I am only a beginner, and have only the basic Pianoteq version and the loudness of the mechanics sound is just killing it for me. In quiet pieces, the thumping sound of that emulated keys in treble is louder than the note itself! So my favorite pianos are those of legacy collection that don't have this.

To lower the mechanical sounds click the Action button on the lower left square and then move the Key Release Noise to the left. You can move it all the way to the left if you want. Then move the Sustain Pedal Noise to the left also but, you shouldn't move this slider all the way to the left. It is nice having a little noise.

I am only a beginner, and have only the basic Pianoteq version and the loudness of the mechanics sound is just killing it for me. In quiet pieces, the thumping sound of that emulated keys in treble is louder than the note itself! So my favorite pianos are those of legacy collection that don't have this.

The sound of the keys and pedals is adjustable in all versions, even the Stage

GRB wrote:

I think a hybrid "B"/ Bluthner  is in order.  The sympathetic resonance of the Bluthner combined with the bright upper note clarity of the "B."

You can join (parameter freeze) two pianos together. You can join the Model B unto the Bluethner and vice versa. It can be located via the [square/tick] icon in the menu above [Voicing] and [Design]. You'd have to remember to turn it off though.

I have to look into this as I purchased the K2, and I now run the K2 with the Bluethner and love it.

I'm still stuck on the Bluthner.  I'm surprised nobody's mentioned the resonance it has.  It's beautiful.  The Model B sounds somehow too harsh and doesn't have the same resonance in my opinion.  Of course I wouldn't say no to any further improvements they can make!

Of course Model B doesn't have the same resonance, it doesn't have aliquot stringing, LOL. And no, it does not sound too harsh. YC5 sounds harsh. Then again, that's the intention behind that model.

I think a hybrid "B"/ Bluthner  is in order.  The sympathetic resonance of the Bluthner combined with the bright upper note clarity of the "B."

You can join (parameter freeze) two pianos together. You can join the Model B unto the Bluethner and vice versa. It can be located via the [square/tick] icon in the menu above [Voicing] and [Design]. You'd have to remember to turn it off though.

I bet Bluthner will be the first to be updated to get the latest adavancements used on model-B.

That will be great indeed.

...at the same time, I also hope Model-B will be enhanced with that special "fits like a glove" touch responsiveness from the Bluthner.

For accompaniment singers on stage I use the Blüthner, sometime I try the D4 but always I return to the Blüthner, a friend  also like this piano on stage, perhaps it's the best piano.

Bluthner hands down - nothing else really comes close to it - is the best virtual piano I've ever played for my compositional and improvisational genres (primarily classical and jazz). It's unbelievable that the Bluthner company actually blessed this model - a potentially suicidal act for them - when profits for them could not be that large in this niche market. Their endorsement (and involvement in testing) of Pianoteq's model also reflects a certain honesty and open-mindedness on their part, which only further redounds to the virtues of the model. I wonder if Bluthner would be interested in building a high quality keyboard controller featuring Pianoteq Bluthner integration?

OK, so I've uploaded the improvised piece using the Bluthner and the Model B for comparison.

The Model B file is a longer improv - I was really enjoying the subtlety you can achieve with chord voicings, so I kept playing!

This is where the Model B shines, and IMO sets it apart from the other Pianoteq models. It's a tighter, more focussed sound (which is why The Steinway B is considered the ideal recording studio grand).

The Bluthner is a modified version of the Studio Recording BA preset, and the Model B is a toned down version of the Bright preset.

Definitely preferring the Model B version, highly detailed and consistent over all octaves.
In comparison, the Blüthner has a muffled lower and a too zingy higher register.