In this review, we'll be taking a look at one of the most popular 88-key digital pianos in existence as we review the Yamaha P125. The P125 is the middle sibling of the Yamaha P Series and is inevitably the piano all others in the category get compared to, namely the sub $1,000 CAD portable digital piano category.
We'll cover the usual core features, like tone engine and action, as well as other features and connectivity. We'll also give our opinion on whether or not the status as best seller this instrument receives is truly warranted or not.
With that out of the way, let's get into our Yamaha P125 review.
Piano Background
As we said above, the Yamaha P125 is not just any ordinary digital piano. We are looking at literally the world's most popular digital piano in the $1,000 CAD range. That doesn't mean it's the best, but by judging by statistics from Amazon, it's sheer popularity is not in question.
And really, it makes sense why the P125 has this crown. For one, the price point is comfortable for a wide variety of users and customers. Including hobbyists, college students who need a practice instrument, and parents starting their kids out with piano lessons for the first time.
The P125 is light enough and high enough quality that even some high-level professional musicians use the P125 as an instrument for gigs. Its minimalistic design is unintimidating for newer players.
At the heart of all of this is of course, Yamaha's status as one of the top manufacturers of musical instruments worldwide, with one of the top marketing budgets. Everyone knows that when they go with a Yamaha digital piano or another musical instrument for that matter, they're getting a well-made, good-quality instrument.
All of these combine for a perfect storm that absolutely positions the P125 for success. Let's dive into the sound engine now.
Yamaha P125 Pure CF Sound Engine
The first thing that jumps out from the spec sheet is the polyphony count of 192 notes. 192 note polyphony is a very high polyphony count for the price range and gives us a hint that the sound engine is probably punching above its weight here.
That sound engine we're referring to is of course the Pure CF Sound Engine, which is a sample-based engine based on a recording of the Yamaha CFIIIS 9' concert grand piano. This concert grand has since been replaced by the CFX as Yamaha's flagship concert grand piano, but this is still a very high-quality instrument that's serving as for the main acoustic piano sound for the P125.
Right away we can tell that this is a high-quality sample, and extras like damper resonance and string resonance are really coming through.
We like the fact that the speakers are facing up and back, as this produces a lot of clarity. There's a total of 14 watts of power, courtesy of a 4 speaker system, which includes 2 mains and 2 tweeters.
In terms of other sounds, there are 24 built-in presets in total, including a couple of other piano patches, though the default patch is clearly the highlight as far as acoustic piano patches are concerned.
The Electric piano sounds on here are generally very nice across the board. In fact, we actually think they're a bit better than what's on the more expensive P515.
The organ sounds are highly useable and versatile if used a blended setting, though probably not quite good enough if you were laying down solo organ tracks in the studio.
There's also a very useable string patch, and those are especially hard to find on digital pianos in this price range as the attack and decay is hard to replicate. Synthesizer patches are solid.
Another cool feature is the Intelligent Acoustic Control which automatically EQ's the sound according to the type of surface the piano is on, as well as a table EQ if it's sitting on a table or desk, as well as Sound Boost which as the name suggests, adds extra punch to the sound if needed.
Lastly, we also have to mention the Stereophonic Optimizer which optimizes the sound for when playing with headphones.
Overall, we're pretty impressed with the sound of this instrument. Moving onto the action.
Yamaha P125 Graded Hammer Standard Piano Action
The P125 uses Yamaha's Graded Hammer Standard, or GHS for short, action. This is a functional 88-key action with weighted keys, but it's not the best that you'll get in this price point.
Somebody who's a really experienced pianist and used to an acoustic piano action or more advanced digital piano action will likely find this hammer action lacking.
That doesn't mean it's not a functional action that you can't learn foundational elements on if you're a student, or that it's not usable as a gigging instrument. But if your focus is really on as good a piano touch as possible for the price, you might be left wanting.
It uses a dual-sensor versus a triple-sensor, so it doesn't deliver the same dynamic accuracy and range that you would get from Roland's PHA4 action for example. There's no escapement and it tends to also feel a little bit light, though there are 3 levels of adjustable touch sensitivity.
It also has a highly polished plastic surface on the white key and it's got a bit of a textured surface on the matte black key. The lack of texture on the white keys is a bit of a drawback as your fingers can start sliding across the key if any moisture develops.
The action is probably the Achilles Heel of the P125 but it's by no means a deal-breaker. Of course, just make sure that you have a chance to try it if you can, if action is critical to you, before moving forward with the purchase.
That about sums up our discussion on the GHS action. There's no real issue when playing contemporary music, but when jumping into some classical repertoire, it really is lacking some of the control and some of the depth you'd hope for.
Roland's PHA4, Kawai's RHC, and Casio's Tri-Sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II are all a step up in our mind.
Features & Connectivity
The P125 has some really nice things going for it when it comes to some of the extra features. For example, it features built-in USB audio interface functionality, as well as some great auto-accompaniment rhythms and discreet 1/4" line outputs.
The built-in USB audio interface is going to be super useful for a lot of people out there as it allows you to connect to a computer, fire up a DAW, and transmit audio information without the need for additional gear.
The user-friendly accompaniment function includes 20 built-in rhythms, the quality of which are really solid across the board. It's not very common for instruments in this price range to include any built-in accompaniment, so this is another plus for the P125.
Other typical features like metronome, duo, split mode, and transpose are all covered as well.
The discreet 1/4" AUX outs are very welcome as it allows you to connect to an amplifier or PA system if you need more juice without having to go through the headphone jack. This is why the P125 is an option for those looking for a gigging instrument.
Other connectivity includes a DC in for the power supply (AC power adapter), 2 headphone jacks, a sustain pedal port (comes with basic footswitch), a 3 pedal unit port, and USB to host.
There is no Bluetooth MIDI or Audio, so you'll need to use the USB port to connect to an iPad, iPhone, or other iOS device to use the Yamaha Smart Pianist App.
You can get a matching keyboard stand with the P125 which, for anyone who's wanting to use that in a home environment, might be worth consideration. It includes basic music rest in the box.
Closing Thoughts
We hope you've enjoyed the Yamaha P125 review - hopefully, it shed some light as to whether or not the P125 is suitable for you or not.
Ultimately, we're left with an instrument with a great sound engine, some solid features, but is lacking in the action department, and while it has huge bonuses like a built-in USB audio interface, it's lacking things like Bluetooth.
You can't go wrong with the P-125, but its status as the best-selling digital piano in the class isn't due to it being a no doubt about it superior option to other instruments in the class.
We're back with another piano review and today we'll be focusing on the Casio PX-770. This is an 88 key digital piano built for home use and the least expensive furniture style model in the Casio Privia lineup.
There's a nice cabinet, integrated triple pedal, and lots of other things to like about the PX-770.
Let's dive into the Casio PX-770 review and see where it stands among the rest of the very crowded mid-range home digital piano class.
The PX-770's award-winning Multi-Dimensional Morphing AiR Sound Source with 128 notes of polyphony has been used in several Privia models and is widely regarded as a very solid piano sound engine with adjustable reverb and brilliance.
Casio's been continually developing the AiR Sound Source and improving it, and the current version represents Casio's true arrival as a big player in the mid-range digital piano market. The sample is well recorded and generates a beautiful new stereo sound, and there's an extra synthesis on top of the sound in the form of realistic damper resonance and hammer response.
The PX-770 is equipped with a very capable eight watt per side speaker system output for 16 watts in total. The speaker boxes are on the bottom and there's some venting going on at the top, so you get some high-end frequencies coming through the ports.
