PianoMan51 Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Do you remember Sansabelt slacks? No belt, but a built-in elastic waistband for male bodies that lacked a noticeable waistline. Here I am, 64 with a bad back, looking forward to maybe another 10 years of gigging, if I'm lucky. Over the last year I've found myself doing many more 'quiet' gigs, either solo or with a trio. All acoustic piano based. Last month I took out my backup board (a 15 yo Privia PX-100) and during the gig I turned my amp off and just used the internal speakers. Plenty loud enough. The keybed is satisfactory, but the Privia is definitely lacking in the piano sounds. So it's time for a new board to suit my new gigs and a back that won't get any better. Here are my needs. 1). Lightweight (<40lbs and an easy shape to carry under your arm) 2). Reasonably good keybed for solo piano (lighter action is better) 3). Reasonably good piano sounds (with a sustain long enough to play jazz ballads) 4). Reasonably good quality and volume of built-in speakers 5). Ability to leave on the built-in speakers when hooking up with an amp (no need for monitors). 6). Reasonably good quality and serviceability. 7). Price: don't care. I want a solution. I'm located in far eastern NC and would have to drive three or more hours to get to Charlotte for a 'DP Tasting', so I may just order a board or two and ship back if dissatisfied. -Number 1 on my list is the Kawai ES100. Nobody in my area stocks them. -Looked at the specs of the new Roland FP-30, but you can't run speakers and amp together. -The larger boards with speakers, ES8 and FP-80, sound much better on videos, but moving a 50lb board in a 20lb wheeled case is a guaranteed back ache the next am. Where else would I go for advise? "Oh sugar-baby, which keyboard do you think is best?" "I like the silver one. It matches your hair." "Oh..." If I can't find a board with speakers that works for me, then I guess perhaps a CP4 or NP3 with a single EV powered speaker may be my next choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MurMan Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 The larger boards with speakers, ES8 and FP-80, sound much better on videos, but moving a 50lb board in a 20lb wheeled case is a guaranteed back ache the next am. Reproducing decent piano sounds takes a beefy amplification system. Beefy=Heavy. Using a separate amp will sound better, will be easier to load, and will give you more buying choices. Good luck! Casio PX-5S, Korg Kronos 61, Omnisphere 2, Ableton Live, LaunchKey 25, 2M cables Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawback Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Yeah, I 'm thinking what sounds passable from onboard DP speakers probably sounds like plunk-plunk 8 feet into the room. I hate to harp on this but I do believe your best sound reinforcement option for your stated application is a... wait for it.... ____________________________________ Rod Here for the gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humannoyed Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 I too would like a CP40 or CP4 quality piano with built-in speakers loud enough to carry a noisy environment solo gig. Add an all-in-one woofer/piano bench to fill out the low end. Three total pieces to set up! (to anyone who makes this, remember it was your idea first...) "It is a danger to create something and risk rejection. It is a greater danger to create nothing and allow mediocrity to rule." "You owe it to us all to get on with what you're good at." W.H. Auden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DulceLabs.com Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Yeah, I 'm thinking what sounds passable from onboard DP speakers probably sounds like plunk-plunk 8 feet into the room. I hate to harp on this but I do believe your best sound reinforcement option for your stated application is a... wait for it.... KC AMP! KC AMP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawback Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 No sir. The one and only: http://www.awave.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/ASPEN-Associates-Center-Point-Stereo-Spacestation-V.3-side-view.jpg ____________________________________ Rod Here for the gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humannoyed Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 Can it double as a piano bench? No sir. The one and only: http://www.awave.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/ASPEN-Associates-Center-Point-Stereo-Spacestation-V.3-side-view.jpg "It is a danger to create something and risk rejection. It is a greater danger to create nothing and allow mediocrity to rule." "You owe it to us all to get on with what you're good at." W.H. Auden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPerry Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 CP4 owner here - also a Spacestation v3, and I'm quite happy with both. You might want to try out a Yamaha P-255. Nice action and acoustic piano sound. I personally didn't care so much for the additional sounds and user interface, which is why I went for the CP4. But it sounds as though you are interested mostly in a good acoustic piano sound, and the P-255 delivers for that, and has internal speakers. I'm not sure about running the internal speakers and an amp simultaneously however. The newer Casio PX-5s is also a fine instrument, and unbeatably lightweight! I believe Casio has a version of that piano coming out that has internal speakers as well - I would definitely check those out before you buy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Davis Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 You could get one or two of these: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SRM150 7.6 lbs and they put out a fair amount of sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PianoMan51 Posted February 16, 2016 Author Share Posted February 16, 2016 No love for built-in speakers? Anybody? (I'm not mad. This is good input.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Davis Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 No love for built-in speakers? Anybody? (I'm not mad. This is good input.) No, if built in speakers are loud enough, you're good to go. I was thinking that you were having a challenge finding a kb that was A, light, and B, included built ins. The Mackies that I suggested are more like strap ons, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reezekeys Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 I can't imagine using built-in speakers for gigging in anything beyond a solo cocktail hour or maybe a wedding ceremony. If the room was crowded with people talking, even those situations would be a challenge. Good luck if you find something. I was in your situation but needed lighter speakers that could cover loud gigs my old Mackie SRM450s (51lbs each) were way too hard on my back. I got QSC K8s (27 lbs each), which was a big change for the better, shlep-wise (and IMO they were better sounding speakers too). There are plenty of threads here that discuss the relative merits and demerits of all the powered speakers in this class so I won't start that up now but I'll mention that there is an Italian company called FTB, and they make some rather expensive but very good sounding powered speakers. The smallest one is called the J5A, and it weighs 7.5 lbs! Bi-amped with 120 watts total power, I have no doubt they would smoke any built-in speakers. If I had any disposable income I would snag this pair for $550 I wouldn't mind a really lightweight amp rig for some of these quiet gigs. I'm getting older and my K8s are starting to feel heavier! