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Ah, that's good - I had visions of you driving for hours across the state, only to find that the dealer didn't have any digitals. Fingers crossed it works out.

Cheers,
James
x

It is very important to take note of the model numbers and not judge an entire brand based on one model. In the under-$1000 range, the Yamaha P-35/P-95/P-105 feel very different from the P-155/CP-33. And the Casio PX-150/PX-350 feel very different from the PX-130/PX-330 or CDP-120. Personally, I like the Casio PX-150/PX-350 action best of all those I mentioned... and I like the other Casios least.

Update: I went to a local music store and got a chance to play some really really nice digital pianos. I fell inlove w/ two. I love the piano sounds and feel of the action on ALL the kawai DP.

However I found a feature on some of the upper end Yamaha digital pianos I fell inlove with. They have some teach you piano feature. I was amazed how well this worked and how much fun I had playing. To bad the piano was 18k ahahahahaa.

I got to play both CN and CS series kawai and LOVE them. If kawai had a teaching feature that the yamaha had I would buy one instantly.

Anyways does anyone know if yamaha or any other brand has a lower priced digital piano with the teach you to play feature? The guy at the store said that yamaha has a CVP-501 that does this feature but didnt have any in stock to show me.

If anyone knows what im talking about and could recomind something like that but doesn't cost a fortune I would be greatful.


As of right now the kawai cn23 I played today is at the top of my list of "nice" digital pianos. Its more then I wanted to spend but damn that piano was nice. I loved the sound and the action. I dont really like the style of its looks but that's okay. I can't have it all.

Anyways thats my update from today!

If no recommendations of another piano with this feature does anyone know of software that would work with an ipad or laptop to help learn?

I checked every store in my location. Nobody has a kawai ep3. I'm really interested if anyone can tell me if the action on the ep3 is close or the same as the cn23. The kawai were by far my favorite action. From the extremely high priced versions down to the cn23.

Another issue I want to be able to take this on a road trip if I go out of town for a week for work. So I can headphone up and play in a hotel at nights.

Thanks again guys

4g63mr, the EP3 is a much older model than the CN23.

If you're after a portable Kawai model, I would suggest the ES7.

Cheers,
James
x

Okay so I take it the action is not the same or close on the ep3?
will def look into es7 then. Is the action on that model closer to the models I played?

Here's a list of the different actions in the models you're considering:

- EP3/ES7: AHA IV-F (legacy action design, two-sensor, no let-off, no 'Ivory Touch')
- CN23: RH (modern action design, two-sensor, no let-off, Ivory Touch)
- ES7: RHII (modern action design, three-sensor, let-off, Ivory Touch)

The ES7 action is similar to the CN23 action, but features let-off and three-sensor key detection.

Cheers,
James
x

James thank you very much for the replies. That does help me a lot.

I do like the action on the cn23. From my understanding I think I will like the es7

Roland has educational pianos - HPi-6F and 7F. 6F should cost just over 3K.

i-pad has educational app for it, but I do not know if it works with all digital pianos (I mean if you can connect it to a piano)

When I last time saw prices, I couldn´t imagine who would be the customer, a beginner needing the educational feature, but willing to pay that extremly high price of an high-end DP. If as a beginner willing to spend money for a professional high-end DP, then it might be a better choice to go for the HP-507 and an iPad. The result IMHO is pretty much the same, but the iPad is mobile and can be used for much things more than the iPad-alike screen built fixed into the HPi.

Hey thanks for the replies. I keep going back and thinking I want a kawai. I like the feel of them so much. I liked the quality. I haven't liked yamahas unless they were really really high priced. Even with the cvp 501 it wasn't the action I liked. It was the learning software. However that's a lot of money for beginner like myself and way more money then I am willing to pay or can afford to pay ATM.
I went back to guitar center and realized the privias I played were not the newest models but last years. So for example they had a 130 and 330 not 150 and 350.

I have not got a chance to play a roland yet.

