deluxe Reverb amp to demo my new Duo Tonic guitar Gain-Distortion foot pedal; two tubes and a 5 knob hot rodded channel and two OD circuits, hence the name Duo Tonic".

 

Our booth is 4197 which is the very last booth on Aisle 4100, on the left side of Hall B, buried against the back wall by the Fire Exit door. We were lucky to get any booth in one of the main halls. Namm was basically "sold out" by the time we decided to go. So you will have to search for us, but we will be there and looking forward to meeting any/all of you!

[Aspen]

Hi Aspen. Those of us who ordered the SS V.3 in November are still locked in at the $599.00 price, correct? Ray

Yes, absolutely! SW and A&A will honor all orders placed before Jan 1st 2015 at the special introductory 2014 price of $599.

 

I wish I could have left that price in place for a bit longer, guys.....but honestly, we made several costly component upgrade decisions for SS v.3, over the old MK2, AFTER we had priced it for Sweetwater. We booked their orders at $599 thinking our costs would be "close" to the old MK2 which we discontinued in 2008, but then it got a lot more expensive by the time we finished the design and put it into production.

 

But I decided to leave that early price in effect until we had made a few runs and dialed in our exact costs and overhead.

 

Frankly speaking, guys....I was losing money at $599 and really needed a fair profit margin in order to increase my production and catch up to the long backlog.

 

So effective Jan 1, 2015, we raised the MSRP from $749 to $899, but also kept the "early adopter" discount in place so that works out to $749.

 

But remember that includes free shipping to anywhere in the USA, and also A&A still offers an export discount to help off set the higher shipping expenses for our European and Aussie customers.

 

Thank you for your understanding, and I apologize for any inconvenience that may have caused you.

 

 

[AnotherScott]

Frankly spoken guys, I was losing money at $599

I had been thinking that it would have been nice to have gotten a "heads up" here that the price was about to go up, but seeing that you were losing money on each one, I can understand why you wouldn't want to provide incentive for a surge of orders at the old price!

[TomKittel]

Frankly spoken guys, I was losing money at $599

I had been thinking that it would have been nice to have gotten a "heads up" here that the price was about to go up, but seeing that you were losing money on each one, I can understand why you wouldn't want to provide incentive for a surge of orders at the old price!

 

Here in Europe I paid more than 800 Euros (= 950 USD) including tax and shipping. I think that's the price range where price elasticity of demand for the Spacestation begins.

[Aspen]

hey folks, I feel kind of frustrated now, last weeks SS3 was 599$ I was excited to get all the money to buy it, when I'm finally really near that budget I see it costs now 749$

 

I feel your pain and I am sorry. As I had "hinted" to so many of you who contacted me directly in November and December, the price was always "subject to change without notice" (for obvious reasons). I am sure that is one reason so many booked early and chose to wait...for which I am so grateful.

 

However, one reason I picked Sweetwater as my only retail partner was their incredible customer service options; free shipping, liberal exchange or return policies, Platinum credit card programs, and in your case something that may be a solution; 24 months 0% financing with "co operating manufacturers".

 

FYI, I signed up as one of those "co operating manufacturers", which basically means I pick up your finance charges. But this is a "limited time offer" and it expires January 31st, 2015. So don't wait too long this time!

http://www.sweetwater.com/financing/allaccess.php

 

I am not sure of the current backorder status at Sweetwater, they may be sold out for the January delivery so you would have to check with your rep there to see if any available units are left from the January delivery.

 

However, I am pleased to announce that the February delivery will be on a boat next week, so should be at Sweetwater by middle of February. And, I am quite sure there will be units available because that was a much larger order.

 

(NOTE: the next Center Point Stereo SS v.3 shipment after the February shipment is not due until late April...but it will be more than double the February production run).

 

As I understand it, orders place today up until Jan 31st, while perhaps may not be delivered until mid February, will still offer the 24 months 0% financing.

[Jazzmammal]

So called "keyboard amps" suck. Repeat, SUCK. The only thing that sounded good prior to the SS is powered PA speakers and even then it has to be the big name ones, EV, JBL, QSC, Yamaha. NOT Behringer, Alto, Harbinger, or others you never heard of.