This approach is a less expensive way to simulate having a set of small tweeters at the front. We're quite impressed with the quality of the sound that comes out of these on the PX-770 even if 16 watts isn't enough to create a true grand piano experience - a more powerful stereo amplification system is required for that truly immersive audio spectrum spanning experience.
In terms of other instrument tones, there are 19 in total, including 4 other grand piano sounds. The default patch is clearly the focus and likely the most versatile, but the remainder of the sounds, including some electric pianos, organs, strings, and others are generally pretty decent.
Tri-Sensor II Scaled Hammer Action
The action on this Casio Privia PX-770 is probably one of the strongest parts of this instrument. Casio's scaled hammer actions have been steadily evolving over the last few years as they've been playing a little bit of catch-up against Yamaha, Kawai, and Roland.
It was only a few years ago that Casio digital pianos didn't really have an action design that was durable or considered a reasonable substitute for an acoustic piano action. Those days are gone and we're now dealing with a company that's building good innovative hammer actions, which can actually be spoken about and debated in the same breath as the Yamaha and Roland actions of the class.
The PX-770s' Tri-sensor Scaled Hammer Action Keyboard II uses a triple sensor as the name would suggest which makes it a really interesting choice to use as an input device for recorded MIDI data due to its solid touch sensitivity.
There are nice simulated ebony and ivory textures on the piano keys that deliver a pretty natural feel. It's not as extreme as the ivory keys of old, but you're definitely getting some additional grip here for when your hands get sweaty.
The key spacing is nice and consistent and in general, we feel like this action is a more advanced, better-designed action than what you'll find in the PX-S1000 for example. There are also 3 levels of adjustable touch sensitivity so you can have a comfortable touch regardless of your playing style.
We wouldn't call the Tri-Sensor II the best action for the price, but it's close.
Features/Connectivity - USB, MIDI & Chordana Play App
The first feature we'll look at that the PX-770 is equipped with is the Concert Play function. Basically, they have 10 famous orchestral pieces preloaded into the piano and you have the ability to play along with the full orchestra recording of the piece. Super fun. You also have the option to turn off the piano part as well.
Then we've got a Music Library, which features MIDI files of 60 other well-known works for a fun listening experience or for playing along with, plus you can add 10 additional songs of your choice. The PX-770's convenient features also include a Metronome, Transpose (changes the pitch of the entire key range), and a Master Tuning function.
There are also some alternate playing modes like Duet mode (divides the keyboard into 2 equal pitch ranges), and a built-in 2-track MIDI recorder. The PX-770's two-track MIDI recorder is more than you usually get for this price point. This is a decently impressive features list for a home digital piano when you consider the cost of the instrument.
The cabinet of the PX-770 features a really slick modern design and includes a built-in keyboard cover and integrated triple pedal unit with damper, sostenuto, and soft pedals.
Connectivity includes two headphone ports so you can connect 2 sets of headphones at once and class-compliant USB to host for connecting to apps for Mac and Android.
The PX-770 is available in Black (PX-770BK), White (PX-770WE), and Brown (PX-770BN).
Closing Thoughts
For people who are looking for a new piano around $1,000 Canadian dollars or so, the PX-770 is a really compelling option, and definitely, more than holds its own against a competing Yamaha YDP model.
Considering you don't need to add a stand or pedals, the overall value makes the PX-770 ideal for those shopping within a $1,000 budget.
You just might have trouble finding one in stock as the PX-770 has been a huge seller over the past few years - another brilliant instrument for the price from Casio. Thanks for reading our Casio PX-770 review and stay tuned for the next review!
When it comes to affordable home-based digital pianos, few companies can compete with Kawai. Today, we're going to be looking at the Kawai KDP70 digital piano.
We have already done a comparison between the KDP70 and the upgraded KDP110, but this is a very deserving and interesting high-value digital piano that we wanted to take a longer peek at.
We'll be discussing the piano sound, touch, and important features of this KDP series model. We hope you enjoy this article and would encourage you to check out the companion video review, so you can hear this thing in action.
Opening Thoughts
As mentioned above, the KDP70 is the little sibling of the KDP110. With that, there are some similarities between the spec-sheets of these two, and of course, some differences that attempt to justify the price premium the KDP110 commands.
The biggest similarities between the two pianos are definitely their control interfaces, as they're exactly the same. The sound engines are fairly similar as well, so let's start there.
Piano Sound
The Kawai KDP70 has 192 notes of polyphony, which is actually the same amount that the KDP110 has. This means you'll have plenty of bandwidth to be able to play this instrument with a single layer of sound or even with two layers of sound without any fear that the tone generator will start dropping notes.
If you'd like to learn more about Polyphony, we have a video all about it on our YouTube channel.
When it comes to the wattage and the speaker system on the KDP70, we have one of the largest amplifiers of any instrument in the class with a 16-watt stereo amplifier in the KDP70. This is a surprising amount of power when you're playing it at about three-quarters volume, which is a good place to set your volume when playing a digital piano.
There's a surprising amount of attack and really strong treble here courtesy of the speakers and tone engine, which in this case, is Kawai's Harmonic Imaging sound engine with a full 88-key sampling of the expressive Kawai EX concert grand piano.
One of the things that digital piano technology has been challenged to try and reproduce over the years is actually the imperfections that you get on an acoustic piano rather than the perfections.
Since the Harmonic Imaging engine is simply a stereo recording of each of the 88 notes of a real piano, you can hear the very subtle differences between those notes. Those imperfections, when you combine them together, really do make a difference in creating the illusion of an additional layer of realism.
Most of the other options available in the price range that the KDP70 occupies will be the instruments with a mono sample rather than a stereo sample of each note, or where only one in four notes is recorded, and the sample is stretched to fill in the non-recorded notes.
There are 15 sounds in total here, including 3 acoustic pianos in addition to the main concert grand piano sound, 2 electric pianos, 2 organs, and then things like strings, vibraphone, harpsichord, and synthesizer.
In addition to the sounds, you also have the ability to make some adjustments to the reverb. There's even damper resonance, which is pretty crazy for the price range.
Once everything gets factored in, the KDP70 makes a strong argument for offering the best all-around piano sound in its price class. Let's move on to the action.
Piano Action
Another piano the KDP70 has a lot in common with is the Kawai ES110. One would think that the KDP110 and the ES110 would have more parallels because of how they've named them. In fact, the KDP70 actually has more in common with the ES110 than the KDP110 does.
One of those commonalities is the action.
The action is Kawai's authentic Responsive Hammer Compact keyboard action (RHC), which is a first-generation version of this action, and uses a dual sensor.
The upgraded second-generation version of this action, which is featured in the KDP110, has a triple sensor, meaning the KDP70's action will be less accurate from a dynamic output perspective.
For most people who are shopping at this price point, a dual-sensor versus triple sensor is realistically not going to make a huge impact on the playing experience. But for getting into some serious classical rep, or looking to do some MIDI triggering, this might be a big deal.
In any case, let's take a closer look at this version of the RHC - what are we getting? What we do get is a very nice key surface on both the white and the black keys for a good sense of grip.
It does not have any escapement/let-off. If you're thinking about buying a practice instrument with a good carry-over to an acoustic grand piano, you may want to spend the extra money on the action with escapement to better approximate the feel of an acoustic piano, as the transition between instruments will be easier.
Another positive thing about this action, and this is true of Kawai's actions in general, is that the key bed is very well-cushioned. As a result, this is one of the quieter actions out there, which can actually be a big deal to some people.
The repetition speed is quite decent, though the black keys move laterally a little more than is ideal when you start pushing the action. This isn't the case with Kawai's more expensive actions.
