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Thank you earlofmar for your post. It is very interesting that Yamaha has three touch sensitivity levels. Do they make a real difference? Do you know if Casio has a similar tuning? And should this be considered as feature when making a final choice? (My son prefers Casio and I'll want to convince him )))) )


I am planning to use computer from the start anyway (originally I even though about MIDI controller but was convinced for DP). But I think once this thing is at home eventually someone will want to use its sound. (My son showed interest and my wife told today she'll also play if we have instrument (and, unlike me, she learned piano). (hey... I wanted personal keyboard to listen to myself through headset... ending up with piano for whole family... ). So yes, I understand that later on a better amplifier and speakers are coming and so on.... But not before I learn to press three keys in right order

michaelvi
check also the Korg. They have two pianos that can be in your interest - SP250 and 280 and SP170.

They are also good pianos in the low price range.

Thank you kapelli for your suggestions. As I see in spec SP170 doesn't have USB out, so I'll need to add MIDI-USB adapter (+ ~$100?). What will you say about this review - REVIEW - Korg SP170 Digital Piano - Disappointed? I understand that many things are very subjective. Does this Korg have any advantages over Casio or Yamaha suggested here?

I'd think you would want the SP170S, which the reviewer was "less dissatisfied" with that the originally reviewed older model.

But I'm pretty sure its only advantage over entry-level Casio or Yamaha DP's would be a couple hundred bucks lower price.

If I recall correctly, before deciding to acquire an acoustic piano I played a Yamaha P105 (almost certain that was the model) along with some higher-priced nicer models from Roland and ??? (can't remember what was the other). While I could discern the difference between a $5,000 Roland DP and cheaper entry-level ones, the entry-level ($1,200) Roland one seemed much of a muchness to the P105.

What I'm trying to say is, if your budget is for an entry-level digital piano and you're not looking to spend acoustic-piano money on a high-end DP then I'll bet the differences among the P105, a Casio or that Korg are probably fairly minor. They'll all have a workable action that isn't synth-like but the key feel is not perfect by any means. You can make good music on them, though.

michwelvi, the touch sensitivity made a little difference but I would not consider it a selling point I am sure it is probably included with the PX 150. For this feature it's such a personal choice anyway, depending on what your playing and your own response to the overall feel.
Checking out an updated review of both pianos this trusted source falls on the side of the Casio, so if I were buying today I would choose the Casio. Also of consideration is the pedal unit, I had to upgrade the Yamaha one straight away as it was just too flimsy.

http://azpianonews.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/review-yamaha-p35-casio-cdp120-digital.html

I bought in January 2013. For me it came down to those two units, a coin flip really. I bought the Casio PX150 because I could get it a bit cheaper as a demo unit. If money is a factor, here in the U.S. there are relatively frequent promotions from the big online sellers, and also sometimes demo and refurbished units. I'm sure one of the big online retailers will have a Labor Day sale. If that is too soon, then we are into holiday season and there always promotions at Thanksgiving and then Christmas and after Christmas.

Sometimes a person has to call instead of place an Internet order so as to use a coupon or similar, but many have reported being to do that in the prices paid thread near the top of the digital forum.

By the way, as far as I know, the AZpiano review site is not a trusted source. They are a grey market Casio dealer and tend to rate Casios above similar units from other makers. The stock Casio pedal is rated worse than the stock Yamaha pedal.

michaelvi,
about Korg pianos - I do not see this review as "bad". Just go to the shop and play. If you're tight on budget this can be the best option. At this basic price level perhaps you cannot go wrong either with Korg Yahama or Casio.

http://www.korg.com/sp170s
You can also hear the samples here. This is grand Steinway sampled.

But this new version for the money is and many like likes the sound of Kord far more than cheap Yamaha (and me as well, go to the digital piano section here).

On the forum is so littleabout Korg, because they do not have anything in the >1200 USD level so there is no competition for more advanced Kawais, Rolands and Yamahas.

So go and look on the Korg sp170 with "S" at the end. Look at the specification it should satisfy you. I am not a Korg representative lol, but nobody here mentioned it, while it's the 3rd wise option besides Casio and Yahama in chep pianos. And - who knows, maybe even the best. And for sure has much better piano samples than Casio, and I like them more then Yamaha, which sounds tinny for me.

And yes, I also do not like the guy from A-Z pianos. He is like favorizing the pianos he is selling so be aware while reading, I mean - read with the eyes wide open.

And - DO NOT LOOK at the Graham Howard from UKPIANOS reviews and his Piano Score list (or something like that, I do not remember the exact name). The only good piano for him is Yahama (becase he is selling it) and some chinese stuff and his scoring in my opinion is a crap.

So,
go and play SP-170S, Casio PX150, PX 130 and CDP 120, Yamaha P95 (if you find one) and 105 and take the one that you like the most. Considering the fact, that money is important to you, I would lean into Korg.

BUT - Yamaha and Casio have more bells&whistles, some are functional like metronome. No one of us will decide which piano you should buy to stick to your requirements and budget. I just wanted to give and another option.

In this price range you can find also Kurzweils - but while the action would acceptable, the sounds are being described as "the same as 30 years ago" and are kinda harsh and to open, so you can also try, but Kurzweil is not any competitor to Japan pianos today.

Sand, kapelli thank you for your answers!
I'll take all your words into consideration.

I want to thank every one who answered my questions here and helped me to look to the right direction.
Today I got my first piano. It is Casio PX-760.

Thank you!!!

Good choice!

And good luck with learning.

Thank you Charles!

I am now reading what you wrote 2.5 years ago:


Yes, now I plan to get a software piano. I hope if you mentioned Casio PX-150 as possible keyboard then Casio PX-760 also should be compatible? And regarding software I read here that many people rate Ivory American/German D above others. Will that be a good companion to my PX-760? I have quite decent CPU and RAM (i7/3200 8Gb) and big enough SSD but not very good sound card (it is laptop).

Also, I though it is fully software solution, but on their site I see a hw unit. What am I missing? (sorry for probably silly question )

I haven't used any sample-playing software, just Pianoteq. Go over to the "Digital Pianos and Synths" forum for better information.

One reason I got Pianoteq is that it will run on slower hardware, is smaller than the sample-players, and doesn't need an SSD. I run it on an i5 / 2.6 GHz laptop. I'm using ASIO4ALL to drive the laptop soundcard; it's good for me.

Yes, the PX-760 will be fine -- you can run a USB cable from the PX-760 to the computer, and the computer software will see the PX-760 as a MIDI device.

The piano sounds on the PX-760 aren't bad, but the software pianos are better.

Have fun --

. Charles

PS -- that self-contained Ivory box is brand-new, just released at NAMM 2016. There's a thread in the DIgital Pianos and Synths forum, about it.