Are you going to get a separate amp/speaker for it? I ask because my son just bought himself a keyboard and I'm looking into what makes sense...
It depends on what and how you’re playing. For example:
- if you’re practicing alone, good headphones with a small external DAC are usually the best choice
- if you want others to listen and you’re playing a keyboard with synth or semi-weighted action and using its built-in sounds, those are typically MP3 quality and a pair of active Adam’s is more than adequate
- if you’re rehearsing or playing in a club, the best bet is in-ear monitors and a DI box interface to the house PA system
- if you’re busking or rehearsing without a PA system, Roland and others make some nice portable keyboard amps with battery power
- if you’re playing a pro rig (eg a keyboard with true hammer action like the Kawai VPC1 and a sampled piano library like Synthogy Ivory II), the sound quality of your rig can match or surpass the recorded sound of a fine concert grand with pro mics and preamps in most studios. Synthogy has demo tracks on their website. In my experience, their American D sampled library often sounds better than the recorded sound of many Steinway D concert grands thanks to the specific piano they recorded, their prep (tuning and voicing), mic’ing, and the room sound of their studio. In that case, the bar goes way up as to your equipment choices for mastering and home playback.