Looking for the smart purchase taking no ompromises

Sold my CA97 and now looking for something I can hook up to my laptop and enjoy Pianoteq through external monitors.

Tried all slab type DP, yes there are some very decent options yet nothing was any close to my CA97 in regards to key touch.

The problem I had with my CA97 was the MIDI consistency, action was prone to some drifting due to the wood (expansion with heavy weather change) and all the mobile parts it involves.

Therefore now I'm looking for a non wooden action, full length key stick and offset balance pivots between white and black keys.

Also MIDI implementation should be next to perfection, able to consistently trigger values below 25 and able to reach values as close to 127 as possible.

Variable note-off MIDI output is a must too.

After some research I finally came to the conclusion my requirements aren't within the portable segment of DP, so I'll have to pay for the extra unneeded wood and speakers in the cabinet style segment.

Candidates could be LX706, CLP785 and GP310. Unfortunately there's no stores close to me where I can try them side by side (nor separately).

Been this morning in a local store, took my laptop and headphones and tried out Pianoteq with the few models they had in the showroom so I could see their MIDI response.

An FP30x with nice MIDI response, it was mostly accurate although it wasn't easy to trigger values below 25 values nor above 110.. Could also check the note-off values, it sends variable note-off, meaning it tells pianoteq whether the key is released quickly or slowly.

A GP310 which sounded very good through speakers (only the Berlin samples, the Hamburg and the Vienna were just off), the key felt sort of stiff to me, I liked it though, my playing isn't really restricted to the one or the other action. MIDI behavior was good enough, could achieve values below 25 in a relatively consistent way, also the top range was limted by around 110, couldn't get 127.. Note-off was variable too, very good.

A CLP735 which sounded boxy through the speakers but it sounded lovely through headphones, especially the Bösendorfer. The keys felt lighter to me (GrandTouch S) than the ones on the GP310, also firm but very playable. MIDI response was the best IMO, could easily play lower values than 25 consistently, meaning I could keep all played notes grouped together in thay little range, highest MIDI value is around 110 like the others, not sure why is it that difficult to make it 127.. The setback here was the note-off output, it was fixed at 64, no variable signal whether you lift your fingers quickly or slowly..

As you see it's really painful to be studying all single aspects of a DP and to end up finding out that you'll pay thousands of dollars for something incomplete, wondering how this is possible in the XXI century where all companies know what customers want and where everything is technically feasible, especially if we talk about ridiculous flaws which aren't any extra manufacturing/research cost.

Unfortunately they didn't have any further models to try, wondering now whether the MIDI implementation on the CLP785 is exactly the same like on the CLP735 I've tried.. Would be great if any user/owner could check (variable note-off) and confirm.

Also wondering how the LX706 would stack up against these models discussed here.. bothe touch- and MIDI-wise.

I've seen there's Vidal pianos bit it's around 4000€ shipped to Europe for a product they're still developing and that I can't even test drive.. Lachnit uses TP40W which is a downgrade IMO, can't understand how they're selling an expensive controller with such a basic action.. Kaduk and Alpha pianos didn't answer my emails, not much technical information about their actions either, much marketing and barely pictures or details.

BarbaraRB wrote:

But the high end alternatives you listed all have wood keys. And, to my knowledge, no plastic action has the full length keys you are seeking.

Except the GP310 which features wooden keys, the other models don't. They're plastic cores with some veneer on the sides (no real issue as in massive wooden sticks).

It's very unlikely that I'd go for the GP310 but had to try it out since it was ome of the few models in the showroom..

Bear in mind I'm also considering other models that weren't there, bottom line is good MIDI implementation and full key length as mentioned in my opening post.