Yorkville has added the all-new ultra-compact 200-watt K2 to their tube-driven keyboard amplifier line. The K2 is the smallest keyboard amplifier to offer Traynor’s innovative tube / solid-state input and proprietary Voicing circuitry, first introduced on its big brother, the K4. This unique input design makes the Traynor K2 more than a monitor, but part of the keyboard player’s tone pallet.

The compact K2 is also a convenient and powerful wedge monitor, designed for the live stage. Although it’s small enough to fit easily under almost any keyboard rig, the 3-way speaker system delivers a full 200-watts to the stage, more than enough for most live applications. The innovative third channel post master input (located on the back of the K2) allows an additional signal to be fed to the amplifier, without feeding it to the pre-master line output. This allows sources like monitor feeds from the front of house mix, a drum machine click tracks or cue sends to be amplified on stage by the K2, without feeding them to the house mix.

The Voicing circuit offers several pre-set user selectable tone shapes on channel one to add overall presence to further enhance specific synth sounds on the K2’s first channel. The selectable tube or solid state input allows the player to select at pristine, high-headroom solid-state clean input on channel one, or a more warmer, slightly compressed tube circuit to add warmth to digital synths and samplers.

Channel two includes an XLR / 1/4-inch TRS combi-jack input, for an additional line or microphone level input, and has its own dedicated three-band EQ. The Traynor K2 includes a three-band master EQ for additional overall tone shaping, as well as a master volume control and 1/4-inch TRS balanced line output.

The Traynor K4

Driven by the innovative hybrid tube/solid-state preamp circuit, the K4 is destined to be more than a monitor, but an integral part of the keyboard player’s tone pallet.

Designed for the stage, the modified trapezoidal shape of the K4 allows the amplifier to be used upright to fill the room or stage, or as a convenient wedge monitor for the player. The innovative fourth channel post master input located on the back of the amplifier allows additional signal to be fed to the amplifier on stage, without feeding the XLR balanced DI outputs. Sources like monitor feeds from the front of house mix, drum machine click tracks or cue sends can be amplified on stage by the K4, without feeding channel four to the house mix.

The heart of the Traynor K4 is the Tube / Solid State input and Voicing circuitry on the main input channels. The tube drive can be used to add subtle warmth and “fatness” to digital synths and samplers that often sound ‘too pristine’ in a mix. It can also be dialed up to add full-on tube overdrive, creating unique lead tones and ultra-fat bass sounds. The tube-drive’s gain and lead boost level can be set from the K4’s front panel, and engaged by an optional footswitch. The Voicing circuit tweaks channel one’s EQ and overall presence for specific instruments and applications.

This 300-watt system uses a single 12-inch Eminence speaker to deliver 200-watts of bottom end in the K4’s 2.1 speaker configuration. Two additional 50-watt amplifier modules driving a 5 1/2-inch Celestion speaker and a 30-watt compression driver per side handle stereo midrange and high frequency program.

More information on both amps is available at the Yorkville site.