Advice for a portable speaker for FR1XB Roland

[MZ1]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the the digital accordion and looking for advice purchasing a portable speaker for my Roland FR1XB.
I'd like to strike a balance between portability (size & weight) and sound quality.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Marc

 

[JerryPH]

Try doing a search, it's been covered here a little... but the Roland Cube are past successes and the new king seems to be the Bose S1 Pro. There are many other options out there too.

 

[MZ1]

Thanks Jerry.

 

[oldbayan]

Traynor TVM15 (or an older TVM10 if you can find one)

 

[Tom]

Has anyone tried the CoolMusic speaker as lower cost alternative to the Bose Cube?

 

[Tafaner]

I'm a great fan of the BOSE S1 PRO ! I have a pair which I use a lot on gigs. They're particularly good for acoustic instruments, because the 3 treble drivers are small 55mm diameter units that are crystal clear. They handle everything from ~700 Hz up to the cut off point (about 16 KHz, good enough for live performance). Like all modern powered speakers, they are "bi-amped with DSP" to produce a very flat frequency response over their range. Best of all, the 3 treble units are arranged in a stack to "letterbox" the sound dispersion (120 deg x 40 deg) so the sound is directed mostly at the audience, not the ceiling. That's particularly useful in saving power and also in cutting unwanted echoes.
On a practical level, they have multiple inputs that are mixed together, plus a basic reverb. Also Bluetooth, so they can double as "party speakers". There's even a battery pack option which means you could play without mains, eg if busking. Recommended!
Bose S1 Pro - Thomann

 

[Caps]

I have a Roland Street Cube and it works well for me. Perfect size for a smaller area and as a bonus it will run off batteries for and hour or so.

 

[SvartKalt]

I’ve used my Roland FR-1xb with a few options, and one thing I’ve noticed is that an audio speaker with a good midrange response makes a big difference. Some have a lot of bass, but that can drown out the nuances of the accordion. Portability is key too, especially if you play in different locations. A lightweight battery-powered option has worked well for me without sacrificing sound quality.

 

[Alan Sharkis]

How big is the venue?

You can match the size of the amp to the size of the room for best results. Jerry suggest two systems for two different room sizes; the Roland Cube for the smaller one. Both are exceellent choices.

 

[Squeezeplay]

Samson expedition escape plus, Fishman loudbox mini, Canamusique in Montreal has a pretty decent battery powered speaker. Very reasonably priced. I was a little hesitant because it has a built in radio, but the company offers the ability to return if you don’t like it. I decided to try one….very surprised at how good it sounds with my FR 3X…..as a bonus you can hook two speakers up together wirelessly. BONUS.

 

[Caps]

We went to the food market today and there was a guy in the parking lot busking and using a Roland Street cube with an FR1X. I was surprised at the volume and how well it sounded. Downside was the guy wasn't really playing. Appeared to be pretending to play and playing recorded music off USB stick or mp3 player. Sadly, most people didn't seem to notice the difference....

 

[Squeezeplay]

The only real issue with that amp for me, is the batteries. You would think Roland would get on the ball, and make the amp re chargeable from a wall wart, instead of having to remove them when they are dead.

 

[Ventura]

The only real issue with that amp for me, is the batteries. You would think Roland would get on the ball, and make the amp re chargeable from a wall wart, instead of having to remove them when they are dead.

That's funny because as Professionals, we tend to prefer a
removeable battery, simply because it is critically important
that we get through every Gig no matter what, and having a
system critical component go down because the dang built-in
battery ran out of juice is simply unacceptable

secondly, the Roland Cubes run for very very long time on a
set of alkalines, and frankly batteries are dirt cheap compared
to literally EVERYthing else an accordionist spends their money on..

 

[Squeezeplay]

yup, but Roland accordions have rechargeable batteries in a holder that slips into and out of the accordion, so several “ sets” can be taken along with you. Much easier to replace than ten individual batteries. I have to say tho, that I haven’t had a lot of success with Roland amps, so maybe it’s just me looking for an excuse to not like the “ cube”. My amp/ powered speaker runs all night and then some on a charge.

 

[Ventura]

i do have some Pyle Pa units with sealed lead-acid batteries
but i only use them in support roles, never as the primary
system on a Gig

and the more recent types with Lithium packs built in are
cool too, but i only use them for fun, non-critical things,
and the one i kept (tried a few) has a 12 volt input that
can run off a car battery forever if necessary, making it
reliable for mobile gigs

it is just decades of habit that i need to always have
multiple layers of redundancy and zig's ready to go
when something zags

 

[Squeezeplay]

yup we all have different needs and preferences. in the end, you gotta go with your gut....try a few, and make your choice. no one speaker is going to satisfy everyone.

 

[John M]

it is just decades of habit that i need to always have
multiple layers of redundancy and zig's ready to go
when something zags

You and me both -- For me, I always seem to have some kind of "zag" that I usually a have a "zig" for.

 

[KeysFla]

Bose S1 pro plus. Then get the wireless dongle add-on. As it also runs on a battery. Battery lasts an average gig. Then the portable stand if needed. Gator mini speaker stand. I performed with it a couple weeks ago, plugged in my Arranger, accordion and mic. No issues…