Amp Recommendations for WK 7500

[showkster]

Is there anyone still reading this forum?

 

If you use your CASIO to play in a band, please reply with :

 

1. the keyboard(s) you use
2. the amplification
3. the size and type of band / music

 

IF you want, also include YouTube links to video of your band, or your band's web address.

I have a WK 7500 and have been having a terrible time with amps, and outdoor gigs.

It just doesn't cut through the band noise.   

Thanks

:-)

 

 

[- T -]

Yes! - I monitor the CTK/WK/LK sub-forums pretty much on a daily basis.

 

I owned the CTK-6000, the CTK-7000, and the WK-7500 for a little over 4 years, but very quickly added a Roland Jupiter-50 and Juno-Gi (for smaller venues with a smaller stage) shortly after joining a local country/rock band during my 3rd year of owning the Casio's - for exactly the same problems you have discovered.  Whenever possible, I used the house sound system, but otherwise rented whatever substantial keyboard amp (usually Yamaha) was available from either of two local shops - this worked for the Rolands, but not for the Casio's - but that is not what I had in mind, when I bought the Casio's to begin with.  When everyone showed up, we had a drummer, bass player, a lead guitarist, two rhythm guitarists, and myself on the keys.  Occasionally, we would have a sax, or fiddle, or mandolin player (This is rural prairie America, afterall.).

 

From your list of respondent qualifications, you are apparently looking for someone with exactly your setup/situation, but NOT with the problem you are having, but by doing so, you could be missing out on several "rule of thumb" basics that you seem to lack.  To begin with, NO "arranger" keyboard is the instrument of choice for use in a band.  How many pictures or videos have you seen with an "arranger" keyboard being used in a band.  By its very name "ARRANGER" (read that "ONE MAN BANDER"), its entire design - its tones and overall timbrel qualities - are geared toward its only sonic "competition" being its own internal auto-accompaniment sounds.  In a word - "arranger" keyboards, with or without auxiliary amplification, just do not have. sonically, what it takes to cut through the combined sonic power of the average band, which you seem to have already discovered.  The typical choice is what is mistakenly called a "synth", but is more accurately known as a non-arranger ROMpler (ROM Player) workstation, such as those from Nord, Korg, Roland, Yamaha, etc.  An alternative would be a stage piano, such as the Casio PX-5S.  Now, that said, you have made your purchase, and like most of us, are probably not keen on adding, substantially,  to your current investment, but there are some other possible remedies you can try.  First, forget stereo, completely.  Spreading your sound across the stereo field is the last thing you want.  Use your keyboard's LEFT/MONO LINE OUT as your sole connection to your amp or to the house sound system.  For any piano voices, forget the stereo grand or mellow European tones.  Those are for solo concert venues, and will not cut it with a band.  Pick the brightest piano tone you've got.  As a matter of fact, that's going to apply to just about all of your tones.  You are probably going to need just about the brightest of everything you've got.  Then, go into the WK-7500's DSP settings and apply a generous amount of compression, but I strongly suspect that you are going to need to invest in an outboard hardware compressor for your particular needs.  Also, try posting on the motifator.com and rolandclan forums to see what the current choices are for the MOXF6/8's and Roland FA06/07/08's in the way of amps.  Those are what you need to be looking at.

 

Please see my reply to your post in:

 

http://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/topic/14585-7500-plugging-into-amps/

 

- T -

 

[showkster]

Gosh.   I did not know all that.

 

No, not looking for exact same set up -- just seeing what others are doing, and IF anyone is actually using the WK7500 or 7600 for performance.

 

It was an economical keyboard with lots of goodies ... and alone (as you say) has some very good sounds! 

 

But I had no idea it's the keyboard that won't compete -- not the amps.  I'm now looking at a Bose L1.

 

I've been away from the music biz for 45 years, and just picking back up.

 

Our band is a local bunch of old guys, and about 3 or 4 gigs a month is it. 

I'm not quite sure if I want to invest several thousands of dollars in a new keyboard.

 

Thanks for the advice. 

[showkster]

So, what you're saying ... after re-reading this a dozen times -- is I bought the wrong keyboard!   :-(

 

But I love playing "alone" ... I love the sound quality of the built-in speakers when playing alone or in a small acoustic venue with other acoustic players ... I love the array of 'voices' and am relatively successful with emulating various sounds on popular music (Except steel guitar, as mentioned in a previous post) ... love the "battery" feature, light weight, and relatively good looking "black" professional stage look. 

