Which digital piano for a tight budget?
SSG
I'm primarily looking for something that will be satisfying to practice
on (in terms of authentic sound and hammer-action feel) without
breaking the bank. In other words, bells and whistles are not a huge
consideration. The piano will stay at home as a family instrument. I'm
a novice pianist, but I'm trained on the violin, so my ears can
differentiate between a good sound and a not-so-good one. I really
liked the Roland HP-236, but it's a bit pricey for my budget. Thus, the
considerations, in order of importance, would look something like this
(after price):
1. Authentic piano sound
2. 88-keys with realistic action
3. basic effects (e.g. reverb/chorus/layer)
4. additional voices (organ, acoustic bass, decent strings)
5. any other extras.
I've seen some models that fit the budget, but I'm not sure how all of
them stack up. Any insights into the following models would be
appreciated:
Suzuki HP-90d
Korg C-150
Roland fp1 (I've played the fp9 and loved it)
Madison digital pianos (they're cheap, but are they junk?)
Kurzweil sp88
Technics SX-PC12 or P30
Any other models in the $1200-1300 range (or less) that I should
consider? Any help you can offer would be super.
Thanks,
SSG
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alexm...@my-deja.com
are the Kawai MP9000 and the Yamaha P-200. Both
of these are digital stage pianos that come with nothing
else. The Yamaha does come with speakers though.
However, they would normally still be outside of
your price range. I think the extra money is worth it
though.
But there are two ways you could get this price down.
One is to find them used. Hard to do, but possible. The
other is buy the Yamaha from Canada. It will come without
a warranty, but it would be very close to your price range.
With the exchange rate and the Canadian economy, digitals
are priced more cheaply. I don't know about the Kawai though.
Of course, some people would tell you to support your
local dealer. And if you can afford it, I would agree
as the warranty may not be covered. But you would get
the best digital piano for the cheapest price.
I am not one hundred percent positive it would be within
your budget though. But if it is, you would just have to
decide if you want to live without a warranty
or support. The extra money for that is worth it,
but if you don't have it... this is an alternative.
If you are interested, you might try doing a
search for Steve Loates music and email them. They
will call you with a price.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Kelvin Liao
according to yamaha, and is not, according the local dealers in cambridge).
-- http://yamaha.com/cgi-win/webcgi.exe/DsplyModel/?gPSP00005P80
good luck!
kelvin
kel...@liao.com
kelvin.liao.com
SSG <glendeN...@uclink4.berkeley.edu.invalid> wrote in message
news:000b8d9b...@usw-ex0102-013.remarq.com...
Steve_K
S> If you had only $1200-$1300 to spend, which digital piano would you
S> get?
If price is an object, have you considered a used one? Used digitals
can often be had in like-new condition for a lot cheaper than you can
get them new.
- steve
SSG
harder to come by--perhaps I just don't know where to look?
Al Stevens
is,
>according to yamaha, and is not, according the local dealers in cambridge).
There is no listing on the Yamaha web site "P Series Digital Pianos" page
(http://www.yamaha.com/cgi-win/webcgi.exe/gPSP00005) for a P20. They list
the P200 and the P80.
Kelvin Liao
--
kel...@liao.com
kelvin.liao.com
Al Stevens <alst...@midifitz.com> wrote in message
news:dxUV3.2350$t%4.7...@newscene.newscene.com...
Doug Livingston
But don't forget why: the new stuff is usually cheaper and better.
I played Yamha P200 ($1800, 66 lbs) and P80 ($1000, 37 lbs) today at
Guitar Center in Sherman Oaks CA.
I was very impressed. You couldn't get that much for your money a few
years ago.
Both share a great-feeling hammer action, but the P200 has a much
better piano sound.
Al Stevens
which, I think, is newer. The P80 also has more piano voices. I would expect
the P80 to sound better. Could the difference be the audio rigs where you
compared them rather than the pianos?
alexm...@my-deja.com
Doug Livingston <ebo...@earthlink.net> wrote:
> That's true; everything with microchips inside depreciates pretty
fast.
> But don't forget why: the new stuff is usually cheaper and better.
>
at
The P-80 actually has a different action than the P-200, I have
been told. This is the older Yamaha action shared by the older
CVPs. I was also told that the P-80s are more upgradable, by
having modules you can pull out and replace. Please correct
me if this is untrue.
Doug Livingston
P80 into the ins of the P200. So we heard the P80 from the speakers of the
P200.
