I have posed a question on the digital forum requesting information on the difference between the Kawai AnytimeX and Yamaha Silent pianos. Unfortunately, without success.
It dawned on me that this forum is likely a more logical place to ask my questions.

Kawai is not represented here locally and is difficult to get answers from. Yamaha is well represented here locally with e.g. a two store retailer that sells around 1000 acoustic Yamaha pianos a year, 80% (!) of which have the silent system installed. I know that this forum is more US-centered where these hybrid systems are not sold so much, but perhaps someone knows the answers.

Does anyone have knowledge or experience with these hybrid pianos?

The digital piano specs on the Kawai ATX seem now to be much better than those of Yamaha S. The claims from Kawai over the IHSS (Integrated Hammer Sensor System) would seem to indicate that control is also superior on the Kawai to that of the Optical Underkey Sensor System of the Yamaha. However, one concern I have is the degree to which the action must be modified to accommodate IHSS, the sensitivity to maintenance and regulation and the ability to disable or remove the ATX implementation later to e.g. re-sell the piano as an acoustic only piano. With the Yamaha upright system there is a simple piece of colored plastic attached under the keys and a sensor row mounted under the keys keeping maintenance but also elaborate modifications to the acoustic piano to a minimum. The Yamaha is also rock solid and very playable, although it still sounds like a Yamaha.

So questions are:

How is the ATX system integrated/installed in the Kawai Millennium action compared to that of Yamaha, how much change is there to the let-off to enable blocking the hammers under silent play, is the ability to play pianissimo compromised, is the digital sensor hammer movement also engaged during acoustic play, how regulation sensitive is the operation of the hybrid piano in digital mode, is it maintenance sensitive, is it possible to remove the ATX system when it becomes obsolete without impacting resale value of acoustic piano or alternatively will Kawai offer an upgrade path when improved samples, etc. are available?

theJourney,

Are you talking about a silent function in a grand or an upright.

When comparing the silent system for grand pianos of both Kawai and Yamaha also the new Yamaha system has two optical sensor systems: one below the keys and one on the hammer shanks. The last one is called 'the quick escape' system which should be comparable to Kawai's 'Integrated Hammer Sensor System'.

Yamaha silent

I suppose that untill Kawai launched their ISSHS Yamaha's system on grands was considered superior in term of preservation of touch sensibility but that now with the ISSHS Kawai's system could be close, equal or superior. I know you prefer the tone of the Kawais to the Yamahas, so Kawai might be the direction to choose.

schwammerl.

Nice link, but it is not in english.

Don't you know a link to a file in english?

Gracias schwammerl!

It would be great if there were a Kawai dealer to put out a similar document on the Kawai.

I still don't understand how the Kawai upright silent implementation has been performed nor how it compares to that of Yamaha.

a number of languages at this link Raphael

http://www.manualsmania.com/model.php?model=8ca6c6497942d6c27dd923ef2829c5e6c934aa