I've tried out the PX150 so far but not the ES100. What's the difference between the two?

There's a nice review of the ES100 here:

http://azpianonews.blogspot.com/2013/10...s-new.html

Two features that the ES100 doesn't have that the Casio does have is 1) triple sensor action. The ES100 has two sensors while the more expensive Kawai's have three sensors. And 2) ivory and ebony key feel.

However, it sounds like the Kawai might have better key mechanics that emulate the feel of a piano and the internal piano sounds are probably better than the Casio. At least this experienced blogger at azpianonews  suggests this. He says that now the Kawai is the best you can get for under $1000.

I would probably try both before choosing. The Casio came out 2 years ago and the Kawai just came out.

Owning a Casio PX350 (big brother of the px150) and having tested an ES100, I was very, very happy I choosed the Casio. My personal opinion of course.

I've tried out the PX150 so far but not the ES100. What's the difference between the two?

* Light weight
* Keys have ivory texture
* Triple sensor (all other keyboards in this price range have just two sensors per key
* High resolution MIDI. The PX-150 has over 14,000 possible velocity values instead of 127
* Scaled hammer action. The lower keys feel heavier than the upper keys
* The internal piano sound is not bad, and the electric piano sounds are pretty good.

Kridlatec wrote:

I've read a lot of good things about Studiologic VMK-188+. 450-500 euro on musicstore.de. As I remember, it has the same action as Numa Nero, and the only difference: Numa goes with wooden keys.
Have someone here experienced this keyboard?
P.S. Of course, If you need Midi-controller to use with Pianoteq, not sounding digital piano

I have one! And I like the feel of the keyboard a lot (but I don't think it's the same as Numa Nero)... But, I think it's to easy to rech velocity 127, you can't change velocity curves on the 188+... I also have a problem with it regarding restarts... Sometimes it just restarts... And some time it get realy messed up and send the wrong midi-notes, so I ave a problem trusting it. And of course it's no built in sound...

I hope others have better experience of the 188+

Thanks for your post! Studiologic uses Fatar keys. VMK188+ has TP40 and Numa has TP40Wood. As I understood, the action is the same.

Are VMK-188 keys not deep enough?

liquidbladez wrote:

sorry i don't know much about Dps, what do you mean by PTQ? and why would i need to hook it up to a computer?

Basics:

A "digital piano" has three essential parts:

. . . a keyboard (the white-and-black keys, and associated electronics sensors) that
. . .    generates MIDI (musical-instrument digital interface) messages;

. . . a "sound generator" that takes the MIDI messages ("note A5 on, velocity 65", etc) and
. . . turns them into electronic signals that (if you listened to them with a headphone) sound like a piano;

. . . an amplifier and loudspeaker(s) to actually "play" the sound into the room.

The Casio PX-150 has about the best keyboard mechanism you can buy for the amount of money you have to spend.  Its built-in sound generator isn't bad.  Its amp and speakers are too low-powered, and too small, to _really_ sound like a piano.   But _for its price_, it's a good choice.

. . . and it can send its MIDI keyboard signals to a computer,
. . . and it has "headphone" jacks to drive either headphones, or an external amp and speakers.

Pianoteq is a piece of software that runs on a PC, and performs the work of the "sound generator" part of a digital piano.

So it's possible to set up something like:

. . . You play the PX-150 keyboard,
. . . . . which sends MIDI messages to Pianoteq (running on a PC)
. . . . . . .   which sends electronic signals to an amp and speaker.

The advantage:

. . . Pianoteq sounds more like an "acoustic piano" than the PX-150 sound generator;

. . . the outboard amp and speakers sound more like an "acoustic piano" (in tonal range, and loudness)
. . .   than the PX-150's built-in loudspeakers.

Now, that setup will cost more than your $700 budget.  But you don't have to buy it all at once.

.      Charles

PS -- bias -- I own Pianoteq, and a PX-350 (the "big brother" to the PX-150, with the same keyboard mechanism and more features), and a substantial PA loudspeaker to play them through.

I also own the PX-350. There was just another thread about this. You can find a review about the PX-350 in Keyboard magazine on the web. I highly recommend this. You probably have to spend $1500 to get board with a better feel and the triple sensor action.

You can get the PX-150 with a stand for a little less than $500
Then you can get Pianoteq stage version for around $125
Then you can get something like the Logitech Z2300 used for about $100. This puts out 200W. It's about the best you can do on a low budget, and it blows away the speakers that come with the PX-150 and PX-350.

