Hello Digital Piano forum
I am looking to buy a portable digital piano and have narrowed down my search to the Kawai ES-6 and Roland FP-7. I have played both of them and although they are individual in the way they play and sound, I am struggling to decide between them.
What I am requiring from my piano:
Good action and good piano sound
Good rhodes type organ sound
Can be used as a midi controller (with Logic Pro on an Apple Mac)
Internal speakers sufficient for an acoustic set
Good sound through a PA
Able to pre-record a backing track/drum beat to play along with would also be handy to have but not at the expense of other requirements
I will often be needing to be a one gal band on gig nights and would dearly love authentic sounding instruments and backing samples. Nothing kitch, cheesey or a bad imitation.
I will be playing them both again soon. If anyone has any experience or advice on either option, be it good or bad, I would be grateful to hear it.
Many thanks for your help
Kawai ES-6 vs Roland FP-7
Moderator: Feg
Re: Kawai ES-6 vs Roland FP-7
Have a look at this link to do with Kawai digitals:
http://www.uk-piano.org/piano-forums/vi ... f=9&t=6877
I have no recent experience of Kawai digitals although I would like to track them down during the Easter holidays. There are good reviews about the FP7 but again, no personal experience. I will say that reviews about it mention that the weight of the instrument make it slightly undesirable for gigging. The build-in speakers are no doubt to blame for that.
I am personally interested in the FP7. The sound vibrations from the built-in speakers actually make the keyboard feel slightly more authentic and piano like.
http://www.uk-piano.org/piano-forums/vi ... f=9&t=6877
I have no recent experience of Kawai digitals although I would like to track them down during the Easter holidays. There are good reviews about the FP7 but again, no personal experience. I will say that reviews about it mention that the weight of the instrument make it slightly undesirable for gigging. The build-in speakers are no doubt to blame for that.
I am personally interested in the FP7. The sound vibrations from the built-in speakers actually make the keyboard feel slightly more authentic and piano like.
Re: Kawai ES-6 vs Roland FP-7
Read my review about the FP-7. I finally got to try on last week.
The ES-6 is still unknown to me although I have heard the samples online. Unfortunately, it sounds like it's missing something. The tone seems to skim over the top of the resonance and stringy tone of a piano. Too mellow and bland for my liking.
The ES-6 is still unknown to me although I have heard the samples online. Unfortunately, it sounds like it's missing something. The tone seems to skim over the top of the resonance and stringy tone of a piano. Too mellow and bland for my liking.
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sproutmonkey
- New Member
- Posts: 2
- Joined: 28 Mar 2009, 11:37
Re: Kawai ES-6 vs Roland FP-7
Many thanks Mark
I have decided to go with the Kawai ES 6. I will let you know how I get on with it.
In case it is of interest to anyone, the last time I went in to try out the keyboard, I found out that it has a rotary effect which you can access from and on/off pedal plugged into an input in the back. I'm not sure how to access the rotary effect otherwise, but it was enough give a little more variety to the organ/epiano sounds.
The piano sounds are really impressive from this keyboard, even just through it's own speakers. Also, I learn't that each of the piano sounds are able to be modified by 4 settings, so quadrupling the piano sounds available. You are able to get some quite dark gritty sounds from it as well as full grand sounds, and I heard some wonderful jazz, funk and honky tonk played on it! I'm dreaming of the day I can play like that. Through headphones the sound is even better, which I'm assuming might be reassuring for anyone wanting to rigg it up through a PA system.
My playing ability will not able to do it justice for a while as I'm still very much a beginner, but when you hear someone who can really play put it through it's paces, it's quite something.
I hope this is helpful.
I have decided to go with the Kawai ES 6. I will let you know how I get on with it.
In case it is of interest to anyone, the last time I went in to try out the keyboard, I found out that it has a rotary effect which you can access from and on/off pedal plugged into an input in the back. I'm not sure how to access the rotary effect otherwise, but it was enough give a little more variety to the organ/epiano sounds.
The piano sounds are really impressive from this keyboard, even just through it's own speakers. Also, I learn't that each of the piano sounds are able to be modified by 4 settings, so quadrupling the piano sounds available. You are able to get some quite dark gritty sounds from it as well as full grand sounds, and I heard some wonderful jazz, funk and honky tonk played on it! I'm dreaming of the day I can play like that. Through headphones the sound is even better, which I'm assuming might be reassuring for anyone wanting to rigg it up through a PA system.
My playing ability will not able to do it justice for a while as I'm still very much a beginner, but when you hear someone who can really play put it through it's paces, it's quite something.
I hope this is helpful.
Re: Kawai ES-6 vs Roland FP-7
Roland seem to be rather over-priced unless you are lucky enough to find "B-stock" or ex-demo stock, and even then, still slightly expensive.
I'm not keen on the Kawai sound when you move up to the top end of the keyboard - too mellow, even when struck hard for my liking. Yamaha tone is hard to beat to my ear!
I'm not keen on the Kawai sound when you move up to the top end of the keyboard - too mellow, even when struck hard for my liking. Yamaha tone is hard to beat to my ear!