For the audience that this piano is intended for, this is one of the best actions available out there. We would still put Roland's PHA4 action ahead, and of course the newer RHCII, but overall, for the price, this is a very solid action. Onto features and connectivity.
Piano Features & Connectivity
The Kawai KDP70 comes with an integrated stand, a triple pedal system with half-pedal support, and a matching bench, and is available in an Embossed Black finish that really compliments the cabinet design.
It's not designed to look like a black wood finish, but almost a black egg shell-like finish - super slick.
In terms of connectivity, the KDP70 is definitely missing some functionality. It does have traditional 5-pin MIDI out ports and dual headphone jacks, but there are unfortunately no USB ports, output jacks, or Bluetooth.
You can still connect to devices for apps and computers via the 5-pin MIDI, but you will need to invest in an adapter.
The Kawai KDP70 has some popular lesson songbooks built-in, such as Alfred, Burgmuller, and Czerny, along with a lesson function.
There are of course also staple features like a metronome, dual-mode, four-hands mode, and Concert Magic, which can actually help beginners develop their sense of rhythm.
Closing Thoughts
For the price, the KDP70 offers beginners, students, and even more advanced players looking for a solid practice instrument an affordable entry point to the world of Kawai pianos.
The sound engine is probably the biggest highlight along with the 16-watt speakers, but the action is solid, as is the cabinet. It's also a nice bonus that Kawai ships it with a stand and free matching bench.
Yamaha does this too with their comparable models, but Casio interestingly does not.
When it comes to acoustic pianos, there are a lot of 'best of' lists and new piano buying guides out there with a ton of different information on different models. What these lists tend to neglect is a systematic way that you, the buyer, can sort through this information and zero in on the most important considerations affecting your decision.
In today's article and video, we're going to list the things you should be considering when looking for an upright piano and placing them in a very specific order of importance. We've already done the same thing for digital pianos, and we received positive feedback that people really found that helpful.
We're confident that if you apply our formula to your shopping process, you're not only ensured to be thrilled with the piano you end up with, but you'll also do so in much less time.
Piano Dimensions
The very first thing that we're going to suggest you start with is size. Not budget, not country of origin, but size. Here's why. The size of an upright piano directly determines its volume and the fullness and clarity of the bass register. It doesn't matter how well a piano is made - If it's not loud enough or it doesn't have a clear enough bass, there are no other factors that can ever make up for that.
There are upright pianos that can be as small as about 42" in height, and they generally get to be as tall as about 53" with sostenuto pedals. Although that only sounds like about a 20% difference, the proportional difference in string length is actually much larger. This is why that height difference can have such a big impact on how full the tone is and how much sound you need the piano to produce.
Be careful if you're looking at a small used piano as you'll want to ensure it isn't a Baldwin Spinet model - these instruments feature highly antiquated action designs and should be avoided.
There are several factors which might influence your needs in this area. One could be the size and acoustic makeup of the room where you'll be placing your piano. If you're planning on putting your upright piano into a very large space with high ceilings, you might have the need for a larger piano. If you're going to be recording with this instrument, you'll probably desire strong bass clarity, so you're not going to want to go lower than about 47" in height for example.
What are the risks here if you pick the wrong size piano? If you pick a piano that's too small for your needs, you are going to be training yourself to operate an instrument that behaves very differently than other pianos that you might experience out there. This is more of a consideration for students and professionals who might be doing recitals or performances on a concert grand piano, which offers an experience that is very different than that of a small upright.
If your needs really are a 48" upright, then don't go looking for a 42" by trying to exchange size for a more high-quality instrument - if you need a taller instrument, don't compromise here.
Sound Quality and Tonal Profile
After you've established the size that's appropriate for you, the next thing you'll want to focus on is picking a tone that satisfies your ear and excites your musical soul. Sometimes we can't explain why we like the tones that we like, but the point is, you want to pick something that is going to truly excite you and make you want to play.
Several things go into what gives a piano its tone. Country of origin can have an indirect influence because certain countries' piano industries are known for construction practices, designs, and overall quality control. If you buy a piano from Germany, you know that you're going to get a piano with great tonal clarity due to the quality of craftsmanship that's consistent across German piano manufacturing. If you have the ear for it, you'll be able to hear the difference between a very clear tone and a tone that's a little dirtier, and this is a compromise you may be unwilling to make.
The style of the piano may also come into play as there are certain instruments which are designed to create a maximum level of color and dynamic response. Bechstein upright pianos come to mind for example when you hear this type of description. Other instruments known for extreme clarity and beautiful shimmering sustain would be Schimmel uprights.
Things like hammer selection, soundboard material, and scale design also go a long way in determining sound quality and tonal profile.
In a mid-range price category, Kawai uprights are one example with a very colorful sound profile. Yamaha won the other hand would be a little clearer with less color.
So, it's important to understand what you want out of the tone of your piano as finding the sound you connect with will really inspires you to play. You may find that there's consistency either in a country of origin or possibly in a specific piano brand that does this for you. Check out the video to hear some playing examples of different uprights with very different sounds.
Piano Action (Touch and Response)
Once we know how big the piano needs to be and we're centered in on a style of tone that we really resonate with, our next focus should be on how we physically interface with the piano - in other words, the piano action.
Some people might suggest that touch is the most important consideration, especially for piano technicians, but we've put it third for a reason - great touch is never going to make up for bad tone. It's also never going to be able to compensate for missing volume or bass presence that only a certain type of piano can provide.
Touch can be described in a variety of ways. People will say use terms like light touch or heavy touch, but this is often actually referring to the dynamic response of a given instrument. A piano could actually have a fairly heavy touch, but if it has an immediate and big dynamic response, your mind might still perceive that as a light touch.
So, this is more of a perception thing as opposed to something totally objective. A medium sensation is usually the balance people look for between a sense of control and a sense of ease with the dynamic range. The heavier you perceive a piano's touch to be, the harder you'll have to play to get access to the full dynamic range. When an action feels too light, it will typically have a huge dynamic range, and this is quite difficult to control in the lower dynamic ranges.
Figuring out how heavy or how light you want the sense of touch to be is quite important and has less to do with quality and more to do with stylistic subjective differences from builder to builder. Even two German-made upright pianos of the same general quality level can have radically different feeling actions.
We would definitely suggest that if you're in the market for a premium upright of any kind, spend an extended period of time in the showroom or music store to make sure that that sense of weight and resistance is going to be comfortable for you over long periods of time.
Another thing that almost never gets talked about is the surface of the piano keys and how rounded the edges of the keys are. You might not think this is a big deal, but if you don't like how the keys feel, this is something that will pop up very soon after you have the instrument at home. You're going to want to make sure that you like the actual tactile feel of the keys on your fingers, along with the rest of how the action feels.
Your Budget
The fourth consideration to look at is budget. The reason budget is fourth and not first is that if you follow our first three considerations in order, you're going to come into a subset of instruments that still has a fairly wide range of prices.
When our salespeople consult with customers on their piano buying musical journey, whether it's their first time and first piano or fifth piano, we go through the above-noted considerations and sometimes wind up at a range as wide as $8,000 up to $40,000 of pianos that will fit the needs of the customer based on the above criteria.
Once you've got that subset of instruments down, this is where budget should come into play. You now know the flavor you want, and from here it's just a matter of how refined you want that flavor to be, and potentially how long you'd like your piano to last.
The quality of a piano definitely does have an impact on its longevity. Budget usually reflects this because as you move up in price, the piano is generally made with better materials and a good quality piano design that will maintain its integrity over a longer period of time.
