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Need advice on new keyboard: yamaha, roland, or other? ($1,000)


mac336

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Hey guys, I started playing piano about 2 years ago and am looking to get a keyboard. I

besides guitar center, not too many places I can go to try keyboards. from playing the keyboards at GC, I think I am partial towards the feel of the yamaha, but models differ and my local GC's selection sucks.

basically, I need you opinion on a good keyboard around 1,000

From listening on youtube videos, I really like the Yamaha P-120, but they dont sell that anymore. i know they have the p-155 and I'm guessing its pretty much identical?

choosing a keyboard based on how it sounds in youtube videos is pretty dumb though, so I am coming here to get opinions from seasoned players who have demo'd lots of keyboards.

just want some opinions, advice, suggestions to help guide me to the best keyboard for the $.

not really partial towards any style of play. Just looking for a great all around keyboard with great feeling weighted action

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The Yamaha CP33 has weighted action and 88 keys. It has a fine piano sound (heard in this demo)... there are also couple of different acoustic pianos, a couple of electric pianos, organs, strings, vibes, and whatnot. You don't buy one of these for the 'other' sounds, though - it is basically just a digital piano with a few extras.

In this demo, the CP33 was recorded directly to my iPhone using a Fostex AR-4i interface, without any microphones, so the sound is relatively accurate.

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The challenge is the fact that you specify you want "a great all around keyboard with great feeling weighted action."

Typically, weighted actions only come with the 88-key models, and the quality can vary in the entry-level models. Ultimately you are going to have to play them and decide if they're what you want, regardless of any opinions or comments that you receive.

Yamaha has the MM8, which is $899. It offers "sounds based upon the Motif" and 88 key hammer action. It's the entry level model - like I said, you'd have to try one of these and see if it works for you. Otherwise, you're up the food chain to about $1,599 or $1,699 for the 88-key versions of the Korg Krome and Yamaha MOX respectively.

FYI, I have six video demos of the Yamaha MOX6

. In these demos, the MOX was recorded directly to my iMac without using microphones.

If you can do without weighted action (and 88 keys), the Korg Krome 61 is $999 and Yamaha MOX6 is $1,199. These things give you hundreds and hundreds of awesome, professional quality sounds, along with workstation (recording) capabilities.

To further complicate things, Yamaha has another 61-key model coming out in a couple of months - the MX61, which is supposed to be $799. I don't know what's different about this keyboard as compared to the MOX6, which is $400 more.

Bottom line is that if you want true weighted action, this is going to drive the price of the keyboard up considerably. IMHO, in that price range you'd be better off buying a digital piano, such as the Yamaha CP33 I mentioned above, or a comparable instrument from Roland or Korg (I am not familiar with these).

Confused? Just wait until someone pops in here and starts giving advice on USED keyboards that can be had for about $1,000 or less. smile.gif
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Quote Originally Posted by mac336 View Post
great feeling weighted action
Whether any under $1000 board has a great feeling weighted action is a mater of opinion, but the best actions in that price range (in no particular order) are probably the three found on the Casio PX150/PX350, Korg SP250, and Yamaha P155/CP33.

Of those, the CP33 has the best MIDI controller features, but is the only one without built-in speakers, if you care about that. Best sound is probably in the P155, but that's subjective. The one with the most additional sounds and features is the PX350.

Casio also makes the PX3 which is strong in MIDI control and extra sounds/features, though its piano sound and action lag behind the PX150/PX350, and it does not have speakers.
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Quote Originally Posted by keybdwizrd View Post
The Yamaha CP33 has weighted action and 88 keys. It has a fine piano sound (heard in this demo)... there are also couple of different acoustic pianos, a couple of electric pianos, organs, strings, vibes, and whatnot. You don't buy one of these for the 'other' sounds, though - it is basically just a digital piano with a few extras.

In this demo, the CP33 was recorded directly to my iPhone using a Fostex AR-4i interface, without any microphones, so the sound is relatively accurate.

Why is your mod wheel full on? Is it linked to reverb?
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thanks for the input.

I should also add that I would prefer the keyboard to have onboard speakers because I do not have any amp or speakers that I can hook up a keyboard to. If you recommend a speakerless keyboard, also recommend me an amp/speaker for it but try to keep it under 1,000 !

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Quote Originally Posted by mac336 View Post
thanks for the input.

I should also add that I would prefer the keyboard to have onboard speakers because I do not have any amp or speakers that I can hook up a keyboard to. If you recommend a speakerless keyboard, also recommend me an amp/speaker for it but try to keep it under 1,000 !
I wish I could remember what not to recommend. I was playing a few of these in our Best Buy the other day and found the actions to not be very good on one of the Casios and a Yamaha. If I am around there again in the next day or two, I'll pop in and grab the model numbers.
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Quote Originally Posted by mac336 View Post
I should also add that I would prefer the keyboard to have onboard speakers because I do not have any amp or speakers that I can hook up a keyboard to. If you recommend a speakerless keyboard, also recommend me an amp/speaker for it but try to keep it under 1,000 !
Well, there's also headphones! And along those lines, if you audition these, you may find that the model that sounds best through its speakers is not the one that sounds best through headphones (or, therefore. when recording, or playing through some other amp, if you ever need to).

Anyway, with speakers, I think you should try the P155, PX350, and SP250, which would generally be considered to be the boards with the higher quality actions in models with speakers that are under a grand.
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If you get a used P-120 for under $500 (I've seen them as low as $300), you'll have money left over for speakers. The onboard speakers can be really nice, but you don't get the full sound without decent external speakers.

FWIW, the one time I played a P-120, I was thoroughly impressed with the sound of the acoustic piano, the rhodes, and the quality of the built-in speakers. What's nice about it too is that it's been around long enough that there are quite a few out there, so you can probably find one at a good price.

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