In addition I have owned the AVANT GRAND N3 and 23 other DP's and controllers. Consequently, when I want an even greater connection & immersive experierience to the KAWAI NV10s instrument, I'll add an HS8 Sub woofer and 1 (of 2 Pairs) of I-Loud MTM monitors......

I'm 71 years old, and feel 21, and still play 3 to 4 gigs a week in public with PT8 and a laptop rack. (DALLAS,TX)  The "LIVE" controller is the ROLAND A88mk2.  I'm all set for MIDI2... and whenever PT releases it..... (Ha!)

Don't be a "scholar with a dollar" on your PT8 "setup" if your "Income & Living" depend upon it. You will either pay now or greater for it in the future.   If  piano playing is your hobby & your living does not depend upon it, by all means dibble-dabble and fiddle around. 

Onward towards effectively inspiring our listeners....and audiences.....
KB

https://vimeo.com/865720213/3a7de26be2?share=copy

I own an NV10 and everything you said is spot on. The ground loop isn't a problem for me as I just use the old school MIDI cables.

I wouldn't give up this action however... it's like nothing else I've experienced.

Yes, even a good action, should be regulated after 5 years or 10 years, or sometimes after factory.....

See here :
https://youtu.be/t2_SSbzArzU

Why an NX1 and not an N3X?

Maybe the OP had about £ ten thousand good reasons why they didn't go for the N3X?

I wouldn't give up this action however... it's like nothing else I've experienced.

I've compared a Yamaha N1X vs Kawai Novus NV-10S with Pianoteq.

The Winner is Yamaha N1X :

-> With N1X, they is a USB to host " Steinberg Driver", you can play Pianoteq directly in N1X speaker with multiple output, without the need of line in.
(N1X as a soundcard with speaker)
-> NV10 have no audio driver -> just midi - you have to use the noisy line IN of the Piano with often groundloop problem

-> With N1X you can simulate sympathetic resonance with silent key and Pianoteq. With NV10S impossible : because in NV10S you have no sensor under the key to detect the half travel of the key when the Damper begin to leave the strings.

-> N1X and NV10S have no Release velocity, but N1X have release Aftertouch midi (Protocole MIDI XP)
-> Pianoteq can read in midi XP the position and speed of the release key with N1X (to simulate Damper speed effect release)

With NV10S you can't have a release variable effect with Pianoteq.

Why ?

Because N1X behave in midi like a real Piano with sensor under the keys (Key release position and damper position) and sensor with hammer (when hammer hit the strings)
NV10S have only optical  Hammer sensor with wrong midi implementation for Release effect and Sympathetic resonance when you press silently the key.

So N1X is the perfect Midi XP Piano to use with Pianoteq and send the Pianoteq sound via USB (with audio drivers without audio cable)

I don't understand Kawai and their midi choice for a 10 000 Euros Piano. Even with Kawai internal sound, sympathetic resonance doesn't work with silent key (only with no silent keys...) And the fake Damper of NV10S, have no optical sensors....Even in CA99 it's work better...with release velocity and silent keys.

I'm a Kawai big fan of Millenium 3 action and sound (RX2, Shigeru, GL10....) , but the optical Hybrid midi sensors doesn't behave like a real piano (Hybrid and ATX)

So i will buy an N1X. (or no if Kawai find a soluce in a future firmware to fix the optical midi mapping for real sympathetic resonance)

Regards,

Olivier F.