Carlsbro Cobra 90 Keyboard 115 Combo

This is a 3-channel mono keyboard combo with a 15" speaker and separate bullet tweeter. Channel 1 has a single input designed for acoustic pickups or old-style electric pianos: channels 2 and 3 have two inputs each for high-output organs and synths. Each channel has switchable spring reverb (a very nice, smooth example) and a switch to engage an effects loop, together with eq (bass and treble) and channel gain. The main section has controls for reverb depth, attack (a kind of overall presence control) and master volume. There's a jack for a reverb footswitch. There's another effects loop on the back, together with a line out socket (for DI), headphones and no doubt some other stuff. It is very simple and intuitive to use. 90W of clean power is enough to hold its own with a bluesy rock band on a big stage. This amp has exactly what you want, and nothing you don't. Like all Carlsbro kit it is simple, rugged and does what musicians want.

I use it with a Korg BX3 organ and some other keyboards, playing blues and rock. There seems to be bags of headroom -- it seems to be impossible to distort, and the sound is always loud and clear.

This is my second Cobra 90W. I sold my first one many years ago (to a guitarist who hated distortion and loved the loudness and clarity of this combo) and bought a stereo rig. Recently I borrowed another Cobra 90W (with a newer, silver-gray styling and angled baffle but otherwise identical). This from a bassist friend. I have since adopted it as my own (after a small transaction involving a nice fretless bass.) It is so much easier to use than my stereo rig and sounds better. The Carlsbro is great for quick set-ups -- especially if you're in a support band or time and space is tight. Carlsbro stuff is simple and direct and well made, and I have had no cause to complain. Years ago I loaned my first Cobra to an acoustic bassist who blew the speaker, and it was quite hard to get a replacement, but otherwise I have no problems.

I have never needed to contact Carlsbro. My speaker was replaced through a music shop who contacted the manufacturer on my behalf.

I have little to add to what is written above. In conclusion, this is a great amp for a gigging keyboard player who plays in bars and clubs. The volume is fine for small and medium-sized venues on its own, and in big venues it is easily DI'd without trouble. Engineers love this amp because it is trouble free (my stereo rig always causes head-scratching). One further thing. With my old Cobra the baffle was straight forward so it was hard to hear the combo very well if you were very close to it, sitting off-axis. I always had to tilt it against a wall or raise it on a beer crate. With the newer model the baffle is angled upwards very slightly -- just enough for you to hear it quite well even if you are sitting right next to it. This is a big plus, especially if, like me, you play sitting down and right next to it -- no bending down and groping in the dark for the controls -- everything is clearly visible and audible.