Modartt user forum - Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller Keyboard

Re: Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller Keyboard

null@example.com (scherbakov.al) — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 20:57:26 +0000

Spoken VPC1 half a year. I play at work every day on the grand piano. Houses on VPC1. I do not have any problems performing at the piano. Even in a post VPC1-Pianoteq the grand piano easier to play). Pianoteq does an amazing thing: you can listen to the singing part of the listener, and you can listen to the artist ears)

Re: Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller Keyboard

null@example.com (Chopin87) — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 18:47:32 +0000

Many people don't like the Fatar action (but it is probably widespread compared to others) so my suggestion is always to try one before you it, if you can, and consider the type of action you're trying (Fatar has many).

Back to the Kawai because I am interested in buying one: can somebody who has tried both comment on the action compared to a Roland? Do you think it is heavier or not? This is a key aspect for me.

Re: Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller Keyboard

null@example.com (Stephen_Doonan) — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 15:30:47 +0000

Thank you very much kamil.t for your comments about the Kawai VPC1 MIDI keyboard. This is a very interesting discussion.

I currently own and play a Yamaha CP5 digital piano with a fine wooden (or partly wooden) action. However, I'm considering two other MIDI keyboards to purchase--

* The Kawai VPC1 (or perhaps a VPC2 if I wait long enough and Kawai decides to produce such a keyboard)
* The StudioLogic (Fatar) SL88 Grand MIDI keyboard, which is less than half as expensive as the Kawai in the U.S., the action of which has many favorable reviews

Re: Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller Keyboard

null@example.com (kamil.t) — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 11:23:35 +0000

I own VPC1 for about a year, I am a serious enthusiast but very far from being a proper pianist.

Pedals are pure rubbish - they are so annoyingly loud and cheaply made that it is a disgrace for this otherwise beautiful instrument. It's a cheap and ugly plastic case with ugly sticker that wasn't even aligned properly. You feel that you squeeze plastic with your foot, you hear the squeaking… It's so bad that I literarily use less pedal in my music because I don't want to touch it so often!

The look of the actual instrument… It's the best looking electronic instrument I have ever seen. It's a beautiful sculpture that was complimented many times by my guests.

Keyboard is very nice, it didn't wear for me after maybe 400 hours of play time. Sometimes I do notice slight misalignments of the key when I touch them during practice (and of course when I look at them up close), so it is somehow noticeable (very very slightly!), but nothing that would annoy me and I am rather picky and snobby about the quality of things I own. I bet that most complex instruments especially wooden ones do have similar very slight flaws.

Good/bad thing about the keys - they are rather heavy, which at first hurt my ability to play, but now it made playing on every other piano much easier. On the other hand - keys go rather deep, so when I play on uprights with shallow keybeds I need some adjustment time.

Re: Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller Keyboard

null@example.com (Stephen_Doonan) — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 15:45:00 +0000

The LTEC piano action and keyboard looks very interesting.

Re: Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller Keyboard

null@example.com (LTECpiano) — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 15:30:04 +0000

Not for a while yet, Chris. Gotta get the economy back on track over here before companies loosen up the budgets for new products. Sure won't be doing it myself. Just play it about 2 hours a day though.

Kudos,

Lanny

Re: Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller Keyboard

null@example.com (sigasa) — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 14:07:53 +0000

LTECpiano wrote:

. . . might be a good idea to keep crustaceans away from that VPC-1 as those secretions could be harmful
(please forgive me Sigasa - I just couldn't resist!)
Lanny

Any news on the LTEC Piano Lanny?

Kindest Regards,

Chris

Re: Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller Keyboard

null@example.com (LTECpiano) — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 13:38:37 +0000

. . . might be a good idea to keep crustaceans away from that VPC-1 as those secretions could be harmful

(please forgive me Sigasa - I just couldn't resist!)

Lanny

Re: Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller Keyboard

null@example.com (sandalholme) — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 08:38:12 +0000

geert: I had the same problem with my ES7 after less than 3 years. Kawai acknowledged this has happened to a few users, but only a few. They seemed to blame it on the users' fingers causing a chemical reaction. After some negotiation, the keys were replaced free of charge but Kawai made it clear that this was a one-off deal. I have been happy with Kawai over the years with an RX2 and now the ES7, so don't like to be negative, but this is, it seems to me, a design/manufacturing fault. I have over 60 years' ecperience of playing acoustic pianos of various sorts, uprights and grands, and my fingers have never had this effect on keys before.

Re: Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller Keyboard

null@example.com (sigasa) — Sun, 10 Apr 2016 22:45:05 +0000

Hi all,

My (now grandson's) VPC1 has died. I tried a new fuse but it still won't power up. Not sure whether to try and get it fixed or sell it for parts depending on how much repairs would set me back as it's not under warranty.

Anyone else experienced this problem? Is there a problem with the power pack etc.?

I'd be grateful for any advice,

Kindest Regards,

Chris

Re: Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller Keyboard

null@example.com (Stephen_Doonan) — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 14:53:30 +0000

@geert -- Thank you for your comments, Geert. Key surface wear would certainly be a concern. The plastic coating on my Yamaha keyboard (a CP5) seems very durable and shows no signs of wear after several years of use. I hope that Kawai improves their digital/MIDI/USB line of keyboards.

Re: Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller Keyboard

null@example.com (geert) — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 12:29:00 +0000

Alais, although I love the touch and feel of the VPC-1, my complaint is, that after less than 1 year, I already have considerable wear of the white plastic covering on the most used keys ( the middle octave).
And I do not play the whole day, and i I am also careful about having too long fingernails........

In contrast, my old Clavinova after 10 years had less wear!!

Th original footcontroller has already been subject to critisicm here, beacuse of the cheap potmeter in the sustain pedal, for which I got a spare one form Kawai, but of the same inferior quality. I guess its actually a Fatar, which is known for its bad pots.....

THis could have been better!

Re: Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller Keyboard

null@example.com (Stephen_Doonan) — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 15:14:56 +0000

SteveLy wrote:

The guy in the video obviously bought a badly treated beaten up used unit. Maybe better avoid that dealer..?

Thank you Steve for your comments. Yes, I believe that Guitar Center (the dealer here in the U.S.) rents equipment, and I'm thinking someone rented that VPC1 and certainly got "his money's worth" from the instrument, perhaps spilling beer on the keyboard, breaking a guitar over the keys or case, etc.

Re: Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller Keyboard

null@example.com (SteveLy) — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 13:17:42 +0000

If you read enough online reviews/comments on a popular product there is bound to be the odd negative one. I would not worry about it. If you're buying new and/or from a dealer then especially: any unlikely potential issues will be dealt with under warranty. The VPC1 and the MP11 are as good as piano action gets in a MIDI controller. (The guy in the video obviously bought a badly treated beaten up used unit. Maybe better avoid that dealer..?)

Re: Kawai VPC1 MIDI Controller Keyboard

null@example.com (slobajudge) — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 12:55:59 +0000

I have Kawai VPC1 and there is nothing wrong with it. It is a beautiful instrument. It has everything for piano players. Dont expect that has a golden keys for money you give, but it worth every peny. Try to find similar quality in other brands for that money, not even close.