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All Purpose Amp for Keyboard and etc

int

int

Jan 21, 2002
313
39
47
Phoenix, AZ
#1
I think this applies to my studio primarily so hopefully I hit the right sub forum.

The question is: what amps should I look into?

I have a Casio PX 150 keyboard in my home studio I have been running direct to my soundcard and headphones. Lately I've been writing a lot and I'd like to get a little room vibe in my demos before moving to the real piano in the house, and a real player. I have a little 10" speaker cabinet loaded with an Eminence speaker in it (I forget the watts and ohms but can open it up tomorrow, it can handle my SVT-III Pro at 3 o'clocks) so am thinking a 100 watt to 200 watt solid state amp will suffice. But which one? A quiet, small form factor that is fanless or quiet, lightweight, and has a flat frequency response is ideal so I could use it for this, reamping, and other applications in my single room studio. I'm wary of paying too much for my needs, but price isn't my biggest priority. Especially for this class of product, methinks.

Thanks ahead.
 
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#4
90% of the recording studios I've worked in ran the keys through either a Fender Twin Reverb or a Roland JC-120 when they needed to use an amp at all. They're guitar combo amps, the farthest thing from a FRFR rig, but that's why they wanted to use an amp in the first place...for the "character". Otherwise the keys just go direct.

Okay, the other 10% were probably that Peavey combo amp, I think it was called the KB-300 or something like that? Looks like the TNT bass combo but has a crossover and horn tweeter, plus a bigger power amp section.
 
#5
int said:
I think this applies to my studio primarily so hopefully I hit the right sub forum.

The question is: what amps should I look into?

I have a Casio PX 150 keyboard in my home studio I have been running direct to my soundcard and headphones. Lately I've been writing a lot and I'd like to get a little room vibe in my demos before moving to the real piano in the house, and a real player. I have a little 10" speaker cabinet loaded with an Eminence speaker in it (I forget the watts and ohms but can open it up tomorrow, it can handle my SVT-III Pro at 3 o'clocks) so am thinking a 100 watt to 200 watt solid state amp will suffice. But which one? A quiet, small form factor that is fanless or quiet, lightweight, and has a flat frequency response is ideal so I could use it for this, reamping, and other applications in my single room studio. I'm wary of paying too much for my needs, but price isn't my biggest priority. Especially for this class of product, methinks.

Thanks ahead.
Click to expand...

I’m about to transition from bass to utility player in my band. Theoretically I could go direct and IEMs with my various instruments and modelling pedal. But in the inevitable cases I need amplification, I’m considering this:
PXM-12MP 12” powered coaxial monitor by Electro-Voice

or the less expensive Berhringer option:
Behringer | Product | F1320D

I’d be putting through keys, sampler, electric and acoustic guitar and probably lap steel.
 
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#8
I used to use the KC500. I found it was great for keys or guitar, but struggled with bass. I'd run a POD into one channel and a Zoom into another from a Parker, then DI to FOH, worked great for that, though it struggled when I'd crank it and chug drop C# riffs throughthe Mesa model at high volumes XD

For bass its a little underpowered, and loose in the low end. I probably hsould have also use da pre amp of some sort, had an active Fender Jazz at the time, could have used more character. For lower volume rehearsals it was entirely OK, but I'd want a dedicated amp/cab for live stuff.
 
#9
I also suggest a Roland amp.

RolandAmp.jpg


I got this KC-300 used from GC for $150 and have used it for keyboards, acoustic guitar, and bass with good results.
 
#10
Keyboards are pretty demanding, if you find an amp that works well for the keyboard at volume it will probably work OK for bass.

"Can I use a bass amplifier? Bass amplifiers make great keyboard amps. They tend to be designed for clarity and often have 15” or 4x10” speakers which add up to produce a beautiful frequency range and tight lows. Many keyboardists love using bass amps and get great results."

Good luck with your search...
 

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