I used the KC110 last October at an outdoor event with an audience of about 750-1000 people and the sound was quite impressive. It wasn't my amp, it was a loaner from a friend because my own amp got fried the week before on a gig with bad electrical grounding. On the KC110, there is a mono-stereo *LINE OUT* on the rear of the cabinet. You simply plug an audio cable into the line-out jack and run the cable directly into a balanced input into your band's main mixer ( or thru a direct box first, then into the mixer). The sound was perfect. Thus, I used the KC110 simply as a personal on-stage monitor and the signal sent from the KC's line out jack to the main mixer was just as loud as any other instrument in the band. The sound guy even routed my keyboard signals into the monitor mix on stage so all the other musicians (guitar, bass, drums, vox, horns) could hear my keys thru their own monitors. Just saying this because there is a solution to getting heard if using this amp as your only keyboard sound source on a gig --- unless you're playing tiny gigs, barbecues coffee houses and cafes. For the bigger gigs, running from the KC's line out jack to the mixer is a good solution and gets you heard by a large audience. Also, the old tried-and-true miking the amp with a good instrument mic like the Shure SM-57 works fine too. Also, it helps to physically raise the amp up from ground or floor using an amp stand or maybe one your drummer's trap cases, or even a chair or stool. Always keeping the amp (any amp) on the ground or floor keeps the audio from spreading out to your audience.
Chuck is 'spot-on' with the review of this little but capable Amp. For small venues it is a good choice for a keyboard/vocalist. I just did a party in a 20x25 ft room for about 25 people. Nice and clear, Acoustic and 'rhodes' piano settings and vocals had excellent sound across the spectrum. Using a Privia PX-5s and a tweaked bass setting (split bass) , the twin foam.surround 6 inch speakers provided an impressive low end, but were close to 'bottoming' (on split bass settings0 In my van I also pack an Ibanez compact 300W Bass amp. (25lbs). Adding this Bass amp as a 'bottom', allows me to cover larger spaces, by using the line out feature of the KC-110 to connect to the Ibanez bass amp (which also has a small 'tweeter'). Tweaking the tone controls on the KC-110 and the Ibanez Amp, I put the mid/higher frequencies to the KC and port the lowers to the Ibanez. The KC is on a speaker stand, and the Ibanez stays on the floor.
Thanks for this. I have been using one of these for busking for the last 6 years and find it is amazing at night time when the amount of people around is smallish and there's not too much background noise. It bounces off of the buildings in the mall and can sound wonderful for my piano and vocal performances. I find it does struggle a bit during the open shopping hours as there's too much noise to compete with. At least I don't have to fear being too loud in these situations. For the most part this amp does the trick, but I take my Yamaha StagePass 400i PA with me to any gigs where I have access to power or weddings/functions where I want to have more control over the volume level/sound direction with two speakers. It was good to hear someone else confirm how I feel about my amp.
@@sorinoprea5365 Hi. I did have two at one stage, but found it was a hassle to take both of them and my keyboard out at the time. I also couldn't test them at their loudest setting in the mall where I busked, but that being said, two were plenty loud enough. Not sure how they'd compare to the 400i. Sorry I can't be of more help.
You read my mind, this little series told me everything I wanted to know about this little amp! I use a Gallien Kreuger 206mls guitar amp and need something for my guitar synths (the 206 just cannot handle the synths...), for small gigs, and then with line outs for a mixer for bigger gigs... brilliant review, more of a chat really, but still great! Thanks alot!
Great review - thinking of buying one of these as an outdoor practice amp + maybe small gigs. Also saw Chuck's review of the RavPower portable battery charger/PSU, which was useful too.
Hi Chuck. Great info - thanks. I play in a loud 5 piece covers band. Do you think it would be useful as a stage monitor, maybe pole mounted close to the keys?
great review and helpful explanation. I have an electric cello, piezo pickup, no soundbox. Looks like Roland KC would cope with the whole cello range, particularly the bass for when I want to play bass blues with an octave pedal. I want a bit more volume so would a KC 150 do the trick?
