Need advice on speakers to use with a Coliseum Keyboard

[biltmore]

I recently worked on a project for a good friend of mine, and he hooked me up with a Coliseum Keyboard as a nice gift. Unfortunately, I can't find any information at all about this amplifier. There's hardly any information listed here about this amp. All I know is that it's 120v, 60hz, and 800 watts of pure Sunn awesomeness. I don't see any information the amp that lists the ohms, but JoeArthur said that it's 150 watts RMS into 4 ohms:

http://sunn.ampage.org/sdp/index.php/topic,3537.0.html

It says on the back of my amp that it's 800 watts, so I'm a bit confused here. How many watts does this amplifier really put out?

This thing isn't a PA right? I assume that it's closer to being a bass amp, but I'm not sure. I've never had a dedicated keyboard amp and don't know too much about them.

I'd like to run (2) 2x12 cabinet's since it has 2 outputs, and I was thinking about going with 8 ohm speakers and then wiring them in parallel so that it drops them down to 4 ohms.  I don't know the type of speaker I should get either, ones that are meant for bass? I'll be using it strictly for keyboards, synths, and a rhodes.

Also, if you can tell me what the preamp out and mixer in inputs are all about ... I would appreciate it.

Thanks for any help guys, as I'm clueless about what to do with this awesome amp. Here's a picture of it:



The only thing that's wrong with it is that it's missing the lo input jack on channel 1, which won't be too hard to replace I hope.

[loudthud]

The Concert series is 150W@4ohms or later units were rated 200W@2ohms. The Coliseum series was rated 300W@2ohms and later units rated 320W@2ohms. These are output "RMS" ratings. To the best of my knowledge the Coliseum series had a power consumption of 500W with a 6 amp circuit breaker. I don't know why you amp would say 800W on the back unless it has a convenience outlet.

Preamp out and mixer in is basically an effects loop between the preamp and power amp.

Keyboards usually require more of a Hi-Fi response from speaker than a 2x12 cabinet can provide. Look for something with a midrange horn or at least a tweeter. Something like a heavy duty PA speaker.

[biltmore]

I can always rely on you loudthud. Thanks a lot for replying. I'm excited about this amp, but completely in the dark about getting it ready to go.

There's no convenience outlet on the back of the amp, but there is some strange 7-pin blue female plug next to one of the outputs. I'm not sure what it is.

On the back of the amp it says:

power requirement

120v  60hz
 800watts

It doesn't say RMS, so could it be 800watts peak like the Coliseum Slave is?  I also have air cooling as there's a fan in the bottom of the amp, not sure if that might have something to do with it being a higher wattage.

Would some speakers like this be alright?

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/JBL-JRX125-Dual-15-2Way-Speaker-Cabinet?sku=600431

Not sure of how to wire them up so that they run in parallel, since there's a horn attached (I'm a newb at that stuff). I'd love to get some of those speakers, if it's possible to use them.

Thanks for the heads up on the effects loop. I assumed that's what it was for, but wasn't sure.

[loudthud]

The 7 pin blue thing is the footswitch connector for reverb. Later versions of the Coliseum Lead used the same connector. I don't think I've ever seen a footswitch with the mating connector.

"Power Requirement" means the amount of power consumed from the power line, not power output.

That speaker seems alright but I hope it's 4 ohms. The Coliseum series only puts out about 110W @ 8 ohms and 200W @ 4 ohms.

On early versions of the Coliseum Lead with Tremolo and Reverb the Preamp out and Mix jacks are not setup like an effects loop. On those amps the Mix jack is just an extra input that comes before the preamp out and it doesn't turn off the signal to the power amp like it does on Coliseum Bass amps.

[HRobert]

Biltmore,

I'm a keyboard player and I've good luck with a two way system using a 15" woofer and some sort of high frequency.  I had a pair of the old Yamaha S4115H - 15" woofer and horn X-over @ 2000hz.  Sounded great for my Rhodes, Juno 106, and a small Yamaha CS-5 synth that I used for L hand bass. Problem was that they were
H-E-A-V-Y....120lb's each.  Ive also used the JBL 4691B Cabaret speaker.  Nice cab, smaller and lighter that the Yamahas I used, but hard to find and a little pricy.  The JBL 4628B Cabaret 3-way system is fantastic for keys but even harder to find and even more pricy.

Yamaha makes some decent 2 way speakers that are  nice sounding and reasonable.  I would also check with other manyfactures.  I would stick with 15" for keyboards.

Rob

[scotzoid]

That speaker seems alright but I hope it's 4 ohms. The Coliseum series only puts out about 110W @ 8 ohms and 200W @ 4 ohms.

On the "specs" tab for the JBL cab, it states 4 ohm, 500 watts continuous, 1000 w peak. Should handle anything the Coli head can dish out.

Oh, it also says the JBL weighs 97 lbs...pretty heavy SOB, for my taste...

[biltmore]

Thanks for the rest of the info loudthud! And thanks for your advice HRobert!

I wish I could find some of the old Model 10 or 12 PA cabinets and use them instead. It seems like this thing isn't that powerful, but I guess I'll find out tomorrow when I run it through my 15" Yamaha's (500watts continuous @4ohm) at the studio.

Yeah scotzoid, those cabinets are a little too heavy. I'd like to try and find something around 75lbs if I can.

[biltmore]

There's a pair of Model 8's here in Portland, and I'm wondering if I could use these with the Coliseum Keyboard.

http://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/msg/1317875965.html

I guess they're 8ohms @ 100w. Since the Coliseum Keyboard is 2ohms @320 watts ... I wonder how would I go about using those cabs (if I could). Would I have to wire them up differently? Don't know too much about putting speakers in parallel or series.

[Isaac]

They'll work fine, as is.