Whether the budget is strict or flexible, at this point in the process you'll be able to refine things down to the best piano for your budget.
Resale Value (Used Market & Brand Considerations)
The fifth and final consideration you'll want to make is resale value. This has less of an impact when shopping for a baby grand piano, but it has a very large impact when you're shopping for an upright piano.
Upright pianos, in terms of brands and in terms of models, have a much higher rate of turnover in the piano industry than grand pianos do. Because upright pianos are not often thought of as aesthetic complements to a home in the way grand pianos are, people will only pay top dollar for an upright used piano that has brand recognition or model acclaim.
You're simply not going to get good resale value if you go with a brand which is either quite new to the market, unknown to the market, or is from a company known for churning brands put pretty consistently like some of the stencil brands that come from China.
Now, we're not saying pianos that fit this above description can't offer really great value. What we are saying is that if you think there's a high likelihood that you will be selling or upgrading your instrument within 5 to 10 years of purchase, this is where brand and model selection can have a major impact on resale.
Here's an example. If you were to buy an upright from an unknown brand for about $7,000 or $8,000 and you cared for that instrument really well to the point that it was in perfect condition for 10 years and you decide to sell, there's a good chance that you will have to sell that piano for $3,000 to $4,000, or possibly even less.
We're talking about a 50% hit to your original investment. If you'd spent the same amount of money on a known model or something with brand recognition, there's a good chance that you'd be able to sell that piano for within 20% to 30 less than what you bought it for, meaning you've preserved 70% to 80% of your original investment.
Follow these 5 considerations, in this specific order, and we're confident you'll end up with the right piano for you. Now, here's a list of some of our favorite upright pianos from every price range.
Merriam Music's List of Notable Upright Pianos
This is hardly an exhaustive list, but these are some models we think would be deserving of a closer look. We carry over 50 upright pianos here at Merriam Pianos and there are close to 100 out there in the wider piano universe.
Here are some favorites that we're sure you'll come across in your research.
Starting at the entry level, we've had positive experiences with the Pearl River 118 and 121 sizes as well as their premium Ritmuller UP and UH models. Kawai has the ND21 model, which is a 48-inch Indonesian-built instrument which has been highly popular in Europe, Australia, and here in Canada. It's generally not available in the United States, but if you can find one, it's pretty much impossible to beat for the price when you consider what it offers musically, plus Kawai's excellent warranty coverage.
Moving up to the mid-range and we've got the Kawai K300 and the Yamaha U1 - probably the most fierce upright piano matchup in the industry. There's also the taller Kawai K500 and the Yamaha U3, which is another great rivalry. These four instruments simply dominate the mid-range piano market due to the fact that they're all very well built, professional quality instruments with highly musical playing experiences, yet cost a fraction of a German instrument. Piano tuners love servicing these pianos too.
Moving up into the European range, the W. Hoffmann T122 along with the Wilhelm Schimmel W118 are two instruments that have been immensely popular. The W. Hoffmann is made in the Czech Republic, while the Wilhelm Schimmel is made in Poland meaning the manufacturers here are able to take advantage of slightly more affordable Eastern European labor, but still deliver fantastic material and quality control from their German parent companies, Schimmel and Bechstein.
Once we move into the premium range, the Bechstein A124 has been a huge hit all around the world. Bechstein reps have told us that they simply cannot build enough of these particular instruments to meet global demand.
Right at the very top of the industry we've got the C. Bechstein Concert 8, Bosendorfer 130, Steinway & Sons K52, and the Schimmel Konzert Series - these are simply some of the best instruments money can buy.
Of course, there are many other great upright pianos out there, these are just some we have had excellent personal experiences with.
Final Thoughts
Thanks very much for reading. We hope that you'll check out the video as well for an even more in-depth explanation of the top considerations you should make when choosing an upright piano, as well as some playing examples of fine musical instruments.
We truly believe that if you follow the guidelines above, you'll have a wonderfully productive experience next time you visit a piano retailer.
Shigeru Kawai pianos are a part of a very rare breed of piano, consistently making many ‘Top-10’ lists annually for the finest musical instruments available. The project was started by the Kawai Corporation’s second president, Shigeru Kawai, and the goal was ambitious: create the premier piano of Japan, capable of competing with the very best from Europe.
Started in the early 1970’s, the company first started stock-piling wood before any designs were even on the drawing board. A generation later, only a few thousand Shigeru Kawai’s have been produced, and each one is individually marked and recorded at the small shop where they are created. In fact, there are little more than a dozen highly-trained artisans who build Shigeru Kawai’s, and each builder is responsible for his own pianos, signing and taking personal ownership of the final product - a profound expression of pride.
The pianos are known for their selection of the finest materials, their impeccable attention to detail in their meticulous handcrafted assembly, and a range of tone and dynamics that very few pianos can compete with. Founder Koichi Kawai would surely be proud.
Shigeru Kawai - 10 Interesting Facts About Shigeru Kawai Pianos Review Video Transcription
The Shigeru Kawai grand piano series is the very top musical product that Kawai produces. Over the years, the Shigeru Kawai series has essentially functioned as a testbed for various experimental piano building techniques and new technology, with a gradual trickle-down effect wherein features pioneered in the Shigeru pianos have ended up throughout the entire Kawai musical instrument lineup.
In this article, we'll be looking at 10 interesting facts you might not know about these superb instruments.
Fact #1: The Rim
The rim of any grand piano has several roles to play, including tonal projection, the stability of construction, the stability of tuning, and overall durability/longevity of the piano as a whole. How the rim is produced in conjunction with the woods selected for the construction are vitally crucial to the final tonal and structural results the piano is capable of producing.
When building a rim, typically multiple layers of various woods are glued together, and before the glue settles, the rim is placed inside a large rim press and bent into shape. With the Shigeru rims, rather than following this typical process, Kawai instead uses steam to individually create the necessary curves in the laminations to ensure that the wood fibers remain as natural as possible.
Fact #2: The Wood/Soundboard
Kawai uses solid spruce for the soundboards for all of their pianos, but with the SK-7 and SK-EX, they use select Ezo spruce from a small remaining stockpile. The process used to dry this spruce truly defies all economic sense; rather than using kilns or any other accelerating drying methods whatsoever, this spruce is dried in open air dry racks for well in excess of 5 years before the wood is worked with at all. This ensures maximum stability in a variety of climate conditions and greatly reduces the possibility of the wood splitting. Very few companies engage in a process this time-consuming.
Fact #3: The Bridges
The bridges in the Shigeru Kawai pianos, according to several Kawai insiders, are essentially reproductions of the Hamburg Steinway bridge design. This isn’t something you’ll find in a press release, but unofficially, this happens to be the case as the Hamburg Steinway bridge design is viewed by many as the absolutely optimal way to design a bridge.
These bridges are vertically laminated and utilize a variety of different woods. Where Shigeru again stands among only very few manufacturers, is that they feature a different wood for the treble bridge cap from the mid and bass ranges. Shigeru’s use boxwood in the treble bridge due to the immense amount of string tension in the treble bridge. Maple is used in the mid and and bass range.
Fact #4: Double Duplex Scaling
Another interesting thing about Shigeru’s is the use of double duplex scaling, which means not only a duplex length on the back of the bridge but also a duplex length on the front of the piano as well, just in front of the capo. This results in an incredibly colourful treble range. Often, even with super expensive pianos, the upper treble can sound a bit ‘noisy’, meaning uncontrolled or out of tune harmonics, and a hue of white noise surrounding the fundamental pitch. Utilizing the double duplex and managing the avoid this pitfall truly speaks to the precision these pianos are built with.
