As you know, I purchased HK Nano from DNJ. It sounds really good, so I decided to simplify everything even more.
I took one of the new Casios home on trial, and hooked it up to the Nano. Wow, this thing blows me away!
I just plug the Casio into the Nano, plug my mic into the mic input on the Nano and GO! It doesn't have effects, but I find my voice is so good that it really doesn't need any help. I have decided to only do songs for which I remember all the words and chords from memory, so don't need the laptop any more. I already know how good I sound, so I don't need a recorder either.
Just in case, for backup, I'm taking a portable CD player with a couple of Donny Pesce's sets recorded on CD. I can just act like I'm playing and singing. No one will know!
The entire rig only weighs about 25 pounds or so, and the cost is minimal, considering the Casio is only $300. Also, I wll no longer carry around a keyboard stand or stool. I'll just use whatever is available at the venue. There is always a table and chair not being used.
If I ever get another paying job, I may well change my mind about all this.
Happy First Day of April.
DonM

Hi Don, How is the sound quality when compared to Bose Compact L1 ?

Sunny

Actually, April Fool's Day aside, the Nano sounds very good, at least in my office. I have yet to try it in a live situation, so don't know about the coverage.
I think the quality is probably as good as Bose, but slightly different, maybe a little warmer. I'm looking at it as a replacement for my backup system, which has been a Logitech Z2200, and as a unit for small, in-and-out jobs.
It's certainly not better than the Bose, but it has some connection and setup options that make it perhaps more versatile, at least without an outboard mixer.
The jury is still out!
DonM

Don, did you ever come to a conclusion on the Nano? Have you ever used it just in the mono situation without using the poles?

Dang, the world constantly changes and Mason has to rub out noses in it again. I don't even know what an HK-Nano is but will begin my research immediately after leaving "the Zone."

Wish I could hear another Shreveport/Bossier performance from the best golfer at the Zone.

Dave Rice

Hey, the Nano is pretty good. At least in my office, because that's the only place I've used it. It would work fine in the mono mode, but it sounds really good in stereo.
I keep it set up at home, so I don't have to bring in the Bose Compacts from the garage.
I would not hesitate to use it on any job up to a hundred or so people. Still prefer the two Compacts, but that's not really fair.
Dave, come on over. We'll jam and then play golf, or vice versa.
I'm not as good as I once was, but as good occasionally as I ever was. (Thanks Toby Keith).
DonM

Don, thanks, have you ever compared it to a Roland BA330 which is a similar price, the Bose is more pricey!

Check out the LD Systems Maui 11 and Maui 28 from Frank @ AudioWorksCT

I heard a BA330 and I much prefer the HK.
DonM

So how about an unbiased shootout, Frank?

One Compact, vs. the HK Nano's in stereo (and mono for a more direct comparison with just one tower), vs. the MAUI 28.

Which is louder, cleaner and has more coverage?

Good question, but isn't the MAUI 11 a fairer comparison?

Too subjective, IMO. Everyone seems to have his or her own likes and dislikes about what they want and hear from a sound system - which is obvious from the various responses on this and other forums. I guess if you had the same keyboard, same song, same everything, and only changed the PA, then posted all the MP3s, everyone could make up their own mind. Of course, not everyone likes country music, so you would have to do this with a dozen genres and a dozen of the most popular onboard instruments, and a dozen different vocals, both with and without vocal harmony.

Just sayin',

Gary

If you can't ask a store owner, who CAN you ask? LOL

You want to make up your own mind, find a store that has all of them... Bit impractical, TBH, though. I'd rather ask someone who has BOTH (or all) side by side.

Bottom line is, it's pretty easy to crank a system until it audibly distorts, then see if another system is louder or quieter by the time IT distorts.

All of these systems are small subs with small speakers on top. Seems a pretty fair comparison, and they all come in at roughly (within a few hundred dollars) the same price.

There's no need to get utterly anal about it. Any music (doesn't matter what, as long as it is balanced) cranked up... Does it get brittle, does the sub flap, does it stay clean at high volumes, does it cover a wider area..? Probably most of us would test the same things in the store ourselves. Most anything made nowadays can sound good up to a certain point. But what many of us would like to know is, where is that point? Which one stays cleaner, longer?

For me, I guess I'll have to drive to Bossier City/Benton, LA and fire up all of Don's systems, plus any others that might want to get together sometime in February and have another Synthzone Jam Session. Sounds reasonable to me, at least. Nothing anal about it - just a neat way to hear all the systems in a large venue, which I believe is the best way to hear them instead of in a music store. Besides, it would be a Hell of a lot more fun, too!

We could do this in Marathon Key, Florida as well, which would be a neat place to have a Saturday Night Synthzone Jam. I know of two outdoor locations where we would have huge audiences and the atmosphere is incredible in late January and early February.



Gary