A Powered speaker is a speaker with an in-built transformer. They are also called active speakers and can work with an in-built amplifier.
Compared to the keyboard amp, powered speakers are more powerful and functional, but powered speakers feature a small in-built mixer compared to a combo amp.
The good thing about powered speakers is they provide the necessary inputs for a user that sings and plays the keyboard. Interestingly, newer powered speakers have lightweight designs, unlike older models.
Musicians and sound engineers love the best-powered speakers because of their versatility and ability to enhance sounds. We have brought you the five best-powered speakers for keyboards today because of the high demand for these speakers.
Being versatile means you can use these speakers for various activities but are used during concerts, conferences, parties, and more. In addition, you can combine powered speakers with your home stereo systems because of their capability to boost sound quality.
However, if a keyboardist doesn’t use the right equipment, he would find it impossible to project the right kind of sound. Projecting the right sound is when the keyboard comes into play, and you can trust these speakers to produce the rich sounds you desire without excess distortion sounds.
Generating sounds with less distortion makes them ideal for outdoor and indoor use.
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What You Need To Know About Powered Speakers
Keyboard speakers perform great in several applications, mostly social and live gatherings. You can use them at the office or home, and they come with features that enable them to produce rich and pleasant sounds.
Some of these speakers have high frequencies and bass that make them sound attractive but finding the best speaker could be daunting.
Before you hit the market to shop for a powered speaker for a keyboard, you need to research and source information not to go back home with a low-quality product.
There are tons of powered speakers for keyboards available on the market, and this could make shopping a little bit difficult. However, with so many options for you to choose from on the market, the listed reviews will break down what we consider the top-quality and highly rated powered speakers.
We want you to look at the products we have rounded up for you but first, some extra knowledge on powered and un-powered speakers.
Check out our reviews of the best-powered speakers for a live band.
Powered Vs Unpowered Speakers
The difference between powered speakers is having an in-built amplifier and plugging it into an electric outlet before it operates. The unpowered version is the complete opposite of the powered version because it doesn’t require an electrical outlet to function or comes with an in-built amplifier.
A keyboardist would prefer a powered speaker to the unpowered one because of its ease of use and convenience. No keyboardist will like to carry around extra gears or match a speaker to an amplifier during an event.
On the other hand, if you see yourself as a handy person and do not mind doing several chores, you might consider going for the unpowered speaker.
The advantage of using unpowered speakers is that it allows a keyboardist to select a speaker-amp combination that will meet his needs. Unpowered speakers also weigh less and are not as expensive as powered speakers.
Do You Want A Powered Or Unpowered Speaker?
Since powered speakers come with in-built amplifiers, setting them up for an event or concert is relatively easy. But, first, a keyboardist must select a preferable sound input he will like his music or vocal instruments to produce.
As much as powered speakers are very convenient, they are not the best option for bigger venues. Unpowered speakers need an external amplifier to function. The non-powered speakers can be powered using a powered speaker, depending on the model. Again, unpowered speakers are the best for large venues.
Compared to powered speakers, they provide better sound amplification. They are also the best for complex public address systems, but you should remember that you will be hoarding around many musical instruments.
Difference Between Powered Speakers And Studio Monitors
Most people often ask, “is there a difference between a powered speaker and a studio monitor?“. The simple answer to the question is YES, and the difference between the two pieces of equipment lies in their audio sound profile.
Studio monitor designs offer flat frequency responses, giving the audio the same way it is recorded. Its ability to produce audio the exact way it got recorded makes it the best professional use. In addition, it makes editing easy without using other devices for adding sound coloration or modification.
Powered speaker designs produce sounds listeners will find pleasing. Creating pleasing sounds means powered speakers might add sound coloration to make audio quality attractive, and most manufacturers tweak speakers today to enrich sounds.
Comparing the studio monitor and the powered speakers, you will agree that studio monitors are best suited for use in rooms, studios, and smaller venues. On the other hand, powered speakers will do well in large areas and are ideal for home use.
