Somehow, over the past decade or so, the electric guitar has become very popular. Not just with the kids that grew up with Nirvana and Green Day, but throughout society with adults as well.
High quality music gear is costly, however, and while it’s true that most guitars don’t require a huge amplifier, the same can’t be said for keyboards.
If you have a keyboard with a built in, or high quality amplifier (like the one in the Roland RD-800 Digital Stage piano, for example) you can always plug directly into that.
If your keyboard doesn’t have an amplifier, though, you’ll need to get one of your own to be able to practice your playing or play with your band.
Keyboard amplifiers are pretty small units. The smaller they are, the more they tend to cost, but it’s not an exponential increase in price. So, even if you can’t fit an enormous keyboard amp in your rehearsal room or garage, you can get a decent one and not bankrupt yourself in the process.
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Roland KC-200 4 Channel Mixing Keyboard Amplifier | Best Overall |  |
| Peavey KB 1 20-Watt 1×8 Keyboard Amp | Budget Pick |  |
| BEHRINGER ULTRATONE K900FX,Black | Upgrade Pick |  |
1. Roland KC-200 4 Channel Mixing Keyboard Amplifier
Pros:
- Great Amplifier w/ 4-Channel CD In and Line Inputs
- Fantastic Integrated Reverb effects (for every channel)
- Excellent practice amp for Keyboardists
The Roland KC-200 Keyboard Amplifier is an essential practice amp for keyboardists looking to practice at home. It has 4 input channels, 2 output channels, 2 effects sends, effects returns and switchable phantom power for the microphone input.
It is a 100-watt amp, so it’s capable of getting very loud if you want. The CD input has a very clean and warm quality to it.
The effects section is excellent and a very cool feature. Each channel has a built-in reverb with adjustments for decay and timing, making it very easy to tweak to your liking. There is also an effects return and a send just for reverb so you can change how much you want to apply. Very cool!
2. Roland Mobile Cube Battery-Powered Stereo Amplifier
Pros:
- Handy solution if you're looking to get rid of your existing stack of gear
- Comes with a stereo pair of LM-2, dynamic, shock-mounted speakers
- Updated EQ and DSP effects engine
Cons:
- Still more of a novelty than a serious tool
- Seems to need a lot of power in order to perform well
- Only works with Roland products, not all of them are included
If you know the Roland brand, it’s probably because you own some of their keyboard. You may be surprised to know that this company makes a lot of other stuff besides their musical keyboards including their Roland Mobile Cube. This compact and powerful device is touted as an amplifier that many musicians say they can’t live without.
It’s small but mighty, providing a wide variety of features that can add some serious excitement to the stage. The Mobile Cube is designed to power Roland’s Duo Capture, stompbox, and mixer products, as well as mobile devices and computers. It has 2 channels of input, and while it’s primarily intended to be powered by battery, it can be plugged into an AC outlet too.
3. Peavey KB 1 20-Watt 1×8 Keyboard Amp
Pros:
- Goes as loud as it needs to be
- 20 watts of power
- Solid construction
- Comes with speaker cable and a mic stand
- Can be connected to a PA system
- XLR inputs for optimal sound quality
- Can play lower-pitched instruments like the piano and the keyboard
- Can be used for home and studio recording purposes
- Cheap
Cons:
- Volume knob is somewhat small
- Only 8-watt output
- Tone knob is too sensitive
If you’re looking for a keyboard amp that can play soft tones to loud guitar-like ones, the Peavey KB 1 is the ideal choice for you.
This keyboard amplifier has a 15-inch LF speaker and offers up to 20 watts of power output. It’s perfect for keyboards, and can even work on instruments like drums, bass, guitar, and microphone.
The amp has reverb, and a mic input. It also comes with an output jack and a line input of XLR for a professional-sounding quality.
4. BEHRINGER ULTRATONE K900FX,Black
Pros:
- No-frills amp with an easy setup
- Good price
- Easy to use
- Sounds great
- Eventide reverb
Cons:
- No footswitch
- Needs a re-amp device
- No effects loop
This Behringer guitar amp is a classic tube amp design with no bells or whistles, so you should be prepared to set up a professional recording rig if you want to take advantage of the 16 effects. However, if you just want to add some bass to existing speaker systems, this may be the right amp for you.
