Michelle ggurl Posted August 18, 2003 Share Posted August 18, 2003 Hi everyone. I did a search on amps and found that many of you rave about the Mackie SRM450, JBL EON 15 G2, and Barbetta and Motion Sound products. This is helpful, in that right now I have no real rig, but I know I want something that sounds better than the Roland KC500, and now I know there are options out there ... I'd like something fairly lightweight, and fairly simple ... and also fairly loud, to hold its own in a sometimes-bombastic jazz-rock-fusion quartet when PA may not be available. My rig is a Nord Electro 2 and a Kurzweil PC2. I am happy enough with the Leslie sim on the Electro for organ. I do strings, piano, pads and some horns on the Kurzweil. Nothing too weird. SO ... if you were looking to get a fairly loud, reasonably simple yet nice-sounding solution, which of these would be your pick for the style of keyboards and music I'm talking about? I'd like to keep weight to 50 lbs or less ... I read from a PDF doc on Mackie's site that the SRM450s are 83 pounds!!! Is this true?? These are included in the poll assuming that spec is wrong. Also, I'm wondering how important running stereo cabs is ... hence my consideration of the K2000S. I called around to stores in my area and they really don't have anything to demo near me except Rolands, Crates, and Peaveys ... unbelievable since I live in a major metro area. So, your input is most appreciated!! Thank you! Original Latin Jazz CD Baby "I am not certain how original my contribution to music is as I am obviously an amateur." Patti Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdman Posted August 18, 2003 Share Posted August 18, 2003 The key to the SRM450 is to carry two so you can carry one in each hand. No - really - its easier than carrying just one because you balance. It does make you rather wide though whcih is a problem packing in through the front door of punter crammed bars. I am surprised they weigh 83 pounds. I thought it was nearer 70. They for sure do not qualify as light. The only keyboard amp that is anything like in the same league is the Barbettas and they weigh about the same. I have never been a fan of Eons, since I find them shrill. Not everybody agrees and for keyboard that might not matter - its mainly vocals that I don't like through them. The Motion Sounds I have seen are not particularly loud. If they have one that keeps up with one or two of the Mackies I expect it will be around the same weight. I have seen the Roland and Peavey keyboard amps but not the crate. A few years ago Fender made a nice keyboard amp but the thing stood about five foot tall and weighed something like 100 lbs - basically a bass amp with some tweeters added. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle ggurl Posted August 18, 2003 Author Share Posted August 18, 2003 Cool, thanks for the insight, Byrdman. Yeah, 83 pounds seems amazingly heavy ... as for the Barbettas, their website claims the 41c only weighs 48 pounds. I think the old EONs weigh about 45, but I can't remember offhand what the G2s weigh. My main concern about the Motion Sound K2000S is that it's only 100W per channel, and I don't know how efficient it is, so perhaps that it might not be loud enough. I was attracted to the idea of stereo in one box, though. I suppose if I connect everything in stereo to the amp with balanced cables I'll get a nice enough sound ... comments anyone? I notice there is a thread up here on connecting keys to amps in stereo, so I'll be reading that ... Thanks again. Any other comments are welcome. Original Latin Jazz CD Baby "I am not certain how original my contribution to music is as I am obviously an amateur." Patti Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petros Posted August 18, 2003 Share Posted August 18, 2003 Come on now, the Mackie SRM450 weighs 51 pounds. http://www.mackie.com/products/srm450/SRM450_specs.html Barbettas weigh less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petros Posted August 18, 2003 Share Posted August 18, 2003 Barbetta Sona 31 is 225-450 watts peak and weighs only 35 pounds. Try a pair of those. http://www.barbetta.com/Live/Sona_31/sona_31.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daBowsa Posted August 18, 2003 Share Posted August 18, 2003 The KP200S isn't that heavy, but its bigger than you'd like it to be. Its output is reasonable for loud practices and stage volume for reasonable sized gigs. I'm not saying this is the amp for you in this particular situation, but I know that the leslie sim on the Electro is phenominal in stereo and Korg/Roland-caliber in mono. