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An interesting appraisal of pianos: CLP-S408, CVP-509, CLP-480, RG-1F, RG-3F, CA-95, and Avant Grand N2.
http://www.pianostreet.com/blog/video-picks/digital-piano-test-simone-dinnerstein-5923/

Not wishing to sound like the forum police or anything, but isn't this the same as:

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2057601

(a thread which you already posted in, by the way...)

James
x

Yes, the CLP-480 was given a good review in the link above as it is a very nice digital no doubt, although so is the CLP-990 which is at least 12 years older!

Since no one has ever given the CLP-480 a review at the Yamaha website I have now done so. Click on "Read 1 Review" at each site below:

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/keyboards/digitalpianos/clp_series/clp480/

Also, the CLP-990M:

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical-instruments/keyboards/digitalpianos/clp_series/clp990m/

I should also add here that the older CLP-990M has a very realistic simulated escapement point in the action although the current CLP-480 does not.

The reviewer seems to value the AG above all the others for its touch.

She likes the sound of the AG and the CLP480, but is not satisfied with the CA-65 and is even less satisfied with the Roland RG models.

I actually wish she would have reviewed things a little more thoroughly. For example, she didn't like the tone on the CA95, but she didn't say squat about the touch. She didn't really comment on the touch of the Roland either. They were kind of afterthoughts.

Oh well, I guess we all have our own opinions on these things, but it is very hard to try out each of these pianos on the same day and preferably in the same place. The result is that you start comparing a piano in front of you with the vague impressions of a different one from a previous trip. I, at least, have a hard time being consistent over time in my judgements. For example, the first time I played an FP7F the only piano I had played for a while was my Kawai MP8 with Vintage D. My conclusion was that the FP7F was a piece of garbage. A few months later I stopped by the shop and was playing the lower end Yamahas. Then I stopped by and played the FP7F again. What a great piano!

Her comments on the N2 sound are good, I think. She pretty well dismisses Kawai & Roland. But to be fair, her comments on the Roland are actually what a lot of people say on first playing the SN Concert Grand - that there seem to be some anomalies across the range (this despite Roland's efforts to do away with audible stretching & velocity switching altogether).

She is relying wholly on the quality of the sound systems of these DPs so it is not surprising that she prefers the N2 - this probably has much more to do with the speakers than the sample set, which is what we tend to bother ourselves with more on this forum.

Pity she didn't mention PHAIII or the CA65 keyboard system. But she does make the point that Yamaha GH3 (pretty representative of good quality DPS) is far too heavy. Quite so!

<Sigh>, I can't argue with her about the bit of nasality (as well as some brittleness) w/r/t the tone for CAs yet it's not completely fair to compare these in a single setting -- If I wanted to throw in another 10 or so thousand dollars, certainly, I would love to own an AVN2 but I also like staying married. My husband would expect me to be a concert pianist like Ms. Dinnerstein if I spent that much money on a digital piano to only practice at home for my own pleasure, with headphones on so he can't hear my playing.

Interesting. Because although her methodology - or at least the edit of this video - would suggest a quite haphazard approach to assessing these things I actually think her conclusions are spot-on:

Yamaha GH3 - too heavy or you have to "press through something" and this affects the ability to play really softly. Yes.

Kawai - criticisms of the sound. Yes.

Roland - I think the anomalies she finds is that very harsh transition to a piercing metallic character that afflicts some notes on the Supernatural pianos. Yes.

AvantGrand - the best all-round experience by far (as it should be at the price) but doesn't have the multi-dimensions of a real piano's sound. Yes.

Must admit to commenting on the nasality of the Kawai big boys . . .but that`s when comparing to other brands. They all have their downside. Except my piano. Which sounds perfect. Just as long as somebody else plays it . . .