Major problem with this amp: The Effects (reverb/chorus) are applied to all the inputs. Realistically you would only want to add it to the vocal channel, and leave the Keyboard input dry
Hello PianoManChuck. I was watching this video and am unsure of whether I should purchase the KC-110 or return the Roland Cube CM-30 I just got. I received the CM-30 yesterday, played around with it a bit and found that the bass is not too powerful and a bit strange, with distortion and rumble on the lower 2 octaves of my Privia PX-350 at mid volume. Since it is my first time buying any amp I'm not sure if this is normal or not or if I can add some subwoofer to the CM-30 to minimize the distortion. Would it be the same with the KC-110 regarding the lower end?
Helpful, thanks.However,in a club situation where they have a house PA, it can be either miked through that, right, or else just used as a monitor while the keyboard goes through the PA.
Right now I'm running mine through 2 Blackstar amps in stereo and it sounds great. Would the sound quality of this amp be better for piano than the Blackstar?
This or the KC-60 for bedroom use? I'll be using a digital piano, drums, and a bass synth. Would the Peavey KB1 suffice? I like that the KC-60 has subwoofer output, though, and the KC-110 is stereo. Tough choice!
Pls suggest is it good for studio recording applications? I am a synth player. But when I record straight from my synth to DAW the sounds are too clear and hence soulless. So can I install it like synth out to this kb amp to mic to DAW?
Hi I have a fairly quiet band with drums. I use a tube 12w Princeton Reverb amp (tube watts are louder than solid state I guess) and I run it at 2 maybe 3 and it's getting too loud. Do you think I could use this for my Hammond Organ in this setup for rehearsals/small bar shows/stage monitor?
A frequent critique of the of the KC 120 is the limited volume. I have one and I have seen that too. However, the other night I was playing with some pedals that offered a strong boost to the signal. The KC tolerated this well with little distortion other than an occasional clip on the bass and delivered a lot louder volume. I'd be willing to bet that some boost reduces the battery life, but louder is more good 😄 Try one at a store and see. I've also noticed that the batteries start delivering lower volumes all the way to being too drained. Fresh batteries are key.
Can you recommend me a portable speaker/amplifier to easily connect my mobile synth/audio interface into? I have Roland-Juno and I'd like to use an amp/speaker that sounds decent for home sound/practice but that it is lightweight enough to carry around a lot, and not necessarily for performance but for songwriting. A substitute for the headphones as to say. (Sound loudness does not matter in my case. I will only use it in my room at home or at friends' flat. Only that it is light enough, sounds well and if possible - although not essential - that it runs on batteries). I have KC-110 and sounds great but it's big to carry around while working on projects. Perhaps a JBL speaker? Or is there something else available?
Looking to replace an old KC100 with a stereo amp and I was thinking the KC-110. I just need it as a mixer/monitor to go on a Speaker stand like the KC100, but I need something with a Monitor channel for my vocal monitor. Any ideas??? thx, JP
Hi Chuck. I have a NORD piano 3. It has only 2 1/4 inch outputs. One for the left channel and one for the right channel. I am currently using studio monitor speakers that are powered, they are small and the sound is ok. Could u recommend a killer keyboard amp in the Roland line. This will just be for home use. And will any of the Rolands allow the left side and right side to plug in to that amp together, than put the sound out in stereo. IF the cab is set up with 2 speakers. Thanks
any suggestion on the best way to connect a stage piano/keyboard to the KC? I don't think I like the TRS (the Phone jack on the back of the keyboard into a Y shaped RCA, and RCA into the KC). Any other connection?
I guess this isn't powerful enough to be a keyboard monitor on-stage? I've upped my game recently by adding a Radial ProD2 to my rig but I have no amp for acoustic gigs and it would be great if it could double as a keyboard monitor. I'm using a PX-5S as well, still loving that board!
hi. thanks for uploading and informative video. Pls tell me between roland KC 110 & KC 150, which would you recommend. i am planning to by KC 150. does not having stereo sound on KC 150 make a lot difference compared to KC 110. Need an opinion of expert. pls advise.
