Need recommendations for keyboard amp

[Pakerdee]

Hi all,

Am considering getting a keyboard amp for my room to jam.
Saw some bad reviews of Hartke KM100 and KM200.
But I do like the price of Hartke and its monitor-like versatile shape.

Saw some mixed reviews of Roland KC-350 and KC-550.
I bet I can only get these at Swee Lee right? (whom I found out ripped me off for my Djembe n percussion I bought yesterday. Almost double the price on musiciansfriend - after Swee Lee's "20% discount" some more!)
Quite pissed now with them...

Any comments?
My budget's about $500

 

[Cheez]

For room use (ie not studio), consider getting monitor speakers instead of amps. You get more defined sound, plus stereo. Amps are too loud and undefined. This will also give you good monitoring during the times you are not jamming but just playing in your room. Kill 2 birds with one stone. Use amps only for live stage monitoring.

If you're a keyboardist, you probably know that we are very particular about how the patches sound, esp if it's stereo or not. The effects of the patches differ by light-years depending on whether we are playing in mono or stereo.

 

[alshit]

I find it ok to run keyboard/synth into a guitar amp with good cleans.

 

[Cheez]

Errr...if that's the case, why don't you just use your guitar amps since you are OK with them? I've done that before, but only at a LAST resort. Never would do it if I could choose.

I find that the purpose of use is key to getting what you want. If you have keyboards, you probably already have monitor speakers right? Why don't just use those? Pump up the volume. If all you have for your keyboards are amps, you'll get into trouble when you want to play by yourself.

Of course, unless the keyboardist in the band only plays simple pads and nothing else. No special effects, no complex patches, and really don't care much about how the patches sound. Then, sure go ahead with a guitar amp. It's still acceptable in some circumstances.

Don't have to spend more money. If you have monitor speakers, use them. If you have guitar amps (and don't mind the sound), use them. If you still want keyboard amps despite all these...well...something like Roland KC-150 can do.

 

[Pakerdee]

thanks Cheez for the advice.

So...
1) Where can I get monitor speakers?
2) What models should I look out for?
3) How much $$ to expect?

4) I'll have to get a mixer in that case right? - same as above 3 qns

I'm thinking long-term btw.

 

[Cheez]

You can get monitor speakers almost anywhere - from Yamaha to Swee Lee to City Music etc. Something simple would do - like Yamaha MS202 if it's still in production. Pump up the volume and you get pretty loud. Definitely in line with amps - and you get it in stereo. I know because I used to use MS202. Will cost within your intended budget - for the pair. Similar speakers are ESI's nEar 05 which I'm using overseas. Again, pump up the volume of the keyboard AND the speakers and you're ready to get complains from neighbours in no time.

You don't need a mixer if you have only one keyboard with no modules. If you have more than one keyboard or are using sound modules other than the sound from the keyboard (ie 2 or more sound sources), you're going to need a mixer whether you are going to use amps or monitor speakers or headphones. If this is the case, you don't need a high end mixer - just a very simple 4 track mixer (depending on the number of sound sources for your keyboardist) with knobs instead of faders - can cost really cheap (eg one of those from Boss). Use it as a simple keyboard mixer, not a band mixer. I've done that quite often - mixing my own keyboard sounds before sending it to the main mixer. But if you've only one keyboard, forget about what I've said.