OK, I'm NOT affiliated with Yamaha in ANY way at all, but this new Silent Piano deserves a bit of forum space.

It comes at a price, of course, but it's much better than the old silent system (that only offered 32 note polyphony). This seems to be an avantgrande in a silent system, although I'm not sure.

The sound of the C3X on it's own is beautiful too!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LhLB8fb3CE&list=UUG_GruQL_aP3QrS_zJQf7Kg

I can't ever get excited about a silent system acoustic, since the action is compromised.

A better solution is acoustic + a digital keyboard (for times when you need the "silent" function). This approach is cheaper, as well . . . .

I was seriously considering the C3SG for a while, but didn't get it. Didn't know the touch is compromised as the sales person claimed it is exactly the same as the standard C3 action; Melodialworks Music said something about the letoff being different? Could someone explain how?

Let off is the distance between the top of the hammer and the bottom of the string at the point in the hammer's motion that the upward push from the key is removed from the hammer. The hammer would block against the string without that removal of upward push. The let off is a bit further from the strings in the silent system to enable the silent bar to stop the hammer a fraction of an inch before the hammer would make contact with the strings. If let off is too far from the strings, soft playing can become difficult. These systems seem to be pretty well adjusted to minimize any issues or "compromises".

Having played a few silent pianos - but not yet the new model - I've never known the touch to feel perceptibly different in normal mode. In silent mode it's slightly different but you get used to it. I'm sure, given the popularity of the silent pianos, and given the fact that many of them have been in service for many years, there are no major problems with the design of the system.

However, if any owners or technicians can tell me different then please do!

+1.

And you can take the digital on the road with you. Having two instruments with substantially different feels is a good thing, it makes you better able to adapt to whatever piano you have to play.

I also agree with this. With a digital as a 2nd instrument, you can practice with headphones, or decide to practice silently by not turning it on.

Thanks Bob for the explainer. With that in mind, I think I probably would prefer a standard action since I enjoy being able to play really quietly when called for in the music.