What would be the deciding factor for choosing one or the other.

They're both priced the same, they sound awesome but I wonder what the deciding factor is.

Can anybody give me some insight?

thanks

The most obvious distinction is that the CP300 has built-in speakers. The CP300 is really meant to be a top notch piano with some helpful secondary sounds while the S90ES puts more focus on the secondary sounds which come from the Motif series.

The problem with answering a question like this is that the answer always depends on the application. The "deciding factor" is totally dependent on what you intend to use the instrument for.

Thanks Mr. Pro your answer helps quite a bit.

Also...
the action on the S90es is balanced and the CP300 is graded.

CP300 is a stage piano, while S90es is a synthesizer, right? Many people say the S90es has great piano sound though. I would choose the CP300 just for the graded action.

gaffster has an s90es here's his recording for the piano bar

http://www.box.net/shared/x290dzsum0

I have an acoustic so the graded action would be nice but not totally necessary.

thanks for all the help fellas. I'm going to take a look at both of them, my husband is already asking me what I want for christmas and my niece expressed an interest in my ypg, she didn't say anything but her eyes lit up and she started fiddling with it.

she plays the violin and is in college which she started at age 17 so I feel like I can't say no to her. she's making us so proud.

update

I went to Orlando and tried the cp300 and the s90es.

First of all the cp300 was side by side by the ypg 625 and you won't believe this but I played both at the same time, right hand on the ypg and left on the cp300 grand piano sound and I or my husband couldn't tell the difference. they sounded exactly the same.

Now for the s90es, well I fell in love with the grand piano sound. wowwwww so if I upgrade I'm going for the s90es.

I have a cp300 and it's wonderful.. I have no dissapointments at all.. it does it for me..

What external speakers did the demo s90es play through?

the s90es didn't have external speakers. I had to use headphones that the store provided.

uggghhh I'm sitting out on all of this. I saw and tried out the yamaha motif xs8 and I'm drooling.

I think I'm going to hold off for a while until I can be rational about the whole thing maybe by that time the motif will have gone down in price.

I will say this.. the CP300 piano sounds are almost infinitely configurable via the built in equaliser.. also.. the built in speakers are basically for private use and not really for public performance.. Listen to the CP300 via monitor speakers or even a high quality studio headset and you will hear a completely different sound. Don't judge the CP300 by the sound from it's built in speakers alone..

Oxfords Gal,
Here are a few more examples of the s90es.
I am not classically trained and have never owned
a grand piano. I learned to play on an old analog synth, so if action is important to you, listen to the experts here on the forum-they know.

I am an electrical engineer and was satisfied that the s90es was technically and sonically the best stage piano under $2K-especially if you wanna leave your synth at home.

Ravel-"Pavane of the Sleeping Beauty"
http://www.box.net/shared/eaqskzt9sa

"Moonlite Sonata"-Heavily Corrupted
http://www.box.net/shared/49tybj8te3

ps. I also replied w/ a private msg -the same info-earlier

OG, I think you should buy the S90es... and then buy XS rack later one when it comes out. Yum. :9

Ha I talked myself out of the motif. Too much for me that I will never need or use.

I'm still chewing on the cp300 or the s90es

I downloaded both manuals and I'm going to read them side by side.

The cp300 sounds brilliant. I went to youtube and heard someone playing one through monitors.

So does the s90es it also has pgl expansion slots.

i was thinking the same thing about the rack tuan.

I hate that there's no sequencer for the s90es though but that's something i'd have to get over. I have a zoom h4 that would do just fine.

It's a very tough decision so I'm just going to take my time and continue fiddling with my ypg 625 which i'm having a ton of fun with.

collin, gaff, I agree with your opinions. Now it's a matter of which one?

Well Gal.. it's up to you.. but I would not part with my CP300.. I have the benefit of a good quality headset to practice with and it sounds great.. It amounts to far more that can be desribed in a manual.. and far more than you can judge from a brief trial run in a store.. It's the business..

I was recently involved in searching for a DP as you are now. After MUCH research, the PLG expansion capability of the S90ES really wasn't a pro or con factor. It seems like most people are not taking advantage of the PLG boards. Unless you definitely know you will be using it, I wouldn't worry about the expansion capability of the S90es vs. the CP300. What was important to me though about the keyboards is the abililty (ease of use)in being a midi controller. Software and sound modules, in my opinion, is how you will "expand" whatever keyboard you choose. You really ought to play both of them for awhile and see what the keyboard and sound fatigue factor are like after having played them awhile. --Good luck and let us know what you decide.

I'd cast my vote w/ Colin. The Cp300 is the best thing out there to me, action and sound wise. The Roland FP7 would be my second choice, different sound and a nice action.

The S90es is more of a synth with a good piano sound.
I feel I can "dig in" more, similar to a real piano, with the graded hammer action of the cp300. The balanced hammer action on the S90 is nice, but still feels a little "synthy" for my taste.

If you're getting it for serious piano practice, stay with a DP. If you want to play around w/ midi stuff and sequencing tracks, go with the S90es.

I use my first generation S90 only for gigging. When I play with louder type bands...rock, funk, blues, etc., it's application is perfect for that.
For the more sensitive type of musical situations,
I'd always opt for the DP.

Hope that this might help in some way.

Well it's been done. I bought the s90es yesterday and I'll have it delivered by tuesday or wednesday since they were out and had to get it from another store.

I have a new Kawai k-8 so I was wanting something to tinker with more for the voices and the gadgets with a good piano sound as well.

I think I'm certifiably nuts now. 1 Acoustic and 2 digitals.

Congrats!!!

While you wait for your S90es to arrive, post in the Digital Price Paid thread.

Okie dokies

Congrats OG!

I think you made the right choice. Now you can spend time playing instead of stressing what to buy. Enjoy your new toy and post some recordings when you can!

thanks tuan vo, I will if I can get past the red dot syndrome. that gets me all the time.

HI think the cp300 has a great sound and touch. The keyboard seems superior to the S90. I went with the Motif xs8. Which seemed to have the best of best worlds. The retail worker said the Motif 8 and the cp300 have the same keyboard, but the cp300 is graded. It isa great keybard. A chruch musician there staid, "It's like the baby grand at my church." The Motif's is not graded, but balanced. It's also very excellent and is in fact better the the 76 key Motif.