I was reading other threads on here and someone said for the money the new px 850 privia is the absolute best digital piano you can buy for under 1000 bucks. To find anything close to the feel and sound and value in other digital pianos you would have to spend 2000 to 2500.

Is this true? When I read these things I couldn't help but to be excited. I'm hoping to find and play one. What are the big differences in a 350 and an 850. To me it looks like a stand and different speakers.

Anyways thanks again.

Update:: I got a chance to play the real 2012 px series from casio. I still have my budget set at 1000. I found that I like the way the px 150 and px 350 feel and play and even sound.
I have a question after reading a bit on the differences I don't see anywhere in the articles or casio site that the 150 and 350 aside from extra sounds, better speakers, and some extra recording extras. The sounds they share I think are the exact same I couldn't tell a bit of difference in them with headphones on. The feel was the same to me. I couldn't feel any difference.
Is this true?

With that being said I'm narrowing my debate on the px series (I couldn't find a 750 or 850) so no reference.
My needs again.
A. Good feel. Kawai is by far my fav. Followed by the New px series privias.
B. sound by I only care about piano sound. Again I like kawai best (played cn23), I did like the casio much better then the yamaha p105.
C. Portability for if I travel. Very rarely happens but it does. So this is a very low priority.
My shopping list as of now (ideas).

- Px 150 save money so I can buy a nice bench and stand. Have money for sound software. Can someone give me a few ideas? Also some for learning piano. Maybe some with ipad or px hook up that include games so I can get the kid excited about practice.

- px 350. Unless there is some major reason to buy this I don't see the extra cost doing me any good. I don't care about recording my self, the speakers mean nothing to me. The feel was the same as the px150

- px 750 or 850. Alot of reviews love the 850 saying it has outstanding value. I can't find one to play. I honestly haven't looked into the 750. It looks like a 350 with a fancy stand and pedals.

- Kawai ep3. Outdated and have been advised against it. It's mostly appealing because how much I like the kawais I have played.

- search for a good used piano/ hope to find an amazing deal on es7 or cn24 ?

These are my ideas. I was very tempted to buy the 150 today. I wanted to post first and make sure it's a good value for me.

I also tried a yamaha p105 and 155. I just don't like yamaha digital pianos as much. I'm not sure why. Though I do love the learning software on the 4000 one I played lol.

Anyways thanks in advance for the read.

Don't let anyone dissuade you from buying a Kawai EP3 (even if you can't try it out first, at a store) as I bought mine sight unseen online (directly from www.sweetwater.com) and can say I don't regret the purchase.

1) EP3 has far better decay/sustain than the Casio AP-620 which is Casio's best console model, and, the new AP-650 isn't any better from other reports in this forum. Be sure to read all of this thread, here:

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1985491/Casio%20AP-650.html

2) The EP3's action is very smooth and solid with a slightly weighted feel. No problems with playing just about anything on it.

3) Has nice speakers, which gives the piano good ambience in perceiving the quality of the sounds. Good reverb effects!

4) Very portable at 45 pounds, and, while it is not the lightest board available its quite reasonable.

If you are looking for a basic digital the PX-150 would be a good choice. However, if you are planning on buying the stand and pedal bar, take another look at the PX-750 which comes with the stand and pedal bar. Cost is nearly the same and you get better speakers in the 750. The PX-850 may not be in abundant supply but it does have extended polyphony (256) upgraded amp, and speakers. The lid opens and there is a sound simulator to simulate the sound of a grand piano with the lid open. The PX-850 also has sympathetic resonance which is supposed to more accurately produce the harmonics of the strings resonating. It's unclear how well this feature works and is the first time Casio has offered something like this. The PX-350 has already received Keyboard Magazine's Key Buy award. Casio sold a lot of the PX-x30 series (PX-130, 330) which was the last generation. They seem destined for success with the PX-x50 series. They offer a lot of bang for your buck. Roland, Yahama, Korg, and Kawai have a better reputation, but Casio is raising the bar and getting noticed. As far as action goes, Casio makes only one keybed which is used on all of its Privia/Celviano models. The action is all new on the PX-x50 series with Ivory coated keys. I think it feels similar to the previous PX-x30 generation but I didn't get to spend much time the first time I played one. But it feels good and reminds me of Yahama GH action.

