Re: [Harp-L] Keyboard amps

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Richard L Williger" wrote:
<For a keyboard amp, I rely primarily on the Roland line.  I have the small
<one for home use, the middle-sized one for stage/monitor use, and the large
<one for venues where putting a mic/DI is not guaranteed.  I think their
<sound reproduction and features for the money are the best.
<I would not (and do not) use these for harp, though.  I think there are
<better amps out there for harp.  I want the best tone distribution through
<hi, mid, and lows for keyboards, and I want to accentuate the mids/highs on
<harp, and I actually like a little coloration for harp.
<It's all individual choice, but for keyboards, I like and use the Roland
<keyboard amps.

If you want the amp to provide lots of color, then a keyboard amp is not the best choice.  If you want the amp to take whatever's coming in and make it louder, without adding color, a keyboard amp works very well.  If you're running the harp through a lot of FX, like an amp modeler or other multiFX setup, and you want the FX devices to provide the primary colors, a keyboard amp works well.  A PA would do very much the same thing; in effect, most keyboard amps are self-contained PA systems with big woofers.

I agree that the Roland keyboard amps are great value for money. Peavey's keyboard amps are priced well below the comparable models in the Roland line, and I'd argue that they sound great, are well made, and have the right features for harp players (including 4-band EQ in the higher-end models).    

Regards, Richard Hunter  

author, "Jazz Harp"
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