Out of the box, the amp swerves all of the connections you need to use it, including individual 1/4? input and output connections, and two balanced send and return connections for re-amp devices. There’s a ground lift switch, as well as a speaker jacks for the single 8-ohm and the eight-ohm output.
There are two channels available on the amplifier, both of which are equipped with a volume knob and a channel gain knob. The channels are labeled guitar and keyboard, and there are light up indicators for each as well. There are also individual gain and master knobs, as well as light-up indicators for these as well. A push button above one of the channels is labeled FX, and one above the other is labeled FX mute.
5. Behringer Ultratone KT108 Ultra-Compact 15-Watt Keyboard Amplifier,Black
Pros:
- Built for keyboard instruments
- Comes with single channel
- 2-band EQ
- Easy to use simple interface
- Features USB support
- Versatile and reliable
The Ultra-Compact 15-Watt Keyboard Amplifier is best suited for users looking to amplify keyboard instruments. This compact, simple and versatile device allows to channel mixers to connect keyboards for live gigs, rehearsing or in the recording studio.
The device comes with several useful features including USB support, 2-band EQ, Line/Headphone outputs and amplifies the sound by a total of 15 watts. The device is also built with a 1/8" input connector for a headphone and can also be used as a monitor speaker for a laptop.
The Ultratone KT-108 Keyboard amp is powered by a 15-Watt Class D amplifier and features a headphone connection with its on/off switch. It also includes a single channel mixer to use with the keyboard. The device features simple controls all of which are designed to be in reach, and easy to operate quickly.
6. Roland KC-350 4-Channel 120-Watt Stereo Mixing Keyboard Amplifier
Pros:
- Excellent value
- Four inputs – each with their own volume control
- Comes with an excellent carrying bag
- Can handle a wide variety of instruments
- Plenty of power
- Perfect for solo performances or duets
Cons:
- Bass can be weak, although that can be rectified by changing the priorities
- No mid control
No matter how much amplification you need, how big your venue is, or how tight your budget is, you’ll find that this keyboard amplifier from Roland will be able to cover your needs.
When we tested this amplifier for keyboards, we quickly fell in love with its sound – it had a pleasant, full, and crisp sound, and a surprising amount of bass and volume. It also has four inputs, each with their own volume control, and you can connect up to three high-output instrument sources such as electric guitars. There’s also a handy effects loop if you’re playing a live that needs special effects.
7. Behringer Ultratone K450FX Ultra-Flexible 45-Watt 3-Channel PA System/Keyboard Amplifier
Pros:
- Ideal keyboard amplifier for your living room, garage, or small church
- Very reasonably priced
- 45 Watt amplifier with 3, full-range channels
- Formed XLR and TRS inputs to support your keyboard and guitar
- 8-ohm 80-watt stereo
- Crossover and phase adjustment
- One-knob Tube effect simulation
- Switchable phantom power for your condenser mic
In recent years, Behringer has emerged as a leading manufacturer of high-quality professional audio equipment at an affordable price. This gives them an advantage over other brands of similar audio products since they tend to be more easily affordable.
The Behringer Ultratone K450FX is a favorite for keyboardists and producers. It delivers a 45-watt maximum for the amp while getting 4 channels and a solid full range of sound. It also supports power amps from 60 to 100 watts, so there are lots of ways it will easily fulfill your needs as far as power is concerned. This is a great option for people who are already committed to a certain brand of keyboard (such as Roland or Yamaha) so you can take advantage of the matching sound and color.
8. Roland KC-110 3-Channel 30-Watt Stereo Mixing Keyboard Amplifier
Pros:
- Very affordable, especially for those on a budget
- Great quality sound output
- Ideal for small performances as well as small venues
- Can be used for multiple instruments
- 6-1/2" speakers with multi-tuning sound system including high-quality amp modeling software
- 3-Band EQ
- Built-in electronic tuner
- 60 watts of RMS output power.
- Built-in amp modeling circuitry.
- Separate left and right channels.
Cons:
- A learning curve regarding hooking the computer up to the amp for the digital effects.
- Somewhat limited for use other than with the piano keyboard.
With a little bit of patience, I was able to configure the Roland KC-110 keyboard amplifier with my Windows 10 computer in the manner I wanted. I found also that the amp can be used alongside other instruments, such as the voice.