 

As for the SS, one of it's biggest attributes is it sounds very much like a studio monitor. It's almost but not quite there which is remarkable for a stage amp and yes, I have the SK1 and I think it sounds great through the SS.

 

Even though this is a keyboard forum and it's being promoted here as an amp for keyboards, it's a great PA speaker too.

 

Bob

[AnotherScott]

powered PA speakers and even then it has to be the big name ones, EV, JBL, QSC, Yamaha. NOT Behringer

I think the Behringer PA speakers sound fine. To my ears, not as good as the EV, but at least competitive with the others of comparable size. Maybe they're heavier, or have lesser QC, or have fewer control/connectivity options... there are ways you can knock them, but I don't think they sound bad. It wouldn't be my first choice for acoustic piano... but I can say that about most of the others, too.

[mak1457]

Bob, I'm glad you said it sounds quite like a studio monitor. I obviously need something bigger than a studio monitor for performing but I didn't want to give up the clarity either. Just a couple more weeks, just a couple more weeks....

[Jazzmammal]

Scott, everybody has an opinion but if you think they're not as good as EV then they're not as good as the others I mentioned either. That puts them in the second tier. You can use them, they'll sound half decent, nobody but you cares but then it's always about us anyway, right? Nobody cares about that perfect piano patch or that perfect B3 sound except us.

 

Bob

[AnotherScott]

Scott, everybody has an opinion but if you think they're not as good as EV then they're not as good as the others I mentioned either. That puts them in the second tier.

 

There's no reason I can't think they're not as good as the EV yet ALSO think they're at least somewhat competitive (sonically) with the others. My ears put the EV above the QSC, Yamaha, and JBL in their size/price range. So to me, I guess, QSC, Yamaha, JBL, and Behringer are (sonically) all second tier... I find all of them playable, and also find things that bug me about all of them. ;-) But I recognize that people can have different preferences, so in a broader sense, I could say they're all "close enough" to be same-tier (if played comfortably within their own volume limits, which vary from one to the other), at least if we define that tier to be "stuff that I can play through without cringing." ;-) The Behringer PA cabs may not go as loud, or have the connectivity and other features, or be as light as some others, or even sound as good, but they don't sound bad, and I have no problem recommending them to someone who is on a tight budget. I guess the way I'd put it is that the difference between a Roland KC amp and a Behringer PA cab is greater that the difference between the Behringer and one of the lower end QSC/JBL/Yam models.

 

[Aspen]

Has anyone tried the amp150 amp stand with an SSv3 yet?

 

http://www.ultimatesupport.com/product/AMP-150

 

 

I have one of these and will be trying it out when my SSv3 arrives in a few weeks. It folds up and is definitely easy to transport.

 

http://www.sweetwater.com/images/items/750/AMP150-large.jpg

 

I do like the "tilt back" idea and have done that often myself, it helps to better project into the room (and into the ear of the performer too).

 

I have even considered adding a fold out rear leg placed in the center of the backside of my SS v.3...but ruled it out (for now), trying to focus on "The One Thing".

 

However this type of stand you picture has one disadvantage as I see; it lifts the SS off the floor, and even if it is just 4-6" that's enough to eliminate the Low Freq floor coupling that I really like. It is audible,just run a sample or a tune thru the SS and try lifting it 6" off the ground, then set it back on the floor, you will here the low end loss.

 

So if you want "tilt back" for projection, but still want that nice low end response...you must find a way to leave the rear corner on the floor.

 

Therefore I will share my super secret, super cheap solution; I use a AC electrical dual outlet wall box placed under the front side of the SS. This will tilt it up 15-30 degrees, just depending on how far back you place it. I covered mine in a thin rubber tape for better grip on the box and floor. Total cost; under $1.