Fact #5: Keystick Length
It’s fairly common knowledge that the Shigeru’s feature Kawai’s famous Millenium III Carbon Fiber action equipped with Shiko Seion hammers, an action originally designed specifically for the Shigeru’s which has now trickled down all throughout Kawai’s lineup.
What’s not so common knowledge is what Kawai has done with the keystick lengths; every Shigeru Kawai, from the SK-2 to the SK-7, has the exact same keystick length as the 9 foot SK-EX concert grand. What advantage does this give? Well for concert level pianists, having a 6 foot piano in the home that can approximate quite closely the feel of a 9 foot concert grand is of course hugely advantageous. For everyone else, the extended keystick reduces the difference in repetition speed and the sense of weight between the front of the key and the back of the key. This means, these actions are much easier to play on any part of the key.
Fact #6: How the Action is Prepared
Again, it’s fairly common knowledge that Kawai actions across the entire line come directly out of the factory very well prepped and regulated. It remains mostly an unknown however how Kawai achieves this.
Every piano action utilizes a pounding machine that piano actions are placed inside of prior to installation, where the keys are played over and over again to break them in. An average traditional piano action typically has a lifespan of about 1 million, to 1.3 million strikes before the action disintegrates. With a Shigeru action, each key is played several hundred thousand times in the pounding machine prior to installation to ensure that it is thoroughly worked in and regulated dozens of times throughout this process. Due to the carbon fiber action, the lifespan vastly exceeded the 1-1.3 million limit of a traditional action, which allows Kawai to work the action into this extreme degree.
Fact #7: The Finishing Touches
There are several walls at the Shigeru Kawai factory adorned by plaques. Each plaque has a name, location and year. The name’s on these plaques are every single owner of a new Shigeru Kawai piano, which the Shigeru Kawai Master Piano Artisans take great pride in. This connection between the builder and end user is a true rarity in our industrial, globalized world, and serves as a motivation for the pursuit of perfection with every Shigeru.
Fact #8: Master Piano Artisan Connection
Not only will the person who put the piano together know the name of the buyer, but the buyer will know the name of the craftsman as well. Each Shigeru Kawai piano comes with a certificate with a signature and short biography on the specific Master Piano Artisan (MPA) who was responsible for overseeing that particular instruments craftsmanship, from beginning to end.
Fact #9: Batch Made
Due to the precise and time-consuming nature of these instruments, only a couple of hundred Shigeru Kawai pianos are built each year. Rather than constructing all of the different models at once, Shigeru’s are built in single batches, as an attempt to maintain focus and uniformity. Rather than scattering attention, the entire team is focused on the exact same intention throughout the entire process.
Fact #10: Visit from Piano Artisan
One of the Master Piano Artisans involved in the building of the Shigeru’s will actually visit each individual owners’ home within one year of purchasing a Shigeru to service the instrument for an entire day. There is no other manufacturer who offers this service standard with every purchase, and further serves as a powerful symbol of unending devotion each MPA has towards their craft. This varies from market to market based on the availability of the MPA’s, but it’s certainly something all of our Shigeru customers here at Merriam Music are fortunate to experience.
Conclusions
All in all, Shigeru Kawai pianos are some of the best value instruments available on the market with each one totaling more than the sum of its parts, and nevermind dollar for dollar, these are definitely some of the finest pianos you can sit down and play - truly a work of uncompromising craftsmanship. Please feel free to make an appointment at one of our piano showrooms if you'd like to try one!
The Roland DP603 digital piano is an unassuming powerhouse, built for the discerning player in need of a compact instrument with a contemporary design. This instrument is in a category unto itself within the Roland line. It uses one of their top actions, the top sound processor, and the top speaker quality available from ANY product within the Roland lineup. And yet, available for a surprisingly affordable rate, with a stylish cabinet design that keeps embellishments to a minimum.
Product Overview
Roland has been one of the lead innovators in electronic and digital pianos from the 1980’s onward. Many of the approaches to manufacturing and synthesis technology that Roland developed in their early years have become industry-wide practices. They were one of the first companies to bring MIDI recording to people’s homes, and also one of the first to develop a truly life-like piano tone. Roland’s embrace of the entire range of instruments led to the development of the V-Series of instruments, encompassing everything from Accordions to Drums, to Pianos.
Undoubtedly one of Roland’s best value offerings is the sleek, contemporary, and powerhouse DP603 digital piano. The DP series have been around since 2003, and have been highly regarded since their release. It makes use of their latest SuperNATURAL piano modeling engine for detailed grand piano sounds as well as their Progressive Hammer Action Keyboard (PHA-50) for authentic grand piano touch. There's a ton of onboard tech including hundreds of sounds as well as pre-loaded classical scores for playback as well as play-along, and Bluetooth MIDI wireless technology for popular integrations of popular DAW software and apps. Basically, the DP603 boasts the exact same core features as the more expensive HP models, and many of the same features as Roland's flagship LX series, but with a much more minimalist look.
For any modern piano player in need of the conveniences of a new digital piano housed in modern cabinet design for modern living spaces, the DP603 is a perfect match from any angle.
This stylish piano is also available in three stunning finishes sure to complement any modern home – Contemporary Black (matte, dp603-cb), Classic Polished Ebony (dp603-ep), and Polished White (dp603-pw). The Polishes are of extremely high quality – entirely in line with acoustic piano finishes and sure to stand up very well over time.
Action
The Roland DP603, like the FP-90 and RD2000 Roland pianos amongst others, uses Roland’s new PHA-50 keyboard action with a blend of wood components, escapement and a slightly slower, heavier stroke and return to simulate a grand action more closely than the PHA-4. There is significant debate in the industry over which action is more ‘satisfying’… a wholly subjective discussion with no agreement – so our advice is to ensure you’ve tried both so that you find out which action’s mechanical nuances are better suited for your fingers and preferences.
One thing that seems certain is that the accuracy of the MIDI output is excellent and well-suited for studio work should that be relevant. The feel of wood also adds an extra level of authenticity.
Sound Engine
The DP603’s crowning feature, certainly in terms of tonal generation, is its SuperNATURAL piano modeling engine and limitless polyphony when in “Piano Mode”, or essentially it’s top-level piano patch options. This is top-notch technology that few digital pianos offer and provides players with highly realistic sound, and an insane level of detail and editing options that may be intimidating to some, while highly engaging to others. Roland has done a nice job of giving two distinct levels of control, one very basic and obvious with physical controls on the front of the instrument, while the next level of control requires deep menu editing and/or tablet connectivity.
Beyond the piano sounds, the classic sounds such as EP's and synths are also very high quality and deliver over 300 polyphony and in complex detail – all great for either personal playing or professional use as well. The DP603 also features the Headphones 3D Ambience technology, which enhances the experience when playing with headphones.
The DP603 speaker system features a robust 60 watts of power. Where Roland’s like the F140r or RP501 have traditional downward-facing speakers, the DP603 uses a speaker box that is mounted on the lower stand, where the speakers face directly forward towards the player, rather than down and away. We’ve found that this helps to create a sense of fullness around the instrument and improves the efficiency of the speakers.
The DP603 uses Bluetooth Midi connectivity, and through it, the Piano Designer app can be used to manipulate, customize, and save all of your personal piano settings. Tons of fun!
Connectivity
Roland really made sure to outfit the DP603 with a ton of connectivity options. First of all, both Bluetooth MIDI and Bluetooth Audio are present here so your convenient wireless connectivity options are covered. It's super easy to connect to a smartphone and access Roland's Piano Partner 2 app, among others. The Bluetooth Audio means you can stream your favorite songs right from your iPad or Android device.
