KAWAI VPC1 official website now fully up and running

looks much better than what i have and without all those silly buttons, useless sounds, and displays (i taped a credit card over my display because i don't know how to turn it off)

that being said, i would say 95% of the people who do buy it are buying it for the action, and kawai didn't use their best action.  figure that one out. 

their faq says it was because it would make it bigger.  ...and?!  that's like saying, we didn't create all 88 keys because it would make it longer.   and as feline1 said, it's not that portable anyway.  so it's not like you're worried about it fitting in your backpack.  i'm pretty sure people can find a few more inches of space in their rooms, ya know?

i'm not going to buy it.  next year, they are going to release another one, with the GF that should have been included in this one.  also, the pedal unit, if it's the same one (it looks like the old ones that came with the mp models) feels cheap and the pedals are too short. 

i'm not bashing kawai.  ive had a kawai baby grand for 20 years and never had any problems with it.  the best thing i've ever bought, period.  just wish digital pianos were made with the same quality.

yep, and when you compare to the new (3 sensor) offerings from Casio in the same price league (or less, of course!)...

http://www.casiomusicgear.com/products/...via/PX-780

The VPC1 is compatible with a Mac - it connects with standard MIDI or USB, just like many other Kawai instruments.
However, the VPC Editor software is currently Windows only.

I believe that this is a fair price for a class-leading keyboard action - especially when you consider that the MP10 (which does not feature triple-sensor key detection) is $650 more.

Kind regards,
James
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I think I don't (quite) understand this.
Does it mean that VPC1 somehow includes some of the functional capability of Pianoteq Pro ?
(thereby making the delta cost of PTQ Pro less valuable, if one buys VPC1)
and/or that a (relatively small ?) feature of Pianoteq Pro should be included in Pianoteq Standard ?
(again, making the premium for PTQ pro less valuable, whether one buys VPC1 or not)

I guess a trend may be toward more "overlap" leading to less value in upscale versions of adjoining products.... maybe.

I just read the manual. They call it "velocity offset." They don't describe it well, but judging by the graphic it simply offsets the entire curve by a specified number from 0-127. So for example, assuming a typical curve, if you set a note to -5 offset, the same touch will produce a softer sound.

I've been nudging Philippe since day 1 to allow us to make velocity curves on a per-note basis. This seems like a descent compromise and should be pretty simple to implement in Pianoteq itself...

That's what I was talking about. I figured it was self-evident.

Or how about the CA-X which was a bare bones controller with their best action at the time and cost $650 LESS? lol And it came with built-in sounds.

Though I guess it could just be inflation. My guitar now fetches for nearly TWICE what it cost 10 years ago.

It includes ZERO functionality of PTQ Pro. It does include 1 clever adjustment that SHOULD be included in PTQ Pro--individual note velocity offset. Hopefully in the next update!

Joshua, did you notice that we recently added the possibility to edit the dynamics note per note (PRO version)? I know it's not exactly the same thing as velocity, but combined with volume note per note edit, I think it could allow you to obtain a satisfactory playing configuration. If you haven't tried it yet, please try it ands tell me what you think.

I tried using the volume/dynamics note edit but found that I couldn't get anywhere with it. I found that I could not effect timbre enough. I would love note for note velocity curve sliders

Kindest Regards,

Chris

Here's a demo (using Ivory II) of the VPC1. It comes with every imaginable flavor of 3D (including a choice to have none of it), which may make up for the near complete lack of nuance to the performance. I like crossing eyes for 3D, but one of the choices is reversing this.....

          Ivory unavoidable, sorry!

A benefit to the 3D presentation is it beefs up one's impression how very curved that curved lid is. Inexplicable design choice, which rather harms than helps any usefulness to the lid's real-estate potential. Think up your use then think out how you'll fight the curve will be your problem every time.

As to monocular perception of 3D, a wonderful trick is to close one eye then approach/withdraw from the pic on the wall. When your view-distance pulls your view-proportions (which vary with distance) into the same as the camera 'saw', your perception of the subject will snap into 3D - like magic. ONE eye!

ADDED: for comparison here's a perf at a Steinway. Is the finger-fit better, less cramped?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=en...s&NR=1

So - I made a little trip to the Frankfurt MusikMesse at the weekend there.

Kawai had one of their VPC1's on show, and upstairs there was a second one on display beside Arturia's gear... and in fact I found a third one on another vendor's stand (I forget which).
I had a little play on all of them.
The keys' "ivory feel" is very nice, and the keyboard action in indeed delicious.

In contrast, I also played on a few "Acuna" Studiologic keyboards and they felt TERRIBLE in comparison (stiff plastic action)

I am fairly sure I want to buy a VPC1 now

That second one was in fact used for demonstrating the Pianoteq U4 upright. The Pianoteq logo was there as well. Arturia displayed their gear next to it on that same booth, courtesy of our German distributor Tomeso.

Niclas, feline1, thank you for the clarification.

Cheers,
James
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Hi guys,
maybe could be of interest for many PTQ Enthusiast.

in the NAMM presentation video ( quite at the end) of the VPC1 there is a set of headphones that the Kawai staff is using for the testing sessions.

I am not been able to recognize the make and model, but could be very interesting to know (not only for myself, I hope) which headphones Kawai uses for listening.

this is the link to the presentation video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoktYu4D9HU

any idea?