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Joined: Aug 2004
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Just got my P90, and I love it.
The piano sound when listening with headphones is great, but when I play it through an amp (a Carvin CX630 mixer), it sounds a little artificial. My old CLP-560 Clavinova sounds better through it's speakers.
I was wondering if it's because of the quality of the amp, or because in the Clavinova the sound comes right from the piano (instead of from the side).
Any thoughts on this?
Thanks!
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Are you patching both left and right outputs of the P90 into the a stereo input strip of your mixer. I find with the more recent synths and digital pianos, you have go stereo. It can make a big difference. I presume your mixer outputs into either a stereo amp/speakers or two monitors.
Just a suggestion!
GC
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hmm. I just answered basically the same question posted by jepjep here: http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/6/1184.html in a nutshell : headphones retain stereo image, one amp loses it which means cruddy sound.
"You look hopefully for an idea and then you're humble when you find it and you wish your skills were better. To have even a half-baked touch of creativity is an honor." -- Ernie Stires, composer
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Thanks. Yes, the amp is mono. I use the L/L+R output of the piano. I'm surprised it makes such a big difference, but that's probably what's going on.
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The difference is very surprising when you first hear it.
"You look hopefully for an idea and then you're humble when you find it and you wish your skills were better. To have even a half-baked touch of creativity is an honor." -- Ernie Stires, composer
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The difference is very surprising when you first hear it... Case in point: When I first got my S90 and went to my band rehearsal the first time with it, we just plugged the L/L&R output onto a mono-strip in the PA mixer. It sounded so cruddy compared to what I heard at home(practising through headphones). I still remember my guitar player saying the brasses were so artificial etc. I was puzzled. The next time when it was plugged into a stereo strip on the same mixer, the sound blew my band away because they said: "Did you change keyboard or something?" From then on, whenever I go on stage, the output of the S90 has to go stereo into PA mixer...I make a major point about it! And believe me, it makes a huge difference! GC
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Ghostclaws,
Let me get this straight...you're not getting stereo out of one speaker right? You're plugging your keyboard into 2 speakers right? If just one speaker, how are you doing that? On my instruction book that came with the speaker (Roland CM-30) it showed plugging 2 speakers into the piano for stereo sound, using one cord between the 2 different cube speakers and then one into the piano...I think.
Jack
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Jack: If you want true stereo output, you will need 2 CM30 because each CM30 is a mono monitor. I don't know the particular hookup that's suggested in the manual because I do not use the unit but you could easily hook them up as if you are hooking up stereo speakers: Left out from keyboard to one CM30 through the 1/4" input and the Rt out from keyboard to the other CM30 the same way. I think you could plug both outputs from the keyboard into the so-called stereo inputs of a single CM30 but the resultant sound would be inferior due to lack of proper stereo imaging.
GC
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So, it looks like I will need to purchase a new amplifier if I want to sound good at a gig. I'd like something that's both relatively low cost, and easy to lug around.
Any suggestions?
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For a while I was using a pair of Mackie SRM350 . They are powered monitors (the amplifier is built into the speaker, and so they are perfectly matched) - they are very easy to carry, nice moulded handles, pretty light-weight. They sound great, totally crank, and give you that stereo image because you just plug one into each side. You can get a pair of them for around $1000. Not cheap, but a good investment. You might also see if you can try out somewhere a Motion Sound KP200S Keyboard Amp I haven't used one, but I have heard great things about them giving a great stereo image with only one cabinet. Or, you could get yourself a 2 channel power amp, whatever size you like, and two non-powered speaker cabinets, but that's more stuff to hook up and carry. -Paul
"You look hopefully for an idea and then you're humble when you find it and you wish your skills were better. To have even a half-baked touch of creativity is an honor." -- Ernie Stires, composer
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I did a little experimenting, plugged the keyboard into my home stereo. I found that unplugging one of the channels made a difference but not that much of a difference. It sounded better than through the Carvin amp.
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Al
Were you using speakers with the Carvin CX630 or just seeing what the headphones sounded like through the mixer?
I was looking at the specs for the CX630 and it seems a good unit but is it possible you had reverb or some other shaping effects turned on? Or if you were driving a speaker, was it up to the task?
Phil
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Thanks for the help, Phil.
I was using the CX630 with a "Kustom" monitor speaker. Medium sized. I also sent the output to the big floor speaker of my home stereo (an old moderately priced Sony system). It was a bit better with the Sony speaker, but it still just doesn't sound that good. It doesn't sound like a real piano. At best it sounds like a recording of a real piano.
I was careful to turn off the reverb and any other effects.
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More Info:
Yesterday I bought an old Pioneer stereo tuner/amplifier at a garage sale for $13. When I run the piano through that, it sounds much better than through the CX630.
Concerning the stereo:
The amp has a mono/stereo button. The improvement in stereo is significant -- I'd say it sounds 30% better in stereo.
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You would expect stereo to improve the stereo-sampled patches but it also tends to improve mono-sampled ones as well.
GC
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After more playing, I'd say that the stereo improves the sound by about 50%, not 30%.
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Al,
Just curious. Are you using the same speakers as you used with the CX630?
Phil
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No, I'm using some very cheap Pioneer speakers that came with a mini-stereo system. But I had used one of those same speakers with the CX630, and I'd say the sound is better with the stereo system.
I've also tried it with some large heavy speakers (110 watt), but that was too bass-y.
As soon as I get to radio shack, I'm going to set it up so I can use the Kustom monitor speakers with the stereo system.
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:23 PM
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