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EDITED

I have a question: What modern slab type digital midi piano has the best action as of today, i.e action that feels as close to a concert grand as possible? I don't care much for the actual weight of the instrument, but for example the roland FP7 action is to heavy for my hands to play on.

I want it to be able to perform without an external module, so for that reason the Kawai CVP1 is out of the question. However if Kawai would put out a DP with RM3 Grand II action, I would probably go for it.

Thanks!

What does "portable" mean to you?

Something that is practical to take to gigs, i.e not a stationary "furniture" type digital piano.

Composer,

Always go for the yamaha's, the best there is......

Best regards,
Johan B
(Yamaha fan)

The best piano action in a stage piano form factor presently is in the Kawai VPC1 (coupled with a suitable tone generator). But at 65 lbs. it is definitely not lightweight, and it lacks the many other controls that come in handy in a performance setting. - At some point there should be a MP10 successor with the same (or an even better) 3-sensor action, then this will be it.

For a more lightweight alternative, try the Yamaha CP4.

Depending on the kind of action you like, you might also look at the top of line Roland action (FP-80, RD-700NX. V-Piano).

It's hard to say what is "closest" to a real grand, because real grands themselves vary so much. No portable piano feels just like a grand, but the Kawai MP10 and the Roland FP80 are probably both good examples of how close they can come, though the grands they come close to are entirely different.

I've recently tried the Kawai RH2 action and to me it is the best portable digital piano action. And for the record, I prefer it over the wooden RM3 action found in the VPC1.

Happy with that... just about to order nyself a CN24.

I love the top Roland slabs, but they aren't what I personally would consider portable.

The weight to performance ratio of a Yamaha P-105 is hard to beat. You can carry it under one arm very easily. Try one. If you like the light touch and the sound, go for it. Only minus is that it has no standard MIDI jacks (only a USB MIDI interface).

If the wide variety of answers to this thread shows one thing it is that the initial question still lacks definition. Composer135, enlighten us: What are you looking for? What weight? Which features? What price? What is your playing experience (e.g. with grand pianos)?

Right... if "portable" simply means "not stationary furniture type" then 50-70 lb slabs qualify, but those are still kind of "barely" portable by today's standards. OTOH, if someone wants "the best action money can buy", that "low end" of portability is generally where you find the "high end" of actions. The best action at the lightest weight is probably the Casio PX-150/PX-350/PX-5S. But if you can handle more weight, then a Yamaha CP4 or, above that in weight, the boards like the Roland FP-80 or Kawais would all be worth looking at.

VPC1 looks very good, however a laptop is always a must, which isn't ideal; I always like my equipment to be flexible and be able to handle a wealth of situations. That being said, it might really be the best thing out there. Though decision....

Although carrying weight is of some importance, I am more then willing to make a sacrifice for a better action. I just don't want a furniture piece.

In terms of feel- I want something that will be on the lighter side of grands, eg. a Steinway action: light to the touch, but flexible (capable of power, but it's not a necessity in order to play). NOT a heavy german piano. I have played around with a FP 70, and I am not that pleased with it. Too heavy.

I also need a sturdy stand, not an X style one.

Did I make sense?
And thanks for all of the well crafted replies, this really is the best place on earth to ask this kind of question.

I'm guessing what you don't like about the FP-80 is the hard bottoming out it does. The action itself is pretty light, but it's rather rough once you hit the bottom. The Yamahas and Kawai tend to have heavier actions but a softer cushion. Best to test them out side by side if possible to see which action you prefer.

You may want to wait until late Jan. for NAMM - that's where manufacturers release new models. Kawai might be coming out with something comparable to Yamaha's CP4 (I'm imagining it could be like the MP10 with the VPC1 action). Of course, I have nothing to base this on, but if you can wait a few weeks it might be worthwhile to see what comes out.

Or you can do what I did (since I had to spend money before the end of the year) I bought the VPC1 and TrueKeys American for their $99 special, and if Kawai comes out with something like that later in Jan. Musician's Friend's 60-day return policy will come in handy .

As for stands, I recommend a table stand like this one:

On Stage Keyboard Stand

Ok, that sheds a bit more light on your wishes. I guess with your preferences for a grand action ("Steinway light") you need to check out the various options in person (Kawai's, Roland's and Yamaha's top actions in DPs, i.e. VPC1, RD-700NX and CP4) and find out for yourself. You might like that in the CP5/CP4 (my guess, can be wrong of course).

The VPC1 does not need to be coupled to a laptop. You can also couple it to a rack instrument or another keyboard (which is what I prefer), that gives you a foolproof setup, no latencies, and great flexibility.

Morodiene, congrats on your VPC1! Let us know how you get along with it!

Then you probably won't like the Kawai... stick with the Yamahas or Rolands. From Yamaha, the new one is the CP4, but some people prefer the slightly different action of its predecessors, the CP1 and CP5, and you might still find those around as well.

+1

I personally consider 50 lbs the upper limit for reasonable "portability." I realize that's a somewhat arbitrary definition, but it's the most weight I'm comfortable handling without assistance. By that definition, I think the Kawai RHII (found in the ES7) is the best portable action currently available. The Yamaha CP4, which I have not played yet, also gets great reviews, and weighs less than 40 lbs.

Cheers,

B.

IMO, the Yamaha P105 is worth a consideration. I kinda like its action. If only were it available as a console, furniture type, I would've bought it.

There have been a few complaints about this particular Yamaha on this forum, so even though it is a less expensive model, I don't really recommend it.

Complaints? First of all, there are complaints about every single DP mentioned on this forum. If you go by complaints you would not purchase any DP. Second, there have been some glowing reports and impressive uploads of the P-105 (just like many other DPs out there). The bottom line is that you have to make the best educated decision that you can with the information you gather.

Disclaimer: I have never played a P-105.