Hey guys!

I just bought a new keyboard (MOX8) and need to buy an amp. I will be using this 95% in my home office/studio/spare bedroom and the other 5% might be taking it to a few friends places to play a bit. No real Gigs… just for fun.

I’m curious if the guy at GC was right when he said I should be more than happy with a Roland KC-150 or Kc-350?

Would either of those be plenty? Would I be missing out at home by not having a pair of speakers (Stereo) instead of one of these single amps?

I guess the Mic plug-in is nice, in case I wanted to add a mic.

What would you use for these needs?

Thanks!!

Jon

Hi. I use a KC-350 for church duty, and am pretty happy with it (for a band setting environment)) It’s built like a tank. But sound quality can’t really compare with a good home stereo system. I put my MO6 through a pair of old Polk studio monitors at home. I’m sure Guitar Center would let you put one through a workout. Do your homework before a purchase. I’m sure others will contribute suggestions. Good luck! G.P.

Yamaha stagepas300 or 500. There is no other choice in my opinion. Considering that your spare room is no doubt a fairly small space verses an outside event at your friends BBQ, this system will serve you well in both settings. The 500 has more power and additional connections to the mixer. I quite often play on a Stagepas 500 (just yesterday in fact) and think they are perfect for smaller spaces.

Another major consideration with moving your stuff around is weight and overall portability. The Stagepas system is really nothing more to carry that two fairly small speakers. Add two light weight speaker stands, and you have a system that works well in a party-like setting because the speakers are up off the ground and can be easily placed at head level for those listening,

Keyboard amps tend to be larger floor mounted things that are heavy, hard to carry and won’t fit in most cars along with all your other stuff. (I personally think that Roland keyboard amps are one step above white noise generators, but that’s just a opinion.)

Powered speakers are another choice, but require a mixer in between you and the speaker to be effective, and they are heavy.

Of course there are other systems out there by Fender, etc., but whatever you do, make sure you maintain a true stereo connection. Plugging left and right into a non-stereo system is not stereo - it’s just a really bad sound. 

Bob

The only kc amp any good is the kc880!  if u play out of a kc 550 u sound bad and most keyboard player sound bad because of there amp.

Though a new s90xs owner, I’ve used a KC-300 for years. For small/mid-size rooms with my P30 piano I get comments that it’s the best piano sound people have heard. For large gigs, it’s my stage monitor. I’d buy another (a 350 now) for larger and stereo benefits.

Just my opinion,

I own two Barbetta Amps (Sona 41c).  They have 550 watts of brutal, but clean sound.  I highly recommend these amps, however I cannot say that I am pleased with the service.

Check out http://www.barbetta.com

Kenny

Behringer KX 1800FX.  I have had two of them for going on 3 years and I love them.  Very clean sound (unlike my experience with Roland’s!) and decent enough power for most needs.  Tons of routing/mixing capability with 4 channels.  And yes, I’ve used at TRS cable to connect them “in stereo” and it works swimmingly.  Really love me these amps.

We’ve used them to simply amplify keyboards as well as for smaller rooms...acting as our entire PA.  Wouldn’t want to do that with only 1 of them (which is why I bought 2).

http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/K1800FX.aspx

Sincerely,

Kevin B. Selby

Based on the description of what you’ll be using it for, I’d say those amps will be just fine for you.  No need to spend the money on anything more.

dmc

I play through a KC550 (Roland) on stage and agree it sounds like crap.  At home I only use headphones to practice, and I always run through the PA mains whenever we play live.  I just use it for my stage monitor, which I guess is how I justify this atrosity.  I’ve not had people comment but I hear it.

I’d like to upgrade someday, perhaps this year, and like the OP, I’m not sure what I should upgrade to.  I play venues between 100 people and 500 people, typically.

I bought a Roland KC550 which was highly recommended at Guitar Center and hated it.  I couldn’t wait to get rid of it.  I now use QSC K10’s with a small mixer and it sounds great.

okdk - 27 August 2013 02:07 PM

I bought a Roland KC550 which was highly recommended at Guitar Center and hated it.  I couldn’t wait to get rid of it.  I now use QSC K10’s with a small mixer and it sounds great.

