Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Reccommendation on a Digital Piano

Hello, I've been learning piano for quite a while now and I would like recommendations on a digital piano to buy.

I've played on a grand piano before and really enjoyed how it feels so I'd prefer a digital piano with the 'smoothest' feel.

Sound is also important to me as well, and I'd prefer if the digital piano sounded 'full' and 'piano-like' (I'm not good at describing these things, so feel free to use your own tastes because I'm only a novice).

My budget is $1800, and I can stretch up to $2200 if needed.

Thanks,

-Nerdsinc

In that price range, the Roland FP-80 and Kawai ES7 are the top contenders, if you want built in speakers. Which feels more like a grand is probably a matter of opinion, and of which grand you are comparing it to (since different grands can feel quite different from each other).

If you don't need speakers, there are other options, but then you may also have to factor the cost of speakers into your budget (unless you are content to play only with headphones).

Another popular option is to get a kawai vpc1 with rm3ii action and pair it with a software piano like pianoteq and some external monitors. You should be able to find the vpc1 with stand for under 1900usd.

These keyboards look very nice, but are there any cheaper options? I live in Australia, which basically means everything is a lot more expensive. Though if it is worth it to step up to the FP-80/ES7 then I would be willing to do so.

EDIT: Are there any DP's which come with good pedals? Or would I need to buy my own?

My opinion is that the old saw "you get what you paid for" is unfortunately true in this case. If you go cheap, you'll get cheap. If however your desire is for,

and
then you may wish to be prepared to pay a little more to get it.



The DP's web sites will usually tell you whether or not the come with pedals.

Best of luck on your selection!

I have a Roland LX15. I have some older good headphones, which were OK. But I just succumbed and bought a pair of Grado Reference Series RS2i phones at a price I could not resist - and the difference is astounding.

I am actually choosing to practice on it as much as on my Bechstein.

(Dealers can't provide good tryout earphones as a rule - they disappear too easily.)

Ah, those suggestions were based on your $1800-$2200 figure in the U.S.! But yeah, I'd say those are worth trying to stretch up to, if your aim is to have something with speakers and a high quality action. In a lower price range, though, you might look at the Yamaha P-255. Below that, you're more into "entry" models (which is not to say that they're bad)... i.e. Kawai ES100, Casio PX-x50.

I understand, though as I said, Australia tends to make things a lot more expensive than my budget would like, though I will take the price:performance into consideration.

I think I might stretch up to the recommendations you suggested. Do you know of any good pedals that I should buy with the aforementioned suggestions? And what is the difference between the ES7 and the FP-80?

Thanks a lot for your help,

-Nerdsinc

For your purposes, different action, different sound. Neither is simply better or worse, it's a matter of what you personally prefer.

Both the ES7 and FP-80 include a pedal that supports half-pedalling.

Kind regards,
James
x

FWIW --

You're asking _us_ to suggest a cost/benefit trade-off _for you_.

Until you've gone out into the world, and actually played some of these pianos yourself, you won't know:

. . . what's available on the market, or

. . . what's "good enough" for your ears, fingers, and expected use.

If you can, get some good headphones and start visiting music stores. There are real differences between "low-end" DP's and "high-end" DP's, but you're the only person who can decide how much those differences are worth.

. Charles

PS -- I'd add the Yamaha P155 (recently discontinued, I think) into the mix. Even in Australia, it should be well within your budget. I'm biased toward "slab" pianos, and own a PX-350. That's another low-budget possibility.

Having recently attended a Casio Privia presentation, I was very impressed and would suggest looking at the current crop of these digital pianos.

http://www.casio-usa.com/products/Digital_Pianos_%26_Keyboards/Privia_Digital_Pianos/

If one of these looks good to you, you can then look up prices at Amazon, Sweetwater, etc.

I have a PX-5S and really like it for its key feel, action, sound, and light weight.

Tony