I'm looking to get a new Stick amp -- something for the basement -- wanting to achieve that nice warm, deep bass as well as nice clear highs.

I'm considering a keyboard amp such as the Roland KC-350 (stereo mixing amp with 4 inputs). Or, possibly the similar, but cheaper Behringer K3000FX.

But, perhaps a better solution would be a pair of powered PA speakers such as the EV ZLT-12P, or the bargain-priced Behringer B212D.

Wadda think?

Let the debate begin.

Oh I am looking forward to this! . For starters Marty, you are a fantastic and versatile singing Stickist, so whichever solution you choose, it's going to sound great - I always look forward to your videos and comments.

I have been using a Behringer k900fx for 3 years and it is solid! Three channels, each with their own volume and effects level - note one effect is shared by all channels. Has an eq, I always dip the mids and manually trim the highs and lows by feel. I like the 09 reverb setting - rich. If you were getting the 3000, I believe you would have at least 4 channels, so room for the vox and backing vox box? Solid amp, Dean's got one, pretty sure he loves it the way I have loved mine. I also like the solid design - it's a little weighty which is all good as it helps to carry lows nicely. Found one used for $145 and talked the guy down to $120. Best amp / value acquisition for me ever perhaps.

I have recently come into a pair of EV ZLX 12s, I am certain people are tired of hearing about it. But oh, they are lovely. Handles where you need them, 2 channels with independent volume multijacks, a little bit EQ and they are 35 pounds, 15 Kg. $399 each at Guitar Center was the damage - no interest for a year, I couldn't say no. Having one would be plenty - PLENTY! But two have been really nice.

I am just checking out the Behringer B212Ds - wow! I am seeing these for $215 on gearclubdirect. It's not going to have the quality components that the QSC's will have, but for the price, I'll just bet you could get a great sound. I have tried the Roland 350s, which are good, but never really spent any quality time like I have with the k900fx or EV ZLX 12s.

Best of luck with whatever you go with Marty, I know you are going to sound great with whatever you choose.

It sounds like budget is a concern. Even so I think you should listen to the Stick through QSC K12. I tried everything at every store trying to avoid them because they are more expensive. Then I finally tried them and was blown away. I have an SG12 and decided on a pair of the K8 model. They have the same 1000 watt amp and work well for me. We got to hear Glenn Poorman use just one K12 at the last Interlochen workshop and it was amazing. The power and clarity is unmatched.

-Eric

I broke my own rule of getting an easily portable amp (and also broke the budget a bit), but when I heard the QSC KW122 (which is basically the wood cabinet version of the K12) there's no way I was going to get rid of it easily. At 49 lbs it's not something I'm thrilled to carry up the basement stairs and out to gigs very much, but it's a smooth, detailed, deep and open sounding speaker that resulted in me selling my Fishman SoloAmp to pay for it and it was superior to the Line6 StageSource L2T I was trying out at the time. It's better than any amp I've owned in the past, including a Barbetta Sona 32C, Acoustic Image Coda III, and the SoloAmp. Engaging the "Deep" switch gets the sound into subwoofer territory without it sounding artificially boomy. The downside is that it's just a powered speaker - no built in preamp, EQ, effects, etc.

I also picked up a K10 to use as a wedge monitor for venues with a PA or for smaller rooms - it doesn't have the depth and openness of the KW122 but it's a lot lighter and still has that smooth QSC sound. However, I miss having a portable all-in-one amp with built in effects for fast setup and/or short sets (such as open mics), so I'm thinking about replacing the K10 with a Loudbox Performer which would be a lot more flexible if I like the sound - I already know from the SoloAmp that the Fishman preamps, EQ and reverb are nice quality (the built in reverb on the Acoustic Image and Line6 StageSource were rather poor). I know the K10 will have better bass response but when I use it most commonly as a floor wedge I find I have to engage the "Ext Sub" 100 Hz high pass filter anyways.

QSC K-12

The QSC K12 is definitely a wonderful sounding speaker. Right around the time I was shopping, some other manufacturers started putting out competing products (Yamaha comes to mind) but none of them sounded as good. When Bob C heard me play through it at Interlochen, he had me drive him over to GC once we were back in the Detroit area and he plopped down the cash on one right then and there.

As was already pointed out though, it's just a powered speaker. So once you decide to go that route, you're picking up the added baggage of having to find a preamp, additional FX units, etc. Well worth the effort but you have to take it into account. Also, I highly recommend picking up the tote bag. An extra $80 but makes carting it around much easier.

Personally I'm a big fan of Fishman amps for Stick if you're looking for portable and quick. I have a Loudbox and a Boss delay that will frequently serve as the extent of my rig when I want to practice outside my studio.

I should also mention that I'm looking for what sounds best at very moderate volumes. I realize that at higher volumes, certain amps are much different than others.

Keep it coming. The comments so far are great.

What would the chain be, then? Stick bass and melody sides into their respective pedal board(s) (whether it's an HD500x or a pair of Zooms), then into 2 channels in a mixer, and then to the powered speakers?
Could you also set it up: Stick into mixer, effects send/return hooked up to the pedal board(s), and of course then out to the powered speakers?

I think one of the major strengths of the QSC line is how well they sound at low volumes. They are more like studio monitors that are very sturdy and can get really loud if you need them to.

-Eric

What is your budget?