Amplifying Keys with Unleash?

I'm trying to find out, before I maybe buy a keyboard, if I can use my Bad Cat unleash to amplify a Nord/Yamaha/Roland keyboard and run it into my 2x12?

Or any other way (home hifi) to lesson the initial cost...

Thanks if anyone knows 
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Comments

  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    You can use any power amp and speakers and it will work, but it might not sound quite how you're expecting through a guitar cab - there's no real top-end and it may sound very dull.

    It will also work through a home hi-fi, but be careful not to turn it up too loud, the speakers aren't usually robust enough to take a musical instrument signal at anything above very low volume. Fine for home practice though.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • jackiojackio Frets: 132
    Thanks that's helpful. Just to be clear if I can, I can take a guitar instrument cable out of the keys, into the front of the unleash and unleash to cab?

    Yes, I had heard that a 2x12 will not be best for sound but as a stop-gap for practice it may do for a short while
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  • LastMantraLastMantra Frets: 3822
    edited November 2019
    I've done it plenty with my wems. Used guitar fx pedals too to get some cool sounds. So much better than the inbuilt speakers. 

    I think it's generally good practice to turn all levels down, connect, turn on, then slowly raise levels.

    I'm no expert though and have blown things up in the past!  B
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  • I would definitely use my guitar amp before my hifi. 
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  • jackiojackio Frets: 132
    Ha ha, like it LM...and thank you for the advice

    I'm still not sure if my Unleash will work, keys>unleash>cab
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    jackio said:

    I'm still not sure if my Unleash will work, keys>unleash>cab
    Yes, it will. You need to plug it into the FX return not the input though. And be very careful with the volume setting on the keyboard to start with, as LastMantra said.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • jackiojackio Frets: 132
    Ah yes, the FX input...that seems obvious now, of course. Thanks very much
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  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 10357
    I use a Hi Fi amp amp and speakers ..... some organ patches might sound lo fi cool through a guitar speaker but pianos and strings will sound awful !  ..... being they need a good 40Hz to 17K or so to sound authentic and guitar speakers are basically just mid 
    Be careful with low octave synth notes, they contain a fair but of energy and can blow a speaker without you even being able to hear anything while it's happening. 
    www.2020studios.co.uk 
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  • jackiojackio Frets: 132
    Yes, this is really useful, thanks all. I am now looking at powered speaker(s) on the web. 

    As I want great piano and electrician sounds, I'm going to need to change direction aren't I and get the correct kit
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  • goldtopgoldtop Frets: 6101
    jackio said:
    As I want great piano and electrician sounds, I'm going to need to change direction aren't I and get the correct kit
    Sparks covers?

    In a pinch, I sometimes use the stereo/line of the Yamaha THR series. That's full-range (unlike the processed guitar signal).
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  • jackiojackio Frets: 132
    Oh yes, electrician sounds, electrocution screams. You know, the usual :) :0

    Electric piano

    The THR is interesting, thanks for the suggestion. I believe (though don't know) that keys require much larger wattage than guitars?? But that can't be true for just home practise is it?
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    jackio said:

    The THR is interesting, thanks for the suggestion. I believe (though don't know) that keys require much larger wattage than guitars?? But that can't be true for just home practise is it?
    Not really for home playing. They do need much more power and headroom for an equivalent volume, to reproduce the full frequency range without distortion, but since home volume for a guitar is well under 1 watt, for keyboards even if it was ten times as much (it isn't, it's four at most) it would barely make any difference.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • jackiojackio Frets: 132
    Great, this is answering many questions for me :)
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