***** Depends on what you're using it for. If for the studio, you'll definitely want stereo sound (whether that's 2 KC-150's or a Roland KC-110). If for gigging, you don't need stereo, and a single KC-150 will do the trick.
There's some good advice in this video but it seems to me he forgot several kinds of applications where someone might use an amp. First of all, it's battery powered. What about busking? And what about a garage band? Can it compete with acoustic drums? That's usually the big question.
Hi man.good video..i heard Bass amps are way better that Keyboard amps for keyboard. and give us cleaner and deeper sound specially in low tunes...are u agree with this?thanks
I was going to get one of these for busking outside in a small mall sort of thing. Now I'm not so sure. What do you think? I need something battery powered. I have a Roland RD 800 btw.
Brian Olsen People do it... but a pair of good studio monitors will bring out the best of your MP11 or RD800. Which studio monitors to use, are whatever sounds best to your ears at your retailer... and while you're there, compare those with the KC-110 as well.
Thanks! I just got my hands on a used (but pristine) kc-110 for 240usd and will test drive it with a casio px150 to see how much I like it. For my daughter's classical piano skills I'm debating between a ca65 or an mp11... no room for a grand and I'm not liking any upright I've played.
Wish u demo this amp. I own the big one and it sounds awful. The cheaper Behringer keyboard amp sounds so much better but not portable. But your ravpower, if u tell me how to convert adapter, will do the job
I know it's been a while since you've asked, but a guitar amp is designed to work with the frequencies that a guitar produces. A keyboard, be it a digital piano, synth, etc., produces a way larger field of frequencies (compare the range of a guitar versus a piano, just as a simple example), and thus needs an amp that can work with that wider spectrum.
The bottom line when rating any amplifier in any situation is the Db SPL (speaker level decibels or sound pressure) level of the amp and the Db level of the ambient noise. Wattage is a rating of electrical power and NOT a rating of sound pressure. Using wattage to rate an amp without specifying it's Db SPL output is, in my opinion, a totally dishonest way of representing that product. Factors such as speaker efficiency, electronic and mechanical design, and materials used in construction will vastly change an amp's performance. Consumers need to be aware of these facts in order to make the best decisions on purchases and to influence the manufacturers to accurately represent their products... Sorry for the rant, but having a degree in Electronics Technology makes this a personal peeve of mine.
I hope you understand the difference of keyboard amp used as a monitor and a main speaker. How many ever people r there that's not a problem if the amp is a monitor for u.Obviously you can't use a amp as a main speaker that's foolishness.
I used the KC110 last October at an outdoor event with an audience of about 750-1000 people and the sound was quite impressive. It wasn't my amp, it was a loaner from a friend because my own amp got fried the week before on a gig with bad electrical grounding. On the KC110, there is a mono-stereo *LINE OUT* on the rear of the cabinet. You simply plug an audio cable into the line-out jack and run the cable directly into a balanced input into your band's main mixer ( or thru a direct box first, then into the mixer). The sound was perfect. Thus, I used the KC110 simply as a personal on-stage monitor and the signal sent from the KC's line out jack to the main mixer was just as loud as any other instrument in the band. The sound guy even routed my keyboard signals into the monitor mix on stage so all the other musicians (guitar, bass, drums, vox, horns) could hear my keys thru their own monitors. Just saying this because there is a solution to getting heard if using this amp as your only keyboard sound source on a gig --- unless you're playing tiny gigs, barbecues coffee houses and cafes. For the bigger gigs, running from the KC's line out jack to the mixer is a good solution and gets you heard by a large audience. Also, the old tried-and-true miking the amp with a good instrument mic like the Shure SM-57 works fine too. Also, it helps to physically raise the amp up from ground or floor using an amp stand or maybe one your drummer's trap cases, or even a chair or stool. Always keeping the amp (any amp) on the ground or floor keeps the audio from spreading out to your audience.