A ton of other bases are covered here too; DC In jack, Input jacks: Stereo miniature phone type, Output (L/Mono, R) jacks: 1/4-inch phone type, USB Computer port: USB B type, USB Memory port: USB A type,
Phones jack x 2: Stereo miniature phone type and Stereo 1/4-inch phone type.
Notable Features
SuperNATURAL Piano Modeling
Limitless Polyphony solo playing using ‘Piano’ category tones, 384 note polyphony when playing using other tones
307 Tones
PHA-50 Keyboard: Wood and Plastic Hybrid Structure, with Escapement and Ebony/Ivory Feel (88 keys)
Integrated 3 pedal system with soft, sostenuto and damper
Safety-Conscious Soft-Fall Motion Lid
Conclusions
If you’re a student, hobbyist player, or educator looking for a robust stand-alone instrument without the associated maintenance of an acoustic piano, the Roland DP-603 is going to deliver more bang-for-your-buck than nearly any other instrument on the market. It boasts acclaimed durability, its easy to operate, flexible with Bluetooth MIDI, has a minimalist design, and offers a wide array of high-quality studio-grade sounds. A true heavyweight of the digital piano market.
The W. Hoffmann Professional series grand pianos are built in the Czech Republic by C. Bechstein Europe (a wholly-owned subsidiary of C. Bechstein Germany), based on many of the same designs and parts that are used in the Bechstein Academy series as well as the Tradition Series. They are built to satisfy professional pianists, discerning hobbyists, and institutional buyers alike. They are a hand-made instrument with excellent precision of the touch, clear and well-separated tone, and excellent sustain and projection for their price and size.
They are available with Bechstein Vario systems, and in this particular video and article review, we'll be looking at the W.Hoffmann 188 Professional model. We hope you enjoy the material and find it helpful!
W. Hoffmann Professional P188 Grand Piano Review Video Transcription
Hi, everybody, I'm Stu Harrison and we're here at Merriam Pianos with another piano review. Today, we're looking at and listening to the W.Hoffmann 188 Professional 6-foot-3 grand piano.
The P188 is a dark horse in almost every sense of the word. And it comes from a line of pianos which I have already had a lot of very good things to say about. The professional series of grand pianos under the W. Hoffmann brand designed and built by C. Bechstein in Europe. And for people who shop for pianos based on max value, in other words, high quality and the best performance for the best price, there are only two other pianos on the planet that I'd put in the same category of absolutely insane performance for the dollars, which means there are about 50 that I wouldn't. So let's get into its pedigree. The P188 shares considerable lineage from the C. Bechstein Academy B190 piano (which you can also buy from Bechstein's German factory where they're built along with the C. Bechstein Concert series), a scant two-hour drive up the road from the Czech factory that this beauty actually comes from.
But there's a critical difference here. Yes, you save on the Czech labor and you don't get the Bechstein badge. But that Czech Republic factory is actually the old Bohemia plant, which was probably the most highly respected group of piano builders in Eastern Europe in the 1980s and '90s. Now, it's been injected with 50 million euro shot in the arm in the form of new equipment, new training, and essentially a full-plant rebuild. It's also a big brother to the P162 Hoffmann. Just playing these instruments, you can also taste the pride and excitement that exists at that factory being squeezed into every one of these grand pianos.
Unique Tone
So what about the piano, specifically to me, makes this such an extraordinary value amongst new pianos? Well, for starters, the tone. It's actually unique. It doesn't sound like every other piano in the range. And it's right in the middle of a Yamaha and a Steinway in terms of bright and dark attack.
The instrument projects a significant mid and treble without feeling empty on the bass. It's well-balanced, maybe a slight bias towards the higher end, which makes this ideal for early and mid-classical repertoire, jazz players, and probably a decent amount of pop as well. In that regard, parts of the tone reminded me of a lot of the mid-sized Bösendorfer conservatory series, except this is half the price.
That tone is coming from a unique bridge design that actually compresses the energy slightly, and a true Austrian white spruce soundboard with a tight grain. And C. Bechstein's trademark scissor joint soundboard planking, which actually increases the surface area between the planks. In addition, Bechstein makes their own hammerheads for all of their series, and the Professional W. Hoffmann series is no exception. High-quality double-felted hammers with mahogany cores make for excellent attack and bloom to the note.
Action & Touch
Second, the action assembly deserves some serious mention. While the design isn't anything special on paper, the level of factory prep that they're putting out is impressive. You get an acoustic piano which is effortless to play. And for people accustomed to slightly lighter touches, you will love playing this instrument. For people used to digging in on something a little meatier like a Shigeru Kawai or a Steinway, this is gonna take a bit of adjustment but nothing dramatic, maybe just, I don't know, lay off the spinach for a couple of weeks. Third, the finish and the cabinet quality are top-notch. Once you stare at pianos all day long like I do, you start to realize that a $20,000 shiny black piano does not have the same finish quality that a $100,000 piano has.
Perhaps most obviously, all Professional Series are done in a special design which gives the piano an overall "chrome look" to the piano. This comes from chrome fittings instead of brass, as well as a plate sprayed with silver. Generally speaking, the fit and finish is executed at a very high level, which is the type of piano-making that we've all come to expect from the Hradec Kralove facility.
Conclusions
So if you're a player who doesn't mind getting a little off the beaten path in terms of the piano you buy, the W. Hoffmann P188 is going to deliver a massive wallop in the price range normally dominated by Yamaha CX and S series or the Kawai SK series, and actually delivers intensely satisfying sound that gets a lot closer to the type of bell-like clarity you're normally gonna get out of top-level European pianos for two or three times its price. It's great for schools, it's great for churches, smaller project studios, or home enthusiasts, high-level students as well. I really, really love this piano. Thank you so much for taking a few minutes of your time to learn a bit more about it. Again, I'm Stu Harrison. And we're here at Merriam Pianos.
The Roland FP-90 is a premium portable piano that combines elements of a stage piano with performance enhancements like rhythm accompaniments, live mic effects, 3-band equalizer, high-quality onboard speakers, and available 3 pedal unit. It has emerged as a flagship piano for Roland and bench-setter in the category, competing head to head with Yamaha's P5** series as well as Kawai's ES8 digital piano. We hope you enjoy this video review and accompanying article from Merriam Pianos.
Roland FP90 Review Video Transcription
Hi everybody and welcome to another digital piano review here at Merriam Pianos. My name is Stu Harrison and today, we're looking at Roland's mighty FP-90 Digital Piano. We're going to be covering the sound quality and the tone engines, we're going to be taking a look at the action, talking about all its features. And of course, I'll be sharing some musical thoughts and experiences on this instrument myself. If this is the first time to the channel, we'd really appreciate it if you subscribed. We'd love the support and, of course, you'll be kept up to date with all things piano. So let's get started on the Roland FP-90 digital piano.
Roland's Supernatural Piano Sound Engine
So let's talk about the sound on the Roland FP-90 digital piano. We're going to split this up into the sound engine and then also the sound banks or the tones that are loaded onto this machine. So the piano sound engine on the FP-90 is pretty exciting for something that's portable, something in this price range because it uses a sound creation process called modeling, which is Roland's flagship tone engine: they call it "Supernatural Piano Modeling". This is exactly the same type of technology that was available first on the V-Piano that Roland brought out, and is now also available in a number of their other kind of higher-end products like the RD-2000, has the modeling engine in there. And basically, what a modeling engine is, is a computer algorithm that is completely generating the piano tone in real-time as you press the key. So this is a complete change from what normally digital pianos produce their sound from where you press a key and it's playing back a sample, which is like a recording of another piano having had that note played. What happens with modeling is it's kind of like real-time computer graphics, where you press the key and the computer from scratch based on the algorithm actually generates the tone and it uses that based on a number of other parameters that might be occurring or happening at the same time. This all results in a highly detailed piano sound that can be moulded to your specific preferences. Every aspect of the complex sound profile can be manipulated, and with the Bluetooth technology discussed below, you can use "Piano Designer" to modify it to your heart's content.
