Gig monitor for keyboard

thomasw88

Been using  a Yamaha  DXR10  and don't really like it with a keyboard. Sounds harsh.

Anything worth looking at?  Keyboard amp or PA speaker?  

horse

I've used the older original qsc k10 for quite a few years, and always liked how it sounds - pianos sound good which seems to be the main challenge often

paulmapp8306

Your never going to get a fantastic monitored sound live really.   I use in ears mostly - which is as good as the ear buds - but I have a full band mix that I control so Im still "in the moment" as it were.

Failing that I use a Yamaha DSR12.   You need a 12 for the low end of keys - far too many sounds need them, and you need decent power for that low end as well.  The DXR are a level below the DSR (they have since been replaced by the DZR).  Its still not great - I much prefer the in ears as far as sound quality goes - but its useable.

Anything with onboard DSP EQ is useful of course - the QSC K12 Mk 2 do I THINK (you'd have to check) .  the Yam DZRs certainly do.  

thomasw88

Cheers for that.  

I'll look to sell the Yam I think.    

Keyboard amps not worth looking at?  something like Behringer K900FX for example?  This is just for stage monitoring so not needing something that will go out front.

horse

General opinion sometimes seems to be that keyboard amps might sound ok for synth / organ, but less good for piano tones - so might depend on what you need. I find the smallish powered speakers quite handy for portability and angle it like a monitor. Would often have main PA monitor too to hear the rest of the band - like using my qsc a bit more like backline.

paulmapp8306

thomasw88 said:

Cheers for that.  

I'll look to sell the Yam I think.    

Keyboard amps not worth looking at?  something like Behringer K900FX for example?  This is just for stage monitoring so not needing something that will go out front.

not really in this day and age.  There not Full range - often hyped in one area.  there generally heavy too.   a Powered Pa top is generally the best option for speaker type monitoring.   They had their use before powered PA cabs became decent and cheap(ish).

thomasw88

Still looking for something.  

I tried my RCF Art 712, and that's sounded the best so far.     Pianos' don't sound too harsh and its decent across the board.  But I use the RCF's for full band gigs  as FOH and really don't want to use them for keys only gigs as well.   It was a massive improvement over the Mackie thump and the DXR10 though.

 2nd best was actually an acoustic amp (Ashdown Radiator) but it still wasn't great.

Also tried going into the fx return of a Quilter toneblock (set to FRFR setting) and going into a ported 1x12 with Celestion Copperback in it, which are meant to be fairly neutral.   Was usable in a pinch but not as good as the acoustic amp/RCF pa speaker.   A behringer 207mp3 monitor was horrible. 

I've also got a Celestion Bn12-300s speaker lying around somewhere.  This is a bass speaker but was used by Quilter in their guitar amps so should have a decent range.  Will maybe flip that into tho a cab and see how that sounds.

I'm really not looking for anything that will go out FOH just want something that I can use for a monitor that doesn't make piano's sound like a box of wasps,  and is quite cheap and also isn't massive..  A 12inch PA speaker is quite a lot to lug around.
.   I'd go IEM but none of the bands I'm in have them at the moment so would be a bit overkill.

Stratavarious

I use a powered PA top as my monitor that includes synth/keys, but it is fed from the digital desk with processing?  Sound fine. Just need plenty of headroom for keys IME.

Where are you getting your feed from, intercept or an Aux?  

thomasw88

Stratavarious said:

I use a powered PA top as my monitor that includes synth/keys, but it is fed from the digital desk with processing?  Sound fine. Just need plenty of headroom for keys IME.

Where are you getting your feed from, intercept or an Aux?  

So the Yamaha YC73 has XLR outputs,  I'm going direct for monitor from that  into the speaker.  I've reduced the output of the YC73 by 9db.
Then a  through out from the monitor to the desk.  There aren't enough Aux outputs on the desk for me go via that way.

Jalapeno

These are bloody good https://www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_b_205d.htm, really useful thing to have.

There's a 100w version for £85 or so.

thomasw88

Jalapeno said:

These are bloody good https://www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_b_205d.htm, really useful thing to have.

There's a 100w version for £85 or so.

I have these, and also the 207mp3 which is a slightly bigger one.  They distort like feck with  pianos.

Now it might be that theres some eq thing I need to do on the YC73.  But I can't seem to dial it out.  It's  worse higher up the keyboard.

thomasw88

thomasw88 said:

Jalapeno said:

These are bloody good https://www.thomann.de/gb/behringer_b_205d.htm, really useful thing to have.

There's a 100w version for £85 or so.

I have these, and also the 207mp3 which is a slightly bigger one.  They distort like feck with  pianos.

Now it might be that theres some eq thing I need to do on the YC73.  But I can't seem to dial it out.  It's  worse higher up the keyboard.

Update, Tried the behringer 207 again, but cut the output gain by 15db.  Sounds a lot better  like that.   Maybe that's what the issue is, and the yamaha YC73 has hot outputs.

AntonHunter

A few friends of mine have settled on the AER acoustic amps for their keys, seem to sound pretty good.

There's one in the classifieds currently, not cheap new... https://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/256539/fs-aer-compact-60-mk-iii-550-collected-berks#latest

thomasw88

I'm angling towards either getting another Behringer 207 or getting an 8inch RCF or yamaha pa speaker.  Appreciate it may not give the full range of a 12inch speaker but size is a big factor for this.