That puts you at $725. Right around budget.

sorry i don't know much about Dps, what do you mean by PTQ? and why would i need to hook it up to a computer?

If you don't know PTQ (PianoTeQ) why are you asking your question in the Pianoteq user forum?

Simple but good standalone pianos are made by Roland, Yamaha, Kawai. Personally I am not a Casio fan. But it does give you good value for the money.

You could also consider looking around on the 2nd hand market.

I've read a lot of good things about Studiologic VMK-188+. 450-500 euro on musicstore.de. As I remember, it has the same action as Numa Nero, and the only difference: Numa goes with wooden keys.
Have someone here experienced this keyboard?
P.S. Of course, If you need Midi-controller to use with Pianoteq, not sounding digital piano

I have one! And I like the feel of the keyboard a lot (but I don't think it's the same as Numa Nero)... But, I think it's to easy to rech velocity 127, you can't change velocity curves on the 188+... I also have a problem with it regarding restarts... Sometimes it just restarts... And some time it get realy messed up and send the wrong midi-notes, so I ave a problem trusting it. And of course it's no built in sound...

I hope others have better experience of the 188+

sorry i don't know much about Dps, what do you mean by PTQ? and why would i need to hook it up to a computer?

Basics:

A "digital piano" has three essential parts:

. . . a keyboard (the white-and-black keys, and associated electronics sensors) that
. . .    generates MIDI (musical-instrument digital interface) messages;

. . . a "sound generator" that takes the MIDI messages ("note A5 on, velocity 65", etc) and
. . . turns them into electronic signals that (if you listened to them with a headphone) sound like a piano;

. . . an amplifier and loudspeaker(s) to actually "play" the sound into the room.

The Casio PX-150 has about the best keyboard mechanism you can buy for the amount of money you have to spend.  Its built-in sound generator isn't bad.  Its amp and speakers are too low-powered, and too small, to _really_ sound like a piano.   But _for its price_, it's a good choice.

. . . and it can send its MIDI keyboard signals to a computer,
. . . and it has "headphone" jacks to drive either headphones, or an external amp and speakers.

Pianoteq is a piece of software that runs on a PC, and performs the work of the "sound generator" part of a digital piano.

So it's possible to set up something like:

. . . You play the PX-150 keyboard,
. . . . . which sends MIDI messages to Pianoteq (running on a PC)
. . . . . . .   which sends electronic signals to an amp and speaker.

The advantage:

. . . Pianoteq sounds more like an "acoustic piano" than the PX-150 sound generator;

. . . the outboard amp and speakers sound more like an "acoustic piano" (in tonal range, and loudness)
. . .   than the PX-150's built-in loudspeakers.

Now, that setup will cost more than your $700 budget.  But you don't have to buy it all at once.

.      Charles

PS -- bias -- I own Pianoteq, and a PX-350 (the "big brother" to the PX-150, with the same keyboard mechanism and more features), and a substantial PA loudspeaker to play them through.

Whatever you get, make sure:
- it has 88 keys and "weighted" or piano action -- accept nothing less
- you genuinely like the feel of action
- it can hook up to an external sound generator (like PTQ) using MIDI or maybe USB
- it has proper line-level outputs -- not just the headphone jacks

and it's nice if:
- the pedal isn't just an on off switch (on a real piano, you can vary the touch of the damper pedal--not just on off)
- it's not too heavy
- it's not ugly

I don't know where you live, but where I live you can watch Kijiji for free old pianos. That's a large topic and a free piano may cost your budget just to get it into your house and tuned (assuming it's in good condition). And they need to be tuned at least annually or when your ear says to. And if you think you'll be moving any time soon, consider having that anchor dragging around.

But no digital piano is a real piano. It may be better-sounding, even (I record using PTQ--I'd be a fool to use my old upright for recording) and more convenient and tra-la-la. But no digital piano is a real piano.

So if you are coming from this angle, the feel of the keys should be the top deciding factor -- since you're gonna hook up a computer + PTQ to it anyways, right???

This points to a $500 PX-150 as your best option.  Competing Yamaha DPs at the same price point have lighter keys w/o triple sensors so it's a bit more synthy feel.  Yamahas with equal/better key action start at $1000 for the P155 and go up from there -- definitely a budget buster.

A Kawai ES100 at $800 would be just a bit over your budget but might be worth it to stretch for it.