More significantly, it's the only FP model in the whole FP series that offers that. So the sound engine on this, when you're in acoustic piano mode or piano mode, you're actually getting some V-Piano technology in this - modeling technology and so that gives you literally unlimited polyphony. Now, when you switch into all of the other sounds, now you're back into the SuperNATURAL engine, which is based more on conventional sampling, and still going to give you 388 note polyphony on all the sample based stuff. And so that's going to cover things like your E-piano, your strings, your organ, your pad, and synths all that other stuff - a whole range of additional sounds.
It's super cool to hear this because usually, it takes a larger grand piano on the acoustic side to be hearing those types of colors and wide dynamic range. And it's engaging to be able to get this out of a digital piano. So that's the tone engine, or really kind of two-tone engines in one, the modeling on the piano and then the SuperNATURAL sound on the other. When we get into the type of sounds that are loaded into the instrument, we're well over 300 on the FP-90. We have a really good selection of acoustic pianos. This was the concert piano that you're hearing here. Very colorful, I would say trends a little on the bright side. But, of course, you've got your onboard equalizer, you can quickly kind of take care of that and I'll be talking a little more about the equalizer later. Then you've got what they call the ballad piano, and that's mellow piano, bright, so on and so forth. So it goes through a number of different models. Upright piano. Oh, I like that. That's mellow upright. So it has, it looks like about 9 or 10 acoustic sounds, and then it gets into a number of other keyboard instruments, harpsichord, '70s, electric grand pianos, all that sort of stuff.
Then we hit the E-pianos, which are just gorgeous - honestly, a truly premium selection of electric piano tones. The tremolo amp simulator that Roland loads up on these is very convincing. And all of your kind of normal suite of E-pianos you're going to get on there, your Wurlys, your Rhodes models, it's all there. The strings are a little poppy, they're a little bright, but when you blend them, totally passable, totally convincing. Your organ sounds are there too, your synth sounds, your electric piano sounds, and your pads. Something I would say Roland is really well-known for is their pad selection. Like really rich sound and creamy piano sounds in there. I should mention that once we get into the general MIDI bank and even through electric pianos and the strings, this is exactly the same sounds that are available on the FP-60 actually. So somebody watching this might also be comparing the FP-60, and thinking to themselves, well, where's the advantage of the FP-90? Well, what we were first talking about, that sound engine, that V-Piano modeling technology that's loaded in there, that's one of the big reasons why you might consider actually springing for the Roland FP-90 versus the FP-60.
Speaker System
Now, to round out the discussion of sound, we can't neglect to talk about the speaker system that is on the FP-90. This thing is loaded up with 60 watts of onboard sound system and they're really beautifully balanced, and sort of factory set so that it's very difficult to actually distort these even if you kind of max the whole thing out. It's a powerful sound out of the piano's speaker system, one that makes it almost entirely self-contained for intimate venues. So the FP-90 can actually fill up a smaller medium-sized room and act as it's own primary amplifier. So for people who are doing some light gigging or using this for rehearsal or something like that in a smaller venue, that's kind of a big deal to have enough power onboard to avoid lugging a separate big heavy amp around with you. It's going to give you 60 watts of sound right out of the box. And that's a handy thing. Now, that's divided into 2 x 25 watt mains, and then 2 x 5 watt tweeters. So you're also getting 4 speakers straight out over those 60 watts. Also, it's a multi-channel speaker system with processing, so each of the four speakers are receiving distinct signal, also something a bit unusual for a piano in this price range. So that pretty much wraps up the sound. We're going to move on to action now, but before we do, we're going to splash a slide up on the screen so you can see all those specs.
Authentic Grand Piano Touch
Now, let's dive into action. The Roland FP-90 is equipped with the Progressive Hammer Action with escapement (PHA 50), an action which delivers great feel, excellent sensitivity, and industrial-level durability. Now, this is an action that came out from Roland, maybe what, four years ago, three or four years ago, and it shows up on a number of models. You can get this now on the DP-603, it's available on the RD-2000. I know it's available on the FP-90, and then I believe a number of their HP and LX models also feature the PHA 50. What's interesting about the PHA 50 is it follows the trend of incorporating wood components into the action. So if you actually press the key down on an FP-90, and you look at the side of the key or the core of the key, it's actually wood. So what that does, because, to be honest, at first, I thought this was a little bit of a gimmick. The more and more I play it, the more I realized that having that wood core actually properly simulates the dynamic weight and the dynamic resistance of the key. So you get a much more realistic repetition speed, I feel like you get a much more realistic keystroke, just generally every aspect of it, than you do when you're dealing with a hollow plastic key. If anything, you have a sense that it's a lot more secure, your finger kind of tends to pick up on a little bit of give and that hollowness in the plastic key and it's just not there on the PHA 50. It's a really solid key, and it's got a nice satisfying stroke as it goes from the top to the bottom of the key travel.
One big difference or I should say another big difference with the PHA 50 over its predecessor, which is the PHA 4, and that's the action that you still get in the FP-10, the FP-30, and the FP-60 is this has a triple sensor on it, versus the single sensor which you're going to get in most of the PHA 4 actions. So what does a triple sensor good for? Well, if you are using the FP-90 for any kind of production, if you're going to be feeding MIDI information from the FP-90 into a tablet or computer for any type of recording, that triple sensor really does make a difference. You're going to wind up having to do a lot less velocity editing, afterward, you're going to find that it's going to output your performance much more accurately. There's not going to be as many sort of random spikes in the velocity or loss notes. So it's like basically, three ways that the key measures what you've actually done and so it's like triple checking that it's accurate before, you know, your computer or the tablet receives it. Kawai has done this as well, integrating the triple sensor and it does make a difference. So if you're using it, as I said, for production, the triple sensor is a good thing. If you're using this for any type of classical playing, I would say the wood core and the PHA 50 is also going to be a really nice feature if the budget permits you to get into some kind of an instrument with the PHA 50 action. In addition to the wood core and triple sensor, we've got kind of an ivory feel that's been simulated on here. It's subtle, but I like it. It sort of adds a little bit of grip on the white key. It sort of looks cool, too. I mean, for whatever that's worth, I think it looks like a classy keyboard. It also has an ebony wood simulation on top of the black keys. So that's pretty much what you're looking at in terms of the action. A really solid action that's going to serve pretty much any genre really well. A more solid feel than what you get on the PHA 4, and your triple sensor for extra accuracy.
Other Important Features
Let's move on to features. One of the biggest features that I wanna draw your attention to on the FP-90 is actually the user interface or that front panel with all of the switches and knobs. When Roland came out with the FP-60 and the FP-90, the biggest change I would say was this visual difference in how the controls are laid out, how the buttons are laid, how you really interact with the instruments. And I would have to say this is one of the most successful sort of redesigns or forget the redesign, just one of the most easy to navigate successful user interfaces of any keyboard that I've ever used. Period. Somebody or group of people really spent a lot of time getting feedback from users and spending some time in the drawing board to make sure they got this right and I'm just going to go from left to right or your right to left. Talking about every reason why this is an easy to use machine, virtually no need to ever to consult the user manual and something that's ideal for live situations. So you're not having to rely on all kinds of presets, or all kinds of shortcut commands, you know, making these changes on the fly is super easy with how they've laid this out. So first of all, you've got a slider volume knob that's really easy to use. I know that sounds super obvious, but some of the keyboards out there even some of the Roland keyboards out there, now have like button control on the volume. And just from a personal standpoint, I'm not a fan. I really like when you've got a physical knob or physical slider that clearly shows where the volume is, and doesn't require any sort of button manipulation to switch it.
