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Heard the Roland SA300 stereo keyboard amp???


Jazz+

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http://www.roland.com/products/en/SA-300/index.html

 

It uses two 6.5 inches + Tweeter (Coaxial, 2-way) speakers.

and a 12" subwoofer in the bottom cabinet.

 

75w x 2 for the top and 200w for the sub.

4 stereo channels with EQ reverb (2 have phantom power and mic inputs)

 

Sub weighs 25 lbs,

Stereo top unit weighs 23 lbs

 

"The top unit can even be mounted on a speaker stand for perfect placement."

 

 

http://www.musiciansbuy.com/mmMBCOM/Images/roland_sa300_dw.jpg

$1200

 

http://www.roland.com/products/en/SA-300/images/image_04_M.jpg

 

http://www.roland.com/products/en/SA-300/images/image_03_M.jpg

Harry Likas was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Find 700 of Harry’s piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and jazz piano tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas

 

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Wow, looks like a tank. Seems a little bit pricey. The Yamaha StagePAS looks like a nice compact package and is about half the price. I'm sure the 12" sub makes a huge difference. I wonder if this Roland amp colors as much as the KC series does...?

 

Still looks like it might be a good solution for some people!

Weasels ripped my flesh. Rzzzzzzz.
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It does look interesting. Jazz+, at our next Gear Heads Anonymous meeting, I expect you to have bought this, along with the Nord STAGE that is also intriguing you at the moment. You need to play them both together and confirm whether or not the Nord STAGE sounds weird and phasey through the Roland Amp and also if the Nord STAGE finally trumps the 'Vintage 74' Yamaha preset that is your favorite preset. After this exhaustive review, you can sell them and add them to your list (unless you decide to replace the Roland FP keyboard with the STAGE). :D

 

Regards,

Eric

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Those messages to Jazz+ must be tongue and cheek.

 

Jazz+ has actually gigged with all that stuff, and has gone through the trouble of selling and buying something that he likes better. This has me trusting his opinion.

 

I'm hoping that he actually tries that new Roland amp.

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Originally posted by Sven Golly:

Originally posted by JMcS:

You might also look into these:

PolyTone giving you a good rate per plug, JMcS? ;):P

 

Cheers,

SG

Man, I wish ;) , but unfortunately no. But don't you get tired of people basically saying "I don't want to investigate as many options as possible and make my own decision, I just want to buy what everyone else is buying"? Besides, I have two Polytone Taurus Elites that I picked up used at good prices and they sound great. Their built in Leslie Sims sounds better to me than what I have heard from either the Korg or Nord. But maybe those instruments would have sounded better than they did if they were played through the PTE amp with their own sim. I play my XK-S through a Leslie 21 System along with the L 1/4" output going to a Crate Keyboard amp and the right 1/4" output going into the 2 Polytone amps as well as a third split going through a standalone RS Modulator and into an old Ampeg J12. The L21S and XK-3's sim are set at 0 for slow speed. I have 2 pedals stacked so that when I switch from slow to fast the Polytones go from slow to fast and the XK-S and L21S go from stopped to fast. Or I can kick the switch on the Exp. pedal and speed up just the L21S and XK-S Sim. Also, I replaced the spring in the pedal to the XK-3 with a much stiffer spring so I can hit the stack and speed up just the Polytones or press it to the floor and speed up everything. Usually I have the RS Modulator set either on fast (but actually a medium speed) with low intensity or slow with higher intensity. In either case the volume is just barely audible in the mix so it acts more like a slight chorus but doesn't fight with the other Leslies etc. I also run this line through an old Tube Works Blue Tube rack unit that I put a 12AU7 in the the distortion channel and a 12AT7 in the clean/stack channel. I can get extra overdrive if I want it and since the tubes have low gain compared to 12AX7's, I don't send too hot a signal to the RS Mod. and amp. And it all sounds great. :thu:
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Originally posted by Billdar:

Those messages to Jazz+ must be tongue and cheek.

Why yes, they are! Hence the :D and ;) "emoticons," or whatever they are called. It is meant to be a light jab at a kindred gear lover that can't quite ever be satisfied with anything in their live rig and thus continues to obsessively quest for the latest and greatest. I'm very similar in this regard, but have been a bit more stable lately (hasn't stopped me from having GAS that keeps me up at night, however). :D The only difference is that I don't go out of my way to bring down various products and brands in quite the way some folks have done in the past. ;)

 

Regards,

Eric

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The other night at a rehearsal I played through a Sunn Bass amp with 15" woofer and small Peavey cabinet with two 10" and a tweeter. It was a bit bright. but man it didn't suffer from the horrible mid-range sound I've heard on so many keyboard amps. I really enjoyed playing through it. I definately cut through. That particular setup would be a lot of equipment to carry around. This new Roland looks interesting, plus it can serve as a PA for duos/trios.

 

Busch.

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Originally posted by burningbusch:

The other night at a rehearsal I played through a Sunn Bass amp with 15" woofer and small Peavey cabinet with two 10" and a tweeter. It was a bit bright. but man it didn't suffer from the horrible mid-range sound I've heard on so many keyboard amps. I really enjoyed playing through it. I definately cut through. That particular setup would be a lot of equipment to carry around. This new Roland looks interesting, plus it can serve as a PA for duos/trios.

