NSR and Doug,
I agree with all that has been said and I was fully aware of all before this thread.
I think that somehow we have lost the original point of the thread: JM found that with external amplifier and speakers, the sound was not the same as directly from the keyboard, sounded harsh to him, and wanted to know if others had similar experiences.
I replied that I found a similar situation, Doug said that (among other things) that his was just fine, and perhaps others will eventually comment.
The amplifier and speakers that I use sound absolutely smooth on any commercially recorded program material, Big Band, Vocal, ETC, but somewhat harsh from the keyboard. It is not a matter of balance, -- and cutting the highs with the KN7000 equalizer or with an external equalizer is also not the total answer although it does help.
I'm sure that the answer will eventually surface.
In the meantime, any more comments from others?
Walt