Top 5 Best Powered Speakers For Keyboard & Their Reviews
1. Logitech S150 USB Speakers with Digital Sound
You will find loads of expensive speakers with too many complicated features, but that isn’t the case with the LogitechS150 USB speakers. Instead, this speaker gives you precisely what you want, and guess what; you can get it at an affordable price.
It is rated as a speaker to use with ease because it is easy to understand the controls, and it offers outstanding sound quality that sets it apart from all other powered speakers out there.
You will fall in love with this powered speaker that provides USB connectivity, and even at maximum volume, be ready to enjoy the high-quality sound with little or no distortion.
Unlike in other low-quality speakers, this outstanding quality speaker from Logitech produces decent and nice bass without users getting that tiny, squeaky sound you get from cheaply made speakers.
For people who have an eye for a good set of speakers, this is what you have been looking for as its design delivers acoustic quality stereo sounds.
Products have flaws regardless, and even with these exciting features, this powered speaker from Logitech has flaws.
The Logitech S150 USB speaker isn’t as lightweight as you would want it to be. Its control buttons are made so small, and you will get a click sound whenever you hit one of the controls.
In addition to not being lightweight, this speaker also fails to stand upright. It is not as sturdy as you would have expected, and it also doesn’t have a perfect balance. However, considering the price and what it also has to offer, I’m sure you will agree with me that this is still a good buy despite these design flaws.
Specification
- Brand – Logitech
- Item Weight – 1 Pound
- Color – Black
Key Features
- 1.2 Horsepower
- USB connectivity
- 90Hz – 20KHz frequency
Pros
- High-quality sound-producing speakers
- Portability is the word
- Delivers loud and rich sounds
- It looks aesthetically great
Cons
- There are complaints about its low volume
2. Behringer Eurolive B205D Speaker System
If you want a multi-purpose speaker for your keyboard needs, then you have found the right speaker that fits your needs. The Behringer Eurolive B205D speaker system is the best for press conferences, home studio use, and vocal applications.
Despite being lightweight, this speaker can produce exceptional performance and power, and we are talking about 150 watts of power. In addition, you will be amazed at its mic preamps, three-band equalizer, and three-channel mixer, making it the perfect speaker choice for condenser microphones.
It has an in-built limiter that offers adequate speaker control and protects the speaker. However, we find one feature exciting among all other elements: this speaker’s durability.
Its build is excellent, meaning it can withstand numerous hard knocks. Going by past user reviews, many previous users commended how this speaker from Behringer consumes less amount of power.
There is also a carrying handle at the top that makes transporting this speaker to venues where it is needed very easy. Its compact design is also one that cannot go unnoticed as the speaker can be placed directly on a keyboard, table, or mic stand.
It is the best for musical gigs or meetings, and connecting with other speakers is made possible using its handy socket. The Behringer Eurolive speaker is your all-in-one speaker, and it comes with an in-built amplifier for sound system setup.
Specification
- Brand – Behringer
- Item weight – 7.05 Pounds
- Color – Black
Key Features
- 150-watts of power
- 5.25-inch neodymium driver
- Class-D amplifier technology
Pros
- The best to add to your live gigs as it has several mixing and input abilities
- Produces loud sounds despite being portable
- Solid-body construction
- Budget-friendly speaker
Cons
- Produces slight distortion
3. Alesis Elevate 5 MKII Powered Studio Speakers
The Alesis speaker is the perfect powered speaker that works with a keyboard. Every keyboardist will love this speaker as it comes with the necessary features like; a USB interface, RCA inputs, stereo headphone output, and 20KHz frequency response.
An attractive quality of this speaker is its magnetic shielding, and this shielding allows you to place this speaker close to your television without fearing interference. It also offers playback, 16-bit recording, and RCA jacks for connecting microphones and other devices.
Thanks to its USB speaker, users can record audio content directly from their computers. Its USB connectivity also allows you to play songs from your computer, and what’s more, there is a bass boost switch that increases bass frequencies.
The Alesis Elevate USB speakers can also double as an interface for guitar effects, microphones, DJ mixers, and tape players. When mixing, be rest assured that accurate reproduction is what this speaker offers.