 

My next slightly more expensive solution is to use a common tire chock, the kind you place on your trailer to keep it from rolling. You can buy a pair of these for about $6 at any auto parts store...same application notes apply, except you will save on Rubber tape. Total cost; $3 (NOTE: you'll have one left over...but you can put it up on Craig's List, probably sell it for $10...and make a profit)

 

http://www.amazon.com/FloTool-11930MI-Heavy-Wheel-Chocks/dp/B000BQYH6Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420735164&sr=8-1&keywords=tire+wedge

 

However if you want to go "top shelf" and look good on the gig, most important if you are working with the LA Phil (as some of your actually have with my SS v.3!), then check out this cool "one leg" Hamilton "amp stand", very clever design and it's adjustable in 4 positions. I found it for $16 on line:

 

http://www.wwbw.com/Hamilton-UniStand-Guitar-Amp-Stand-712788-i1522498.wwbw

 

If I knew how to add pictures I would have...sorry, I am so analog retentive : > )

[HammondDave]

Scott, everybody has an opinion but if you think they're not as good as EV then they're not as good as the others I mentioned either. That puts them in the second tier.

 

There's no reason I can't think they're not as good as the EV yet ALSO think they're at least somewhat competitive (sonically) with the others. My ears put the EV above the QSC, Yamaha, and JBL in their size/price range. So to me, I guess, QSC, Yamaha, JBL, and Behringer are (sonically) all second tier... I find all of them playable, and also find things that bug me about all of them. ;-) But I recognize that people can have different preferences, so in a broader sense, I could say they're all "close enough" to be same-tier (if played comfortably within their own volume limits, which vary from one to the other), at least if we define that tier to be "stuff that I can play through without cringing." ;-) The Behringer PA cabs may not go as loud, or have the connectivity and other features, or be as light as some others, or even sound as good, but they don't sound bad, and I have no problem recommending them to someone who is on a tight budget. I guess the way I'd put it is that the difference between a Roland KC amp and a Behringer PA cab is greater that the difference between the Behringer and one of the lower end QSC/JBL/Yam models.

 

Regarding budget and performance, I can't see how you could go wrong with EV's. I have two of them and they sound great at both low and high volume. In fact, I use them in my studio as my studio monitors.

 

I agree about the QSC's. I owned one and sold it immediately. It could not handle volume very well. It reminded me of my old Mackies.

[cphollis]

Has anyone tried the amp150 amp stand with an SSv3 yet?

 

http://www.ultimatesupport.com/product/AMP-150

 

 

Yes. Nice stand. The arms are about an inch too wide for the SSv3, but it still supports it adequately, although with a small tilt. I've got a small piece of wood that fixes that.

[DanL]

for me the hardest part about using the SS3 was getting out of the mindset of "I need the speaker by my ear or I won't hear it" which I've done with almost every other speaker I've ever used with my keys. Now that I'm breaking that habit I've realized I can hear the SS3 just as well with it on the floor. In tight spaces I tilt it up, by leaning it against the wall or putting my amp rack cover under the front side. Bigger spaces, just move it back some.

 

That Hamilton tilt back looks pretty cool.

[cphollis]

for me the hardest part about using the SS3 was getting out of the mindset of "I need the speaker by my ear or I won't hear it" which I've done with almost every other speaker I've ever used with my keys. Now that I'm breaking that habit I've realized I can hear the SS3 just as well with it on the floor. In tight spaces I tilt it up, by leaning it against the wall or putting my amp rack cover under the front side. Bigger spaces, just move it back some.

 

That Hamilton tilt back looks pretty cool.

 

Yeah, same here. You need to be several feet away from it to really hear what it's doing.

[Delaware Dave]

However this type of stand you picture has one disadvantage as I see; it lifts the SS off the floor, and even if it is just 4-6" that's enough to eliminate the Low Freq floor coupling that I really like. It is audible,just run a sample or a tune thru the SS and try lifting it 6" off the ground, then set it back on the floor, you will here the low end loss.

 

So if you want "tilt back" for projection, but still want that nice low end response...you must find a way to leave the rear corner on the floor.

That is why, on page 34, I recommended this stand: http://www.standback.net/

 

It tilts the cabinet back but keeps the rear cabinet on the floor.... And if you look at the concept, you could easily make one yourself ....

[DanL]

That one is interesting too Dave, but that strap might get in the way of the controls.

 

A modification on a Fender Twin/Bassman tilt back might be easy enough to make.

[Delaware Dave]

I think if I get some time this weekend (since the Eagles are out of the playoffs) I might attempt making one. I have a tie down strapping in my garage, a couple of pieces of wood, three bolts with wingnuts, and a plastic hockey puck instead of the foam they use; should take little time to build.... I also like how it folds up almost into nothing....