Heads-up: SpaceStation keyboard amp is apparently back

[Danny Linguini]

So back to use of subs: it seems the consensus is mixer>sub>crossover>SS rather than the other way, correct?

 

I think I'd read many pages ago that the SS v.3 will send <100 Hz to any amp that would serve as a sub, without need of a crossover.

This is the suggested approach, although you won't need a crossover if the sub has a high-pass filter output.

[KingstonCrim]

They Longshoremans unions recently said a "deal is close", but if you read past the headlines it now looks like the PMA (dock owners) may shut the docks down, and soon:

 

I'm afraid I heard that story on NPR too this morning. I'm thinking my SSv3 is likely on one of those anchored vessels...

Don't these dock owners realize that it's not only about the economic impactbut the quality of music across the U.S. could diminish if they don't settle this.

 

 

[theGman]

We need the settlement, to enable Transcendental Stereotation once and for all.

[Aspen]

FEB SHIPMENT UPDATE: Our vessel arrived Port of LA Feb 9, and my agent has already cleared customs. Now he is waiting for the container to be off loaded from the ship. I will keep you posted.

 

A 230v SS OWNER UPDATE: For those many of you living in a 220-240v country who have bought SS v.3 from me or SW over the last several months, we have an updated service recommendation regarding the fuse value. It seems the formally recommended 1.6a slo blo fuse can "pop" on "turn on" due to the high voltage surge that is a characteristic of our Triodal power transformer. This was a "hard way" learning experience for a few of you (whom have now been sorted out) and so far has only happened in Australia and New Zealand. But it could also happen in Europe, so to be on the safe side, I am posting this here to be sure you all have been notified.

The solution is very simple, replace the 1.6 amp fuse with a 2 amp Slo-Blo (NOTE: that is a fuse labeled a "T2A" fuse (50mmx5mm).

So even if this has not happened yet to you yet, and may never happen, we recommend you upgrade to the T2A fuse to be on the safe side.

There is no change to the fuse specification on the 120v units.

 

[M_G]

 

Hi Aspen,

 

Markus here from Germany....

 

T2A fuse -> 50x5 mm -> They won't fit ! I think it should be 20x5mm ???

 

bless

Markus

 

p.s. no problems yet, will replace it anyway. thanks for the heads up!

 

[smanzella]

My SpaceStation arrived today. Very impressive Mr Pittman....very impressive. Tested it with Kurzweil, PianoTeq, Korg CX3, and Roland VK8M. They have all come to life. Playing with an 8 piece jazz combo tomorrow night and will really know the verdict. But, so far it sounds great. However, I can see where a sub is going to be very beneficial. Looking at this;

 

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/B1200DPRO

 

Or this;

 

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/electro-voice-zxa1-sub-12-powered-subwoofer

 

Any suggestions or advice?

[endlessummerkeys]

I have the B1200DPRO and it works great

[smanzella]

Is the B1200DPRO cabinet made of multi-ply plywood or MDF?

[Aspen]

Hi Aspen,

 

Markus here from Germany....

 

T2A fuse -> 50x5 mm -> They won't fit ! I think it should be 20x5mm ???

 

bless

Markus

 

p.s. no problems yet, will replace it anyway. thanks for the heads up!

 

EXCUSE ME, yes, of course you are RIGHT...my mistake!

 

Correction; I meant 20x5mm!

[Aspen]

My SpaceStation arrived today. Very impressive Mr Pittman....very impressive. Tested it with Kurzweil, PianoTeq, Korg CX3, and Roland VK8M. They have all come to life. Playing with an 8 piece jazz combo tomorrow night and will really know the verdict. But, so far it sounds great. However, I can see where a sub is going to be very beneficial. Looking at this;

 

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/B1200DPRO

 

Or this;

 

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audio/electro-voice-zxa1-sub-12-powered-subwoofer

 

Any suggestions or advice?

 

Well I studied both these sub specs and here's what I see:

 

The EV is slightly bigger and heavier and has a bit more power. Both have a 12" woofers and about the same features. The EV says it's 9 layer plywood, but "internally braced", while the Berhinger doesn't say...anywhere... so I can assume it's MDF (which is acoustically deader so probably doesn't need "internal bracing", so I am OK with that).

 

Both deliver more than enough LF SPL to (over)match w/ the SS v.3, and both are made in China (BTW, as is about 50% of my SS v.3)

 

IHMO, it comes down to your budget; the Berhinger is half the price, but the EV certainly is not twice the sub. I bought the Berhinger and expect delivery very soon.

 

I can give you a detailed report once I get mine, but on the surface the Berhinger seems a much better buy and plenty of sub for the SS v.3 in larger (louder) gigs.

 

In the interest of full disclosure; I have been using a variety of 100-200 watt HiFi subs w/ 10" woofers I bought used at swap meets for <$50...they work just fine. So the $299 Berhinger will be a big step up for me!

