Electro 4 SW 73 stage amplification
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Electro 4 SW 73 stage amplification
I'm new to the forum. I played an Electro 2 SW 73 for about 10 years and then bought an Electro 4 SW 73 a couple of years ago. Due to some health issues, I haven't been playing much but am hoping that this is turning around and I want to get serious about using this instrument and being able to appreciate it. On most gig applications I have used on stage amplification because of PA restraints. I played a Roland KC550 for a while but it was bulky and I hated the way it sounded. I've been using an old Peavey KB300 which I like better but it still doesn't scratch my itch. I have a couple of pairs of JBL Eon15G2 active speakers and have been wondering about trying a pair of those on stage but they are heavy and bulky also and that concerns me. Everything that I'm reading on here is to run stereo with the speakers seperated.
I'd appreciate any input that some of you might give me. I'm not much of a technical whiz.
Thanks
flat5th
I'd appreciate any input that some of you might give me. I'm not much of a technical whiz.
Thanks
flat5th
Re: Electro 4 SW 73 stage amplification
Amplification is a huge area of 'what if' with a vast number of choices and everyone has a different set of ears that are listening for 'their sound' So the only thing I can add is what works for me and why.
I've been gigging on a regular basis for over 30 years and some of that has been as a professional, I've got to the stage now that I only play what I feel is worthwhile and that for me is original numbers.
I use three amp set ups depending on what kind of gig I'm doing and the volume etc I need. Plus I have two versions of my gigging keyboards, first is the simplest, just a Nord E5 73, great keyboard, layers, splits etc a few niggles but overall one of the best keyboards I've owned. My bigger rig could be just adding my Roland RD800 for piano or my Roland Fantom X7 which I use on gigs where I need a controller that can set up each song and any linked keyboards, modules etc.
Small set up - If I'm just using the Nord then my amps of choice are a pair of Yamaha DXR8's these are small, have a good overall sound and plenty of volume if I'm not going into a house PA. The 8 inch speakers do slightly push the middle tones but this is easily corrected with the Nords eq. The speakers themselves are small and light and if I'm doing a 'coffee bar' type gig I can put any vocals I need through these too. I do usually run a small mixer just to balance a couple of mics and the keys. I never use any eq on a mixing board.
Large set up - If I'm taking the RD800 it is usually because I'm playing a gig where the piano is going to be much more exposed. Maybe a solo gig or just another vox and guitar. (sorry guys the RD800 piano is so much more flexible and every aspect of the tone is adjustable) For these gigs I either use a pair of EV SRXA100, these are getting a bit old but work fine. The 12 inch speaker is better for a more rounded piano. The EV's have a huge amount of bottom end and I usually have to drop it using the speakers bass response by at least -3db. Although the amplification spec is much lower than the Yamaha's the SPL is must the same and you can not tell much difference in volume, what you do get is a much more HiFi sound at a higher volume, the Yamaha's get more middley as they get wound up.
Both of the above set ups are using self powered speakers but I also use a more tradition set up when playing with my blues band. This is a 600W per channel stereo power amp into a pair of JBL EON 15. again although the amp is only 600W and these speakers are only 300W it actually sounds louder than the Yamaha's which are rated at 1000W. The perceived volume of different amp set ups can be completely at odds to the figures the manufacturers give out. Bigger amps do not necessarily give more volume. You are probably best looking at the SPL for any given amp/speaker set up as this is supposed to be a comparable measurement. My EV's have a 350W amp and 127SPL the Yamaha's have a 1000W amp and 129SPL
So what's the answer - trust your ears. If you are playing lots of hammond type stuff and kicking peddles then you'll need something with more bottom end, if you are playing lots of tinkly Rhodes then and have a bass player then getting a speaker system that helps stay out of their sound spectrum is good.
My stuff:
Roland Fantom X7, Roland RD800, Nord Electro 5 73, Yamaha DXR8's, EV SRXA100's, 600W per side Power amp, JBL EON 15's, Alesis 16 channel mixer, Alesis 8 channel mixer, Window 10 Dell laptop running too many VST's to mention.
