ROLAND, KETRON, KAWAI, CASIO =>

What better way to compare and contrast the different technologies used and which one suits your needs best - than to have the same piece of music played (in most cases by the same person) on each Piano?

You decide:-


http://youtu.be/oClWL4UTWe8


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh3n1k2NcMU


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB46HlmTs-M


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTYtnYgAw40


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvcxssM0k94

Thanks.

BRILLIANT !!!

They all sound very good to my ears, and I'm supposing one's preference would be subjective depending on how you like your acoustic piano sounds rendered. More importantly, and, which the videos do not convey, is the "finger to sound" response as you play...that is critical to most piano players; I know it's very important to me.

The only way to learn that aspect is to actually sit down at each instrument and play the pieces that are familiar to your ears.

Currently, I'm using a Yamaha P-95 for my controller, and it's midi'd to my Yamaha Tyros4. I like the Live!Grand Piano in the T4, especially after tweaking it for different genres such as Jazz, Classical, Pop or Country.

But, most importantly, I like the response of the rather inexpensive P-95 (and the older P-85 I used to use)...it feels like I'm actually "playing" an acoustic instrument.

Another extremely viable option is the new Casio PX5S which has a cracking good keybed (very responsive, and no aftertouch to interfere with the feel) and lovely tweakable acoustic pianos as well as it being a little monster of a synth...great price too!

Thanks for the links, AJ.

Ian

Thanks AJ - neat stuff, and from my rapidly aging ears, the Casio sounded best. It was softer, had far more depth, and that's what I would have anticipated from a dedicated electric piano V/S an arranger piano.

Gary

Very interesting. My verdict:
To me, all are good, and Ketron is the most realistic one. Casio doesn't fully convince me especially in the low keys, it sounds a bit flat (but still quite good). The Rolands and the Clavia sound nearly 100% realistic to me, but Ketron still beats them in realism. BUT (!) the Ketron sample has quite a lot of natural piano reverb in its sample, which makes it sound a bit indirect and, what's the right word, strident, sharp, shrill. I experienced the same with the main piano sample of my former Ketron Klavipro. In that respect I like the more direct and dry sound of the Rolands or Clavia more (depending on the type of music played), even if not so outstandingly realistic.

DITTO

If I was to pick the most acoustic sounding of the posted choices, I'd go with the Kawai ES100. Seems to be more even from top to bottom and the samples are nice and long.

Now, if we only knew what the key response was like...

The Ketron sounded a little "tubby" to me, but, they all sound pretty good considering they are low cost instruments.

Ian

The Ketron sound in the first segment, had too much reverb (similating a large hall)..clarity was not the best, and overtones were a mess..The second segment of the Ketron was better..I think it was a different piano selected...same with the third section..
I rather play a warmer piano than what I hear on this Ketron demo..

The roland RD piano sounds better than the FA piano (I thought they were identical)..The Rolands can be edited to sound any way you want..so they are hard to beat..
But we are judging these demos..RD does sound warm and more desireable to me..I did like the attack response from the Ketron..but the dynamics were better on the RD..

The Kawai demo also sounds good, but I did not hear a strong dynamic change, also not as warm.

The casio surprised me..compared to what I played..this demo was much better than what I heard live..it was less synthetic than Casio pianos I played..

All were good, and simply a matter of taste..

BTW: The more I watched and listened to the demos..the "hotter" she looked to me..

With stereo headphones on(good ones), the Casio sounded the best. Scary.

Where's Yamaha's entry into this foray?

All of it sounded like a Classical Piano but the Kawai and Ketron sounded the best; followed by the Rolands and the Casio. Since its played by a talented pianist, picking the best piano sound is difficult since they put the instrument to the best of what it can offer.

Even the classical piano in the GM bank of East West Quantum Leap Goliath software sounds dynamic and warm to me; but I got years of practice to do to reach even half the level and grace of this wonderful pianist

Thanks AJ for these comparison videos.

Regardless of piano sounds, the Casio is the only keyboard that has three sensors in the key mechanism. This usually comes in just over $1000 digital pianos made by Kawai, Roland, and Yamaha. I think Kawai has one under $1000 model that has tri-sensor action. According to Casio:

this enables key movements to be measured precisely. A note can be pressed more than once without the key having to return completely to its starting position. The "tri-sensor" design enables even the most sophisticated of playing techniques to be achieved.

...and here is the KETRON GP1 with the new AJAMSONIC Piano Sounds ... also notice the EDITED GRAND within the video that shows the user can EDIT sounds on the GP1:- http://www.ajamsonic.com/ajgp1.html



Here, the GP1 is used to control the Midjay PRO which shows how versatile the Midjay PRO is - hook it up to any Midi controller and obtain similar/better results:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDEFYANj58k

Thanks