 

[Aspen]

FEB SHIPMENT UPDATE: Our vessel arrived Port of LA Feb 9, and my agent has already cleared customs. Now he is waiting for the container to be off loaded from the ship. I will keep you posted.

 

My agent told me today he thinks a few more days, a week at most.

[endlessummerkeys]

Its MDF on the B1200 D-PRO

[smanzella]

Endlessummerkeys - how is the build quality of the B1200 Pro?

 

Aspen, thanks for responding. If this amp works out, I will get another one for larger venues. I play in anything from jazz duos to 20 piece bigband/jazz orchestras. At smaller venues, I intend to use the system for piano and vocals and any other incidentals that come along. At larger venues, it will probably just be used for piano and organ. Do you think the B1200 Pro will accommodate 2 SpaceStations? Also, are there any caveats (such as phase problems, etc) with using 2 or more SpaceStations on the same stage?

[Jazzmammal]

I don't know that you would need two even for bigger big band gigs. I just did a bb gig last Sunday and it was plenty loud enough. One of the posters last December is one of the best session players in LA and he described a show he did using an SK2 at the Disney Concert Hall with the LA Phil I think. He used one SS and everybody raved about how well he could be heard without blowing out the ears of the string section. This amp thrives in larger venues where it has a chance to really bloom.

 

Bob

[MathOfInsects]

To be fair, that is one of the most acoustically favorable rooms in the world, SS or otherwise.

[endlessummerkeys]

It is the quality that you would expect from China. Nothing bad at all but definitely not at the level of say my Nord which is more hand made individually. Still a nice unit but don't throw it around and a case would be recommended as it may get beat up a bit. I would say that it is well worth 300.00 any day of the week, and you don't have to use it all the time as the SS will work fine without it in the small to medium size venues, however I will say once you do use a sub with the SS you probably will not want to not use a sub with the SS if you know what I mean.

[KingstonCrim]

I've got some outdoor gigs coming up this summer. One is on a large semi-enclosed stage but the others are more out in the wide open with nothing to reflect from. Anyone have any practical experience using the SSv3 in an outdoor environment yet?

[Dave Bryce]

I used it outdoors at a jam with a Motion Sound SW15 sub. Sounded excellent...but we weren't playing at super high volume.

 

dB

[Raymb1]

Having a great time with the SS at home and on gigs. I play with a jazz and standards quartet, trio and vocalist. Getting old, so I use a Casio XW P-1, (11 lbs). AP, EP and B-3 sounds are more than adequate for my purposes. Everyone likes the sound of the SS, although my K-10 sounded very good. A-B testing with the side speaker really marks the difference between mono and stereo. Great product Aspen. Ray

[cphollis]

I've got some outdoor gigs coming up this summer. One is on a large semi-enclosed stage but the others are more out in the wide open with nothing to reflect from. Anyone have any practical experience using the SSv3 in an outdoor environment yet?

 

Did a backyard party a few weeks back, moderate electric volumes. Nothing really to reflect from, so I shared your concerns.

 

The SSv3 sounded great. Really, really great: full stereo, could be heard well without being directionally deafening, etc.

 

I had it on a low, tilted rack and cranked up the width a bit. For some strange reason, I had to dial back on the treble as everything was sounding a bit too crisp.

[Aussie_Chicago]

So to the sk users who have the SS, what are your settings to get the most out of the SS ? Are the sk outputs "hotter" than other boards ? Im still having problems with getting a reasonable sound level without the SS breaking up. With the SS gain at no more than 11 o'clock, I cant get the volume level on the sk above 10 o'clock on the main volume control without distortion. ( obviously ALL O/D effects are off ) - side note, I use a mk1 vent, and find it starts clipping ( red light on ) at about the same level ( 10 o'clock ) but even without the vent, its still the same problem. I have my expression pedal settings at curve 1 , gain to 110% on full volume ( 127 )-it can go to 130% so not maxed out there. Ive tried every combination of high volume on sk, low volume on SS, higher volume on SS and less on the sk, through mixers, tried going into a radial DI, worked great but the volume level was way too low to play live. Ive spent 2 days trying every combination I can think of.

.... at a loss as to what the problem is ???

Seems like a lot of players love the sk / SS combination , settings ?

[Raymb1]

Could the gain (attenuator) on the mixer be up too high? Ray

[Polkahero]

Anyone on here that's coming from a stereo powered PA speaker setup (QSC K series, Yamaha DXR/DBR series, etc.) care to comment how this amp compares?

[Raymb1]

We use a QSC K-12 and K-10 for PA. Keyboard in the PA sounds very good. Keyboard into the SS sounds richer and fuller without being loud. Ray

[cphollis]

Anyone on here that's coming from a stereo powered PA speaker setup (QSC K series, Yamaha DXR/DBR series, etc.) care to comment how this amp compares?

 

Historically, I've been a big fan of powered PAs for keys. I've got a pair each of the QSC K series, plus an insane pair of Fulcrum Acoustic 12acs. I've been dissed for showing up with 4000w to a gig. Don't ask. It's complicated.

 

Maybe I should find a therapist.

