Using an keyboard amp or active speaker for Machinedrum

enparticular · 2014-12-28T20:48:36.000Z

I guess that 99% of the people in the forum just go straight to PA for live shows. In my situation, we’re more of a "straightforward’ band where my machinedrum is the “Drummer”. we plan to play in lots of small places, with bad monitoring systems. so we are thinking about buying some sort of amp to use for the drum machine, so it can sound loud and clear and have more of a aural presence on stage.
We were thinking about the roland kc series (kc350 or 550) or maybe just a active monitor speaker like a JBL Eon. I like the portability of the kc350 but i’m afraid that i will not have a big enough kick drum.
Any ideas / suggestions? It would be great to know if anybody else uses the elektron boxes in a more “band like” aproach.
Thanks!

analept · 2014-12-28T21:40:39.000Z

I use a fender KXR 100, works really great with monomachine and machine drum, but it’s also too heavy …

alfred · 2014-12-28T22:39:49.000Z

a keyboard amp can make a lot of sense for additional monitoring in small clubs that don’t have proper monitor systems. but for seriously amplifying your synth or drum machine to the front they are useless. they just lack the bottom for kicks and anything that is more than just texture…

even very small clubs mostly have subs that’s why i highly recommend getting yourself a proper active sub for your rehearsals instead of just a keyboard amp. otherwise you can never tell how your arrangements really work out in a live situation when you have other instruments involved. you may have a pad with way too much bottom that causes an earthquake in a venue but you never noticed because you never ran the synth through a sub before. or it may be the other way round that you think you have a really hard hitting kick going on, but live it turns out that it don’t move any air at all. it even makes sense to have a portable active sub for small shows, because this is where small systems mostly lack. a lot of times in small rock clubs these systems only amplify vocals and have no subs at all.

koorosh · 2014-12-28T23:04:14.000Z

Hello,
I use one of the Kickback 12 - Bass Combo amps when I play live, and as a monitor when there is a PA available with inputs for my Analog Rytm.

Samson Technologies

Hartke - Kickback Combos - Kickback 12 - Discontinued

Good Luck!

enparticular · 2014-12-29T00:11:48.000Z

""alfred"":

a keyboard amp can make a lot of sense for additional monitoring in small clubs that don’t have proper monitor systems. but for seriously amplifying your synth or drum machine to the front they are useless. they just lack the bottom for kicks and anything that is more than just texture…

even very small clubs mostly have subs that’s why i highly recommend getting yourself a proper active sub for your rehearsals instead of just a keyboard amp. otherwise you can never tell how your arrangements really work out in a live situation when you have other instruments involved. you may have a pad with way too much bottom that causes an earthquake in a venue but you never noticed because you never ran the synth through a sub before. or it may be the other way round that you think you have a really hard hitting kick going on, but live it turns out that it don’t move any air at all. it even makes sense to have a portable active sub for small shows, because this is where small systems mostly lack. a lot of times in small rock clubs these systems only amplify vocals and have no subs at all.

well said.
the thing is, we’re not playing in clubs AT all, mostly small rock places with no subs at all. maybe it is a good idea to have a small active sub in the future but for now it’s not really needed. all the PAs that we will have will be small 2x15 speakers with tweeters and that’s it.

Zymos · 2014-12-29T01:34:44.000Z

A KC 550 lacks bottom ? How so?