I still don’t like my KC550.  I don’t care enough to hate it, I always play in venues with quality PA systems and i’ve other things to be concerned with.  but it sucks imo.

It is easy for gigs, i can stack my tote of chords and pedals and such and other things on top and roll it all into the venue.  that is its best feature: the wheels.

I play through a KC550 (Roland) on stage and agree it sounds like crap.  At home I only use headphones to practice, and I always run through the PA mains whenever we play live.  I just use it for my stage monitor, which I guess is how I justify this atrosity.  I’ve not had people comment but I hear it.

Hey motidave, every time I read this I get a laugh. Brutally honest, I feel your pain. I’ve always figured if it looks like a guitar amp, it sounds like a guitar amp.

Stone

stoneb3 - 06 November 2013 03:05 PM

I play through a KC550 (Roland) on stage and agree it sounds like crap.  At home I only use headphones to practice, and I always run through the PA mains whenever we play live.  I just use it for my stage monitor, which I guess is how I justify this atrosity.  I’ve not had people comment but I hear it.

Hey motidave, every time I read this I get a laugh. Brutally honest, I feel your pain. I’ve always figured if it looks like a guitar amp, it sounds like a guitar amp.

Stone

LOL, no respectable guitarist would ever use a KC550 :).

The Keyboard amp does have wheels… What do you get about 180Watts, a 15” and a piezo, weighs at least 70 pounds or more…

Contrast at near the same price point a StagePas 400i ... Stereo, 200Watts a side, weighs under 40 pounds total, option carry bag w/wheels. Its high fidelity sound and power output is ideal for keyboards, vocals, etc…

But those specs don’t tell you what you’re ears are going to tell you, please stop by your local music shop and ask to hear your favorite keyboard through the StagePas… Be sure to plug in with two cables to the stereo channels ( they have the little keyboard icon on them).

While there try the StagePas 600i (340Watts per channel), and if you really want to hear something step up to the DXRs.

I apologize if I offended any owners of Roland amps. That was not my intent and I’m sorry. Roland makes some fine gear and I own much of it. Their keyboard amps aren’t for me and I realize others may be perfectly happy with them. Just a matter of taste, I suppose. I did fine motidave’s post hilarious, particularly in his mention of justifying this “atrocity”. I felt bad for this poor guy unhappy with his amp but couldn’t stop laughing due to the way he put it. While I was able to quote his post I wasn’t able to gray it out as others do and may have added some confusion to the posting. Hopefully I can learn how to do this in the future.

I believe I’ve had experience with most all of what has been offered in terms of live keyboard sound reinforcement. I’ve been a lifetime advocate of JBL and have recently made the switch to the DXR15’s. Fantastic system. One thing I won’t do is compromise my stage sound. I’ve invested heavily in my gear and a profound amount of programming time and I refuse to not be able to hear and enjoy it. Not on my watch.

Stone

stoneb3 - 07 November 2013 03:54 PM

I believe I’ve had experience with most all of what has been offered in terms of live keyboard sound reinforcement. I’ve been a lifetime advocate of JBL and have recently made the switch to the DXR15’s. Fantastic system. One thing I won’t do is compromise my stage sound. I’ve invested heavily in my gear and a profound amount of programming time and I refuse to not be able to hear and enjoy it. Not on my watch.

Stone

Hey stoneb3, you can add me to the list of quietly cringing Roland KC500/550 owners!

What I am really interested in is your decision to go with the 15” size of the DXR’s.  I think we can all agree that the DXR line is excellent, and I am guessing you considered the smaller sizes (let’s say the DXR10’s) in your descision-making process(?).

The 10” size seems to lend itself to more economical stage placement/footprint for a keyboard rig.  Also, the frequency response specs. for the 10’s, 12’s, and 15’s are not really significantly different (on paper anyway).

The 15’s are quite a bit larger.  Did you rule out the 10’s...perhaps with an added subwoofer...and if so can you expound a bit on how you arrived at the decision to buy the 15” size?

I am really interested in picking up a couple of the DXR’s, so any benefit of experience you have in arriving at the size decision would be useful.