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Column Speaker for Solo Piano


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Did a quick back to back ceremony and cocktail hour recently. Tried to save myself some setup hassle, skipped the PA monitor.

 

Ok Casio PX-560 internal speakers were almost loud enough to play with a violin in a boomy reflective room. I could have brought a single PA speaker or the Space Station, but I"d have used it set very low as reinforcement.

 

Internal speakers, definitely not enough for a cocktail hour. If I use a wedge or amp on the floor it"s still very directional. Could use a pole to get the speaker in the air.

 

Has anyone tried using these little column speaker PAs for solo piano, electric piano - maybe occasional organ? I have this picture in my mind of it being fairly easy to carry. Providing just enough treble/mid throw and some oomph of the bass on the floor.

 

Cost wise they go from:

 

Behringer C210 - $249

 

Turbosound, EV, Peavey, etc. $1199-1499

 

I have seen DJs going this route lately and singer/acoustic guitarists as well. Haven"t heard it with digital piano yet. Just curious.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Been using a Bose L1 compact for solo piano gigs with a Yamaha p255. Duo gigs with a vocalist, and Trio where I play LH bass- where I put the sax player in there too. I've also run real piano via a barcus berry pickup into it when I'm doing a cocktail/dinner sets in larger ballrooms.

 

I've tried it on R& R gigs, and it had a hard time keeping up. But for any cocktail-ceremony, small restaurant, low impact corporate-country club dinner hour stuff it's been wonderful. I'll be a hero if let the client do any speaking through it as well.

Have never had a problem with it. Lightweight, easy to load. I do wish it had FX and phantom power. I think EV and other have similar systems now that might be competitively priced.

 

If you go to my swing band page and promise not to cringe, you'll see a ton of videos using it.

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Chris Corso

www.chriscorso.org

Lots of stuff.

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Don't laugh, but I have really good results with the JBL Eon One. (not the Pro One) the original model. I play all the Kurz pianos into it as well as Pianoteq and it sounds great. It's also quite a deal cheaper than those ones IIRC

There is no luck - luck is simply the confluence of circumstance and co-incidence...

 

Time is the final arbiter for all things

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I have had good luck with the Bose L1 Model 1S playing AP/EP/DP, which splits the difference between the Compact and the full Model II. Great sound, great dispersion, has enough power to be authoritative, etc. More than enough for cocktail hour, lounge and patio-type stuff. Can even stand up to some modest blues and rock.

 

Buy used if you can. I think I paid $800 for mine, ToneMatch and bass cab included. It was pretty beat up, but works great.

 

All the pole speaker stuff should work well for AP/EP/DPs in this setting. The mini-line-array tops are crisp, clean and project well. The wide dispersion covers the entire performance area nicely. No monitors, either.

 

Not a fan of the Compact model sound-wise, although I do appreciate its modest schlep factor.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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In my view there is always the balance scale upon which you place two opposing concepts: shelp vs sound quality. If you're rich then you're done; if not, the money part will also weigh something.

 

I recently mentioned a gig where I was told I'd be playing cocktail hour on a real piano, then found out at the last minute that I was actually on the third floor terrace and would need my gear. I had it in my car but didn't have enough time for two trips to shlep both my keyboard and K8s. The violin player had brought a Bose stick (not exactly sure of the model)**. He saved my ass by offering me an input; for that I'm grateful, so what follows is not meant to bust on him in any way. There is no way in hell I would be doing gigs with this thing. My NI Grandeur was anything but "grand" â it sounded like a rompler piano from the 1990s. My friend-who-saved-the-gig's violin sounded excellent though!

 

Having said this, of course the only thing that matters is if you're happy with your sound â which of course I can't speak to. You did ask for opinions! I know there are certain sonic advantages with these sticks, such as coverage and sound spread, that are selling points. I need stereo to be happy, so if I went this route there would be two sticks to break down and pack away. Aside from the sound, I also like the idea of picking up a speaker like my K with its built-in handle and I'm off. Nothing to set up or tear down there.

 

My preference for cocktail-hour type gigs would probably be two of these guys or something similar: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PK108A--behringer-pk108a-240w-8-inch-powered-speaker-with-bluetooth. I am not recommending these specific models (never heard them) and aamof would have zero need for its bells & whistles like BT. I'm only saying that the basic parameters â 250w, 15 lbs each, are what I'd be looking for in a small, light and powerful enough speaker to get me through those small gigs.