Moving on to the equalizer, which is probably my favorite function of this whole machine. And this is on the FP-60 as well. You've got a Low, Mid, and High EQ, which is so easy to use, and it's very effective. You can pretty much get 95% of the way to your perfect piano just by modifying and playing around with the EQ settings.
So you can see as I kind of jack the mids, jack the lows, you're getting dramatically different sounds out of exactly the same patch, right, this is all just concert piano. So that's really cool. Plus for, I don't know, it's called power users out there, you can actually go in and modify, you know, basically it's a parametric EQ. So with a three band parametric EQ, you can set these sliders to represent any widths and frequency focus within the advanced settings. That's just fantastic and I really enjoy that feature.
Next one over, and this is something that I only actually recently realized and so for current owners out there, I'll mention this and for now, it's just a tip. The ambience button allows you to quickly edit, you know, whether the ambience is what they call plain and rich, really it's the reverb engine. So plain means that it's a shallow depth and short time. Rich means it's a deeper depth and a longer decay on the reverb. What's a little bit odd is that you can't really turn the ambience on or off by pressing the button even though the button light does come on or off, which seems a little odd. But that's how you do access the sitting and I'll just show you right here. So I've got ambience set to eight, so it's super obvious. But turning the ambience off, it's still there. So that is not really an on-off button. So if people are getting frustrated, it's simply the button that accesses the ambience slider and then of course, you can turn it off like that, or you can do that.
You've got your part slider lower and upper. And so that's of course when you've got some sort of a split or duo mode, that it's really nice and easy to be able to mix and match. I'll quickly demonstrate that. So if you've got strings and piano, you can completely shut the strings off, slowly mix them in or completely shut the piano off. Really nice tactile controls, love it. Then you've got easy access to your split duo mode or your transpose functions. And then all your tone categories are beautifully laid out, plus the option for registration button. That really just means presets. That just means whenever you find some combination of sounds, and rhythms, whatever and you wanna commit that to memory, so you don't have to recreate that next time you turn it on. That's what your registration keys are there for. They're easy to use, they're really super obvious. Maybe that's the only thing you might wanna use the owner manual for just so that you kind of understand the process of saving and creating those.
Then we've got your function key, which allows you to go into all sorts of really cool stuff. But I would say the biggest onboard feature that you're going to wanna play around with would be the piano designer. So this is where they're going to give you access to that V-Piano engine. This is where you're going to be able to modify and play around with and I'll just actually get in there so I can show you all the stuff. So piano designer, this is where you can edit how open or closed the lid is, or the sound the key makes when you let off the key, the hammer noise, duplex scale, string resonance, damper resonance, key-off resonance. Like just insane amounts of detail that you have. And that's right on board and there's actually a little graphics right on the display to help you understand what it is that you are editing.
Connectivity And Ports
And then finally, we get on to the song and the MIDI and I guess USB audio playback function, which is over here. So with a USB memory key, you can load up WAV or MP3 audio that you can playback through all kinds of different scenarios where that might be useful to you. You can also record onto a USB stick, which I know is very helpful for a lot of teachers, that's kind of a big educational function there. And then the FP-90 also has a mic input. Now, it's not XLR, it is just quarter-inch, but you can still get pretty decent microphones for quarter-inch and the mic can be easily turned on and off with your microphone volume slider, and it gives you compression. And it also lets you have like a voice doubler for vocal effects on it. Now, I would demonstrate that except I'm literally the world's worst singer. So just take my word for it that this function exists or try it yourself. It is actually a lot of fun.
Finally, the very last set of features that I wanna talk about is not something you can literally see on there, but nonetheless it is really super handy. One of those is the Bluetooth connectivity, something that Roland has prioritized but Yamaha has yet to implement on their equivalent P series. This is something that is built into all of the FP series and certainly is on the FP-90 and this is what allows you to hook up a tablet or a smartphone and control the instrument directly with the Piano Designer 2 app that lets you change the sounds, lets you start and stop the intelligent accompaniment that's built into this, also lets you do wireless recording to your device. All kinds of really handy stuff. That piano designer we were mentioning inside, there is also a free app that Roland makes, so you can do this virtually speaking. And then of course, because it's Bluetooth MIDI, this is like a, you know, a universal musical tech language, it's open source. This is the stuff that you can get music apps, tons and tons of apps on the App Store or Google Play Store or whatever, that lets you make use of that wireless MIDI support. And so this becomes kind of just like a keyboard for apps that you can download. And, you know, some really well-known apps like Garage Band, Logic, Roland's Piano Partner 2, and all sorts of stuff like that you can use with the wireless MIDI. The MIDI connection also works as a Bluetooth Audio connection so that you can use the premium speaker system as a stereo, or play your favorite songs through the piano's speakers as you play along.
The FP90 is also loaded with classic piano songs, and within the Piano Partner App, you can see the associated sheet music as well. The Bluetooth just to jump back a couple of topics, you can also use this beautiful speaker system as a Bluetooth speaker. So if you have a, you know, a smartphone, and you're wanting to play along to some of your favorite music, you can just set your smartphone, set your FP-90 as the Bluetooth speaker and play along at the same time. So all of it is coming through the speaker, no cables, it's really easy to use or you can plug in your headphones. You're going to love that feature as well.
Keyboard Stands & Accessories
Last but not least, the Roland FP-90 comes in two colors, you can get it in black (FP-90-BK), and you can get it in a white finish (FP-90-WH). And you can also get it just in the slab format, which is what you're seeing here. Basically just the keyboard sitting on a, you know, a portable stand with the DP-10 Damper pedal included. Or you can get it with a really beautiful wooden matching kind of furniture stand (optional KSC-90 stand), as well as a triple pedal system (KPD-90 pedal) or the pedal unit (RPU-3 triple pedal) on its own that Roland makes for it. This would give you full sostenuto, damper/soft pedal, and damper function. So lots of different options on how to enjoy the FP-90 whether it's going to be sitting in one place, or you're going to be lugging it around. But generally speaking, what we've got in the FP-90 is a keyboard for all seasons. This is something that's going to accommodate players of both contemporary and classical repertoire because you've got a really accurate action, very sensitive action, and a detailed piano tone. So the people with, you know, a high degree of expectation for all of that, you know, tonal complexity, it's all there.
For people who are using this as a stage piano for live performances, you've got really nice easy to use, you know, real-time control that's going to make this satisfying, easy to patch into other systems. You've got your audio outputs out the back with quarter-inch, which you can use in stereo mode or automatically switches to mono if you just plug in the Left channel. which is a really great feature as well. And then of course, for singer/songwriters, you've got the option of your microphone input, and the ability to playback tracks that you can then just enhance with some piano and some voice.
The Roland FP90 Digital is a really, a beautiful comprehensive all in one unit from Roland. We've been loving it here at Merriam. I think you'll love it for home use, so get to a showroom, try one yourself, and most of all, thanks for watching. We will see you back soon for another piano review. My name is Stu Harrison, and you've been watching Merriam Pianos.
