Getting the best digital piano

[erikd2y]

Hey,

I'm moving out of my parent's house next year and I can't take our 19th century upright piano with me, so I'm looking for the best digital pianos that are out right now. Unfortunately, I have no experience with this topic at all so I wanted to ask you guys if you can make some recommendations. I really don't care about the price as long as it's not over 3500€ or in that area, I just want something that isn't a huge degradation to what I have now.

[visitor]

if i were trying to get the best, i'd likely look at the Bluthner, but also consider the higher end Kawai due to the action those have

[stevensk]

There are no such thing as "the best". Its a matter of taste and this is my proposal:

[huaidongxi]

stevensk, yamaha can put its black box on any of its acoustic pianos, which will use samples from its best grand for the digital reproduction.  but the original question specified a budget which would only cover a modest yamaha console upright for the base instrument.  hypothetically, its sound would replicate the concert grand, but its playing action would still be the console upright piano's. showing only part of the story, which you've essentially done in posting your ad, might be very effective marketing, but not completely helpful for a consumer.

[pjjslp]

Can you go try some out? Like any other piano, it's a matter of taste. I have a Yamaha CLP-545 and really enjoy playing it. The action and touch are very similar to the console I grew up playing but the sound is much better. It cost me around US$3500, unsure of the conversion rate.

[erikd2y]

There are no such thing as "the best". Its a matter of taste and this is my proposal:

I knew that there had to be someone pointing that out, that's why I wrote "I'm looking for the best digital pianos", sorry that i forgot the s in the title.

[erikd2y]

Also, thank you guys so much for your recommendations!

[erikd2y]

Can you go try some out? Like any other piano, it's a matter of taste. I have a Yamaha CLP-545 and really enjoy playing it. The action and touch are very similar to the console I grew up playing but the sound is much better. It cost me around US$3500, unsure of the conversion rate.

I live in a rural area with one small music store nearby, but it only has cheap ones. I'd have to drive hours to get to a good store. The piano sounds great though, and it's even around 2000€.

[erikd2y]

My personal favourite right now is the Kawai CA-97, does anyone have any experience with that one?

[jcmusic]

Hi,

Live in a condo, and have been looking for a good digital piano for awhile, as will allow silent practice.  Same issue as everyone, I guess, in that looking for the best touch for the price.  Have tested the Rolands and Yamahas in the $3K to $4K price range.  Think I like the Rolands the best so far.

I heard something interesting from a very honest music store owner awhile back (no longer carries digital pianos).  He said that the technology for digitals is always improving so they can sell new pianos.  Therefore, store owners don't want to get stuck with "last year's digital", and therefore the price is very flexible--- it's a buyer's market.

Does anyone have any experience with this?  Is this true?

I'm certainly willing to pay market price, but the market apparently may not be reflected in the sticker.

Thanks so much for any feedback at all!

John

[quantum]

I live in a rural area with one small music store nearby, but it only has cheap ones. I'd have to drive hours to get to a good store. The piano sounds great though, and it's even around 2000€.

You would be wise to make the effort to try one out in person.  Sound is only part of the package and the DP also needs to feel good in your hands.  Actually for a DP, I would place action as more important than sound as there are a lot of excellent piano samples around and it is relatively easy to switch to using a different sampled instrument. 

[loveibert]

My personal favourite right now is the Kawai CA-97, does anyone have any experience with that one?

I have the CS10, which is very similar, I think , in sound and amenities.  I absolutely love it.  Keyboard action and the addition of a soundboard are some of the things that make this an outstanding digital piano.  I got mine on sale- as someone else mentions, they keep coming up with new models, so the (not very) old models are often on sale.