Kurzweil PC88 vs Roland EP9
Mei Ping Yang
I just received some information on the two electronic piano
above. I would like to ask for any opinion on the pros and cons of each.
Of course, the PC88 is supposed to be more feature packed as the
price is much higher. As far as I can understand from the literiture, I
don't think the PC 88 comes with build in speakers...
The two questions I have are:
1. Are controllers the same as synthesizers?
2. What kind of amplifier should I be looking for if the PC88 doesn't
come with build in speakers?
Pardon my ignorance about electronic pianos... they are just...
well, too complicated for me.
Thanks for any info. I appreciate any tips and suggestions.
PSYCOW
piano or organ. Why do you bother with these lousy plastic useless pieces
of you-know-what?
Steve Adams
True, true. Your first sentence is (somewhat) accurate. "Pathetic" may be
a little strong, but the idea is basically valid. Why do some of us bother?
Because we have sensitive neighbors, live in small dwellings, move around a
lot, can only practice at night when others of the household are sleeping,...
How many more reasons do you want? Digitals have allowed a much greater
proportion of the populace to make music on the keyboard instrument. It is
good in that.
respectfully,
a digital user who someday will "upgrade" to
an acoustical, but will still keep his digital
Michael Scott
: Hi everyone,
I haven't experienced the PC-88, but the samples in it are supposed to be
first-class--it has gotten excellent reviews in both "Piano and Keyboard"
and "Electronic Musician" magazines. It is supposed to be a "realistically
weighted" keyboard: the resistance of the keys should be within the range
of acoustic pianos (which varies wildly). Most weighted portable keyboards
don't feel much like a piano to me, but the weight certainly helps fine
control of dynamics.
I have, however, played the EP-9, back when I was looking for a budget inter-
rim solution. Not to offend any EP-9 owners who might be reading, but I
thought it sucked, big time. Its keys are unweighted and its piano samples
are a joke. To add to this, you get a strong background hiss while listening
through headphones. In its price range, I thought that the corresponding
Yamaha models (with 88 keys, the PF-100) offerred much more bang for the buck.
Of course, in the PC-88 price range, Roland offers the excellent FP-8.
As far as speakers goes, I haven't heard any portable keyboard speakers worth
listening to. To keep these things reasonably portable, the goal is to keep
the total weight around 50 lbs; given the weight of the rest of the mechanism,
its kind of hard to work a serious sound system in. I had a Yamaha keyboard
which worked reasonably well with a $200 pair of powered speakers I had.
You can hook these things into just about any sort of stereo or mono amp.
-- Mike
Paul Liu
>All digital keyboards are a pathetic attempt to emulate the actuality of a
>piano or organ. Why do you bother with these lousy plastic useless pieces
>of you-know-what?
That sounds a bit too harsh. For less than $2000 now (actually it is about
$1400), I got an instrument that has professional quality organ, electric
piano, and many many more (hundred and hundred more). Why should you pay
a million dollars, just for the enjoyment of playing a pipe organ at home?
With a little easy programming, I can have a band of drum, bass, string,
guitar that accompany my piano. Why do you have to pay for musicians to
do so at home just for fun at home with your kids?
With a computer connected with your synth, the possibility is even more.
That is why nowaday Yamaha and Roland start to create hybrid-piano, which
is a real piano with digital accessory built-in.
Don't be so close-minded about the new things. Enjoy it.
--
Paul Liu
pl...@cadence.com
SRenier
practiced.
We traded it immediately for a Schimmel Upright piano. All I can say is
"W O W W H A T A D I F F E R E N C
E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!