And by the way - I'm still looking for that perfect sound from a single set up!!
I've been gigging on a regular basis for over 30 years and some of that has been as a professional, I've got to the stage now that I only play what I feel is worthwhile and that for me is original numbers.
I use three amp set ups depending on what kind of gig I'm doing and the volume etc I need. Plus I have two versions of my gigging keyboards, first is the simplest, just a Nord E5 73, great keyboard, layers, splits etc a few niggles but overall one of the best keyboards I've owned. My bigger rig could be just adding my Roland RD800 for piano or my Roland Fantom X7 which I use on gigs where I need a controller that can set up each song and any linked keyboards, modules etc.
Small set up - If I'm just using the Nord then my amps of choice are a pair of Yamaha DXR8's these are small, have a good overall sound and plenty of volume if I'm not going into a house PA. The 8 inch speakers do slightly push the middle tones but this is easily corrected with the Nords eq. The speakers themselves are small and light and if I'm doing a 'coffee bar' type gig I can put any vocals I need through these too. I do usually run a small mixer just to balance a couple of mics and the keys. I never use any eq on a mixing board.
Large set up - If I'm taking the RD800 it is usually because I'm playing a gig where the piano is going to be much more exposed. Maybe a solo gig or just another vox and guitar. (sorry guys the RD800 piano is so much more flexible and every aspect of the tone is adjustable) For these gigs I either use a pair of EV SRXA100, these are getting a bit old but work fine. The 12 inch speaker is better for a more rounded piano. The EV's have a huge amount of bottom end and I usually have to drop it using the speakers bass response by at least -3db. Although the amplification spec is much lower than the Yamaha's the SPL is must the same and you can not tell much difference in volume, what you do get is a much more HiFi sound at a higher volume, the Yamaha's get more middley as they get wound up.
Both of the above set ups are using self powered speakers but I also use a more tradition set up when playing with my blues band. This is a 600W per channel stereo power amp into a pair of JBL EON 15. again although the amp is only 600W and these speakers are only 300W it actually sounds louder than the Yamaha's which are rated at 1000W. The perceived volume of different amp set ups can be completely at odds to the figures the manufacturers give out. Bigger amps do not necessarily give more volume. You are probably best looking at the SPL for any given amp/speaker set up as this is supposed to be a comparable measurement. My EV's have a 350W amp and 127SPL the Yamaha's have a 1000W amp and 129SPL
So what's the answer - trust your ears. If you are playing lots of hammond type stuff and kicking peddles then you'll need something with more bottom end, if you are playing lots of tinkly Rhodes then and have a bass player then getting a speaker system that helps stay out of their sound spectrum is good.
My stuff:
Roland Fantom X7, Roland RD800, Nord Electro 5 73, Yamaha DXR8's, EV SRXA100's, 600W per side Power amp, JBL EON 15's, Alesis 16 channel mixer, Alesis 8 channel mixer, Window 10 Dell laptop running too many VST's to mention.
And by the way - I'm still looking for that perfect sound from a single set up!!
Re: Electro 4 SW 73 stage amplification
>So what's the answer - trust your ears.<
That's an answer given to a lot of questions but not everyone has the time, resources, or sometimes the trust in their own aesthetics to "trust" their ears. Especially when you can't play on stage and be forty feet away in the audience at the same time.
My own experience is that individual, personal powered speakers will never produce the volume levels that dedicated amplifiers will, regardless how many watts they advertise. To compete with a full band, especially if you have a loud drummer and guitarists who love their pedal boards, you'll have to haul two powered speakers, with speaker poles and their own mixer. You'll sound great, but now your band has two PAs...one just for you.
The best option I've found is to go into the band PA and have one good powered speaker as your own monitor. Usually I have myself and the vocals in this monitor - I can pick up the rest of the band from the house speakers, or else we add them in VERY lightly into my monitor as needed.
Notice I said band PA - if you are going to run through various house PAs and use "sound guys" then you are in for a world of problems. A lot of sound guys don't have a clue with how to properly mix or balance keyboards. They also can freak out at the low line level from the boards themselves. You can end up buried in the mix, and only find out later when your friends in the audience tell you they could barely hear you.
