Heads-up: SpaceStation keyboard amp is apparently back

[J. Dan]

I believe the smaller SS3 had custom designed speakers, no reason to think these wouldn't be.

[MathOfInsects]

Crap. Now I may have to get there Sunday after all.

[rockinredeye]

His FB page also says under Features:

Eminence USA Custom 12" Coax w/Titanium Tweeter

50Hz to 20kHz, no sub required

Strong and light all plywood construction

 

We will find out soon enough all the juicy, techie details but this one sounds like you really can leave all the other amps and the PA at home and just plug everyone into this using a mixer.

[MathOfInsects]

And what happened to, "Believe me, KC, you will be the first to know if I come out with a new one?"

[cphollis]

Interesting.

 

The $1399 MAP means it's positioned squarely against a pair of self-powered PA units (@$700 each). Tough call vs. a pair of DXR10s or QSC K8s sitting on poles. I'm open minded though.

 

The all-in-one form factor works well when you're talking ~40 lbs. and sort of works against you when you're considering a single 65 pound unit.

 

Audio quality will be big for me, and knowing how well it works with keyboards. The 12" works, it all gets down to the viability of the tweeter.

 

The I/O options look about optimal. Power range is sufficient. I'm good with bi-amp vs. tri-amp.

 

And, of course, anyone who owns the current SSv3 would give Aspen the benefit of the doubt

[Mjazz]

From http://aspenpittmandesigns.com:

 

APD products are attending NAMM, booth 6872 and debuting their new Center Point Stereo Spacestation XL.

 

But the big news is that for the first time Aspen will be offering a limited number of exclusive Dealer Partnerships to brick and mortar music stores across the country. This marks the first time APD has had the production levels required to support a limited Dealer Partnership network.

 

Until now, Sweetwater Sound has been the exclusive Dealer Partner for APD Products, and it was only thru Chuck Suracks generous support that made it possible for Aspen to restart his new Aspen Pittman Designs company.

 

Sweetwater Sound will continue to be APDs primary web based Dealer Partner as the company expands its brick and mortar Dealer Partnership network.

[AnotherScott]

We will find out soon enough all the juicy, techie details but this one sounds like you really can leave all the other amps and the PA at home and just plug everyone into this using a mixer.

SPL figure of 116 dB still sounds a bit light for that (depending on the band/material, I guess). My wedding band often uses a pair of ZXa1 for the mains (which, on those gigs, would typically only carry the vocals, maybe brass), those are 126 dB, so the pair is 129. For lots of gigs, they're fine, but 116 is quite a bit less than that.

[cphollis]

We will find out soon enough all the juicy, techie details but this one sounds like you really can leave all the other amps and the PA at home and just plug everyone into this using a mixer.

SPL figure of 116 dB still sounds a bit light for that (depending on the band/material, I guess). My wedding band often uses a pair of ZXa1 for the mains (which, on those gigs, would typically only carry the vocals, maybe brass), those are 126 dB, so the pair is 129. For lots of gigs, they're fine, but 116 is quite a bit less than that.

 

Strictly an opinion, but I believe that a CPS dB is more effective at filling a room than a directional dB. Not to mention more pleasing in certain settings.

[AnotherScott]

The $1399 MAP means it's positioned squarely against a pair of self-powered PA units (@$700 each). Tough call vs. a pair of DXR10s or QSC K8s sitting on poles. I'm open minded though.

 

The all-in-one form factor works well when you're talking ~40 lbs. and sort of works against you when you're considering a single 65 pound unit.

I think the main benefit is not that this would sound better than a pair of PA cabs, but that it will sound the same (and maintain a spacious stereo quality) throughout the listening area. That is, it's appealing if you buy into the whole Spacestation raison d'etre in the first place.

 

There is also some convenience advantage in setting up a single box, compared to two boxes, two stands, and the additional setup time for the stands, the additional audio wiring, the additional power wiring, the additional cases. Yeah, personally, I'm not interested in a 65 lb box, but then, I'm not interested in 40 and 50 lb keyboards. There are plenty like me here, but there are also plenty of people here who have no problem with the big boards, and they obviously sell, because the manufacturers keep making them. So I expect that this will find its market as well.

[JPerry]

My back is still pretty good at age 55, so 65 pounds would be doable. But as a satisfied SSv3 owner, the sound quality would have to be substantially more satisfying for me to schlep 65 pounds on a regular basis. The original small footprint/manageable weight concept is one reason I went for the SSv3 in the first place,

Still, this is pretty intriguing - can't wait for a review!

[Rusty Mike]

Well maybe this will create a nice supply of pre-owned SSv3's!

 

I've been tempted, but not enough.

[BigJPatton]

I'll never be a fan of carrying two powered speakers, I did it for a short time and it's just too much, I'd rather deal with a lesser sound and not have the extra piece to grab, more pieces = more trips, one amp only please.

 

But this could very well be a winner, it's a touch big for me at 29x17x16", but I'll deal with that if it wails, and I agree that the SPL should be just fine because of it's large sound field, we shall see.

 

I'm not concerned about the weight, I think all this lighter, lighter, lighter stuff has gone too far, I'll lug some weight for the right advantage, and this could be it.

[cphollis]

The other thing that struck me about this is now it's a more scalable full-stereo system.

 

Start with the CPS XL. Need more FOH? Add a pair of self-powered PA speakers through L and R channel. The CPS covers the near field, the PA speakers can throw to the back of the room.

 

Also, adding spot monitors (e.g. for the drummer or annoyingly loud guitarist) can use the L+R as before.

[musicbysterling]

And what happened to, "Believe me, KC, you will be the first to know if I come out with a new one?"