Despite being lightweight and portable, it produces a remarkable sound quality, making it the ideal device for MIDI instruments. One last thing is, you do not need an amplifier for this speaker.
Specification
- Brand – Alesis
- Item Weight – 12.5 Pounds
- Color – Black
Key Features
- 5-inch low-frequency driver
- Separate high and low-frequency drivers
- Tweeter for optimizing dispersion and stereo imaging
Pros
- Displays a reliable sound performance
- It has a high-quality build.
- It also has a clean and straightforward design.
Cons
- This speaker doesn’t last long.
- It takes a lot of time for sounds to kick in.
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4. LyxPro SPA-8 Portable PA System Active Speaker
The LyxPro portable PA system speaker design is for professionals and beginners. It offers about 100-watts of power, and even if it isn’t among the most influential speakers on the market, it still possesses enough power for outdoor and indoor parties.
This speaker’s design supports a public address system for schools, corporate meetings, gyms, private practices, and keyboard use.
This keyboard speaker’s practicality is what makes a lot of people crazy about it, and weighing just 14.7 pounds, there is a lot of ease moving this speaker around. In addition, its lightweight makes it the preferred choice for traveling keyboardists.
Furthermore, the LyPro portable PA system speaker provides users with many necessary inputs. It features an SD card slot, USB port, and Bluetooth capabilities, allowing users to play music seamlessly in WMA and MPS formats.
Having smart music controls is also another eye-catching feature that sets this speaker apart from others on the market. Other users also connect this speaker to their television for enhancing sound entertainment.
One last thing about this speaker is it allows daisy-chaining with several speakers to reach a larger audience.
Specification
- Brand – LyxPro
- Item Weight – 14.7 Pounds
- Color – Black
Key Features
- 100-watts of power
- 106dB maximum sound pressure
- 91dB nominal sensitivity
Pros
- Portable and lightweight
- Highly versatile
- Its in-line jack features separate volume controls.
- Reasonable price tag
Cons
- It has limited power.
- You will get a slight humming sound when its volume increases.
5. Yamaha DBR Series DBR15 Powered Speaker Cabinet
The last speaker to make it to our best-powered speakers for the keyboard is the YAMAHA DBR series speaker. The speaker has many good things going for it as it can produce up to 1000-watts of power, making it the ideal speaker for home and outdoor use.
Users will enjoy high-end bass thanks to its high-power woofers, and it comes with two inputs; the TRS and XLR. A feature you will unlikely see in speakers is the 50-degree wedge angle present in the YAMAHA DBR series speaker, and the wedge angle idea is best suited for floor monitoring.
The speaker’s cabinet’s design uses a durable plastic material, combined with a steel grille design to ensure that the woofer and its components are adequately protected. Transporting this speaker is also easy as it weighs just 42.6 pounds, and it also comes with a carry handle to make transportation extra convenient.
The YAMAHA keyboard speaker is dependable, and musicians and keyboardists use it to relay unusual and clear sounds.
Specification
- Brand – Yamaha
- Item Weight – 42.6 Pounds
- Color – Black
Key Features
- 15-inch powered speaker
- FIR-X tuning
- 1000-watts of power
Pros
- It has a clean, sleek look
- Portable and a lightweight build
- Designed to be versatile
- A powerful speaker that produces high-quality sounds
Cons
- There are no significant complaints
Final Thoughts
As we have come to the end of this detailed guide, we are sure that your search for the best-powered speakers for keyboard was successful. We are hopeful that you will find a piece of equipment that will meet your needs, and our top recommendation remains the Logitech S150 USB-powered speaker.
The Logitech S150 USB-powered speaker is a renowned brand speaker’s design, and it offers high-quality sounds in low and high frequencies. As a result, it is the best for a wide range of activities, while its lightweight and portability make transportation convenient.
Having dealt with powered speakers in the past, we know what challenges you will face when shopping for one. There are several price points, designs, features, and specifications for you to select from, but you can count on all the products discussed in this review to do the job.
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