There has to be some reason why the P200 costs nearly twice as much as the
P80. The keyboard (action) is the same. Part of the difference of course is
that the P200 has 2 speakers, and the P80 has none.
The difference is piano sounds is striking. I really liked that P200. But
if I were buying (maybe soon) I think I might buy the P80 since it is so small
and light; I do have to go out and play gigs so that matters. Then someday I
would get a MIDI piano module with the ultimate piano sound.
Bozo
like the Korg N1 or the Alesis QS8. You can upgrade the S80 with plug-in
cards, but the specs say nothing about the "Graded Hammer" action, so it's
probably their old "Action Effect II" keyboard, which is still decent. The
P80 is a plain digital piano like the Roland RD100 and Korg SP100.
Has anybody heard the S80 acoustic piano? I wonder if it's any better than
the terrible one on the QS8. It would be a shame if it still needs the
PLG150-PF plugin board to get the really nice piano.
<alexm...@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:80cbtg$733$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
Al Stevens
>been told. This is the older Yamaha action shared by the older
>CVPs. I was also told that the P-80s are more upgradable, by
>having modules you can pull out and replace. Please correct
>me if this is untrue.
According to the website, they have the same graded action keyboard.
Al Stevens
the
>P80. The keyboard (action) is the same. Part of the difference of course
is
>that the P200 has 2 speakers, and the P80 has none.
Plus power amplifiers. Check the specifications and feature lists of the two
keyboards and you'll probably see why. Look at the weight difference.
Something has to account for all those pounds.
alexm...@my-deja.com
"Bozo" <nos...@nonesuch.net> wrote:
> I think you're confusing the P80 with the S80. The S80 is an 88-key
synth
> like the Korg N1 or the Alesis QS8. You can upgrade the S80 with
plug-in
> cards, but the specs say nothing about the "Graded Hammer" action, so
it's
> probably their old "Action Effect II" keyboard, which is still
decent.
Yes, and thank you for correcting me. I love all those
easy to remember names--QS8,P80,S80,CVP,MP9000,D50, and so on.
Richard Williams
Doug Livingston <ebo...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>No, altho I suspected that at first. Then we plugged the 2 audio outs from the
>P80 into the ins of the P200. So we heard the P80 from the speakers of the
>P200.
>
>P80. The keyboard (action) is the same. Part of the difference of course is
>that the P200 has 2 speakers, and the P80 has none.
>
>if I were buying (maybe soon) I think I might buy the P80 since it is so small
>and light; I do have to go out and play gigs so that matters. Then someday I
>would get a MIDI piano module with the ultimate piano sound.
Interesting comments. I'm also probably in the market for a P80, and my
initial impression was that it probably sounded better than the P200. But
this was based on a very quick trial in less than ideal conditions, and I
haven't yet done the sort of detailed side-by-side comparisons you did (I
heard the P80 on headphones and on some quite decent speakers, but the P200
was only set up to use its own amplification in a noisy shop, which could
account for a lot). I expect you also tried all the different piano
voices/variations & brightness control, etc. on the P80?
I agree about the size & weight (not to mention the price!) difference. I
was actually quite surprised at how big and heavy the P200 is.
Has anyone else had the chance to compare these two models yet?
Richard.
Kelvin Liao
and like a lot of other people, i had very high expectation for the P80 with
the so-called AWM2. and i must say i was terribly disappointed. i didn't
test it with the P200 speakers, but i used my own set of denon AH-G77
headphones on them. the P200 sounded better than the P80 by light years. in
addition to the unrealistic piano sound, the P80 has this weird "fuw...
fuw..." noise about 5 ms after the notes close to the lower-mid region are
pressed (i asked the saleperson to listen to it, and he heard that noise
too. then, i went to another store to try out another P80, and the same
noise was heard).
and doug, i finally decided on buying the technics P30
http://www.prodcat.panasonic.com/shop/product.asp?sku=SX-P30
(which is sitting right next to me now). it has no speakers/amps, but the
sound is closer to the ideal piano sound i have in mind than any other
portable model. it's 1-2 pounds heavier than the P80, and has almost no
fancy digital features (doesn't matter to me, cause i am only looking for a
digital substitute of an acoustic piano, plus i thought those of the P80
sucked anyways), it has no hammer action either, but i think the touch is
decent.
kelvin
--
kel...@liao.com
kelvin.liao.com
Richard Williams <rdwi...@hgmp.mrc.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:80ehcv$lev$1...@niobium.hgmp.mrc.ac.uk...