Chuck is 'spot-on' with the review of this little but capable Amp. For small venues it is a good choice for a keyboard/vocalist. I just did a party in a 20x25 ft room for about 25 people. Nice and clear, Acoustic and 'rhodes' piano settings and vocals had excellent sound across the spectrum. Using a Privia PX-5s and a tweaked bass setting (split bass) , the twin foam.surround 6 inch speakers provided an impressive low end, but were close to 'bottoming' (on split bass settings0 In my van I also pack an Ibanez compact 300W Bass amp. (25lbs). Adding this Bass amp as a 'bottom', allows me to cover larger spaces, by using the line out feature of the KC-110 to connect to the Ibanez bass amp (which also has a small 'tweeter'). Tweaking the tone controls on the KC-110 and the Ibanez Amp, I put the mid/higher frequencies to the KC and port the lowers to the Ibanez. The KC is on a speaker stand, and the Ibanez stays on the floor.
Thanks for this. I have been using one of these for busking for the last 6 years and find it is amazing at night time when the amount of people around is smallish and there's not too much background noise. It bounces off of the buildings in the mall and can sound wonderful for my piano and vocal performances. I find it does struggle a bit during the open shopping hours as there's too much noise to compete with. At least I don't have to fear being too loud in these situations. For the most part this amp does the trick, but I take my Yamaha StagePass 400i PA with me to any gigs where I have access to power or weddings/functions where I want to have more control over the volume level/sound direction with two speakers. It was good to hear someone else confirm how I feel about my amp.
Hi Samantha
Have you ever thought about using two kc-110 for a busy place and tell me please how much louder is Yamaha 400i.
Thanks in advance.
@@sorinoprea5365 Hi. I did have two at one stage, but found it was a hassle to take both of them and my keyboard out at the time. I also couldn't test them at their loudest setting in the mall where I busked, but that being said, two were plenty loud enough. Not sure how they'd compare to the 400i. Sorry I can't be of more help.
Thanx fo reply, I subscribed to your channel about two weeks ago I like it.
@@sorinoprea5365 Cheers for the sub 😊
You read my mind, this little series told me everything I wanted to know about this little amp! I use a Gallien Kreuger 206mls guitar amp and need something for my guitar synths (the 206 just cannot handle the synths...), for small gigs, and then with line outs for a mixer for bigger gigs... brilliant review, more of a chat really, but still great! Thanks alot!
Great review - thinking of buying one of these as an outdoor practice amp + maybe small gigs. Also saw Chuck's review of the RavPower portable battery charger/PSU, which was useful too.
Gracias Chuck!!! Eres muy generoso, con tus conocimientos.
Hi Chuck. Great info - thanks. I play in a loud 5 piece covers band. Do you think it would be useful as a stage monitor, maybe pole mounted close to the keys?
great review and helpful explanation. I have an electric cello, piezo pickup, no soundbox. Looks like Roland KC would cope with the whole cello range, particularly the bass for when I want to play bass blues with an octave pedal. I want a bit more volume so would a KC 150 do the trick?
Major problem with this amp: The Effects (reverb/chorus) are applied to all the inputs. Realistically you would only want to add it to the vocal channel, and leave the Keyboard input dry
Matt Collins are you sure?
Hello PianoManChuck. I was watching this video and am unsure of whether I should purchase the KC-110 or return the Roland Cube CM-30 I just got. I received the CM-30 yesterday, played around with it a bit and found that the bass is not too powerful and a bit strange, with distortion and rumble on the lower 2 octaves of my Privia PX-350 at mid volume. Since it is my first time buying any amp I'm not sure if this is normal or not or if I can add some subwoofer to the CM-30 to minimize the distortion. Would it be the same with the KC-110 regarding the lower end?
Helpful, thanks.However,in a club situation where they have a house PA, it can be either miked through that, right, or else just used as a monitor while the keyboard goes through the PA.
Right now I'm running mine through 2 Blackstar amps in stereo and it sounds great. Would the sound quality of this amp be better for piano than the Blackstar?
This or the KC-60 for bedroom use? I'll be using a digital piano, drums, and a bass synth. Would the Peavey KB1 suffice? I like that the KC-60 has subwoofer output, though, and the KC-110 is stereo. Tough choice!