 

It is really superb for 'showing up' at the corner jam or the friend's living room with acoustic guitars without amps, and no need to 'plug in' !

 

Having said all that, I still love my WK3800 for sounds, easy use at live gigs.  But it was 'silver' and looked more like a Casio toy, being the brunt of many jokes at live gigs, so it's retired to the vacation home in Florida.

 

I've lusted after the Hammond SK1 for years but just can't bring myself to pull the trigger ... if it had internal speakers like the Casio, I would probably jump for it.  I'm too old to be hauling around 90lb Roland speakers every time I want to play and too cheap to provide an external amp at every place I like to play.

 

No reply necessary.

 

 

[gospelmusic4life]

I use my Casio CTK 7200 with a harbinger 12in powered speaker. I may buy a PA speaker later with a better EQ but it gets the job done for playing at weddings and church services. 

[jeffn1]

After doing some research, I picked up a Behring KDX15, which just came in.  (I received (via email) 15% coupon from Musician's Friends, so got a great price).

It is lighter (weight) than its predecessor K3000FX, which I had been using for about 10 years, I think. 

Got very good  reviews in terms of power, etc. (Maybe compare it to the Roland KC600, which is more expensive).

Oh, in terms of keys, I have a PX350 and CTK-7200.

I am planning to plug it in to use it for the first time this weekend.

Jeff

 

PS:  I just read above about Arranger keyboard and I disagree.  The CTK-7000 should include pretty much every sound you would want.  All the arranger/sequencing stuff is (inexpensive) add-ons (I don't us those functions).  Frankly, I think most keyboard players only use about 10% of the functions of the keyboard.  The issue is whether this has what you need (and you probably won't know until you've been using it for a few years).  I think a bigger issue may be whether you (also) want a weighted keyboard for piano parts.  If so, you could probably pick up a PX160 and be fine (I used a CTK6200 and PX150 for along time, and worked pretty well until I ran out of user tones on the CTK6000).

[Jokeyman123]

I use a 200-wattcompact  powered stereo mixing board with inputs for line-in, xlr 1/4" balanced and 1/4" unbalanced with a pair of matched 10" speakers designed for outdoor/indoor venues with 2 horns in each and bass duct-bass not so much heard in a band with more 3 pieces usually unless you have to carry the bass lines and you need to be heard.

 

 If you have enough power in your amp and you match the outputs of the Casio with the inputs to your amp, mixing board combo you should be able to get loud enough for most small to medium size venues. There are some very powerful mini amps available now that can drive a 12" speaker pretty well. My brother plays regularly with a 15" for his bass and has an amp head you can hold in yourand and isn't much bigger!  I also used to use a Peavey 100-watt PA head with xlr and 1/4" unbalanced inputs with a custom made rather large single enclosure with one 18" bass speaker (as in a leslie) plus 2 mid/high frequency horn drivers-and when all of us were cranked up (rock covers/Motown etc.) 100 watts was barely enough for even medium sized venues-seating 100-200 or so. Was OK for smallest clubs but we weren't stacking Marshalls to the ceiling.

 

I did not like the specific brand (Peavey/Roland single keyboard amps which were not any better than a good amp head with matching inputs for a keyboard-why I used a mixing board with 3 different inputs-my stuff matched  fine through regular unbalanced 1/4" jacks, but I was using older pro gear-Yamaha SY's and Ensoniqs which might have had different outputs than the Casios. I don' think the Casios are particularly "hot" you won't overdrive a typical amp setup, but might be a little less "hot in the CTK and WKs. I don't have these so I don't really know-I can get the XW very loud with 200 watts. The Casio PXs are perfect, very efficient.  And remember those low octaves-you need some pretty hefty speakers if you want any kind of volume-leave it to the bass player or you'll blow your speakers! Good quality DJ speakers will work, if you have at least 2 10s although I'd prefer at least 12s but want to keep it light. 

[jeffn1]

FWIW, I have more of a problem getting sufficient volume out of my Privia (current and former) than my CTK-7200. 

 

In particular, the Rhodes piano and Harpsichord had been tougher to get the volume I needed (I am hoping the new amp will resolve this issue).