Hi all,

I'm new on this forum and looking into buying a digital piano. As I'm a professional violinist and have played the (accoustical) piano most of my life, I am mainly concerned about sound and touch, but my tight budget and unwill to accept the hassle of the real thing yet, has led me to consider a digital one.
I was looking into the Yamaha CLP line first, considering the 220 and 230, but soon realised that I would have to start with 240 upwarts for my goals, which are playing and composing. I read alot on this forum, then went to a shop for the first time today. There I found the CLP's hugely unsatisfying. To me they seemed harsh, heavy and unsubtle. (I didn't see a 270 or 280 though.)
The Rolands were much more to my taste, and especially the RD-700sx and new HP-207 struck me, and I realised it might be worth the trouble of stretching the budget.
Now my question is wether the HP-207 is worth the extra 300 euros or so you have to pay for it comparing to RD-700sx+amp. Also, what are the exact technical differences? The RD seemed more like the workstation that is fully flexible and can in any way be fine-tuned, and the HP like the finished product that focusses on the feel...What are your experiences?
Anybody still recommends I try the CLP 270? Or will it have the same sound as the 240?

cheers...

ps.As there were mainly yamahas and rolands there, I couldn't try any Kawai.

I tried an RD-700SX, and although I thought
it was terrific, my overall impression
was tentative. If anything, I thought it might be
too good. The action felt like some
perfect, ideallized concert grand piano
that had been perfectly prepared by some celestial
piano technician. I'm a serious
amateur piano player, who regularly struggles
with the most difficult classical piano
repertoire, like concerto movements,
and so forth, and yet I did not see the RD-700SX
as the answer to all my piano dreams
and run out and buy it. I do real-world,
finger-busting playing, and for that
I like something more down-to-earth and
not-so-perfect, like my current piano,
a Korg SP-250 lightweight console ($900.00
US), and before that, a Casio AP-24 console
($700.00). These can't compare with
the flawlessness of the RD-700SX, but they
are entirely adequate for any kind of
piano playing. So, as a violin player,
maybe the RD-700SX would not be a good
choice, especially if you're on a tight
budget. You can get a good digital piano
for much less than what an RD-700SX costs.

fair enough....but sound is a main issue too, and alltough, as you, Gyro, I am an amateur pianist, my ear was not at all impressed by anything I tried under the RD-700sx... Too bad there were no FP4/7. I read good stuff about them.

I don't get Gyro comments on the 700SX. I bought the 700SX because it didn't sound perfect unlike the Yamahas. The samples are more realistic, in my opinion. The FP4 and 7 are reported to have better action than the 700SX. If you don't need the expansion slots of the 700SX, then consider the FP series and save yourself a few dollars. If you do get the 700SX, get two speakers to play in stereo otherwise the board sounds like crap.

Another thing to consider is how you will use it.

With the HP and CLP, in addition to built in speakers and amp, you are also paying for the furniture aspect.
For some people that is part of what they are looking for, a piano looking DP that you can just turn on and play and have a decent sound and feel.

However, if you plan on moving it around a lot, and/or want to dig into the electronics,you may lean towards a stage piano like the RD700sx or CP300.

IMO, seeing as you already have experience on an acoustic, I would be most concerned with the action you like best.

Good Luck!!