Best piano via synth module

I own the Casio PX-400R digital piano. Fantastic key-feel. The piano is not cutting it for me. It's good enough for a while, but I'm dreaming of getting a real, lush, grand piano sound.

Since this digital piano is in our living room, my wife wouldn't allow me to have a computer in there, but I could sneak a synth module and either play it through headphones, or maybe she would allow me to attach some small speakers to the PX-400R's stand.

What synth module gets the best piano sound, in your opinions? Someone recommended me the Motif ES rack, but at $1000, that's a lot when all I want is the piano sound.

This purchase might have to wait for several months, but I want to know what to look for in case an early opportunity knocks.

Thank you,

Beakybird

Piano sounds are very subjective,but for my money the best piano in a sound module at a reasonable cost (one currently on E-bay with a buy it now price of $400.00) would unquestionably be the Yamaha EX5R.

babylon

Lots of people like the Kurzweil piano module, so I would suggest you check that one out too.

Tom

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Bigger is not always better

Hi Beakybird,
I think the dedicated piano modules have all but dissapeared. I had 2 or 3 of them over the years, but that goes quite aways back.
Yamaha used to make one, I think so did Emu & Kurzweill ( maybe even Roland??).
I haven't owned one in the last 7 or 8 years, which makes me think, the way technology & sound quality has progressed, unless someone's still making one currently,
you may find the sound quality may not be up to expectations.

I had the same problem, hubby wasn't overly wrapped in having my kn7/va7 midied to my Clavinova in the living room, it was either a case of moving everything to a spare bedroom, or just using the Clav. I opted for a laptop ( instead of the keyboards) & midied it to the Clav.
Pity you don't have access to the computer, there's some reasonably good free piano soundfonts floating round. Haven't found one yet that I like quite as much as my Clav's internal grand piano, but on the whole, they're quite good.


[QUOTE]Originally posted by Beakybird:
[B]

Its a pity you can't put a computer in your living room. The Steinberg D Grand http://www.soundsonline.com/sophtml/details.phtml?sku=EW-103 and the Bosendorfer 290 http://www.soundsonline.com/sophtml/details.phtml?sku=EW-157 software instruments, are the real thing. No hardware module can compare. The Motif Rack probably dedicates 2MB to its piano - the software instruments are closer to 2GB!

Chony.

I would like to thank everyone for the advice so far.

I admit that a Gigastudio sample would provide by far the best piano sound. Nevertheless, many of the synth modules' piano samples are bigger than 2mb. I know that the Roland XV series Concert Grand card has 64mb of wave rom. I know that this still does not compare to 2gb.

But going the software route would require a computer, a good sound card, plus the purchase of the software. That would also be an eyesore for my wife.

A laptop with a sound card and a good sound font is a possibility.

I've heard very good reviews of the Kurzweil ME-1 synth module. It packs many of Kurzweil's best sounds including their Grand Piano into a rather minimalist kind of unit for people on a budget. It goes for $400. I think I'll purchase that as soon as I find a used one - or an outrageous deal.

Has anyone compared the Kurzweil ME-1 to the Roland XV-2020?

After I purchase a synth module, I will wait 2 or 3 years for today's newest software technology to be integrated into a synth module or a digital piano.

Beakybird