 

The SSv3 does the job, but in a different way. The powered PAs are all about directional sound. The SSv3 is all about rich, lush stereo fill. I'll switch between the two depending on venue, band, mood, hormonal levels, etc.

 

When I'm in an aggressive/hormonal mode, it's all about the powered PAs. Strong sounds, directionally focused. IN YOUR FACE.

 

When it's more about creating a mood, with the keyboards in there, but not OUT FRONT, the SSv3 is now my go-to amp. I can solo from it, but that's not the focus.

 

The leslie and chorus sound are simply outrageous on the SSv3. Powered PAs can't do the stereo justice that the SSv3 can do.

 

FWIW

[DanL]

So to the sk users who have the SS, what are your settings to get the most out of the SS ? Are the sk outputs "hotter" than other boards ? Im still having problems with getting a reasonable sound level without the SS breaking up. With the SS gain at no more than 11 o'clock, I cant get the volume level on the sk above 10 o'clock on the main volume control without distortion. ( obviously ALL O/D effects are off ) - side note, I use a mk1 vent, and find it starts clipping ( red light on ) at about the same level ( 10 o'clock ) but even without the vent, its still the same problem. I have my expression pedal settings at curve 1 , gain to 110% on full volume ( 127 )-it can go to 130% so not maxed out there. Ive tried every combination of high volume on sk, low volume on SS, higher volume on SS and less on the sk, through mixers, tried going into a radial DI, worked great but the volume level was way too low to play live. Ive spent 2 days trying every combination I can think of.

.... at a loss as to what the problem is ???

Seems like a lot of players love the sk / SS combination , settings ?

 

I remarked previously that my SK1 will light up the clip indicator on my Vent at around 12 o'clock. I haven't noticed any clipping on the SS3 when I run the SK1 direct, and when it's run direct I tend to have to push it more, sometimes cranking it all the way up. I use a lot of expression pedal though and will set the keyboard volume higher and then use the expression to control the volume. I'm using Jim A's tonewheel settings which also have settings for EQ and some other things that affect the overall level- they seem to be quieter than the stock SK1 settings.

[Jazzmammal]

There was only one time in the last 10 years that I got a better sound out of two powered PA speakers than I get from the SS. It was a very big stage in a clubhouse in front of maybe 150 people for a 50's and 60's sockhop thing. Everybody was dressed like the Fonz. The stage was so big I has my two EV SXa100's spread out a good 25 feet apart behind me in stereo. That was a gorgeous and full sound. Since there's no way to directly compare, my memory says that was pretty much the best sound I've had since my real B3 and leslie days. Other than that very rare situation the SS is the best sound I've had compared to my Barbetta's, the EV's, JBL's and something else I can't remember now. Not that they're bad mind you, they are all good speakers it's just the combination of size and that full stereo coming from one little box makes it my new best friend.

 

Bob

[Aspen]

Hi All, good news; The February was released today and the truck just unloaded your Spacestations. The Longshormens union only held them hostage 11 days this time, which better than 22 days last time (so things are improving!)

 

I am currently heavily absorbed in my usual spot check QC, I usually personally open about 15-20% of all the boxes to hear/see for myself...thankfully, all have been perfect.

 

So I have scheduled a FedEx truck for Sweetwater tomorrow AM and they should have them by middle of next week.

 

I know many of you have been patiently waiting, for which I am so very grateful, but it shouldn't be much longer now!

 

Perhaps the best news is that FINALLY, for the first time since we began shipping Spacestation v.3 last September, this shipment will out pace our backorders! So, we will be fully caught up; both SW and A&A (us) will have some stock on our shelves for immediate delivery...what a concept!

 

Of course, who knows how long these will last? FYI, the next shipment is 60 days out, not due until late April (but it is going to be a double run, our largest yet!). So be advised!

[KingstonCrim]

Awesome! Best news I've heard all week. My SKB rolling case for this already arrived here on Wednesday so I'm all ready for when it gets here. Thanks for the encouraging update, Aspen.

[rockinredeye]

Hey, drawback!

I have had a SS MarkII for a few years and when the sub out has a plug in it, frequencies below 100Hz definitely are removed from the internal amps for you; external crossover is not necessary. On the CPS website:

 

http://www.centerpointstereo.com/documents/gt_sfx_mk2_package.pdf

 

endlessummerkeys said the same further back in this thread about a sub and the SSv3. Of course, using the sub's crossover or an external one and eliminating LF from ever getting to the SS would work, too. I'm not an electronics engineer, nor do I play one on TV, so I just go with the original design when using a sub.

 

At one point, I used my old JBL EON15 for a sub, turning its built-in EQ down for all frequencies except the bass and it sounded so good! It seemed to clear up the low-mids coming from the SS.

 

And at one small-stage venue when I didn't bring the EON, one of our guitar players who wears hearing aids by day and plays a Twin Reverb by night loudly, told me to turn down. Not a Marshall stack but a Twin can be loud. Got to love the Little Loud Box.