From swbeach@worldchat.com Wed Sep 15 13:19:25 2004
Subject:Re: amps
Damon,
I made a committment to 2 KC-550s a while ago, and I can agree with some of the things you're hearing.
First of all, these amps are bulky and heavy. The casters are a must, but even then, one handle on an amp this size is a joke.
So.....I put 2 Peavey strap handles on each to get around that. While I was inside the amp, it was very interesting to see how the amp is put together. The amplifier portion is actually seperated from the preamp and bolted to the very bottom of the amp. I assume this is to keep the power transformer away from the preamp to reduce and extraneous noise in the preamp circuits. I give them credit for that.
I've found that the horn is too powerful for the cabinet, and I am constantly rolling off the high EQ to about 9 o'clock to get it where I'd like to hear it. It would have been perfect if they had put an L-pad in there somewhere to control the level of the horn, because it can bite.
I love everything about the preamp. The patching options are almost limitless and the balanced outputs are great. I've had soundmen compliment me on how good and how easy it was for them to get a great sound. Setup is a breeze.
Where the amp fails in my opinion is in the woofer selection. After having the amp apart and getting a good look at the woofer, it is NOT a bass woofer, and the cone is rather flimsy. I too can make this thing distort, and have when I'm playing left hand bass, or putting my drum machine through it. But I love the bottom end this amp puts out....with the loudness switch in the circuit it just sound so smooth. It's exaclty the sound I was looking for. I just want to be able to push it harder.
So my fix long term..... I'm probably going to replace the woofers with something heavy duty like Yorkville bass speakers or Peavey Black Widows. I really haven't looked around yet. With 2 of these amps, I have ample power for stage monitoring.
Other than the woofers, I'm really happy with my KC-550s.
Steve B.
----- Original Message -----
From: Damon Fibraio
To: clonewheel@yahoogroups.com ; vk_corral@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 1:17 PM
Subject: [CWSG] amps
Folks. I am out of my mind and need your help. Here is my band rig...
Korg Triton Extreme pro
Yamaha Motif es6
Alesis Ion
Roland VK8m
The Alesis is running into a TC Electronic M-300 effects processor. All
keyboards run into a Roland KC550 amplifier. This amp sounds great, mostly,
but I am having problems with heavy sounds, like some synth basses and some
really aggressive leads distorting the amp, plus the VK8m is either too
low, too loud, piercing or some other issue is coming up. I used to use a
Mackie PPM808S powered mixer into a JBL TR105 speaker, 15 inch woofer and a
horn, but kept popping the tweeter and wanted to condense down to one head
and amp combo, which is why I bought the roland amp. It doesn't seem to be
powerful enough, even with the 15 and horn, and my organ has never sounded
right running into it, even though it's always been roland pieces. I want
to trade the KC in and get something better. I don't know what I should
get. I was thinking of getting a cheap Berrenger 12 channel mixer with the
built in effects and a powered monitor like a JBL Eon, or just another
keyboard amp, preferably something that will let em run stereo, have 4
inputs, some adjustable eq per channel as well as a master eq, and effects
send so I can assign effects to any channel on the amp...I had toyed around
with the idea of getting an ouboard simulator for the vk8M like the kbr3d,
but that is too expensive. After trading in the KC, what should I get? It
needs to be powerful enough to deal with heavy synth sounds for a prog
rock/hard rock cover band that can occasionally get loud. It needs to have
outputs to connect to the main board, but also needs to be powerful enough
to sound good on its won for stage monitoring or small places where it is
the only way the crowd will hear me. It needs to not sound shrill to make
me deaf. I notice that the EQ on the KC is not doing much to alter the
sound, even with the bass turned all the way off, it is still a very bass
heavy amp, and the top octave on the organ is sometimes extremely shrill
even when turning down the trebble on the eq and below the top octave, or
with higher drawbars pushed in, you can barely hear the thing. What should
I go for, how much can I get for my KC550 if I sell it and what would a
good amp cost me? Thanks.
--
Damon Fibraio, email dfibraio@comcast.net
Musician, broadcaster, computer technician, and troublemaker
aol instant messenger screenname: dfibraio MSN Messenger screenname:
dfibraio@comcast.net: Band site: Visions: http://www.visions692000.com
Listen to no Holds Barred Radio. Go to our site at http://www.nhbradio.com
"To those who understand, I extend my hand
To the doubtful I demand, take me as I am
Not under your command, I know where I stand
I won't change to fit your plan, take me as I am."--Dream Theater, As I am
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