The good, the bad... the Behringer (kx1200 keyboard amp)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gunther
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Gunther

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I told myself I'd never do it, that I'd never go out and buy anything behringer again.

But I am weak.

I picked up a behringer KX1200 keyboard amp. I have to admit, after 45 mins of comparing, IMO it sounded about as good and as powerful as the roland amp sitting next to it, and only cost half as much... so I bought it.

SO... before I open it from it's box, is there any reason I should bring this back to the store? Anyone have any horror stories with this product?

- Gunther
 
I know a couple of guys that own one and they have no complaints. :)
 
As with anything, you won't find anything (if you do at all, knock on wood) wrong until you've had it for awhile. Good luck with it. I hope you don't find anything wrong with it. I have a Roland that I salvaged from being destroyed, and it's all I've ever used, so I can't give you a good opinion on the Behringer. But I too know some people who know people who swear by them....
 
According to Harmony Central.. alot of people have had nightmares with these things. I read it a while ago.
 
ok

you can have nightmares with other trademarks too.
i mean it doesnt matter wich one u buy. gear like patchbays,normal preamps, h-phone-amp and mix-desks. today the new stuff of these is ok no matter if its behringer or roland or or. of course this doesnt fit with effects, compr. etc.
its like with shoes... some one more like nike than fila or wathever...

greets y.
 
acquit music said:
you can have nightmares with other trademarks too.
i mean it doesnt matter wich one u buy. gear like patchbays,normal preamps, h-phone-amp and mix-desks. today the new stuff of these is ok no matter if its behringer or roland or or. of course this doesnt fit with effects, compr. etc.
its like with shoes... some one more like nike than fila or wathever....
Click to expand...

It does matter which brand you buy. To say that all brands are the same is just not true. It is possible to buy a lemon with practically any brand, as nobody is perfect. But to extrapolate that out to say that all the brands are the same is to draw a false conclusion.

I'm not commenting on the Behringer KX1200, because I haven't used it. My experience with Behringer gear I've owned is that it is a bit flimsy, and usually there's something not quite right with it. I'd worry about something like a keyboard amp that is going to get banged around a lot. I have a Roland keyboard amp that is rock solid and has been for years, and a TOA keyboard amp that is almost 20 years old and still working perfectly. I've not seen any Behringer gear that I feel is designed to last that long.

Ultimately, when you try to save money and buy cheap, you end up spending more in the long run because you have to buy the same gear over and over. That's been my experience anyway.
 
I am pretty much convinced to return it and get a Roland (KC350 probably). I searched the net for info on the Behringer kx1200 and a lot of people reported problems with it that develop over time, like buzzes, blown amps and blown speakers… just from normal to gentle playing.

I am just not interested in dealing with any issues like that. I want a solid piece of gear that will serve me reliably and work hard for 5 - 10 years. I am willing to fork over an extra 200 – 300 bucks for that.

The thing that kills me is that the $300 Behringer sounds just about as good as the $600 Roland. I suppose that’s how you get seduced into buying it.

Normally when I get a new toy like this I rip it open and play right away, but this one is still in the box, and I am completly afraid to open it. I guess with the Behringer I’m afraid to commit to what I know will become an abusive and dysfunctional relationship.

So yeah, I guess its going back tonight.

Thanks for the input,
Gunther


P.S.: And I totally agree that brand means a lot. With brands like Korg, Roland and Yamaha I don't think twice about quality. When WW3 breaks out, I am hiding under my Korg N1... My DX7 is going on 20 years old I think.
Behringer does not have a positive reputation like these companies.. in fact, they have a reputation for putting out a 'too good to be true' price to feature ratio... but then the device develops trouble, usually after a year or so.
 
Your odds on Behringer are about 50/50 I'd say. I've seen (and own) good pieces by them, as well as bad. But for something you know will probably have to deal with a fair amount punishment, you'd be better off with the Roland. Alternatively, check out the KB/A series by Peavey. I have used a pair of KB/A 300's for almost 6 years now, and they are absolute thumpers, I mean they get CRANKED on an almost daily basis and cope with all extremes of frequency and, have never once faltered, or even broke a sweat for that matter.
 
Well I spent many thousands on my keyboards, no sense being cheap when it comes to the amp. I got the Roland KC-550.

I did a few more 'tests' at GC and the Roland IS more powerful and cleaner than the Behri, just not $300 worth... but the KC-550 oozes quality, and I'm just going to have much more peace of mind relying on it than a berhi.

- Gunther
 
You know, I've played my Roland Fantom x8 through a bunch of these things when I was looking into amplification options. What it came down to is that unless it's purely synth, I can't listen to pianos in mono. So for the past three years, we've ran all my keys through the house PA. For rehearsal, same.
 
I prefer just one amp placed right under my stand. I cut back on reverb, delays and other environment simulating effects (Their meant to simulate a room, but since I am actually IN a room I guess I don’t really need them).
What I like about this is that it kinda seems to the listener that the sound is coming directly from the keyboard. It gives it a nice, live, natural sound.

Even better would be to have 2 amps in stereo placed about the width of a piano apart, just in front of the keys. I havent decided if I am going to drop another 600 bucks for a second amp though.

-------------

When you go through the PA, it sounds like ’sound emanating from all around’ as opposed to sound coming directly from the keyboard. This is cool too, because you get a great stereo effect and a big filling sound. Great for strings, brass and pipe organs.
 
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