Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards How far is THE PERFECT DP from now?

True. But each of us has a different response to those points. For some, the perfect digital piano already exists; while for others it will never exist.

The perfect DP is the one you can enjoy today. Alas, enjoy the music now.

Totally agree.

Stop analysing, start playing!

The DP will not be "perfect" until it wafts the smell of a 150 year old Steinway or (better yet) a 300 year old Cristofori.

Plus assosiated dog urine and cigar smoke associated with the aristocracy. . . .Hmmm. Nice!

And the sound of munching woodworms ................

Woodworm, dog dirt, stale tobacco smoke, assorted hauntings and who knows what other delights. Perhaps you'll find them all here.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/one-of-a-..._DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35c2cbd6e6

...I do hope so.....but then I'm bad.

Isn't the real culprit the thing called a speaker? As long as a digital piano transmits sound through a speaker, you'll never achieve the acoustic sound.

Yes, but they usually have two speakers or more. And we only have two ears . . . The pronounced stereo effect does seem to be lacking in todays DPs unfortumately. But if you pay out a lot of cash, things might be different .

Despite our having only two ears, a pair of stereo speakers is not sufficient to recreate a true 3D space, especially over a wide range of listening positions. Hence the need for things like center channel and surround speakers in movie and home theater systems.

There will never be a perfect DP. Even if they could, no manufacturer would ever make one because they will put the entire business..out of business :P

At least Yamaha has tried to address this issue. The samples might not be full but you have to believe they did sample in the four spots and have created the sound system to emulate the position of the mics.

I'm sure co's are only going to spend just enough money and just enough of research to get a new product to market. They're always saving something for the next product when they've milked every penny out of current model. You can't blame them in a world economy.

If a company waited until everything was perfect, they would never ship anything. And technology continues to improve and get more cost-effective, so there's no foreseeable end point anyway. At some point, whatever business you're in, you have to come up with something feasible, cost effective, and marketable to ship based on what is available now, while you continue to work on new things.

Years ago (98) I bought this Yam CLP 820 in preference to a lot o` more expensive models because it had tremendous stereo sound. When I`d put it together and played it, each note seemed to be coming from a different place. Might not be how things are, but it sounded good and attracted a lot of interest in the restaurant where I used it. Had to change for a lighter (Kawai) console model. It was crap but I could carry it better. . . crazy isn`t it?

anotherscott: I have to agree. Speakers are (for now) the biggest limiting factor.

The keybeds are adequate. (But if not, get an AG.)
The tone generation is okay. (But if not, run a suitable piano library on a PC.)
The amplifiers are adequate. (But if not, just use an external amp.)

But the speakers just can't seem to pass muster, even good quality external units.

Doesn't someone have a solution?

I have a feeling that Yamaha's older models are built better.

I have an old PSR E403 keyboard back at home (made in china). Event though it's china built, the keys felt really good and steady. I never felt cheap plastic on that. no clicking sound either.

Recently I just checked the keyboard of its 3rd successor PSR E433. It's also china made. OMG the built quality is terrible. The keys felt really really cheap. I can hear that annoying clicking noise on every keys & buttons.

I also checked the S710/S910 models, their keys felt like the one I had on PSR E403.(Not the same but almost).

Now I have Yamaha MOX6. Inside it's a beast. But the built, huh: when I lift it from the table the side plastic caps bend. I will get a feeling that it is going to tear apart. The plastic is so cheap that it cant even hold together with screws.

So I believe as technology evolves built quality gets cheaper. Atleast Yamaha

Yes, indeed. This is a nice summary of the way things are. I do not know why, but from this sentence I get an image of you going to the chip shop after the gig - with the piano. Did this ever happen? Or was it in the boot of the car?

Ha ha you got that right! But that was in the old days with the band. Chippies were open `till 2,30am just for returning musicians.- Great days with the Hammond . . .

Why pick on Digital Pianos??

The perfect acoustic has still not been made yet!

Ummm, please define "perfect" http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/images/icons/default/grin.gif

I have a karaoke player (or two) on various computers, I play around with various midi files derived from QRS rolls, chain them into play lists, shuffle play them, route the midi via loopbe to pianoteq, sometimes watch the keys go down and up, etc.

I am wondering if there is a market for an "all singing all dancing" player piano - for a nostalgia market.
QRS is still selling paper rolls, in fact there is a revival.

I think I might like a modern version of a 1920s style player piano complete with faux stained glass doors that cover an OPTICAL roll player (no need for vacuum pumps, hoses, etc.) the ability to copy to a terabyte hard drive - USB, web connection, MP3 file compatibility, .wav, whatever-all-else.

As "furniture" I think it would go over much as motorcycles without rear springing from the same era sell quite well (Hardly Does-it-run) to people trying to ride their grandfather's bike (dress in black and orange, wear peel_and_stick tattoos - the whole THANG).
Not about RIDING per se, about nostalgia.

Oh, sound quality ?
Does it HAVE TO sound like a 9 ft grand ?
How about a 1920s honky tonk ?

Bosendorfer sounds coming out of a cabinet like that would just sound WRONGhttps://www.pianoworld.com/forum/images/icons/default/crazy.gif