Yesterday, I drove to Baltimore to take posession of a brand new Yorkville 300k stereo keyboard amp...I bought my first one in 1995...

This was obtained from an estate...a music dealer, his old stock liquidated...

If you are not familiar with the 300k..it is the unit that Traynor developed the K4...

The Yorkville 300k out performs the K4 to me..very flexible mixer and lots of power (like the k4)...the edge for the 300k is the bass punch from the 2 tens...

At 74 pounds, I immediately put casters on it today..

Nice, does it come with Traynor's amazing 2 year unconditional guarantee?
300 watts is good

Fran, is that puppy Stereo and does it have dual tweeters?

Larry,you do realize...it is fifteen year old stock.

Btw... yorkville is the parent company...

Maybe I will call yorkville...it is unsold product.. 2-10 year warranty..oh yea..

PS: this was sent via my tablet..

Yes it is stereo and has 2 tweeters also..


At $1,149 list...not many folks were looking to buy them...I think they were marketed for less than 2 years....I loved it the first time I heard one, at Cintioli's...1995

What I always liked with Yorkville stuff....They have a great sound, not harsh like most of the other brands....maybe warmer is the right word..

Nice aquisition Fran. I have a K4 so I am familiar with Yorkville quality.

It's a nice looking unit too. You've peaked my interest, alas it's a 1995 model I'm sure I would have as much trouble finding it as you did.

Other than the K4, does anything similar exist in today's models?

I tried both the K4 and 300K and found both unsatisfactory for arranger use. Now, this is strictly my own personal opinion. I have tried a K4 with both a Roland GW-8 and a Yamaha PSR-S900 and I was not impressed. Several years ago, I tried a 300K with a PSR-8000 and a Roland E-series (a 600 I think) and felt the same way.

However, these exceptionally well made and very powerful units are ideal for amplifying electric pianos, synthesizers and clone-wheels(the latter's rotary sim benefiting greatly from the stereo feature) and I have used a 300K for playing in a band for several years with excellent reliability and lots of punch.

They are combo amps and designed as a keyboard monitor for the keyboardist in a band.

Using with an arranger, I found they weren't as good as two seperate powered speakers in stereo, or a stereo power amp with two speakers.

Try before you buy, is my recommendation.

Ian

I owned a K4 and agree with Ian 100%. A great amp for a rock band player but not to my cup of tea for OMB stuff.

I would suggest it is more about adjustments of the amps than a blanket "I didn't like them"...

When I purchased my first 300k in 1995, I have been using my Roland Cubes for ten years ...Immediately I noticed a difference, but tuning in the sound on the Yorkville, comparing to what I was use to..with the Cubes...I found the Yorkville a great, powerful unit...

When I purchased the Traynor K4 a few years ago...it took a bit longer to "warm" up to it..It never quite fulfilled my satisfaction compared to my Cubes (the standard I judge by).

Power and punch..no other combo amps match either the 300k or K4...

I checked out the 300k, for flatness with a scope...and the unit is near flat for 18 bands...almost a perfect reference monitor..

I think if you guys spent more time with the k4 and , Ian with the 300k..you would have found the magic of Yorkville..Also being use to your regular sound system...blocks your ability to hear..

Can you explain why arranger keyboard sounds "bad" in a sound system , compared to non arranger sound?....I bet it is the way you have your arranger tweaked for that inferior sound system you use.. ...just kidding..well maybe a little bit

I tried the K4 several times, Fran, and it sucks for arranger use, no matter how you "tweak" it. It simply is designed as a combo amp and to amplify organs, synths and electric pianos, not an orchestral sounding arranger that pumps out several voices at one time, including bass and drums.

But, hey, if you're happy with that kind of sound, all the better for you...I wasn't, and most of the guys (and gals) I correspond with aren't happy with it either.

The general consensus is that the Traynor K4 and 300K are super combo amps, and inferior arranger sound systems.

But that's why I like you so much, Fran...you're different...you march to the beat of a different drum, or in this case, the sound of a different amp.

Happy playing,

Ian

Cool find, Fran...wish I had found it!

R.

The 300K works real well with the Hammond XK3c/XK1 organs, Russ, and just a few weeks ago, a friend of mine let me play his Hammond XK3c dual manual system through a Yorkville/Traynor K4. The bass was a tad tight, but still acceptable.

These amps are as tough as a bag of horseshoes (and nearly as heavy ) and also make terrific acoustic guitar amplification systems.

They made a Mono Block II Bass Head back in the early 70's that is still highly sought after today.

A great company with really well made and supported products.

Ian

I have the old mono block head. Recently, I got a Gallian Kruger (SP?) 2 pound unit...200 watts and fits in the string bag of a bass case. $249.00.

not nearly the match of even my old Gallian RB 400, but light, convenient and one of my favorite brands.

Another concession to old age, I guess.

damn!


Russ

Gallien Kruger...now there is another line of products that were top notch..I have owned several units over the years...Price scared a lot of folks away...but you got what you paid for with GK..

Back to the title subject ....a few years ago, I bought 2 "new" old Roland Cubes (1985 products)...I have only used them in my studio ..a couple times....I still have another pair , from my 1985 stock...and still use them going on 27 years..they just don't quit..

I doubt I will ever get to use the "new " ones..

I have so many memories while using my old pair..that I can't see myself selling them..

Fran, I like stuff like that...it seems to last forever...I have a pair of Yamaha MS60S powered monitors (60 watts each) that were bought in 1988, and are still working (and looking) like the day they were purchased, despite being used on stage, studio, and in my home, for almost every gig and practice session I've played.

They are perfect for my needs and all the many arrangers I had over the years, sounded terrific through them.

I can't see me ever selling them...lots of memories...they weren't cheap, but they really prove the old adage, "You get what you pay for..."

I sold Roland Cubes (60's & 100's) way back in the day of Frank McKnight's Music here in Cape Breton...and I agree with you, Fran...another great product.

Ian

That is exactly how I use my K4, playing in a live rock band. But it doesn't have the bottom end for an arranger. You would need to add a sub woofer for that, and there is a mono sub woofer line out on the K4. I used to use a powered PA cabinet with a 15 inch speaker that had far too much bass for a band situation and I would have to cut the bass EQ severely. So I like having a stage monitor that is more even in frequency response. But my requirement is certainly not an OMB situation.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/260852893793?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649


Is this the old bloc you guys want?

Is this the old bloc you guys want?

Is this the old bloc you guys want?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/260852893793

Fran,

There were two that I have fond memories of using...the '73 Traynor BassMaster Mark II (tubes).




and the newer Traynor Mono Bloc II (solid state).




Both were sold as seperate heads and both were usable for keyboards with the right speaker cabinet(s).

Most used two Celestion 12" full range for best results.

Back in the day, there weren't a whole lot of speaker/amps available for keyboardists.

Just as an aside, one system I used for amplifying the keyboards in my avatar was a pair of customized Fender Twin Reverbs with Celestion full range speakers and added tweeters (2) in each cabinet (with custom crossovers). The Polymoog sounded excellent through tube amplifiers, as did the Wurlitzer 200 piano.

Ian