Pls suggest is it good for studio recording applications? I am a synth player. But when I record straight from my synth to DAW the sounds are too clear and hence soulless. So can I install it like synth out to this kb amp to mic to DAW?
Hi I have a fairly quiet band with drums. I use a tube 12w Princeton Reverb amp (tube watts are louder than solid state I guess) and I run it at 2 maybe 3 and it's getting too loud. Do you think I could use this for my Hammond Organ in this setup for rehearsals/small bar shows/stage monitor?
Would you recommend this for bedroom practice with the occasional garage jam session?
What size amp/speaker would you recommend for a large-ish hall with a high ceiling with up to 50 people?
A frequent critique of the of the KC 120 is the limited volume. I have one and I have seen that too. However, the other night I was playing with some pedals that offered a strong boost to the signal. The KC tolerated this well with little distortion other than an occasional clip on the bass and delivered a lot louder volume. I'd be willing to bet that some boost reduces the battery life, but louder is more good 😄 Try one at a store and see. I've also noticed that the batteries start delivering lower volumes all the way to being too drained. Fresh batteries are key.
Can you recommend me a portable speaker/amplifier to easily connect my mobile synth/audio interface into? I have Roland-Juno and I'd like to use an amp/speaker that sounds decent for home sound/practice but that it is lightweight enough to carry around a lot, and not necessarily for performance but for songwriting. A substitute for the headphones as to say. (Sound loudness does not matter in my case. I will only use it in my room at home or at friends' flat. Only that it is light enough, sounds well and if possible - although not essential - that it runs on batteries). I have KC-110 and sounds great but it's big to carry around while working on projects. Perhaps a JBL speaker? Or is there something else available?
Looking to replace an old KC100 with a stereo amp and I was thinking the KC-110. I just need it as a mixer/monitor to go on a Speaker stand like the KC100, but I need something with a Monitor channel for my vocal monitor. Any ideas??? thx, JP
Hi Chuck. I have a NORD piano 3. It has only 2 1/4 inch outputs. One for the left channel and one for the right channel. I am currently using studio monitor speakers that are powered, they are small and the sound is ok. Could u recommend a killer keyboard amp in the Roland line. This will just be for home use. And will any of the Rolands allow the left side and right side to plug in to that amp together, than put the sound out in stereo. IF the cab is set up with 2 speakers. Thanks
any suggestion on the best way to connect a stage piano/keyboard to the KC? I don't think I like the TRS (the Phone jack on the back of the keyboard into a Y shaped RCA, and RCA into the KC). Any other connection?
anks PinaoManChuck, I ordered one of these from GC before I saw this video. I just plan to use it indoors in a single room, so I think I am good.
What if you had 2 of these running in stereo? Would it be loud enought then?
What about recording? Is it possible on the amp?
If I play with this amp can I still hear myself with the drum being played?
Could you review the KC150 as well??
Have you already test the KC-220? Wish you can demo this amp
I guess this isn't powerful enough to be a keyboard monitor on-stage? I've upped my game recently by adding a Radial ProD2 to my rig but I have no amp for acoustic gigs and it would be great if it could double as a keyboard monitor. I'm using a PX-5S as well, still loving that board!
hi. thanks for uploading and informative video. Pls tell me between roland KC 110 & KC 150, which would you recommend. i am planning to by KC 150. does not having stereo sound on KC 150 make a lot difference compared to KC 110. Need an opinion of expert. pls advise.
***** Depends on what you're using it for. If for the studio, you'll definitely want stereo sound (whether that's 2 KC-150's or a Roland KC-110). If for gigging, you don't need stereo, and a single KC-150 will do the trick.
How do I hook up a Roland to my Sony DVD player and keyboard
Gracias amigo
There's some good advice in this video but it seems to me he forgot several kinds of applications where someone might use an amp. First of all, it's battery powered. What about busking? And what about a garage band? Can it compete with acoustic drums? That's usually the big question.
works well if you're using a piano sound but if you're doing a bass/piano split, the bass sounds fryie
Thanks.
