Best Digital?

[Shagdac]

Although I have an excellent piano, my family can only take so much of it. Unfortunately it is in the living room which they can hear rather loudly when watching TV, studying, etc....I have decided to purchase a digital piano, or clavinova for my bedroom to use when I am not alone in the house, where I can set the volume and/or where headphones. This would just be for times when I need to practice and cannot disturb anyone else. But it would increase my practice time considerably. Can anyone tell me if the Yamaha Clavinova Digital, or Kawai or Roland are any good, as they are going on sale the first week in March, and I am very interested. And if not, which are? Appreciate any advise you may have.

Thanks,
Shag

[rlefebvr]

"Between Yamaha and Roland, you are looking at probably the two best lines. They both have a graded hammer type of action, as well explained by PIANOS007. They both have excellent sound sourcing, Roland uses different marketing terms than what Yamaha does, but they are both very good. They each have a different sound to them, it's really a matter of which you prefer. The primary distinction between them, in my mind, is the touch. Both are good, but because of the placement of the leafspring in Yamaha's action, it makes it feel a little heavier at the top, but once you get past the tensile point of the spring, it feels a lot lighter very quickly. I prefer Rolands mor e realistic gravity based approach, without the use of springs. That is for you to decide yourself on which you prefer. The polyphony leves are actually equivalent as Roland's 64 voice polyphony is equivalent to Yamaha's 128 note polyphony. (The distinction is that when using Yamaha's sampling method, two notes of polyphony are used for every one note of piano played; Rolands sampling method uses 1 note of polyphony for every one note played.) In the end, both will play the same number of notes."
From another forum, but I conquer completely.

Ron

[faulty_damper]

Why do certain piano manufacturers even include that graded hammer action?  It makes playing so much more burdensome.  I hate the Yammie I'm playing on and probably won't consider a digital by Yammie.  So what are the best digitals that don't have that graded hammer gimmick?

[nujdp]

hi, i own a yamaha clavinova and i can absolutely recommend it to you. For me the yamaha pianos have the best sound engine ( the grandpiano sounds cool and they have one even with 256 polyphone.), The keys are realistic compared to other digital pianos.

I mean i dont want to play concerts on that thing but for studying in your room its just perfect.

[rlefebvr]

"Why do certain piano manufacturers even include that graded hammer action? "


Cause it's a DIGITAL piano and not a keyboard.

If you want to play a keyboard, don't buy a digital piano.

[bernhard]

"Why do certain piano manufacturers even include that graded hammer action? "


Cause it's a DIGITAL piano and not a keyboard.

If you want to play a keyboard, don't buy a digital piano.

Er... Actually the Yamaha Grand touch series has a real piano keyboard with a real piano action - even though is a digital piano. Leif Ove Andnes for one loves them.

Anyway, if you don't like graded hammer actions, try Roland which uses a different action based on gravity.

[rlefebvr]

Oh I see what he meant now.
By all means then yes, the Yamaha series

[faulty_damper]

I don't much benefit with that graded touch on Yammies piano's.  I have one and I hate it.  I can't play very delicately at all and the change in strength as you move from bass to treble... WHY!?  I can't play as quickly with the graded touch, the keys in the base don't 'rebound' as quickly meaning notes can't be played very fast should you need to hit the same key again...

WHY!?!?

And how can I get rid of it?  Would a technician be able to remove that Graded hammer touch on my piano?  Or should I just get a digital?  I Think I've played on a Roland a while ago because I was looking for something that I could play at 2am and not have my mom tell me to stop.  But at the time, I've only played Yammie and thought the touch was too light for me to get used to.  But after playing on some other light touch keyboards, I'm sold!

Roland it is for me.  No more tuning.  Just plug and PLAY!

[newsgroupeuan]

I have had a technics one for ages.  Played the Yamaha once,  didn't like it.  It doesn't sound very good.  But maybe there are newer better models around nowadays.

[gosch]

Yamaha GranTouch series, just great if you nead to play with headphones.. great action, great sound.

But it is unfortunate that Yamaha didn't upgrade them for many years now.. still 32-polyphony. 64 would be better.

There are new GranTouch models in Japan though!
A guy from Yamaha told me there are no plans to sell them anywhere else.... this would be very unfortunate and I'd ask why ?

[steinwaymodeld]

why not try the Silent piano series by Yamaha?

it's a real upright which you can plug in headphone and mute it.

it's really cool
it IS a real upright piano.

