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