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Speakers for live piano performance

Does anyone know about speakers for live music?

I'm an amateur jazz pianist, and I want to be able to perform high-quality acoustic jazz using a portable keyboard. For example, I'd like to be able to play at local coffee houses and restaurants, most of which don't own a piano but would love to have live music. The keyboard I'm using is a Kawai MP8, which I think has an excellent "acoustic grand piano" sound (when I listen to it through headphones).

My question is, what speakers should I use for performing?

I've tried the typical keyboard amps that rock bands use (Hartke KM series, Roland KC series), but they don't come close to achieving the warm, realistic piano sound I'm looking for.

I'm sure I could get more accurate sound reproduction using home/studio monitors, but I'm worried that those will be (1) too near-field (not intended to be heard more than ~20 feet away) and (2) too fragile (not intended for being bumped into and tripped over and transported around).

So I think that leaves PA speakers. I just bought a pair of QSC K8 speakers, and they sound excellent above middle C but rather thin and muddled below middle C.

How can I do better?
wolfbear

Showing 3 responses by martykl

martykl
3,578 posts
 
I use a Kawai digital piano at home and found that a sub/sat works best. My set-up wouldn't be appropriate for your needs, but a smallish sub and your pair of (I assume) powered monitors might do the trick.

Good Luck

Marty

PS Try to demo Ivory or Virtual Steinway or similar software. As much as you like the acoustic grand sound that you're getting now, you might be surprised at just how good these hypersampled emulation packages sound.
martykl
3,578 posts
 
I paid a quick visit to their website and it looks like QSC has a subwoofer designed to mate with your K8s. Unless your issues extend upward beyond the lowest full octave on the keyboard, this is the first fix I would try.

Marty
martykl
3,578 posts
 
Wolf,

If your issue really extends up into the octave below middle c (when you said below middle c, you didn't specify how far below), then I doubt that the sub is the answer.

In my case, the issues were more centralized in/below the lowest full octave on the keyboard. One idea:

Make sure you've tried your existing set-up in several different environments before concluding that you've nailed the specific characteristics of the problem. In this frequency range, the room is (almost) everything.

Good Luck,

Marty
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