JGStephenson Posted January 12, 2002 Share Posted January 12, 2002 I caurrently amplify my keyboards with a heap of DIY speakers etc. 4x12inch 50 watts and some tweaters. I am trying to update my gear to an RD700. Question: what is a good amp and speakers for playing with a mostly accoustic jazz ensemble. Not too heavy! I have heard the RCF PA system; anyone got any experience of sub $400 setups?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdman Posted January 13, 2002 Share Posted January 13, 2002 Originally posted by JGStephenson: I caurrently amplify my keyboards with a heap of DIY speakers etc. 4x12inch 50 watts and some tweaters. I am trying to update my gear to an RD700. Question: what is a good amp and speakers for playing with a mostly accoustic jazz ensemble. Not too heavy! I have heard the RCF PA system; anyone got any experience of sub $400 setups?? What are the limitations of your current rig - sound sucks? too heavy? fifteen different boxes? Sounds like weight may be an issue. I know I built my own cabinet years ago which sounded great, and needed a hand-truck to move (but sealed cabinets are so much nicer than bass reflex as long as they are big enough) At sub $400 new you are going to have to accept some limitations on sound quality. You may or may not be happy with the results, depending on your needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGStephenson Posted January 21, 2002 Author Share Posted January 21, 2002 Hi Yes, my current DIY kit is far too heavy, and far more powerful than I need for jazz. It was built for a full on rock band. I really need something I can pick up with one hand. Any recommendations - have you tried the Roland keyboard combo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdman Posted January 22, 2002 Share Posted January 22, 2002 Originally posted by JGStephenson: Hi Yes, my current DIY kit is far too heavy, and far more powerful than I need for jazz. It was built for a full on rock band. I really need something I can pick up with one hand. Any recommendations - have you tried the Roland keyboard combo? Only in the shop. I have never been a fan of combo keyboard amps in general and in my opinion the Roland models are true to breed. A lot depends on whether you are going to be playing bass or just comping. You can get away with much less speaker in the latter case. Yamaha makes some small speakers that I actually like the sound of (SM12 I think the designation is). You would have to use an amp with them. I was looking at stage monitors but I expect the mains versions will sound similar. The big advantage was they are really light for the quality of sound they give. If you are mainly comping with your left hand something like this could work. (I use an SRM450 from Mackie which is way heavy and out of your price range - does not sound like what you want. Sounds lovely though and the sound goes all the way down the keyboard) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGStephenson Posted January 22, 2002 Author Share Posted January 22, 2002 Despite my initial price limits I did have a look at some Mackie active speakers in the shop and they did sound great(possibly the SRM450s). The article this month about separate bass subs and satellites is interesting. I do like to get a good lower end for solos. I will look into sub+sat systems. I have never liked the idea of active speakers because the weight just gets to me. Rather do another trip to the car and save my arms! Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGStephenson Posted January 22, 2002 Author Share Posted January 22, 2002 Despite my initial price limits I did have a look at some Mackie active speakers in the shop and they did sound great(possibly the SRM450s). The article this month about separate bass subs and satellites is interesting. I do like to get a good lower end for solos. I will look into sub+sat systems. I have never liked the idea of active speakers because the weight just gets to me. Rather do another trip to the car and save my arms! Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superbobus Posted January 28, 2002 Share Posted January 28, 2002 Recently I bought a second hand Craaft (Solton?) active monitor. It has a 12" speaker and a horn and a 200W amp. It's still pretty heavy but for jazz you don't need anything else because it sounds AMAZING! Much better than PowerWorks or JBL. Even a Rhodes sounds very warm on this thing, very warm and not thin like on most keyboard amps. If you want two speakers I would suggest the Yamahas. They're small, they sound crystal clear but they're not loud so you will need an amp with them (not too much power). http://www.bobwijnen.nl Hipness is not a state of mind, it's a fact of life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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