[gosch]

Yamaha Silents are a pricy compromise.
GranTouch are in a more attractive price-segment for people who can't afford a grand but want to have a grand-action mechanism.
They too have only 32-note polyphony, I guess the exact same soundmodule as GTs.
And I would not want to have electronic sound from an instrument that I play accoustic, that's somehow weird to me... imagine the moment you "switch"... arghh.
Either best electronic or best accoustic, no pricy compromises please.

Also, if you can buy a real grand and have a place to put it, the probability is high that there's no need for headphone-playing, unless you're in a bad relationship...

The GTs could be made even better with
- 64 polyphony
- "virtual room" sound with headphones (see "Dolby Headphone" technology or AKGs IVA)
- better reverb

I wish I'd be a Yamaha-engineer and could develop my dream-machine.
Just why don't they push GT-technology ?
There is a big market for it, I'm sure.
I would sure have spent a grand (or two) more for the above features.

Maybe the newest (very pricy) Kawai's (which I'm looking forward to try at the Musikmesse Frankfurt)
can come close to or even surpass the GTs.

[wes_56]

Hi,
I own a Clavinova CVP 208 at a price of US$3800 and it is great! However, you will know that you are playing on a digital and not an accoustic piano. The sound is different when projected from the speakers (of digital piano ) and the sound board (of an accoustic piano).
So, your budget will dictate what piano you get. Roland and Yamaha are great.
You can go to www.cvpug.com and look at the FAQs on digital pianos. It is biased towards Yamaha piano users. Go to a piano dealer and try as many pianos as possible. If you buy Yamaha, you will not be far wrong. But I heard that some Rolands have very good sounds too.

Wes

[Shagdac]

Thanks for all the advise. I ended up going w/ the Yamaha Clavinova CLP-120. It was delievered last Tuesday. I'm aware it doesn't sound like an accoustic,
however again, this is just for practice during times I can't disturb others in the same dwelling. Several others that I looked at also had a decent sound, however the feel of the keys when playing (for myself anyway) on the Yamaha, was closest to that of a true piano. I managed to get a great price so am very happy with my purchase. I really enjoy having the built in metrinome feature, recording while playing and then listening to it played back. Many times while playing I will think it sounds pretty good, but when I can just sit and listen to the piece I just played, without having to play at the same time...WOW what a difference. I seem to find everything wrong! I'm sure it will serve the purpose for which it is intended. Nothing could replace my "regular" piano, but it certainly will enable me to practice at anytime for as long as I need, without disturbing the whole house! Again, thanks for all your suggestions and advise.

Thanks,
Shag

[mengdy]

Hi, Shag and other friends,

I am in the similar situation as yours. Now I am thinking an althernative choice: Yamaha YDP223, which costs $1500. How would you compare this one with CLP120 you bought?

I can hardly find many reviews about Yamaha YDP 223. Does anyone know this model?

Thanks a lot in advance!

Mengdy

[xvimbi]

I do not recommend the YDP-223. Not that it is a bad digital, not at all, just because I think there are better alternatives out there. As other posters stated, the Yamaha graded hammer action is excellent. I believe only a real action is better. The Kawai AWA action is actually made of real wood, but the keys wobble so badly that you might just as well play on a bad Steinway. So, staying with a Yamaha is not a bad idea. My recommendation is the PF-500 (about $1,700). This digital is a cousin of Yamaha's stage piano family. They all have the same action, but vary in the bells and whistles. The YDP's have a nice cabinet, but that's it. The PF-500 looks good (stand, three pedals, contemporary design, lots of output options - MIDI, USB, etc.). Sound machine is excellent (the higher-end stage pianos sure beat the lower end Clavinovas in that respect and cost less). Check out the PF-500 or the P-250 (it's closest stage-piano relative) at any GuitarCenter and see for yourself. Thoght I'd mention this, because I think the PF-500 is completely neglected compared to the overrated lower-end Clavinovas. Again, all that IMHO.

[Shagdac]

Sorry, I am not familiar with the YDP-223. However, as I had written above, I went ahead and got the CLP-120.
It was around US$1488.00. I am very happy with it. Does it play and sound "just like" an accoustic? No, absolutely not. But does it do as good of a job for extra practice when others are around and can't be disturbed?
Absolutely. Anything I learn on the Yamaha, I have had no difficulty going in and playing on my Accoustic. the difference is not something that will impeed me, as I am not using it all the time. Only when I feel like playing till 3 or so in the morning and other people actually want to sleep! (imagine that!) haha.

Shag