Greetings All -

This is my first post. I have a reedless MIDI accordion and I am looking to purchase an Arranger for live performances. It came down to the Ketron X4 and the Ketron XD3 (because I need a module)and I believe I'll select the XD3 as I don't need a sampler or sequencer. The sounds are pretty good and the styles will work for me. Please let me know if I am missing any great arranger modules (not keyboards) as I am a little concerned about Ketron's reliability.

I need to buy speakers for this new setup and am thinking about the Mackie SRM450 just because of the reviews here and on the web. Forgive my ignorance, but are these PA speakers? Monitors? Both? Can I just plug my Arranger and Midi Accordion into them and be on my way? I don't want to buy a Roland KC300 and the accordion people are telling me to buy Polytone's Mini Brute but that just seems to be because they are lemmings and every accordionist they know uses the Polytone.

Thank you.

I don't use modules, but a friend here has the XD3 (he got it from George Kaye), and it really sounds great. I haven't heard anything else that approachs the realism.
DonM

Hi! Yes the Mackie SRM 450 can do very well for you. Theoretically you should be able to plug the arranger and start playing.If the line out signal is not powerful enough, you can use the headphones output, but you might get some noise as well. So far I don't know any other arranger module on the market. I have also to tell you that if you sing and want to use the XD3 mic input you might not be happy with the sound. Before you buy, YOU TRY!
Flavi - XD3 user.

I play MIDI accordion using the Ketron X4. I purchased it before the XD3 was available.

I have just purchased a petosa Millenium because my acoustic/MIDI Excelsior AC was a bit heavy as I stand when I play and I don't mix reeds with the MIDI voices when I play with the X4.

I have a set of JBL Eon 15G2's and Eon 10G2's. The Eon 15G2's weigh 46 lbs and if I remember the specs the Makies about 53 lbs. The JBL's aren't balanced as well to carry as the Makies but I wanted the lighter weight of the JBL's. Also the JBL's were several hundred dollars less than the Makies. I had an opportunity to do a cursory comparison of the 15 inch JBL's and the 15 inch Makies and found little difference. Those who have done a more in depth comparison may disagree.

I recently purchased the 10 inch JBL's because they only weigh 23 lbs. I play for senior citizen events and at long term care facilities and the 10 inch JBLs are very adequate for the smaller venues and for the variety of music I play. Although the 15 inch have more presence - even at low volumes.

I had Polytone Taurus Elite amps before the JBL Eon 15 G2's. The JBLs are by far superior in sound quality and frequency response. I expect the Mini Brutes would be inferior also.

To me the X4 and the accordion voices in the Millenium sound much better if run through a mixer - with no EQ on the mixer. I don't have expensive mixers either. Depending on whether I sing or not I use either a Fostex VM88, a Behringer UltraLink Pro or an Alesis Studio 12R.

I like to run the vocal into a mixer rather than through the X4. It seemed to get lost in the mix when run through the X4 and I couldn't control the balance as well. Now I am using a Helicon VoicePrism it is necessary to use a mixer.

Good luck!

Thanks RJ! I have an Iorio Reedless accordion but am looking at the Petosa right now. Really expensive, though! Are you happy with it?
I had an older Excelsior MIDI/Reeds combo and could never get it to amplify correctly. I'll really look into those JBL's as the Mackie's are truly expensive. Can I get by with just one for smaller environments? Do you recommend stands for them?
How about the reliability of the X4? Has it failed you yet?
Sorry for all the questions but this is really interesting stuff to me!
Thanks!

I prefer two speakers in order to simulate the separation of parts that exists when you listen to an actual combo. I use a Behringer UltraMizer Pro to enhance the sterio separation of parts. I believe the effects on the X4 require sterio to be fully realized. The consensus in past discussion on the topic of sterio vs mono seens to be sterio, although some use only one speaker.

I also believe that the consensus is that speakers on stands are preferrable.

I am not a professional - only play about 5 to 10 hours per week between practices and appearances. I have found the X4 reliable.
I had the X1 keyboard before the X4 came out and it did lock up on me a few times, but I think the problem was with the contact adjustment in my Excelsior accordion. Can't recall if the X4 has ever locked up on me. By "lock up" I mean the the unit had to be turned off because is was stuck on one note or chord.

I suggest you look at past posts on these questions to see what other opinions are. There are many professionals who are kind enough to take the time to post to help out the non-professionals like myself. They have much more experience than I have had.

I think I should answer your reedless accordion questions via e-mail. I notice you didn't post your e-mail. My email is rjmiller@bevcomm.net. Send your address and I will reply. If you don't have e-mail, find someone who does and send me your address and I will send a reply by overland mail.