Traynor K4 Keymaster 112 Combo

I bought it last year.2005. I was looking for a compact amp for playing out live.This amp has all the right stuff. stereo ins and outs,xlr ins and outs,sub-woofer output, and 2 stereo tube driven channels for my vk-7 combo organ which is perfect for my organ sound.Our giutar player uses a big marshall but this little amp holds its own.I use it as my personal moniter when I play out, it has a moniter input in the back so I can adjust my own mix to get vocals through my amp. I love this thing. the sound is great also.

there is a little rattle sound that comes from the grill logo. no big deal. It doesnt go to the board mix. The only thing I wish it had is a level for how much clean/tube I can mix in the tube channels.Right now its only an on/off switch.

I would take this amp anywhere.No problems what so ever.It also has a great warranty.

I called the manufacturer up once. Talked to a human being.I asked if the sub-woofer output could be used as a mono out for a quick board mix for our practice pa. He was very nice and told me that indeed it could. yet another reason I love this amp.

Ive had all sorts of sound systems for my keys from big kustom towers ,leslie speakers,marshall cabinets powered by qsc power amps to racks of effects.Nothing I have ever had compares to the sound,ease, and versitility of this amp.

Since there's no category for keyboard amps, I'm squeezing this review into the database for synths.

The Traynor K4 is very easy to use. You just plug in your keyboards, adjust the volumes and play.

This thing is VERY versatile. It's an all-in-one stereo keyboard amp, with an onboard 4-channel mixer (although the 4th channel is intended as a "monitor" channel, in that it isn't sent to the amp's line outs). Channel 1 features tubes for the left/right inputs, so you can dial in that tube grind for organs, etc. Channel 1 also features a voice selector, with presets for different types of instruments. (I use preset 4, which is intended for organs).

The amp features three power amps, with a total of 300W. It has a 200W amp that powers the 12" woofer and two 50W amps, each of which powers a 4.5" mid and a 2.5" HF compression driver. The 12" is mounted in the center with a mid and high on each side, so it's a true stereo amp.

And the amp's shape is very versatile, too. You can use it in either a tilt-back position like a wedge monitor, or stand it upright like a conventional combo amp.

This thing sounds GREAT! I'm very impressed with how it can reproduce an overdriven, growling organ AND a crystal-clear piano patch at the same time. The tubes on Channel 1 make my Roland VK-8M and Korg BX-3 really sound NASTY. And the 3-way speaker configuration brings out everything (instead of emphasizing just the highs and lows, the way many 2-way keyboard amps do).

Since the amp is an all-in-one package, it doesn't have the stereo separation of, say, two powered mixers. But it does pretty well in this area.

I haven't had it long enough to judge the reliability. But I've heard good things about products from Yorkville (Traynor's parent company), so I'm hoping for the best.

I ordered this amp from an online dealer, who had it drop-shipped to me direct from Yorkville. When I got it, one of the two compression drivers had been broken in shipping. The plastic lens had actually broken in two. I contacted Yorkville and requested a replacement driver, but they recommended sending me a COMPLETE NEW AMP! I was greatly impressed!

Although I haven't had this thing long, I love it so far. If it were stolen, I'd definitely replace it. I've been playing keyboards live for over 30 years, and I've used a ton of different amplification systems, ranging from combo amps to Leslies to small PA systems to powered wedge monitors. The K4 is the most versatile and convenient unit I've ever owned. And it sounds great on top of that!

This is a new-2006-model Traynor keyboard amplifier, so why am I reviewing it in the "guitar amp" section? Well, I'm using it to amplify my POD XTLive. I was previously using a Yorkville 100KB, also a combo keyboard amplifier, but I was attracted to the more complete speaker array in this unit. This combo is bi-amped, with a 100-watt amp driving a 12" low/mid mono speaker, and 2 50-watt amps driving 2 4.5" high/mid drivers and 2 "tweeter" type high-end drivers. The mid and high speakers are powered in stereo, which allows me to hook up the stereo outs of XTLive. Given that this combo is all one box, I'm not likely to get really good stereo separation, but I think this has some very interesting possibilities for stereo chorus and delay effects, all in a single unit.

The unit has 4 channels (I'll only be using 1). Channel 1 has stereo inputs as noted above. Channel 1 also has stereo tube pre-amps that can be switched in or out on the front of the amp. I'm not sure if the tubes really do anything yet, but I think I detect a slight softening of the sound with them switched into the circuit.

This amp has what Traynor calls a "voicing" knob, which has settings for Bypass, Studio, Live, Piano and Organ. I'll likely only be using it in "Live" mode. I'm not sure exactly what this thing does, but I suspect it engages a series of pre-set EQ settings. Traynor could do a better job of explaining what this does, the documentation is non-existent for this feature.

For the live giggers, the amp has stereo XLR outs on the back, for linking it directly to a PA. I tell you, they really thought about this thing when they designed it, which I like a lot.

It's a bit on the bulky-heavy side at 50lbs., but there are built-in handles on either side, so it's not too clumsy to move.

I'm playing a Steinberger Synapse SS-2F Custom into a POD XTLive. Love the sound I'm getting here. By virtue of being a full-range keyboard amp, this unit will deliver just as clean as you want, all the way to complete metal-head, depending on the POD's patch. I hear no breakup that I don't expect from the patch - the amp itself is not distorting at any volume that I can tell.

The unit is just about dead silent, even at full volume. (The Steinberger has EMGs in it, which helps).

I'm sure tube purists will argue that this thing can't sound as good as a tube amp. Maybe they're right, but I can't tell the difference. I've played Marshalls, and I love what I'm hearing here.

Only had the unit a week, no idea as to its durability. I've owned Yorkville and Traynor products before, and I've never had any issues with them. I fully expect this unit to fit that mold, but I have no empirical data as yet.

I've never had to call them, can't say.

I've been playing for about 35 years, pretty much any style (and mangling them all, I might add). I own a variety of electric and acoustic guitars, including a late-70's Les Paul, a Telecaster, a Carvin; a Taylor 714 (main acoustic instrument), a couple of Ovations, a Tak, and an old beat up Guild.

As noted above, I love the versatility of this amp in combination with the POD XTL. I like the fact that it can easily be linked to a PA board for live work, although I'm not currently doing any of that. I wish it was just a bit smaller, but after all it does have 5 speaker/drivers in it, right?