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdman Posted August 18, 2003 Share Posted August 18, 2003 Originally posted by geekgurl: My main concern about the Motion Sound K2000S is that it's only 100W per channel, and I don't know how efficient it is, so perhaps that it might not be loud enough. I was attracted to the idea of stereo in one box, though. I suppose if I connect everything in stereo to the amp with balanced cables I'll get a nice enough sound ... comments anyone? .I have not seen one of these, so my comments do not apply to this model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdman Posted August 18, 2003 Share Posted August 18, 2003 Originally posted by petros: Come on now, the Mackie SRM450 weighs 51 pounds. http://www.mackie.com/products/srm450/SRM450_specs.html Barbettas weigh less.Feels like more when you carry them! The small Barbetta's are lighter but the big one that is the most direct comparison to the SRM450 is only slightly lighter. There was supposed to be accessories for the SRM450, like a built in mixer. I don't see any such thing on the web site. Anyone know if Mackie has or still intends to do such accessories? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted August 18, 2003 Share Posted August 18, 2003 I've got the original JBL EON 15PAK. It's great! Has never let me down! It also sounds good playing CDs. I have a Kurzweil PC2X and am happy with the JBL EON. I use ONE for monitoring myself and connect to the PA system in stereo. If I were buying again, I'd get two Mackie SRM450's (or just one if that's all you can afford). They sound even better than the old JBL EONs. I haven't heard the new EONs, so I can't comment on them. I've heard that they sound better than my old EON because they have more power. You want a powerfull amp that is not going to add coloration to the sound - ESPECIALLY if you're playing piano sounds through it. The EONs and the Mackie SRM450 sound great and are often used for PA and for DJ work. They have a relatively clean, clear sound. The bottom line is that you really need to hear these for yourself. They're both around $700 each. I'm thinking the Mackies may have a smoother high end than the JBL EONs. But, before I spent $700 - or if you're going for stereo, $1,400 - I would definitely try to audition them instead of blindly ordering them through a mail-order company. Once you hear your Kurzweil piano programs through them, it will be easy to make a decision. Frankly, I'd stay away from Roland, Crate, Peavey, Motion Sound, & Barbetta. They all color the sound way too much for me, which is inexcusable for reproducing a lifelike piano sound. - (Ummm, that's my opinion.. ) Is There Gas In The Car? "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BP3 Posted August 18, 2003 Share Posted August 18, 2003 As I've said b4, I like my 450's just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan O Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 Originally posted by TinderArts: As I've said b4, I like my 450's just fine.With a face like that , who can trust you ? www.esnips.com/web/SongsfromDanO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 Originally posted by Dano: Originally posted by TinderArts: As I've said b4, I like my 450's just fine.With a face like that , who can trust you ? Dano you hurt his feelings! Now he's changed his avatar! "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemed Posted August 19, 2003 Share Posted August 19, 2003 I use a Barbetta 31c for practices and performances. I have found this amp to be extremely handy from the perspective it is lightweight, small, and powerful. Also, if I ever find myself in a venue that I cannot fill, I expect that it will make a great monitor or a nice complement to a PA system. On another note my bassist and vocalist are often trying to borrow it when we are in a venue with a grand piano. All of this being said, I have never been extremely satisfied with the piano samples themselves that I have run through it. Therefore, I have never expected miracles when it comes to poor piano samples. My rhodes, as I am soon discovering, definitely needs a preamp going into the Barbetta as the amp gives some noise if the treble is turned way up (volumes I would not need with a modern keyboard). That being said, I have been looking at tube amps all week and have come to realize how HEAVY they are. I hope to bring my barbetta/rhodes in to try them with a podxt inbetween as it seems a quite practical solution (sorry I am rambling). Anyways, cheers and good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle ggurl Posted August 19, 2003 Author Share Posted August 19, 2003 Originally posted by petros: Come on now, the Mackie SRM450 weighs 51 pounds. http://www.mackie.com/products/srm450/SRM450_specs.html Barbettas weigh less.Ooops, my bad! I dug up my materials and had stuff stapled together for the SRM450 and the SA1521 ... THAT'S the beast, not the SRM. Hopefully a store is going to get a Barbetta in for me to try ... they have Mackies and the Roland amps there already, so it'd be great to do that comparison. If I go with the Mackies and can't find the keyboard-inputs version, I might get one of those little Alesis or Mackie mixers with EFX built in. As someone noted elsewhere on this board, mic pres aren't too crucial for the keyboardist. (And don't get me started on my singing ...) Original Latin Jazz CD Baby "I am not certain how original my contribution to music is as I am obviously an amateur." Patti Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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