Yamaha, Kaway or Kurzweil?

[pist]

Hi Guys
I am new to pianos and to this forum, and could really do with some help.

I am looking at buying a good digital piano for my children to practice on (one aged 9 just passed grade 1 after 1 yrs tuition the other aged 6 just started), + I am also trying to keep up with the youngest myself.

I originally set out to identify the best I could find in the £800- £1000 bracket but then wondered how much maybe going up a model towards £1200 would be worth it. My short list is:

-Yamaha CL 320 or 330 - Would the GH3 be worth the extra expense? What do people mean when they say Yamahas sound bright?

-Kawai CN 22 or 32

-Kurzweil mark pro one i or mark pro two i. - This doesn't have 1/2 pedal function - How much is that needed?

My first priority is to get as realistic a feel as possible (being a beginner, I am not brilliant at judging this ) and a good sound. Some choice of different voices does help keep the childen entertained; and from my point of view it wouldn't hurt if the piano doesn't look too bad in the living room either (eg if there isn't too much quality difference between two models I might choose the lover spec with a better looking/more expensive finish)

My gut feeling at the moment is to go with what seems to be the safe option of the Clavinova, but could do with some more opinions from people who are not trying to sell me stuff (does anyone know anything about the classentis by any chance?)

Would really appreciate your advice
Thanks
pist

[markymark]

Does anyone know anything about the classentis by any chance?

See this thread: http://www.uk-piano.org/piano-forums/vi ... 979#p35979

The GH3 is generally considered to be noticeably better than the GH action on the CLP320. Some people think that Yamaha digitals are "too bright" as opposed to mellow and smooth sounding which is what you get in the other two names you mentioned.

Kawai's piano samples are smoother but not as realistic and I would have to say the same for the Rolands. I have tried many of the new Rolands and at least in the early to mid range products, the hammer actions vary from too light to "mechanical" feeling. But that is my impression of them. Some who notice this can get past this because they prefer the sounds and the features.

The CLP330 is a nice instrument and with the GH3 keyboard action, I think that you will get a good keyboard action and sound quality in one package.

I would really encourage you to try these instruments for yourself - who knows? Maybe you'll be one of the group who prefer the darker and mellow sounding Rolands or the Kawais.

[pist]

Thanks, for your advice markymark. - Armed with that, I set off to look and feel this week. Have now disregarded the CLP220, CN22 and the Kurzweil (its hammer action is not graded), and is now left dithering between the CLP 330 and the CN32.

There are things I like about both and they both seem to meet all my demands in specs and I thought they boths sounded ok; so really it is down to the conundrum between the more voices of the Kawai (popular w. the kids = more practice) and in my (exremely humble and inexperinced opinion) possibly slightly better touch of the CLP330. Trying them both (in the same shop), I thought the CLP330 was perhaps a bit heavier, and when hitting the keys at different velocities, I thought its sound seemed more differentiated than that of the CN32. I am going back to the shop to have another go and hoping to bring a pianoplaying friend with me. Have any of you got a view of which of these have got the most realistic touch? - I have got a feeling this will be the deciding factor

pist

[markymark]

Kurzweil (its hammer action is not graded)

The vast majority of them aren't! I am keen on the Kurzweil PC3X but the keyboard action has been an off-put because of the very light hammer action. For piano-based learning, you do need it to be a graded action - so the new Mark Pros still do not have a graded hammer action? Tut, tut!

I can't speak from experience because I have not been able to source a Kawai dealer/stockist here in Ireland but I have read that the best and heaviest hammer actions are to be found in the wooden hammer action keyboards from Kawai - again secondhand information.

I do know that the GH3 keyboard action is very realistic - more so than the GH action on say the CLP320 - and many people who come here for advice turn to the CLP330 as an alternative, allbeit a few hundrew pounds more expensive.

Sorry I can't help more.

[pist]

Thanks Markymark - I'll let you know how I get on.

pist