Trying to setup a tri(or bi)-amplification rig

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KeyboardDave

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#1
I am currently looking into making my own bi-amp or tri-amp rig and have a lot of questions! First of all, (although I know this is the PA section) it is for my keyboards. I have played around with all kinds of combo amps and monitors and am looking for something that can tackle the task of adequately replicating the sound of my digital piano. I am a gigging musician and need something relatively portable. Although I am not very knowledgeable about the subject, I have been researching into bi-amplification and tri-amplification with electronic crossovers. So I guess some of my main questions are: What are some good speakers to run the highs or mid range out of (or a more full ranged speaker for both)? Is it a good idea to use the tri-amplification method for keyboards? Would it be practical to build a single cabinet containing all three speakers (high, mid range, subwoofer) and the electronic crossover or would that just defeat the purpose of utilizing tri-amplification? Any information, opinions, or answers would be much appreciated!!!
 
#2
Exactly what kind of combo amps and monitors have you tried? IMO a Pro audio powered speak/sub combo will outperform any instrument amp setup you can come up with, and if you get powered speakers of decent quality you will get a tri-amplified system with all kinds of factory DSP bui;lt-in to make the speaker system as flat as possible. Of course an acoustically flat speaker system is what's required to accurately reproduce an instrument, and getting that from a DIY setup requires a lot more equipment, experience, and time than most people are prepared to invest. Now I know this is a DIY site so if you are prepared to make this investment then everything you need can be found here, you can use store bought amplifiers and DSP processing or you can build your own from scratch or from kits, and of course there are lots on here that have designed and built speaker systems(present compnay included) that can help you with that part of the project.
 
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#3
Thank you for replying!! I honestly couldn't tell you every type of monitor (or most for that matter) I have tried as a lot of them I have used in back lining situations or something of that sort. I have never personally owned anything like this so this could also be why I haven't been able to get the sound I want out of them (if you have any suggestions I will gladly look into them!). I know I have used various JBL wedges (I want to say they were VT series), and various Yamaha MSR series speakers. I am definitely open to the possibility of using this kind of setup, but like the portability of the single cabinet combo amp. As far as combo amps I have tried pretty much all of the various amps in the Roland Kc series (I only demoed a KC 880 for a short time), Traynor amps, Carvin KB1015, as well as various Fender keyboard amps and bass combos as well. Generally, the problem I have is that the low frequencies tend to drowned out the highs and make the sound muddy or distorted at higher volumes. As I said before, I am not very knowledgeable about this topic (especially when it comes to wiring) so I would preferably like to purchase a setup that is already as acoustically flat as possible, but I also am not opposed to taking a DIY approach if it means I will get a more even sound. Any suggestions you can make as to different powered speakers/sub combinations or where I can get started would be much appreciated! Thank you!
 
#4
Do you have anywhere you can rent powered PA speakers? What I suggest you listen to is something like a JBL PRX 15" or 18" sub with a PRX 12" box pole mounted over it. Another option that is a little more portable than that would be a Yamaha DXS12 sub and a DXR10 top. This seperates the low frequencies from the mids and highs and gives you the ability to balance the levels between those, and the top box will have much greater high frequency output potential than an instrument amp so it should sound more natural. Your typical 2-way PA box or floor monitor isn't capable of this level of separation but then stage monitors are a compromise anyway, they need to be small enough not to obstruct sight lines but large enough to produce relatively fullrange sound, but also be portable and relatively easy to setup. Bi-amped stage monitors are used by some providers but it's rare to see anything beyond that and even then they are usually the same floor wedge format as your typical wedge. If you find you do like the above suggested setup but could still use a little more adjustability, then you could add an outboard processor to allow some tone shaping or maybe use a passive top speaker and biamp it with a rack mount amplifier
 
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#5
Thank you so much for your advice and speaker suggestions!!! I will definitely look into each of these speakers and see if I like what I find. At first glance of the specs, I like the fact that the JBL 15" sub is 16 lbs. less than the Yamaha 12" (although almost twice as expensive), because portability is a major factor. I wonder, would it be practical to use the JBL sub with the Yamaha DXR10? Cost and portability are significant factors (that is why I ask), but I also don't want to sacrifice quality. Thanks again for the advice and suggestions!!
 
#8
I will be playing/touring with some bands, that is why it needs to be portable and preferably on the inexpensive side, but I am also looking for good separation between the highs, mids, and lows which usually ends up being relatively expensive. The room size will vary from everything to dive bars to relatively large venues (and some outdoor venues). I believe my friend owns the QSC K12s along with a subwoofer for his DJ rig. They sound good for what he does. Though I also read several reviews online comparing the QSC K12 to the Yamaha DXR and the consensus seemed to lean towards the Yamaha (of course I will probably try to try them all out anyway if I have access to each). The Yamaha DSR looks like a very nice speaker!! I can't wait to try out all these speakers. Thank you all for your suggestions!! What would anyone recommend for a relatively inexpensive subwoofer that has a frequency range around 37-115Hz and an internal crossover frequency of around 90Hz?? (similar to the JBL PRX715 subwoofers but hopefully without the price tag). Is that a reasonable question or do you basically just get what you pay for? I found that ones that are even slightly comparable tend to be way heavier than the JBL subs. Thanks again for your suggestions!
 
#9
JBL subs are very hard to beat, nobody else seems to be able to pack the same kind of performance into a package that is as small and light. It's too bad China locked up the world's supply of neodymium and doubled prices because the previous generation PRX sub was even lighter than the current, but even if you could find some leftover NIB stock there was no 15" version.
 
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