 

Possibly marketing strategy?

[musicbysterling]

And what happened to, "Believe me, KC, you will be the first to know if I come out with a new one?"

 

Possibly marketing strategy?

[16251]

Where's Wiki Leaks when you need them

[MathOfInsects]

GAS leak!

[cphollis]

Aspen will have to speak on his thoughts, but he's always wanted an "all in one" PA for modest bands in modest venues. Maybe that's what he is targeting. Although it doesn't look too shabby as a beefy keyboard amp ...

[TimA]

He's probably a little busy inking record sales...lol

[Al Coda]

SPL figure of 116 dB still sounds a bit light for that (depending on the band/material, I guess).

 

... those are 126 dB, so the pair is 129. For lots of gigs, they're fine, but 116 is quite a bit less than that.

 

Threshold of noise pain already begins @120dB SPL and becomes critical @140dB.

Loudness discomfort level already begins much earlier,- approx. 20dB below the above.

I wouldn´t trust manufacturer´s specs too much ´cause marketing amps and speakers is kind of loudness war and most specs are showing-off,- wattage of class-d amps primarily and followed by SPL.

 

Everything about TRUE 100dB is loud enough for a keyboard monitor regardless which stage you play.

 

A.C.

[AnotherScott]

Threshold of noise pain already begins @120dB SPL and becomes critical @140dB.

Loudness discomfort level already begins much earlier,- approx. 20dB below the above.

I wouldn´t trust manufacturer´s specs too much ´cause marketing amps and speakers is kind of loudness war and most specs are showing-off,- wattage of class-d amps primarily and followed by SPL.

 

Everything about TRUE 100dB is loud enough for a keyboard monitor regardless which stage you play.

SPL is typically quoted as peak capability at 1 meter. People don't listen at 1 meter, and music is not constantly at its peak, so these numbers don't directly relate to listening levels. But if you're playing to a room full of people (especially with a live drummer), a system that maxes out at 100 dB peak at one meter is unlikely to be able to do what you need. You'll probably be clipping a lot. I think you need more headroom than that.

[J. Dan]

I don't know how you can really compare since it sends sound in multiple directions and you get a lot of reflections compared to a traditional speaker, which by contrast is directional and measured on-axis.

 

That said, at least with a traditional speaker, SPL drops by 6dB every time you double the distance. So for instance, if the audience was 8 meters away from your speaker, that's 3 doubling of distance from the 1M spec, or 18dB down from the specification.

[Bif_]

And what happened to, "Believe me, KC, you will be the first to know if I come out with a new one?"

 

Disingenuous and uncharacteristic given his posts here. Don't understand.

[J. Dan]

And what happened to, "Believe me, KC, you will be the first to know if I come out with a new one?"

 

Disingenuous and uncharacteristic given his posts here. Don't understand.

 

Maybe he told us back on page 167 and we just missed it.

[roygBiv]

Uncharacteristic maybe, but disingenuous is a bit harsh -

Aspen has been pretty upfront on this message board about a lot of things.

 

He may have simply meant to add "among" to the aforementioned post - it sounds like Aspen is running his whole enterprise on a skeleton crew, and with NAMM coming up and a new product, he has probably simply been busy putting out fires.

[Bif_]

Uncharacteristic maybe, but disingenuous is a bit harsh -

Aspen has been pretty upfront on this message board about a lot of things.

 

 

From the interwebs

Disingenuous:

"not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does."

 

I didn't define the word, just used it. I mean no disrespect to Aspen and in fact think he's a good man that's done a great thing with his product.

 

The new Spacestation didn't get designed overnight.

[roygBiv]

fair enough, looks like my response may have in fact been too harsh.

 

I guess my response was due to my association of the word disingenuous more with the "not sincere" part, rather than "not candid".

 

I don't have a problem with Aspen not telling us everything he has planned, until he is ready to sell them - I'm a scientist in my day job, and we can't always be candid about everything we might have discovered/know until it gets published, since competition and the fight for funding is ferocious these days in the scientific world. I imagine it is even worse in the real business world.

 

 

[Bif_]

...Looks like my response may have in fact been too harsh....

 

 

No worries.

 

I don't have a problem with Aspen.....

 

Me either.

[Aspen]

Sorry for the late chime guys, but I've been really busy as you may have noticed. Being a NAMM exhibitor is VERY thrilling, but also exhausting. This is well over 100 NAMM shows for me, and they are not getting any easier!

 

So now, finally a chance to briefly reply to some of your comments and questions;

 

Tri-amping was not necessary for he SXL as the Titanium USA Eminence mid driver component we chose is flat to 20KHz+, and yes, it is a regular catalog item in their USA offerings (with just a slight modification).

 

The USA Eminence 12" woofer part of the coax is a totally new design, and custom made for us with a poly cone, foam surround and we wound ut with a 3 Ohm VC. We went thru 3 versions and the folks at Eminence did a great job.

 

Then our design team (headed by Dr. Marshall Buck) tuned it with our built in DSP component to be virtually flat...it's actually as smooth (or smother) than the SS3. And yes, it is flat to 50 HZ, so no sub required. And at 116db SPL, it measures about 10 dB louder than the SS3.

 

Finally got a chance to demo it to a dozen or more SS3 owners today, including some of our KC guys. I'll let them post their 1st impressions for themselves, but I had a pretty good first day!

 

[HAMEGZ]

Note to self: start saving money for new SS

 

reminder to self: weighs 65 lbs, and your 65 years old and you transport gear in the bed of a pick up truck LIFTING said gear

 

note to Aspen: darn you for presenting me with this quandary