Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Yamaha AvantGrand vs Roland V Piano - touch

We've had the Roland V Piano a few days, set up with some Yamaha HS80M monitors. (These monitors aren't expensive but they are pretty flat for the $.) My boys were surprised by its touch and responsiveness - feeling that its touch is better than a good Yamaha upright they have played a number of years. Of course, the acoustic upright has a more natural tone.

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to hear and try out an AvantGrand and was blown away by how acoustic it sounded. Yes, you can tell it is not a real acoustic but it is sure close. The AvantGrand has an incredible speaker system. For $20K sugg retail, it should. However, we only had passing moments to try it out.

Here's our question for those of you who have compared and played both for extended time. Not sure if any here has.

Which of the two gives you better expression/dynamic/touch? The Roland V continue to surprise us as to how far DP has come in expressiveness even though its tone is not quite fully acoustic. Wondering if the AvantGrand is even better in touch.

F

faulhorn, it doesn't matter what we think, it matters what the family members who will be playing think. You've seen the tech sheets, you've seen the pianos, the final decision is really yours, right?

There are folks who support both pianos and there are those who think one is better than the other. My needs are different than someone else. I want a real grand piano action even if there are trade offs - real or imagined.

If you're leaning towards the N3, I'd wait and buy the N1 and apply some of the savings to a complimentary sound system.

Don't forget that the V-Piano's sound is customizable to your own preferences - just read the manual and within minutes you can change the sound more to your liking, and maybe even get the 'natural tone' you want, if you don't like any of the preset ones.

I haven't played an AvantGrand for any length of time, but from my limited experience of the N2/3, I didn't feel it has the dynamics or responsiveness I get from my V-Piano. But saying that, I've just returned from a 2-week holiday where I was playing on a 5-foot Yamaha baby grand for 3 hours a day, and it had a very similar somewhat 'spongy' key action to the AG, and its tone was metallic even at pp, without much tonal variation whether stuck hard or lightly, which I recall also from the AG, and of course its bass was very limited due to short strings (the AG has better bass as its sound is sampled from the CFIIIS) - in other words, I don't like the Yamaha house sound & key action very much, whether DP or (baby grand) AP. But others may feel differently.

I've owned both. For me, AG due to the authentic action. Your milage may be different.

Thanks! Please keep the comments coming.

I finally sat down at the V today for a little more than an hour. My boys have been playing it the past week and like it. It is remarkably responsive. However, it can't play as softly as I'd like. There are times when I'd like to have the 'merest of a whisper' and find that I can't get the dynamics as softly as I'd like. We have our speakers set to a regular piano's volume.

Yes, I do like the V's ability to modify the tone. Pretty incredible. But I don't think that I can get a tone like the AvantGrand's sampled tone. Of course, the AG's tone is limited to what's provided.

F

The AG has a real Grand Piano action the V (grand or otherwise) doesn't have a real action...so in terms of authenticity of touch and feel the AG is a clear winner. But its tone is substantially different from the V.

Yes, I do like the V's ability to modify the tone. Pretty incredible. But I don't think that I can get a tone like the AvantGrand's sampled tone. Of course, the AG's tone is limited to what's provided.

Buy both. Problem solved.

I like both for different reasons. For a comfortable piano that I just want to sit and play for fun, I'd go for the V Piano. I would play with all the different settings and be pretty amazed by its tone, which is pretty amazing.

For a piano that still had an amazing tone but that I needed for heavy practice, I'd take the Avant Grand. It's heaver touch is better for the kind of work I do. Also, its far more realistic in touch.

An acoustic piano has a mechanical threshold below which the hammer never makes it to the string. Better acoustics have a lower threshold than lesser ones, but it's not a perfect continuum like a volume knob. The V-piano models the same behavior. If you want lower than realistic volume while staying hands free, look into an expression pedal.

Also, Roland's V-Grand Piano just introduced at NAMM has a cabinet and speaker system to rival the AG. Unfortunately, it would probably take an act of Congress (or a personal small fortune) to try the two side by side.

On a direct comparison, my V-Piano allows me to play much more softly than the acoustic Yamaha baby grand that I played on while on holiday - that's without using the una corda pedal on either. In fact, I find that the V-Piano actually has a wider dynamic range than the 5-foot grand, though that impression might be partly skewed by the fact that the Yamaha has a consistently bright tone whether played softly or loudly, whereas the V-Piano's tone brightens up as you hit the keys harder (just like with Steinway grands).

But like all pianos, there is a limit to how softly you can play before the note fails to sound: however, if you start the key movement just before its escapement (i.e. while the key is already partially depressed) you can get the softest sound. This is possible only on grand pianos or DPs with true escapement, like the V-Piano. And you need very good keyboard control to play an entire melodic line like this, otherwise some notes don't sound or the phrase sounds lumpy.

I know on the AG there are different sensitivity settings, so I would assume the V also has the same. Maybe on the higher sensitivity setting for the V, you may be able to play more softly like you want. I know I prefer to play the AG on higher sensitivity setting myself.

Dave, can you please elaborate on your sound system setup for the N1, perhaps including specific speaker models? This would be really helpful for those of us wanting to get the most pleasing sound out of this cost-effective but very nice instrument.

Dave doesn't have the N1 and this thread is over three years old.

Feeling grumpy today, Steve? Are the impending new pension rules getting to you?

Grrrrrr! Yes and yes!

Steve, you must really be enjoying the CP1 mate. That might be the longest you've ever had a DP!

Hi Zac,

Yes the CP1 still feels right for me - I haven't really had any serious flirtation with anything else since I got it but I miss the Nord's piano sounds though. But I can't justify having both, especially as I still have an ancient RD-1000 under the bed! Must get that out again one of these days...

Did I read that you'll be moving the RX-2 on and going back (forward?) to another N1?

Cheers,

Steve

Hey Steve,

Yeah I'm going back to the N1...the RX-2 is for sale. I've got a baby on the way so I definitely want the ability to play at night silently and our house isn't very big so the N1 will have to suffice for now...such a pity. You know interestingly, there are many times I find myself missing the N1. It sounds weird I know but I enjoyed being able to have the feel of a grand with headphones, to never have to tune, etc. I will get another acoustic down the road but for now, I'll be back with the N1 for a few years.

Many congratulations on the baby!! Good luck with the sale of the RX-2. If you were in the UK I'd come and have a look myself - it's one of the pianos on my list for when my house extension is finished.

Cheers,

Steve

Hey Steve,

Thanks man. I am excited for the new family extension. I will definitely miss the sound of the RX-2. I will probably look to get a C3/RX3 or the newer GX3 down the line. I'll pm you so as to not stray further off topic. Really hope you are well mate.