So when I hear that we are playing a venue with its own house sound and "engineer," I bring an amp. The KB300 is old and heavy, but I can trust it to put out the volume in case the house sound is not up to snuff...which is often, in the roadhouses we play at. I've had sound guys freak out at the amp, too...they have no problem dropping a mike in front of a Fender twin but here they are turning the Peavey around, fussing with its outs...and maybe you won't need it after all, but it's a nice fallback when your band isn't controlling the PA.
Summary: get one good active speaker for yourself. It's great for a band monitor, for personal practicing, and for solo playing at Potbelly's or the local Macy's. Run into the band PA for your main sound, and monitor off that (consider a small personal mixer esp if you have more than one board). Keep the KB300 for house PA situations.
That's an answer given to a lot of questions but not everyone has the time, resources, or sometimes the trust in their own aesthetics to "trust" their ears. Especially when you can't play on stage and be forty feet away in the audience at the same time.
My own experience is that individual, personal powered speakers will never produce the volume levels that dedicated amplifiers will, regardless how many watts they advertise. To compete with a full band, especially if you have a loud drummer and guitarists who love their pedal boards, you'll have to haul two powered speakers, with speaker poles and their own mixer. You'll sound great, but now your band has two PAs...one just for you.
The best option I've found is to go into the band PA and have one good powered speaker as your own monitor. Usually I have myself and the vocals in this monitor - I can pick up the rest of the band from the house speakers, or else we add them in VERY lightly into my monitor as needed.
Notice I said band PA - if you are going to run through various house PAs and use "sound guys" then you are in for a world of problems. A lot of sound guys don't have a clue with how to properly mix or balance keyboards. They also can freak out at the low line level from the boards themselves. You can end up buried in the mix, and only find out later when your friends in the audience tell you they could barely hear you.
So when I hear that we are playing a venue with its own house sound and "engineer," I bring an amp. The KB300 is old and heavy, but I can trust it to put out the volume in case the house sound is not up to snuff...which is often, in the roadhouses we play at. I've had sound guys freak out at the amp, too...they have no problem dropping a mike in front of a Fender twin but here they are turning the Peavey around, fussing with its outs...and maybe you won't need it after all, but it's a nice fallback when your band isn't controlling the PA.
Summary: get one good active speaker for yourself. It's great for a band monitor, for personal practicing, and for solo playing at Potbelly's or the local Macy's. Run into the band PA for your main sound, and monitor off that (consider a small personal mixer esp if you have more than one board). Keep the KB300 for house PA situations.
Re: Electro 4 SW 73 stage amplification
>This is a 600W per channel stereo power amp into a pair of JBL EON 15. again although the amp is only 600W and these speakers are only 300W it actually sounds louder than the Yamaha's which are rated at 1000W.<
Exactly. Powered speaker wattage means essentially nothing. I take it the JBLs are passive. What make power amp are you using?
This is probably the best option of all, but it's a lot of equipment.
Exactly. Powered speaker wattage means essentially nothing. I take it the JBLs are passive. What make power amp are you using?
This is probably the best option of all, but it's a lot of equipment.
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Re: Electro 4 SW 73 stage amplification
A pair of these will do you fine---even one will do the job. I have the sw73 as well...love the combination.
Last edited by sagetunes on 09 May 2016, 20:08, edited 1 time in total.
- jfenton
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Re: Electro 4 SW 73 stage amplification
I was thinking on getting a pair of these:
Keyboards:
- NS2 EX Compact 73
- Hammond SK2
- Roland VCombo VR-09
- Roland A800-Pro
- Behringer Motor 49
- Alesis Q88
Re: Electro 4 SW 73 stage amplification
Hmm. They take two months to ship and look kinda cheapish.
You'd be better off springing that amount for one good active speaker:
You'd be better off springing that amount for one good active speaker:
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Re: Electro 4 SW 73 stage amplification
am i the only one stuck in my ways and happy with a combo amp? i've had a traynor K4 for almost 8 yrs and have always been pretty happy with it.
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