Hey all,

I have about Eur 800,- (Approx $ 800,- ) to spend on a digital piano with weighted hammer keyboard.

I've (only briefly) visited a local shop and looked at the Korg SP-250, the Yamaha P-70, both digital (stage) piano's. Also, the owner showed me the Yamaha DGX-620, the 88-key Keyboard, also with weighted hammer action.

What's the common opinio here, does anyone thing these are comparable/similar in terms of 'Grand Piano'-experience? Some friends tell me the DGX620 is lame (cause its a 'Keyboard'), and the Korg rules. True perhaps, but the DGX620 gives quite some bang for the buck and the reviews are really okay.

Thanks for your thoughts,
- Mark

DGX 620 is a slightly improved on P70 AFAIK. I don't know the Korg.

I really enjoy my DGX620: GHS keyboard feels very much like a light upright piano, two main piano timbres are really nice as well as the electric pianos (gotta love Galaxy) and harpsichords and some organs. USB MIDI recording is a snap as well as the nice 6 channel multitrack recording.

The dgx is a real grand piano,


personal pianos

Best regards,

Johan B

I believe the DGX620 is the new DGX505 with it's biggest improvement being a new hammer action board. (The 505 was semi weighted) I am not familiar with the SP-250, so I can't really advise on that.

If you were open to a keyboard without 88 keys/weighted board, I might recommend the MM6 from Yamaha. A Motif on the cheap:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E_bDg5ak9w

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Yamaha-Motif-MM6-Music-Synthesizer?sku=700813

Something to think about anyway.


Pianoid, I agree completely about that Galaxy EP.

truly sweet synthetic timbre, ain't it?

But I usually play it in Dual with Live Gran Piano, mainly to reinforce the bass.

Even my Motif doesn't have an E piano sound like the Galaxy!

All,

Thanks for your posts thus far, much appreciated. I'll definitely have some more ideas on what to look for and listen to during my next visit to the musicshop.

Cheers,
- Mark

Well, one thing you could try is this:

Go out on youtube.com and search for SP-250.

Then do a search for DGX620 (or YGP625) and see what happens.

You'll find incredibly happy users of the yamaha. You'll barely find any SP-250's. What does that mean? It could be that the DGX is a few hundred bucks less so many more people can afford them. Or that SP-250 owners don't know how to use a web cam (ok, that's a joke). You'll have to decide...

Another rare Korg SP-250 demonstration:

Youtube SP-250 performance

Well, Pianoid I have also a dgx620. I tried your idea. Indeed mixing the Galaxy and the Live Grand Piano the bass is better, but in the higher notes the voice is gliding, almost not straight

Mixing different pianos......? I do not like it really.

I mostly combine the Galaxy with the Slow Strings (voice 58)

But at last, the DGX-piano is really

Best regards,

Johan B

If you think the DGX piano sounds good, wait until you hear the, "Natural Grand" on a Motif. It sounds so good, I don't even really need my WurliTzer.

I like to experiment around sometimes. If you play the higher notes lightly, piano, that shouldn't be a problem as the Galaxy timbre is a lot brighter in the high notes than the piano. You could also adjust the Dual voice volume. But I enjoy strange mixes, like harpsichord and Classic guitar.

One unlikely mix that seems to work is harpsichord and distortion (or was it overdriven?) guitar. In the default Dual voice volume, you hardly notice the guitar, because the attack of both timbres are very similar...

Yes, strings matches well with almost anything. That's why it's the default dual voice.

Wow, I eager for the time when acoustic simulator technology like Pianoteq comes builtin to keyboards. No more sample limitations and a lot of room to complex timbre construction...