Pv88 thanks again for the reply. I'm still at a big toss up. It's tuff for me because being so new I really don't know what to listen for. However that being said your recordings on the ep3 I did like a lot.

I don't know if its an advantage or disadvantage to me. I have never really played an acoustic piano so I don't know how it "should" feel. As I posted before I struggle to play chop sticks let alone something complex such as Chopin or Schubert.

I'm at that stage were I don't know. The px 150 feels nice and sounds nice to me and 600 bucks is sweet to my bank account.
Then I liked the kawais I played so much I wanted to buy them which is why I am attracted to the ep3.

However I'm worried about buyers remorse. Buy the dated ep3 and kick my self wonder if I should wait and see if a new say ep4 comes out I. That price rang.
Get the px 150 and wish I would have chanced the ep3.

Or I hold off and save more cash putting playing off for a while longer.

If it's of any help, I can say that it is perfectly okay to get the piano that fits your budget if you only had (let's say) $600 to spend. In that case a new Casio PX-150 would fit your price bracket, and, it's an okay digital for a beginner or intermediate level player.

Now, if you had $1,000 to spend, then you're looking at something like the Kawai EP3, Yamaha P-155, and so forth. Therefore, the digitals in this price range may be a little better than the one at $600, although only by a small margin.

And, if you are looking for a digital that you can grow up with (as a more advanced player) you will have to spend around $4,000 to find the best actions, very good sounds, and, additional features. This includes the upper end models like the Kawai CA65, CA95, the Yamaha AvantGrand N1, hybrid NU1, and, the Roland LX-15, or, V-Piano.

It is really best if you can play the pianos in question first, and, make your choice based upon:

1) Action
2) Sounds
3) Features

As a beginner, any model at $1,000 (or, higher) would be sufficient.

Rely upon your own ears and touch for the best comparison.

Im still on the edge.. On the EP3 or one of the privia's.

I have told my self im not going to go over my budget until I can learn to play something. Setting a goal. I talked it over w/ my other half and she agree's. We get something 1000 ish or under. Take lessons for the kid and I. Then when we move in to our first house we buy a nice acoustic that I have been wanting or a really nice digital, or both : p

Anyways this is where im at. Im researching software atm.

Last Update:
I have a buddy that works for full compass and can get me a little bit of a deal on some Digital pianos.
Of the pianos I can afford I like the Privia series, and of the privias I came to the conclusion that nothing the higher models offered I cared about. So what I can get when looking at these.

px 150 w/ matching stand and 3 pedal setup for 600 shipped.
P 105 w/ matching stand and pedals for 620 shipped
p 155 no real discount at all, money saved is on accessories mostly
or
Take a chance find an EP3 and buy that.

I didnt really like the p105 of 155 so not really an option

Its down to
PX 150 w/ stand and tri pedals for 600
or
EP3 from different retailer for retail cost.

My favorite from the list is Yamaha P-155.

I am trying to decide myself, too. I am getting the P-155 or biting the bullet and getting the Kawai ES7.

DennisKuv - I played a p155 and didn't like it as much as I did the privia's. Maybe personal preference.

If I had the cash atm to go for the es7 I would but I talked it over w/ the other half and her and agreed to stick to my budget of 1000 or less. For me the only kawai in my budget is the dated ep3. I cant find one to play but I have heard some samples that pv88 posted and I really like the sound.

Im really kind of torn like yourself. Go w/ option A. The privia with pretty much a free matching stand and tri pedals.
or
Bite the bullet and get the EP3 my second choice.


The wife and are buying our first home in the few years when I figure out where im going to land a new career after I finish up my masters degree. When I do this I play to buy an acoustic piano or a really nice digital.

Right now im leaning towards the px150 because I can get a good deal on it. I think it will do fine for me just learning a bit on. Like I have said before im playing chopsticks and poorly at that.