 

**This Bose broke down into two pieces - the base had a plastic column that retracted into it. You extended that and placed the actual speaker stick on top. The speaker stick was around 12"-15" long. I forgot if the mixer part was separate or built into the base.

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Quick addendum to my last post: many years ago I did a gig with what appeared to be a well-equipped sound company doing sound. The monitor engineer had a tiny powered speaker he was using to check indidual mixes. I was very intrigued by this (I was shlepping two 57-lb Mackie SRM450s to gigs at that time!). This is the updated version of what I saw, and I think I would be seriously considering this if I knew I'd be doing a lot of small local gigs as a solo or duo:

 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/fbt_j5a_j_series.htm?sid=b13ce2a62184f44c7346885647939c2e

 

7.5 lbs! (3.4kg). The only drag I see is that there's no handle!

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My preference for cocktail-hour type gigs would probably be two of these guys or something similar: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/PK108A--behringer-pk108a-240w-8-inch-powered-speaker-with-bluetooth. I am not recommending these specific models (never heard them) and aamof would have zero need for its bells & whistles like BT. I'm only saying that the basic parameters â 250w, 15 lbs each, are what I'd be looking for in a small, light and powerful enough speaker to get me through those small gigs.

 

**This Bose broke down into two pieces - the base had a plastic column that retracted into it. You extended that and placed the actual speaker stick on top. The speaker stick was around 12"-15" long. I forgot if the mixer part was separate or built into the base.

 

Two thoughts. First, it looks like FBT is aiming to give RCF a run for their money. As I'm looking for new PA gear, their name is coming up on forums etc. I may try one of their products, just out of curiosity if nothing else.

 

Second, it sounds like you're describing the Bose Compact model. I was polite before, now I'm not -- it's too chintzy for me. Nasty 100Hz +10dB peak. A frequency response curve that looks like ocean waves. Very hard to EQ. Boxy sound. Etc. I bought one used on a whim, tried it a few times and now it's gathering dust.

 

I can see it working well for a singing guitarist, though.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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Interesting. Ok, I don"t want to buy to try - so my local dealers are going to get a visit and a purchase.

 

I"m going to try that dead cheap Behringer column speaker out of curiosity. The Turbosound iNSPIRE iP500 V2, Bose L1, and a pair of these compact near fields on a pole.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Too funny. I thought I was the only one with a pair of the FBT J5s. At least 10 years ago I bought them on Amazon for about $550. Wanted to have an easy setup with stereo speakers for low volume gigs. They sounded okay. Better than Mackie SRM150 or Alexis Transacoustic. But not great. So I returned then to Amazon. They refunded my money and told me to keep the two speakers! Yes, once and a while fate smiles.

 

I"ve used them successfully in two situations since then. A steady Sunday brunch piano/upright bass gig. Very quiet. And as a vocal PA with an acoustic grand. Serviceable. But not stellar. For DP the sound worked ok with a CP4 which doesn"t have a very detailed sound. But with a Nord Piano 2 the sample was degraded from the original. For vocal it was ok as well, but I have a bass-baritone voice and the fundamental didn"t get through.

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Two thoughts. First, it looks like FBT is aiming to give RCF a run for their money. As I'm looking for new PA gear, their name is coming up on forums etc. I may try one of their products, just out of curiosity if nothing else.

It's interesting that according to the spec sheets, this tiny FBT puts out more sound (113 dB Continuous, 117 dB Peak) than the budget Behringer stick (Maximum Peak SPL 106 dB). We can only assume that they measured at the "agreed on" distance you usually see for this spec (1 meter); the Behringer explicitely states this, the FTB does not.

 

Second, it sounds like you're describing the Bose Compact model. I was polite before, now I'm not -- it's too chintzy for me. Nasty 100Hz +10dB peak. A frequency response curve that looks like ocean waves. Very hard to EQ. Boxy sound. Etc. I bought one used on a whim, tried it a few times and now it's gathering dust.

 

I can see it working well for a singing guitarist, though.

And it worked nicely for the violinist who saved the day for me. He sounded fine through it â and I was happy to use it, as much as the sound was lacking compared to my usual setup.

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Too funny. I thought I was the only one with a pair of the FBT J5s. At least 10 years ago I bought them on Amazon for about $550. Wanted to have an easy setup with stereo speakers for low volume gigs. They sounded okay. Better than Mackie SRM150 or Alexis Transacoustic. But not great. So I returned then to Amazon. They refunded my money and told me to keep the two speakers! Yes, once and a while fate smiles.

Good to hear a first hand and real-world perspective. The search continues for the tiny-super-lightweight-yet-great-sounding PPA speaker!

