Does anyone here use an amp for plain at-home use? I play a PSR-9000 and as many of you know it has great built-in speakers. Yet, my guess is that the sound could only improve when you hook it to an amplifier. Am I right? I don't mean to up the volume just the quality (my condo association would frown if I cranked up the volume) What kind of amplifier would you recommend for at home? Preferabley I would like one without a built-in speaker with the ability to hook up two stereo speakers and a subwoofer. How much would that cost? Have any of you had any experience with wireless speakers? If so, which brands are good?

thx ev

Hi Ev,
two possible alternatives without buying extra gear are:
1- to use you hi-fi system, connecting the audio output of your mixer to the aux input of you pre-amplifier (with a dedicated cable)
2- to use your computer speaker system, via the audio input of your audio card (especially if you have one of those 5:1 systems with a good subwoofer... )

Adding a sub (even alone) will greatly enhance the tone. If you want better fidelity - just get a three way system, like the Yamaha sattelites that were introduced with the 9kpro. I forget the model number, but I own them, and they're great. George ? What are those speakers called again?

Thank you both! UD or anyone who knows, how do you "add a sub"? Or the satellites? Are you saying you can connect them without an amp directly?

thx ev

"Computer" speakers are usually self-powered. You just get the signal to them and they supply their own power. There are lots of inexpensive choices.
DonM

Regarding speakers\Amp to improve the PSR9000. It so happens that the 9000 has a very good speaker system, possible due to them being built into wooden cabs. The YST_MS50 Satellites + Sub bass of the Pro & Tyros will not greatly improve on the speakers that are already built into the PSR9000. The Satellites are Harsh and the Bass Unit Booms.

Myself (9000Pro) for home I use my Hi-Fi System (as Dreamer suggested) but I have built a Bedroom Studio containing Large Studio Transmission Line Speakers. these are on Spiked Stands placed on concrete slabs. They produce very low clean Bass.

The 9000 is capable of producing some excellent sounds. The speakers supplied with the Tyros do not do full justice to that board either.

Graham UK

..."adding a sub" ........
is something I have done for YEARS to my self powered kbs. In many cases, the volume of the on board sound system is "almost" enough, but just missing the extra "thump" that the bass requires. Adding a small bass amp, or a powered sub is as easy as pluging in a wire from the kb output to the amp input.
I play at least 30-40 jobs each year in very small, intimate locations and this is the system of choice for those situations.
If you're just doing background music ..... there is no need to bring in speakers that are more appropriate for a dance. Size counts, and appearance too.

I played a house party last Saturday in a 2 million dollar home, and any amps at all would have been an eyesore. I uses one small bass amp on the floor UNDER my kb stand and that filled the house with all the sound I needed.

I agree with UD's comments above about just adding a Sub-Bass to the keyboard. Unfortunately most of the smaller sub-bass are nothing more than a boom box producing upper bass only with no low frequencies at all.
I once tried an expensive powered Sub-Bass (the name escapes me, but German I think) This produced just very low Bass only and added that bottom end feel, which once you hear (feel)is difficult to live without.
I wanted to add my input about speakers because it can be wrongly assumed that just adding any old Sub-Bass will greatly improve the keyboard sound....go for quality...not quantity.

Graham UK

Have to agree with Graham. Just adding a sub to the system really doesn't do much. Tried it on a small job and ended up disconnecting it because it overpowered the mid range and high range sounds. On the first break, went out to the van, pulled out the Peavey XR-600 and a couple Yamaha 12-inch speakers, all of which didn't take up much room when placed on both sides of the keyboards (I use 2--even on the small jobs). The quality of the sound improved so much that the person who hired me said it sounded like I added another keyboard to the system and everyone in this 1,200 square foot room raved about the music. I'm always open to suggestions for lightening the load on the jobs, but I will not lighten the load at the expense of the sound quality.

As for home use, I personally use the speakers in the keyboards--they seem just fine, provide excellent quality for their size and don't bother my spouse's activities in other rooms of the house. This alone may preserve your marital status on the next income tax return.

The smallest gig I've played over these many years was in a hotel suite, one that was for a corporate Happy Hour during a convention. Didn't need an amp there, but this was a background music only job, so I didn't have to provide vocals. Both the 2000 and 740 had sufficient power in the built-in speakers for the job, but I did learn something from a friend about re-directing the sound from the keyboard speakers. This can be done by merely constructing a couple forward facing hoods that velcro over the speaker grills. They were made of heavy, cardboard covered with black velvet, measured the same size as the grills and had an opening that was about four inches high. They looked a lot like an air scoop on the hood of a car--but on a much smaller scale. They directed the sound in the direction the opening faced, but still had enough leakage so you could easily monitor your performance.

Dave, did you play at home last Sat[2 mill$]. When I need a little bottom I use the Yorkville 600 watt sub woofer, it carries well in 2million$ house parties..

[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 12-30-2002).]