I'm starting to look for a digital piano/keyboard to replace my Kurzweil PC88.
My priority is most grand-like action. I've found a couple that claim to have a realistic hammer action with escapement.
This seems like an important feature to achieve realism.
Is anybody familiar with this? The models I've found (internet surfing) are Roland HP-7, Viscount Sonata, and possibly some GEM models (don't know if they are still in production).
I'm assuming when they say escapement that it means the keyboard simulates the weighting of a real grand action, i.e. reduced down-weight at point of letoff, reduced up-weight, etc.
Any input appreciated.

Quoting from Larry Fine's "The Piano Book", escapement or letoff is "When the hammer is about 1/8 inch from the sting, the "toe" of the jack (if you look at the jack as a boot) contacts the letoff button, causing the top of the jack to pivot out from under the hammer butt."

This allows the hammer to travel the last 1/8 inch on it's own and rebound. If you push down slowly on a key you can feel this letoff point by the change in resistance.

My Roland KR577 has this escapement feel simulated into its action as do Rolands other KR series digitals I believe.

I am not sure of the value of it but I think it is kind of a neat feature making the action as realistic as possible campared to an accoustic.

I recently tryed a Roland HP 3 I think it was which did not have the simulated escapement and it was noticable. A person would get used to it either way I suppose.

Craig,
Thanks for your input. I'll check out the KR series as well.

The following Roland products have escapement: KR7, KR15, KR17, HP7, KR577, KR977, KR1077, and HP557.

Thanks Luke's Dad,
I was wondering if any of the other Rolands had it. For some reason, when I checked the comparison chart on their website, I only saw the escapement listed on the HP-7 but hadn't come across the KR models.
I'll check them out.

Check out some the new Roland Models:
The HP107, HPi7

I purchased the KR-7 (I've had it for 1 week now)with one of the reasons being the inclusion of the escapement feature. The dealer had a 9-ft Steinway grand right next to the Roland digitals, and I could compare the touch and sound - it's quite amazing how close they are. One benefit of escapement is that it allows you to play the same note very rapidly in succession with ease. I tested passages of Liszt's "Mephisto Waltz" to make sure I wouldn't be frustrated by an inappropriate response from the Roland. You can actually feel the "click" as you press down slowly on the key (both the Steinway and the Roland).

Thanks all for the input.