I just bought a Bose Acoustic wave radio/CD player. It's very impressive as a CD player ... so much so, that Bose chose not to even include user modifyable EQ - it's all done electronicly to keep it at optimum levels, and it WORKS. Sounds great.
I'm going to try it tonight as a kb monitor .... just too see if it can handle live spikes from an uncompressed signal with strong vocal variations in volume.
If it can't do it ... I probably will send it back. As good as it sounds - I need both duties to justify the high cost ($1150 US)
I'll let you know if it's a contender!
I have a strong feeling that it just may be the answer to those tiny room scenarios that need a little extra ooomph without the bulk and ugliness of concert setups.
Crossing my fingers now ..............

UD, looking forward to hearing your findings. My Mom's got one. She loves hers, but I don't think she'd be willing to give hers up long enough to send to me to try it out.

UD, I have a friend who uses his for weddings at the church service so he doesn't have to lug around an ev speaker or comparable cabinet. He had it out in the parking lot of a banquet hall once, plugged in his mic and sang through it without holding back. it was awesome. I think it will work well for you. Good Luck B2

I wish I had more time to really test thios out in an optimum setting, but the club was too loud last night and the job today is in a huge hall, so the testing will have to be postponed. I did hook it up as an auxiliary monitor and it was pretty cool as an add on.
I'm very curious as to how it handles a small room on it's own.
It sounds completely AWESOME in my bedroom, and has a remote so I can switch it on and off from the bed............aahhhhhhhhhh.
So - more news as I test it out. I'm sure it will not fit the bill for many of us, but maybe for my small needs .... it'll provide a nice, attractive alternative to lugging a comercial-looking piece into a million dollar home. We'll see.

Boy - I REALLY wish I took the Bose tonight. I have a feeling it would have been PERFECT. I was in a small room in a fine, Italian resturaunt (thanx to my pal, Donny for the referal !)and it was the perfect size space to use such a thing. too bad.

Here's another portable kb monitor system option worth looking into:

Cambridge Soundworks Model Twelve

Has anyone here heard these?
http://www.hifi.com/store/category.cgi?category=search&item=c1md12ee&type=store

I have a friend who had to fly across Country (before 9/11/2001) to perform for an exclusive small private party at a swanky home. He said the Model Twelve was the perfect solution as the entire portable speaker system (satelite speakers, control module, and subwoofer all fit in its built in small compact carrying case with handle: total 26 lbs) stores easily under the airline seat. He told me the sound quality and volume was more than suficient for this setting. I realize that this setup may not be as quick & convenient as having built in speakers in your kb, but, it might be the next best convenient thing because its sub Woofer doubles as a carry case for the entire system. This could work out as a nice personal monitoring solution for the speakerless Yamaha Tyros as both the Tyros & Model 12 system weigh about the same: making for a nice balancing act . . . one in each hand.

- Scott

PS: Flea, of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, claims that the Model 12 is the best traveling sound system he's ever heard and that they take it everywhere they go. The Model 12 also received the 'editors choice' award by PC Magazine for whatever that's worth.

I'm a little confused here (which comes as no surprise to me )

I thought there was this entire issue about the Tyros, because the speakers were not internal and now there is all this chit chat about seperate monitoring systems? Why not just go with the Tyros ones? Or are we just yaking in general about monitoring systems?
Terry

Terry,
You know I'm not talking Tyros here.

Scott - still too many wires and "things" to set up. There are lots of 4 piece options that sound good. I like the Yamaha system a WHOLE lot that is packaged with the 9k and Tryros. You all know me .... i want "easy" "light" "fast" and GREAT. I'm sure it sounds great, but it's more trouble to set up than the kb, itself! Then, where to place the sattelites, etc.... fugettabouttit!
Still looking, but the Bose has possibilities!

scott,the speaker system looks cool but the specs don,t say what the power output is ,any idea? mike

Hi Terry: The reason I brought this up is because I had heard that the Tyros ones are not that roadworthy (rugged). For home/studio use, fine, but I need something that is can be easily transported in ONE unit and set up fairly quickly as well. The Model Twelve all in one system (including carrying case) seems like it might be easier to transport than the Tyros speaker system. Steve Deming even admitted that the Tyros speaker system may not be rugged enough to handle a lot of gig transporting.



Mike, GOOD Question. I was wondering that myself. I'll try to stop by a Cambridge Soundworks showroom next week and try to find out.

As far as the Model Twelve setup time goes, my guess it would not take any longer than setting up the Tyros speakers. Of course I'd prefer a kb with built in speakers too, but I realize this would add to the weight considerably, but my guess is that both the Tyros speakers and the Model Twelve would sound better than any internal kb speakers could provide . . . . that is unless you have the kb weighing in at 59 lbs, like the Genesys.

Hi Mike,

I finally got the chance to check out the Model 12's out in a local Cambridge Soundworks store:

I thought the sound was'nt too bad considering it has only a 13 watt 6" sub woofer, and the 2 satellite speakers are 2 way type: 3" & 3/4" each. Each satelite speaker draws 7.3 watts. This makes the total system 27.6 watts at 8 ohms. Not a heck of a lot of power, but still at least equal to (or better ) than the built in speakers provide in my PSR2000. Of course you can't really make any kind of honest comparison without actually audtioning both side by side.

The big disadvantage of the Cambridge Model Twelve System is that the speaker wires are not the 'plug in jack' type, but instead, bare tipped copper wires that must to be feed into tiny holes with spring connectors, certainly not idea for quick setup/breakdown. The other thing is, that in addition to the speakers themselves, you have to connect everything up to a separate control box. Is all this hassle worth the convenience of a single 27lb built in carrying case transportable system? If you own an arranger keyboard without built in speakers and 'personal' monitoring is important, the Model Twelves may be worth considering. Still, because the Model Twelve is of the a PC computer type (2 tiny satellites & a sub),it lacks a bit in the mid range frequencies, and probably doesn't even sound as good as the Yamaha Tyros PC computer type speaker system.

In conclusion, the big selling point about the Model Twelve is the one box combo carrying case/built in subwoofer design which makes transporting this system a breeze. It's hooking the system up AFTER you get it out of the box that seems more inconvenient than necessary. - Scott




Uncle Dave, Did you finally get a chance yet to test out the Bose Acoustic Wave system out with your Keyboard? What's your impression after testing?. Scott

I've got a Peavey Escort system on trial this weekend. I used it tonight at a supper club, and it sounded very good. It's only 75 watts per side, but everything sounds crisp and clear. I would prefer a little more bass at high volume, but it's pretty good.
The best thing is that it's completely self-contained and has wheels. Everything fits inside including mics, cords, stands and speakers.
I will use it again tomorrow night and then decide whether to keep it.
DonM

I thought the Escort was a little heavy, but it DOES have wheels. I also thought the bass response was good at moderate levels, anyway. The sattelight cabinets are pretty small and light, yet the book says it can produce lows to about 40 or 50 hz. Is that possible?

BTW- the Bose hasn'r left my bedroom since that first night. I'm so spoiled by the sound in that room ....... I fall asleep to it every night.

Actually the manual says 25 to 50.
It does seem to reproduce all the sounds. The only limitations that bother me are the overall volume (while it is fine for small rooms, it definitely wouldn't play a very large venue), and the apparent lack of "sends".
I generally run my mic into mixer, then a send to the PSR. Last night I plugged the mic directly into the PSR.
More after tonight.
Don

25 !!! Wow ...... I'd be surprised if it REALLY reproduces those lows, but it DOES have a good, solid bass. Most 18" woofers only go down to 30 or so. Hartley might have oedipal issues too.