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Am considering purchasing the Kawai MP7 but am willing to wait until sometime during 2016. I have not played the MP7 but understand it to have the best action of portable slab DPs (the Kawai MP11 is superior, but is not sufficiently portable).
However, I am not impressed with the sounds of the MP7, including the acoustic grands, which I have heard on the Kawai web site.
What are opinions of what might be available if I wait until next year to purchase? Does anyone have knowledge of product development cycles?
It all has to do with what your price range is. Kawai MP7 is only a little over a year old. So we don't expect a revision on that model soon.
The trend right now is reduced weight with a good or good enough action and good sample libraries with string resonance being the new buzzword in realism.
MP11 is a niche with it's excellent action, but it is really heavy, as you mentioned at 71.5 lbs (32.5kg). In comparison the MP7's 46lbs (21kg). Most generally agree the MP7 is a bargain in the sub $2000 area. More expensive than a Yamaha CP40, but cheaper than the CP4. More expensive than the Roland RD300nx, but cheaper than the RD800.
PMChuck breaks down the differences and similarities between the MP11 and MP7 in this vid.
I think we are waiting for a digital slab piano (not a workstation) to get some trickle down modeling or the gb sample libraries we see in software. Right now you would look at top of the line models from Kurzweil (Forte - $3995), Korg (Kronos - $3699.99), and Nord (Stage 2EX - $4999) for the larger piano sample libraries. None of them have a comparable action to the MP11. But you would have to play them to know if you they would work for you since action is so subjective.
Thnx for this great info Mr. Fudd! THE MP7 seems the best of a mediocre lot. I last owned a Yamaha P-200 many years ago and was hoping the state of the art at the sub $2K price point would have advanced further by this time.
Would you agree that, because early versions of the MP7 had humming power supply and other problems, it would not be wise to purchase 2nd-hand?
The pianos are certainly not great. My taste runs more towards the Ravenscroft, which could be used in place of the onboard sounds.
The Hammond organs sound amateurish -- but that may be mostly the Leslie sim. It seems that one could use an organ-type keyboard (such as the ancient Roland A-30) and Voce or Ocean Beach drawbars, along with an outboard Leslie sim to get better organ playability.
Mounting a second keyboard above the MP7 without hindering access to the MP7 controls night be difficult.
[quote=csrote] THE MP7 seems the best of a mediocre lot. I last owned a Yamaha P-200 many years ago and was hoping the state of the art at the sub $2K price point would have advanced further by this time. [quote=csrote]
Don't be so dismissive until you've heard less-than-highest-price slab DPs through the best amp/speakers. IMO: Spacestation V.3, ElectroVoice ZAX1 (a pair), RTF or FBT 10" (a pair), Bose L1. They can make the MP7, CP4, PX-5S/350, RD300NX/800, etc., sound revelatory.
= a "slab" digital piano. The "slab" part means that it is not attached by default to a stand.
The next and related phrase to understand is "GAS" or Gear Acquisition Syndrome, a dreadful chronic relapsing progressive condition that I am sorely afflicted with right now.
Last edited by petes1; 07/11/1510:05 AM.
Keys: Yamaha GC2, Casio Privia PX-5s, Roland RD800, Alesis VI61, Yamaha YC61, Pianoteq 7.0, Native Instruments, Gig Performer My motto: Play and Let Play!
Thnx for this great info Mr. Fudd! THE MP7 seems the best of a mediocre lot. I last owned a Yamaha P-200 many years ago and was hoping the state of the art at the sub $2K price point would have advanced further by this time.
Would you agree that, because early versions of the MP7 had humming power supply and other problems, it would not be wise to purchase 2nd-hand?
The pianos are certainly not great. My taste runs more towards the Ravenscroft, which could be used in place of the onboard sounds.
The Hammond organs sound amateurish -- but that may be mostly the Leslie sim. It seems that one could use an organ-type keyboard (such as the ancient Roland A-30) and Voce or Ocean Beach drawbars, along with an outboard Leslie sim to get better organ playability.
Mounting a second keyboard above the MP7 without hindering access to the MP7 controls night be difficult.
Thanks for all thoughts! //Cliff
Hey, Cliff. You'll have to check with Kawai James on any issues with MP7s that Kawai acknowledges to be true and what they may have offered to fix via warranty.
But I am thinking if you like the software piano sounds, which offer the most flexibility. The VPC-1 is a great choice as piano controller. And it's open ended, meaning when the software gets better, you don't need to replace your controller. As an aside, Ravenworks is working on a modified edition of the VPC-1 to match the software instrument best. Worth it? Who knows.
= a "slab" digital piano. The "slab" part means that it is not attached by default to a stand.
There are DPs that don't fit this description?
Yes, and these would be the ones with attached stands. Yes you can remove some of them from their stands if desired, but still they were built mainly to be integrated with the stand.
Keys: Yamaha GC2, Casio Privia PX-5s, Roland RD800, Alesis VI61, Yamaha YC61, Pianoteq 7.0, Native Instruments, Gig Performer My motto: Play and Let Play!
I have a Microsoft Surface Pro 3 and I am going to grab a controller for gigging. It's all battery powered and I can use Emotional Piano, Galaxy Vintage D, Pianoteq, whatever I want. I think, historically, stage DPs have found their niche for a long time as studio controllers and the manufacturers are starting to realize that.
I'm REALLY unimpressed with the V-Piano. At that price, as said above, you could have an MP11 (with the best slab DP action available) and a laptop running Pianoteq for maybe 2/3 of the cost, if that.
Honestly, I think Casio is making the best current strides for stage DPs, in putting a really solid action in a very, VERY small package.
2012 NY Steinway Model B | Kawai MP11 | Nord Stage 3 Compact | Moog Matriarch | ASM Hydrasynth 49 | Sequential Circuits Prophet 10 Rev4 | Yamaha ModX 61
Check the MP7 Thread about quality. I just bought a MP7 and everything worked great out the box. The Europe models had the hum problems. I spend a solid evening checking every button and sound and it was great.
I am very interested in the Ravenworks/VPC-1 bundle. I find Erik Griggs plays Ravenscroft 275 VI at NAMM '15, and Sam Sorensen plays Ravenscroft 275 VI at NAMM '15 (those are YouTube titles) to be very compelling. (I suspect that many PianoWorlders are more classically oriented than am I). I might find it hard to purchase a controller that makes no sound whatsoever, but as computers become even smaller and more portable that becomes less of a disincentive.
Moleskincrusher, I have pretty good speakers (2 x 1) attached to my ASUS N76, which has very high-quality audio output relative to most other on-board audio solutions. I plan on using Genelec studio monitors (models 1031A & 1032A) with any keyboard I acquire, including for live performance.
Markarian, I plan on looking into the Microsoft Surface Pro 3, which with I am completely unfamiliar.
