PX-5S: Question Regarding Live Sound

[GPatrickBryant]

I purchased my PX-5S to replace my Kronos for gigging because, at my age, the Korg just got too heavy for me to lug around. I really like the Privia's piano sound through headphones, but it doesn't sound nearly as good as the Kronos through my PA. How are you folks getting a good piano sound with the PX-5S in a live setting?

Thank you!

[Mike Martin]

That's odd. I know a lot of people with that combination and they'd use PX-5S for piano and Kronos for many other sounds. The PX-5S piano tone is superb in mono is well compared to most instruments. The most common adjustment is EQ which by default is controlled by the knobs. You can also try some other piano tones that you can download here from the forum. There are so many options to choose from.

[jaspeter]

The Kronos has balanced outputs.  If you were taking advantage of that by using a 1/4" TRS cable to feed the balanced input of a PA, that could make a difference.  My first gig, I ran the PX-5S output directly from the keyboard into the 1/4" input of a PA and was not happy with the results.  It was quiet and noisy.  Then I bought a cheap (really cheap, like, less than $10) DI box.  I run a short 1/4" instrument cable from the PX-5S to the DI then an XLR to the mixer.  It makes a huge difference.  The balanced output from the DI takes care of the noise and the mic preamp onboard the PA takes care of the low input signal.  I've since upgraded to a better 2-channel DI and run  stereo when I use my own powered speakers.

 

Of course, the whole balanced vs. unbalanced may all be irrelevant if you're in a music room with the PA in arm's reach, but it might be worth a shot.

 

There are good arguments to only using mono for live performances, but I've also found that the sound is closer to what I expect from headphones when I run stereo output (especially with the rotary DSP).  So if you aren't running stereo out, you might try that, too.

[Bootsy]

I have a follow up. I'm running my Casio PX-5S with both line outs to a Behringer Europower Mixer.  Both line outs go into channel 15/16 which allows me to control the whole sound with one knob.  I think go from the Mixer to a Bose L1.

 

Electric pianos and organs sound amazing through headphones but are quiet and not as warm/vibrant through this set up.  It's also very quiet.  Any suggestions?

[Jokeyman123]

EQ..EQ...EQ....Is there a compressor or early reflections DSP on this board? "Early reflections" DSP might help-if its built-into the PX5s or if you have an outboard DSP- "juices" alot of my ep and acoustic piano sounds. Gives the sounds more presence, this might be what you are losing through an external sound system and needs to be compensated for.

 

Quiet-depends upon your impedance matching from the PX5S to your Behringer if you mean the signal is losing volume, or sounds dull, not as vibrant. Even a bit of distortion-judiciously-might make the pianos sound more vibrant or alive. The original Wurlitzer and Fender ep's-had alot of twang in their tines-there was a harmonic effect as the tines would ring off each other if you sustained chords or melody lines-like an acoustic piano with string resonance-the early reflections DSP, I'm guessing might be simulating that effect. I don't own the PX5s but my 560 has it, the effect is almost similar to the old skool BBE "sonic maximizers" which accentuated certain frequencies, among other things!

[Jokeyman123]

I stand corrected-Wurlitzer called their "tines" "reeds"-I guess like the "reeds" in a harmonica-but were still steel "tines" as far as my ears remember anyway. My school must have gotten theirs at an older auction-looking up trying to find what I played for hours in college in the 1970s-was the older 1960's version with the very cheesy-looking "wood" it looked like particle board to me-and the legs looked like they came off somebody's old cocktail table. Had a nice action though, sounded terribly twangy. No wonder-look up the 145. That's the one. I think they had the tube model. i seem to remember it got warm after awhile, I could be remembering wrong, might just have been the poorly ventilated practice rooms.....part of my college training to play in equally poorly-ventilated clubs...

[Bootsy]

Thanks for the input.  I turned up the master volume in the stage setting that helped.