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doerfler Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 CP4 owner here - also a Spacestation v3, and I'm quite happy with both. as am I. Wonderful combination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PianoMan51 Posted February 16, 2016 Author Share Posted February 16, 2016 Thanks everybody. Still hoping that somebody out there has experience with playing DP using the built in speakers. Thing is, like all of you, I've always been focused on getting the best sound and feel, and I already have that gear (VAX77/Ravenscroft/Turbosound). What I want is a minimalist setup that I'll be able to handle when I'm 70. Reeze, thanks for the FBT pointer. I have a pair of MAX2's and like them a lot. This may be a better direction to take. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesG Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 I attend big-band rehearsals with a beat-up Yamaha DGX-620, since it means I don't have to lug a powered speaker. If I didn't have that choice, I would probably use my CP4 and lug an Alto TX8. A DGX-650 would be an interesting solution for you, except for one thing: it turns off the internal speakers when you plug into the line out. I have studied the 620's schematics, and am pretty confident that I could modify one NOT to do this -- i.e. run internal and external speakers simultaneously. I bet the 650's output stage is very similar..............do you know a good electronics tech? If you make this mod, make sure you include a switch for "headphone" mode if you ever want to use headphones. You don't want to load down the outputs with headphones AND internal speakers as you might overload them. Also, running headphones without turning off the internal speakers would be stupid. Yamaha makes better pianos than the DGX line, but they sound good, work well, are light, and have internal speakers. Best yet, at their price, you could afford to experiment with one. The 650 has corners which are more curved than the 620, suggesting the Gator GK-88 would be an excellent fit. Wes Hammond: L111, M100, M3, BC, CV, Franken CV, A100, D152, C3, B3 Leslie: 710, 760, 51C, 147, 145, 122, 22H, 31H Yamaha: CP4, DGX-620, DX7II-FD-E!, PF85, DX9 Roland: VR-09, RD-800 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
16251 Posted February 16, 2016 Share Posted February 16, 2016 CP4 owner here - also a Spacestation v3, and I'm quite happy with both. as am I. Wonderful combination. me also AvantGrand N2 | ES520 | Gallien-Krueger MK & MP | https://soundcloud.com/pete36251 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan_evett Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Check out the Roland FP-50. Meets the requirements listed, plays and sounds great. I just picked one up - to cover some live piano stuff and handle 88-key control in my home workspace. I bought it to replace some other gear that wasn't quite cutting it for piano. Supect that you might find it does the same.. 'Someday, we'll look back on these days and laugh; likely a maniacal laugh from our padded cells, but a laugh nonetheless' - Mr. Boffo. We need a barfing cat emoticon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Are the Casios eliminated from consideration? A current model vs. the PX-100 you have will sound different, though whether you like it better enough is something only you can decide. The latest models could fit the bill though. That would include the CGP-700, which has a 40-watt sound system including the speakers in the stand. That does mean moving the stand around *if* the speakers in the keyboard itself don't cut it for you but the whole system does. Then there are models like the PX-160, 360, and 560 that have newer, more powerful sound systems built in that are ported to the back to have the sound reflect back to the player when placed near a wall, or to the audience or band depending on how you set it up. I would guess these models are louder than your PX-100, which you say is loud enough. "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickzjamm Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 PX-5S & Electro-Voice ZLX 12P. My go to mini system when weight is a factor but sound is not sacrificed. You don't know you're in the dark until you're in the light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazz+ Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 Casio PX-360 answered my prayers. Great speakers and sounds (26 pounds) great action. Plays wave files from USB port !!! That means I got Ron Carter,and Christian McBride on board. Find 675 of my jazz piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas Harry was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Nightime Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 You could get one or two of these: http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SRM150 7.6 lbs and they put out a fair amount of sound. Not sure these would do the trick. Now, I have one and love it, but I wouldn't want to try to use it as the sole method of amplification. I use mine as a monitor in church, and while for the most part it does well, if I hit a section where I romp on it, you can hear the limiting kick in. And this is in a fairly low volume environment as everything goes through FOH and the players get their sound through Monitors, not amps. "In the beginning, Adam had the blues, 'cause he was lonesome. So God helped him and created woman. Now everybody's got the blues." Willie Dixon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reezekeys Posted February 17, 2016 Share Posted February 17, 2016 if I hit a section where I romp on it, you can hear the limiting kick in. And this is in a fairly low volume environment as everything goes through FOH and the players get their sound through Monitors, not amps. A built-in non-defeatable limiter would be a deal-breaker for me. Many years ago I remember doing a few gigs with a Peavey KB-300 "keyboard amp" that had this feature. Never again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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