 

Busch.

How did that work? Did you have a cross over in front of it or did it all drive off the one head.

 

I have wondered about the possibilities of a bass amp with some high end tacked on somehow.

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Thank you burningbush and Billdar.

Harry Likas was the Technical Editor of Mark Levine's "The Jazz Theory Book" and helped develop "The Jazz Piano Book." Find 700 of Harry’s piano arrangements of standards for educational purposes and jazz piano tutorials at www.Patreon.com/HarryLikas

 

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Originally posted by Jazz+:

Thank you burningbush and Billdar, I appreciate your responses. I was hoping to get a few other reasonable replies too, to help take my mind off things. But, instead I get the same old put down jokes that rehash the same old jabs. I'm sorry but I am not having a very good week, my partner of twenty years died a very painful death from Leukemia 48 hours ago. It gives me insight into why Ken Hughes split this board.

Hey man,

 

I am sincerely saddened to hear about your loss and I mean it. In spite of my frequent "jabs" (which you have to admit are somewhat deserved given your colorful history :) ) I do have respect for you and I am a kindred soul to the end. I am sorry about what has happened and if there is anyting I can do to help you, I will do it. I've tried to connect with you over the years, but it has not yet happened. I'll keep trying if you will listen.

 

Take care Jazz+ and I'll have you in my thoughts and prayers, for sure. I am granting utmost sincerity here. No jabs or silly postings this time, for sure!!! :)

 

Regards,

Eric

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Man, I am really sorry to hear this; please, accept my condolences as well.
Korg PA3X Pro 76 and Kronos 61, Roland G-70, Integra 7 and BK7-m, Casio PX-5S, Fender Stratocaster with Fralin pickups, Fender Stratocaster with Kinman pickups, 1965 Gibson SG Standard
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Sorry for your loss jazz+. I know I'm one of the one's who needles you, but please understand, it's all in good humor and there is never any malice or ill will intended.

 

Be strong.

Live: Korg Kronos 2 88, Nord Electro 5d Nord Lead A1

Toys: Roland FA08, Novation Ultranova, Moog LP, Roland SP-404SX, Roland JX10,Emu MK6

www.bksband.com

www.echoesrocks.com

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My condolences for your loss, Jazz+ ...

 

For the record, my post was not intended as a putdown, but rather was a tongue-in-cheek inquiry as to whether you were going to buy it or not.

 

I'd suggest that perhaps some time off to deal with your loss, and the (understandable) increase in sensitivity to things around you, you might want to take a respite from a forum where most people don't know you, and can't possibly know what goes on in your daily life.

 

Cheers,

SG

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  • 4 weeks later...

Jazz+ my heartfelt condolences go out to you. I am certain most of us regulars respect you and your talent. It is always tougher to play solo gigs and I wanted you to know I aspire to get where you are one day.

 

My prayers are with you in your lose.

Jimmy

 

Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others. Groucho

NEW BAND CHECK THEM OUT

www.steveowensandsummertime.com

www.jimmyweaver.com

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  • 1 month later...

The Groove Tubes SFX-100 went back. I just couldn't get it to sound decent.

 

The SA-300 is now available and I'm trying one out. So far it looks very promising. I think it sounds very good overall. Maybe a little bright, but not a harshness more of the brightness you need to cut through in a live setting. There's a three band EQ if you feel the need to trim it back some. Plenty of bass. There is a WIDE button that does a nice job of creating a wider sound without any noticable artifacts. Stereo acoustic pianos, stereo chorus and auto-pan all sound very good. It's not the dramatic effect you get with wider speaker separation, but it sounds just fine to me.

 

Carrying two 25lbs cabinets in each hand feels a hell of a lot lighter than one 50 lbs cabinet.

 

The built-in mixer is nicely done and you have XLR outs (with ground lift) to go to FOH.

 

This thing has a lot of versatility. Certainly for a jazz player it has plenty of power. I can double as a PA if you have vocals. In a louder group it should have plenty of power as your personal monitor, assuming a good portion of the sound is coming out the mains.

 

It is expensive and you could argue that you can buy two Mackie 450s for the same price, but they weigh a lot more, you still need a mixer, they take up much more room on stage and they're more of a pain to setup. With the SA-300 you plug in one AC cord and then a small cord that connects the top unit to the sub. The top unit can be pole mounted.

 

First gig is tonight.

 

Busch.

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Let us know how it goes... I just tried the GT SFX-100, and thought it had a very clean sound. There's no question it's not loud enough for you to sit between your drummer and guitarist in a rock setting, but even so, I was really impressed that it didn't break up or honk when I pushed it hard... the ceiling of volume was still really clean.

Stephen Fortner

Principal, Fortner Media

Former Editor in Chief, Keyboard Magazine

Digital Piano Consultant, Piano Buyer Magazine

 

Industry affiliations: Antares, Arturia, Giles Communications, MS Media, Polyverse

 

 

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