9. BEHRINGER Keyboard Amplifier
Pros:
- Very durable and solidly built
- Integrated signal processing software
- Acts as a power source
- Built-in microphone
Cons:
- The internal microphone placement could be better
- Lacking some of the latest and greatest features
The BEHRINGER KXD12 is a keyboard amplifier that can cover a wide range of instruments and is also known as a gateway to music production. The amp is excellent and offers an overwhelming amount of features in a simple and easy-to-use set up. It works with upright pianos as well as smaller manufactured keyboards. It also acts as a power source and can connect easily to a computer or laptop because of the USB connectivity.
One of the best features of this amplifier is that it features an integrated signal processing software. The keyboard amplifier has high-quality effects and sampling software which allows you to make recordings from direct input to a computer. The rec/playback feature works very well with Ableton Live Lite, which makes it incredibly easy to set up and can produce great recorded tone regardless of the environment.
The amplifier also has a dual-footswitch input which means that it can work with both a sustain pedal as well as a key switch pedal. The amp is 16-ohm and the cabinet is made of plywood. It has full metal corners which are best for hard impacts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Which keyboard amplifier is best?
When looking for the right keyboard amplifier, there are a few components to focus on. Every keyboardist will have different preferences, but we'll cover some of the common ones here.
As far as the amplifier itself goes, most models are relatively similar in sound quality. However, there are more differences in a keyboardist's overall experience with an amplifier that only become clear when one goes out of their way to test multiple models in the same genre.
What's the best way to increase the longevity of your keyboard amplifier's life? To find out, we both bought amplifiers with more durability than we actually need. We concentrated on different contaminants and tested to see what they would do.
What we found was that it is possible to reduce the risk of fluid infiltration to the amplifier. While there is no guarantee that your amplifier will never see contact with fluid, it is possible to make the warranty last for a lot longer.
Which brand amplifier is best?
Fender offers the best amplifier to use when playing keyboard. It has an amazing output, a solid build, and a price that is very reasonable. In addition to all of those factors, it is also highly versatile.
This specific amplifier has a bass and treble control as well as a volume knob. This allows the user to configure their sound. Whether they want it to be light and bright or dark and heavy, the user has all of the tools they need to make it happen.
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When playing at low volumes, the sounds are clear and crisp. When the user cranks up the volume, they get a throbbing bass sound that they can rock out with.
What size keyboard amp do I need?
If you want your keyboard setup to sound like a master musician is playing it, you'll need to step up your game. This is the only way to replicate your beautiful music just as you intend it in its full magnificence.
Most keyboard amps are small enough to sound powerful but also small enough to conveniently place next to you as you play. By having this kind of amplifier, you'll be able to amplify your music without barely even having to move.
However, you should still know what sized amp you need before you make your purchase. If you make a purchase that is too little for your room, then sound will be lost and overpowered. Likewise, if you purchase one that is too big, then your amp will become cumbersome and a hassle to use.
Do expensive amplifiers sound better?
You might think at first that expensive amps have the better sound.
However, that isn’t necessarily true. In reality, a huge amplifier can over-power the sound of your keyboard. The volume can be so high that even with the best keyboard in the world, the sound will sound distorted.
Sometimes cheaper amplifiers are just enough to produce a good sound with various keyboards. You should always consider your needs, your keyboard, and your sound preferences.
If you are buying an amplifier for a keyboard and you have only spent a little money on your keyboard, then you need something much cheaper.
If you are buying an amp for a high quality keyboard with many sounds and you are looking for the best sound, then you need to spend more money for the best quality of sound you desire.
Conclusion
Keyboard amplifiers are normally used for live stage performances. They are compact and work well with your keyboard. Plus, they're easy to carry around so that you can do your gigs wherever you want. But with many keyboard amplifiers on the market today, how do you know which to pick? Well, that's where we come in. Here are top keyboard amplifiers available today by the leading brands.
Our Recommendation
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Roland KC-200 4 Channel Mixing Keyboard Amplifier | Best Overall | |
| Peavey KB 1 20-Watt 1×8 Keyboard Amp | Budget Pick | |
| BEHRINGER ULTRATONE K900FX,Black | Upgrade Pick | |