Aspen Pittman Space Station V3 for full (Small) Studio Amp

[owrnewbie]

Hi folks,

I just registered, my first post. First by way of introduction - I am a brand new owner of an Electro 6D, and am pretty new to keyboards/piano in general. I am primarily a drummer, but after many years of coulda-shoulda-woulda finally decided to start learning (very slowly) piano as well. I started with an older Roland FP-9 I picked up from a buddy, and after a year or so of making sure I was really into it, dived in a few weeks ago and picked up the Electro. Unsurprisingly, many of the keyboardists I gig with play Nords so it was always on top of my list. As I mentioned I am brand new to keyboards more or less and instruments in general that require electrical amplification but am not new to music, the value of getting nice gear from the start, and the amazing resource forum's like this can be. I've spent some time here lurking and reading and thank you all in advance for sharing your knowledge and showing patience with what will undoubtedly be some basic questions from me.

So here's my question. My Electro will be living in a small (8' x 10') home studio I've been slowly building over the last few years. It is very well sound proofed, I can play drums in there at midnight moderately loud without disturbing neighbors, and have enough absorption/diffusion panels inside to sound half way decent. I do a bit of recording in there just for fun, and occasionally jam with a buddy. So far I've just been using some old powered studio monitors or head-phones to listen to the Nord but want to step up my game. After reading the FAQ and many of the threads here I'm real interested in the SSV3. I was hoping you all could advice me if it makes sense for my situation. My needs:

* Primarily amplification of the Nord - the space is small, but want something that can handle playing with a drummer a few feet away when necessary
* Instrument wise, while I'll use everything the Electro can deliver, I'm probably most interested in the Organs/Rhodes/Synths rather than looking for accurate piano reproductions
* Would also like something that can serve as general amplification for virtual instruments via Ableton loops
* My space is small, every inch counts, my current Roland monitors are small but the speaker stands take up some precious real-estate
* Given how on top of everything I am in the space, getting good traditional stereo spread is difficult - positioning monitors in an ideal place for playing the Nord leads to one being right in my face when playing the drums, etc.

My naive understanding of the SSV3 tech is that it can give the impression of stereo sound everywhere. As long as I don't position the side speakers pointing right at any playing position in the room, it can be set-up to produce a nice balanced sound anywhere in the room. Having one speaker too would be great for space savings. And of course I've read many reviews here and online about how great it is for keyboard amplification, it sure seems to beat the Roland KCs most folks point me to for a "beginner" amp.

Anyways, I'd love your thoughts on if my plans makes sense, any similar use cases from current owners, and of course recommendations for alternative set-ups.

Thanks in advance!

-Edit- Here's a view of the room. It's an iPhone pano so a bit distorted, but you get the idea.

[cphollis]

I think you have a pretty good grasp of what the CPS SS V.3 can do, and what it can't do. Your space is so small that maybe a pair of nearfield monitors might be an alternative, though.

Pros:
- very compact
- LOUD
- stereo-like sound field (you'll love the leslie effect)
- built like a tank
- great for everything other than pure APs

Cons:
- very sensitive to positioning and room dimensions
- difficult to get good AP reproduction, but possible with some work

I like mine, and gladly use it when the situation calls for it, e.g. electric band gigs in smaller spaces. The best way to set it up is using an amp stand, laying it sideways with the side-firing speaker facing down. I'm not sure you're going to gain precious real estate with that approach, but you might save some.

Congrats on your Electro 6 -- good choice!

[JohnT]

One vote for a pair of QSC K8.2s.

[Rusty Mike]

The space you describe is too small for the Space Station to do its thing. I would even say that QSC K's would not do as well either, as they need a few feet of space for better performance. I agree with Chuck's suggestion of nearfield monitors, something self powered with 8" woofers could do the trick.

[owrnewbie]

Thanks you all for thoughts. The smallness of the space is definitely my concern. I don't want to buy significantly more than I need, but more importantly want to optimize the sound in the room.

Do you have any favorite near field monitors you would recommend? On a related thought, I have considered getting some really small power speakers and wall mounting higher up in the corners by bass traps. I wont ever be doing any mastering or anything in the room, the acoustics are just too wonky in the small space, just looking for something that will be good enough for playing.

Thanks

[cphollis]

Putting a pair or kicking monitors on the wall is probably your answer. Try to find a pair that isn't extremely near-field, e.g. projects a bit.