Running keyboard into Roland Cube 80X

[iluvchiclets]

Hi everyone,

Well, I am usually spending my time on this forum in the Stompbox section, but now I have a question about an amp.

I want to use my Roland Cube80X for a floor monitor while playing keyboards. I have a large powered speaker for my keyboard but, depending on where I play, it might face away from me in which case I have trouble hearing myself.

I got the Cube 80X after noticing it has a 1/8" CD/MP3 input which I thought would be good for line-level instruments.

...or is it? The Roland Cube 80X manual says:

INPUT (CLEAN channel): -10 dBu/1 M ohm
AUX IN: -10 dBu

They seem identical? Does anyone know the ins-and-outs of playing a synthesizer through a guitar amp? I did that for years with my early gear (Fender Rhodes, Hohner Pianet/Clavinet) and then later on with my early synthesizers. I am curious whether I could damage the amp in some way with a hotter signal going into the input.

Thanks for reading!

[Ringo]

Not a keyboard, but close, I'm using a Roland Cube 80XL with my RR Strat and GR55, I run the guitar pickups into the amp and the GR55 output into the aux input on the back of the Cube.
It works well, and sounds good, not as good as a seperate dedicated keyboard amp with a horn but still very good tones.

The aux input is flat response, you do have to use an adaptor from the 1/4" to 1/8", if I'm not mistaken the input is mono anyway, I use a headphone plug adaptor with my regular 1/4" instrument cable.

I do have the watch the level on the various patches of the GR55, some of the patches are way too hot, mostly on stuff I don't use anyway but I adjust the volume from the GR55 unit and/or on each patch.


As far as using guitar amps for keyboards, we used my buddys Peavey Backstage Plus one time at a gig for our keyboard player , his amp had died, so we did line out to the PA and he used the PV as a monitor amp, it worked great.
At rehearsals our female singer has a keyboard that she runs into an old Tube Works combo guitar amp using the clean channel, and it sounds very good.

[bluescube]

If you watch old concert videos from 60's and 70's, keyboardists used Fender Twins, Showmans, Acoustic and other 100 watt plus clean tube amps for keyboards. I'm sure the venerable JC120 woudl work well. The 80X should work on the JC Clean as well.

[Togman]

On the rare occassions I play Keys, I run it through the 'Aux in' socket on my Cube 30 - no problems.

[losergeek]

Ya, the main reasons you wouldn't want to use a guitar amp for keyboards is that the lower frequencies can damage the speakers and it might sound like garbage. If you have a flat input like an aux, then it shouldn't sound too bad and if you're just using it for stage monitoring then I imagine it's not going to be loud enough to worry about the speaker. Even then, I assume SS amps with an AUX input would have speakers that can handle a decent range of frequencies anyway because there would be just as much risk to the speakers while playing a loud MP3 with low bass sounds as a keyboard in the lower frequencies.

I occasionally use my AC15 for keyboards when my wife's bass amp isn't available and I just make sure to stick to synth style patches since they are the most guitar-like and stay away from the lower octives and 'percussive' patches like pianos and some of the harsher organs.

[iluvchiclets]

Thanks for all the replies, guys,

I agree with what you are saying - I'll try to run the keys into the Aux input in order to avoid the EQ on the amp models. If I cannot get down to a 1/8" adapter, I will use the JC-120 Clean Model on the amp.

I appreciate all of your input!

[Ringo]

You can get a 1/4 to 1/8 adaptor most anywhere , I had several of them laying around the house, they come with headphones most of the time and I'm sure you can find one seperately , Walmart, Target, Best Buy, dollar store etc...



http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-Stereo-He.../dp/B000068O6B

[iluvchiclets]

Hey, thanks Ringo!

I am aware of the standard 1/4" to 1/8", but my problem is XLR to 1/4" to 1/8"....uugh! After too many adapters I don't feel so good...

I have an XLR to 1/4" cable which is what I try to use when playing live. I have to look at my powered speaker and see what the Line out is (to go into the Cube 80X)

Thanks for all of your support.