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The dB rating for pole-type columns will be significantly less that traditional point sources. As an example, at 1 meter the Bose L1 Model 1S is barely above 100 dB -- but it radiates perfectly through 180 degrees, which is precisely what makes it useful for acoustic-style gigs. Besides, you don't need (or want) much volume in these settings, but it has to sound good to me.

 

All the usual suspects (K8.2, FBT, etc.) project a more narrow cone, so placement matters much more. Oh, that trick Bose shows with the column behind the microphone -- yeah, it actually works pretty well up to a point, so no need for monitors, etc. I too am a stereo fan, but for small acoustic gigs no one really cares, including me. I did try a pair of Bose L1 Model IIs once. Trust me, it's not worth the hassle.

 

In case anyone is interested, my next FOH rig will be a pair of QSC KS118s and a pair the newer Presonus CDL12p. Given my great experience with the RCF J8s, I really want one of those mini-line-array heads in my next FOH rig, as they are incredibly crisp, throw a good distance and spread well in the horizontal plane. Good speaker stuff is so inexpensive these days.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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I too am a stereo fan, but for small acoustic gigs no one really cares, including me.

Sometimes I wish I didn't care! It's tough though, especially when you know you're gonna play good music with excellent musicians. Am I cursed that most of my gigs fall under that category? You want to present your A-game in your sound if for nothing else than to stand out over the other keyboard players that don't care as much. I've gone to some jazz jam sessions with excellent piano players that carry their heavy 88-key weighted-action monsters and amplify through a Roland KC - and have no idea how bad it sounds! It's their "normal."

 

There might be some throwaway gigs where I wouldn't care if I was using a transistor radio to be heard. Usually it's the ones with the most heinous shleps that have me leaving one of my K8s behind. In those situations I still say a speaker with a handle beats two bags of stuff I have to assemble â but each person has their own tolerance level for that kind of thing.

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I use a pair of Alto TX 210's for this kind of stuff. Not sure of the weight, but I can carry one with its handle and put the other one in the crook of my elbow no problem. With the Casio Px5S in my other hand, load in is all of 2 trips to the car (stands and small mixer/cord bag in trip #2) neither trip wears me out. They sound fine at low to medium volume. As long as you don't push them hard the work great. For loud stages they would not be able to keep up, but I have other gear for such purposes....
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I saw Ron Carter playing some gigs (pre-rona) and he was using a small speaker on a pole head height directly behind him. I don't know if it's because he's getting up in age or a small amp on the floor the sound is getting blocked by feet and tables. When I used to play pit band gigs I would put my guitar amp on a chair to hear better. Another pit gig where the band was on stage standing along back of stage I put amp on a stool to get it up off floor to hear better. Also getting the amp up I was able to use a smaller amp. Now getting the amp up off floor will reduce some of the bass response.
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If I didn't use a column-type speaker for a small acoustic gig (e.g wanted to get a bit louder, maybe project more in a specific direction, etc.) it'd be three speakers: a pair of 8"s on poles facing the audience, and a single 8" as a floor monitor for everyone. A lot of folks use the K8.2s for this, including myself. This kind of rig scales a bit larger. Both approaches sound pretty good to my ears.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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Never mentioned since Geoff's NAMM 2018 thread, the Korg Konnekt.

 

Woefully underequipped for its suggested use, or surprisingly capable for its weight and size?

 

Output Power for WooferMax 140W (PEAK)

Output Power for TweeterMax 20W x 2 (PEAK)

Frequency Response (-10 dB) 55Hzâ20kHz

Speakers6.5' + 1' x 2 (16.5 cm + 2.5 cm x 2)

Weight5.3 kg/11.68 lbs.

Speaker stand mounting diameter35 mm / 1.38" (only compatible with the separately sold ST-S80 speaker stand)

Included ItemsAC adapterAccessories (sold separately)

 

VOICING: 5 types when using KONNECT aloneMUSIC (GENERAL), MALE VOCAL, FEMALE VOCAL, ELECTRIC GUITAR, ACOUSTIC GUITAR

VOICING: 17 types when using KONNECT appMUSIC (GENERAL), MUSIC (ROCK/BLUES), MUSIC (JAZZ), MUSIC (CLASSIC), MUSIC (COUNTRY), MALE VOCAL, FEMALE VOCAL, ELECTRIC GUITAR, ACOUSTIC GUITAR, E GUITAR CAB SIM, BASS, SLAP BASS, KEYBOARD, RHYTHM MACHINE, CAJORN, BRASS, WOODWIND

