Keyboards gear questions

[Snarl 12/8]

Hi,

I'm asking on behalf of my daughter. (My phrasing though.)

1) What are some good powered speakers, mabye in the $300/pr range that are good for keyboard monitors?
2) Is there a hardware, midi, rack unit that has a good range of really good, realistic instrument sounds? Like a few pianos, basses, organs, horns, strings, "funk guitar", that kinda thing, but really awesome sounding? I bought her an emu Proteus 1 (1990's) that I stumbled on. I think she liked the different types of sounds it had, but not how they actually sounded.

Thanks,

ck

[The Scum]

Kurzweil PC2R?

[Scodiddly]

Rack units went out of style a while back, once digital keyboards really started getting powerful. I recently bought a Yamaha S-30, which is now about 20 years old, and the sounds (it's basically a sample playback synth) are really quite good. The grand piano doesn't seem that great to play on the basic velocity-sensitive synth keyboard, but played back sounds very nice.

I think I paid a little too much at $400. Anything from say 2000 on that's a "digital workstation" will have good sounds and a lot of variety.

Otherwise just get a MIDI interface and do it with software. I've seen that a lot at shows - backline delivers some Roland digital piano, then the performer shows up with a laptop and MIDI interface.

[kslight]

No first hand experience but I know the Alto TX210 and similar are popular on a budget.

Loads of modules out there…but something like the Roland Fantom XR module (or keyboard) I think would have a solid variety of reasonably realistic sounds, without being so old that it’s Uber cheesy. Korg Triton maybe a little long in the tooth but a pretty popular set of sounds regardless. Most of those modules go for nothing on the used market. OTOH, don’t discount something like Korg Gadget running on iPad / iPhone.

[digitaldrummer]

I think the Behringer B112D is a great bang/buck keyboard monitor. I know several people who gig with them regularly and I have them for my PA mains too. they are also good PA monitors. anyway, the important thing with Behringer is use proper gain staging. if you drive them too hard on the input they will distort (and not nicely...) but most gear will. If you want to break the budget then the QSC K10 or K12 are the best for keyboard monitors (but much heavier to carry around). or if you want even better sound, find the KW12 (wood cabinet), although they may have stopped making these as the K12's are pretty close.