Hi man.good video..i heard Bass amps are way better that Keyboard amps for keyboard. and give us cleaner and deeper sound specially in low tunes...are u agree with this?thanks
I have the same idea..I tried it on my line 6 LD150..its better than any other roland key amps..
FENDSHALL do u recommend bass amp instead?
I was going to get one of these for busking outside in a small mall sort of thing. Now I'm not so sure. What do you think? I need something battery powered. I have a Roland RD 800 btw.
Douglas Lawrie Only way to know for sure is to try it (plenty of places offer 30-day returns).
I have one, I only use this in enclosed areas and mainly for piano and vocals. This is not appropriate for bass and piano splits.
Got a Marshall 100asd acoustic amp
Does mp7se have speakers
how about a single room with a drumset?
What's your opinion of using one of these as mostly as a primary monitor for an MP11 (or rd800)?
Brian Olsen People do it... but a pair of good studio monitors will bring out the best of your MP11 or RD800. Which studio monitors to use, are whatever sounds best to your ears at your retailer... and while you're there, compare those with the KC-110 as well.
Thanks! I just got my hands on a used (but pristine) kc-110 for 240usd and will test drive it with a casio px150 to see how much I like it. For my daughter's classical piano skills I'm debating between a ca65 or an mp11... no room for a grand and I'm not liking any upright I've played.
Brian Olsen The Kawai CA65 or MP11 are both excellent choices! Of course, if you get the CA65, you won't need to worry about getting studio monitors.
Tnks
Can you run an iPhone through it to use backing tracks
Yes you can
What about for a small to medium size church?
Wish u demo this amp. I own the big one and it sounds awful. The cheaper Behringer keyboard amp sounds so much better but not portable. But your ravpower, if u tell me how to convert adapter, will do the job
I want to know this. Guitar Amp is not useful for keyboard ??? What's the difference.
I play keyboard, so the Roland Cube 20X amp is doesn't work ?
I know it's been a while since you've asked, but a guitar amp is designed to work with the frequencies that a guitar produces. A keyboard, be it a digital piano, synth, etc., produces a way larger field of frequencies (compare the range of a guitar versus a piano, just as a simple example), and thus needs an amp that can work with that wider spectrum.
A tree is not a wall ... at least not continuous.
is this good for an indoor concert?
+Music Lover - Absolutely! As long as you have enough power for the concert (ie: about 30-40 people).
+PianoManChuck can you use a mic with it?
+Music Lover - Of course!
is this amp only for keyboards ? can this be use for guitar?
Its called a 'keyboard amp' because of its sonic range but can be used for just about anything else, including guitar.
@@PianoManChuck Thanks Chuck..... Appreciate....
The bottom line when rating any amplifier in any situation is the Db SPL (speaker level decibels or sound pressure) level of the amp and the Db level of the ambient noise. Wattage is a rating of electrical power and NOT a rating of sound pressure. Using wattage to rate an amp without specifying it's Db SPL output is, in my opinion, a totally dishonest way of representing that product. Factors such as speaker efficiency, electronic and mechanical design, and materials used in construction will vastly change an amp's performance. Consumers need to be aware of these facts in order to make the best decisions on purchases and to influence the manufacturers to accurately represent their products... Sorry for the rant, but having a degree in Electronics Technology makes this a personal peeve of mine.
What about in a gymnasium? Or a large concert hall?
At first I thought he was sitting next to a giant keyboard on top of the table.. Very confused
Play us a song, you're the piano man
I have a KC 60 I play live venues just fine - let someone else decide what you think is appropriate--
Well good for you! KC-110 is BATTERY OPERATED and the subject of much discussion of where its apprppriate to use.
Okay... I kept skipping 10 seconds ahead to get to the playing part and the video ended without me hearing the amp :/
The title alone should tell you this was not a Demo or Review.... there's tons of those videos out there.
I hope you understand the difference of keyboard amp used as a monitor and a main speaker. How many ever people r there that's not a problem if the amp is a monitor for u.Obviously you can't use a amp as a main speaker that's foolishness.
Too much tok
khal6320 Guess you did NOT read what the video was about. Learn to “Read” ...please!