REVERB: 4 typesSMALL, MEDIUM ,LARGE, LARGE & BRIGHTFX: 3 types when using KONNECT appCOMPRESSOR, CHORUS, DELAY

 

e5135b4b82d3fe98a34d7ee586998c6c_pc.jpg

 

4767c0dc74fe685c5c8389147b5d32e3_pc.jpg

 

7952d31a25b9a9e74abad434f5b9aa4d_pc.jpg

 

[video:youtube]

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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I always forget about that Korg Konnect! I wonder how it compares to the Vox VX50KB, both in sound quality and in volume.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Hmmm. JBL also makes a column solution.

However they have an Eon One Compact with 8' woofer, 1' tweeter that does 37.5-20k, 112db max SPL, 150W, 4 channel mixer, runs 6 hours on user swappable rechargeable battery. 17.6 lbs.

 

Has a stereo mode if you have two. USB ports to charge something off the battery. Design can do upright on floor, angled on floor, or put on pole.

 

jbl-professional-eon-one-compact-bluetooth-portable-pa-system-with-backpack-package-584.jpg

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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The problem with the Korg Konnect is that it has no line out jacks, so it's entirely self-contained. You can't use it as a personal monitor and still feed your keys out to the mains, which would be a handly secondary use for the box.

 

The Eon One Compact (and Bose S1 Pro) provide that output, though you lose the stereo option of the Konnect.

 

If you don't need mixing facilities, I kinda like the Turbosound Inspire iP300 for being lightweight and passable just sitting on the floor, no need to bother with a stand.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Thanks Scott, always thinking and helpful.

 

Ok the line out is not too big a deal to me. In that situation I usually go to DI box and feed the monitor from there. I"m curious about the stereo imagery on the Korg - with the single woofer, I imagine the signal is split to the two amplifiers on the tweeters. The whole setup is in that little box. I really need to hear what it sounds like reproducing a stereo piano sample set.

 

I saw the ip300 - it"s a little heavier (27.xx lbs), a little taller, no option to run off battery. Otherwise, the audio specs are attractive. Location of the handle is nice. They also have a bag. It doesn"t seem to have a tilt position to use as wedge, but you can place it on a pole.

 

 

For these good paying but inconvenient load ins where I need to get there early, go through service entrance sometimes through kitchen, elevator and have to switch rooms (sometimes twice from ceremony to cocktail to bandstand). I am past my vanity days - the PX-560 is perfect for this. Light, shoulder strap bag with pockets for cable, attachable music stand to hold my iPad (no carry of separate music stand, check). I"m on the hunt for lightweight, good sounding supplemental amplification and a light keyboard stand that breaks down small and is a light and easy carry. I don"t want to walk back to the car but to park it for the night and again to drive home.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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I"m curious about the stereo imagery on the Korg - with the single woofer, I imagine the signal is split to the two amplifiers on the tweeters. The whole setup is in that little box. I really need to hear what it sounds like reproducing a stereo piano sample set.

Yeah, I'm not expecting any stereo imaging whatsoever. But for those pianos that simply don't sound right in mono, it might at least make them sound better, even if they don't effectively make them sound stereo per se.

 

I saw the ip300 - it"s a little heavier (27.xx lbs), a little taller, no option to run off battery. Otherwise, the audio specs are attractive. Location of the handle is nice.

...

I"m on the hunt for lightweight, good sounding supplemental amplification and a light keyboard stand that breaks down small and is a light and easy carry.

Yeah, the ip300 is a bit big and heavy to fit that spec. But it's an interesting alternative for a moderate volume need where someone doesn't want to be bothered with the additional nuisance of carrying, setting up, and placing a tripod stand, and lifting a speaker onto it, if that's the scenario that is called for.

 

For another alternative if you don't need any mixing functionality, the Behringer B208D is cheap, 15 lbs (a bit lighter than the JBL Eon Compact or Bose S1), pretty loud and not terrible sounding, albeit a bit bass shy. Again, no battery operation, though.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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I came across this LR Baggs unit while browsing. It keeps catching my eye. Very pricey, but looks designed for maximum portability+great sound. Although it was designed for acoustic guitarists, I bet APs sound pretty good through it as well.

 

Buy once, cry once they say. But you'd cry a lot here .. at $1299 USD

https://www.lrbaggs.com/speaker/synapse-personal-pa-system

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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Another that's not quite what Elmer is looking for but interesting nonetheless... I wonder what the Fishman SA330x is like.

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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