Console vs slab+monitors

If you already have the Kawai CA 97 (per your footnotes), why do you feel the need to upgrade?  That is supposed to be fabulous.  I'm happy with the PHA4 on my Roland 501.  I did get a set of external speakers, but only use them when I'm recording something to post on a learning site for feedback, or on YouTube to share with family/friends who want to know what I'm doing.  99% of the time, I'm playing with headphones, just for myself, and I love the sound.

Hi David,(davidizquierdo82)

I'll share my own similar experience.  Hopefully it helps you in some way.  But remember that this is just my own experience which is based on what I like from an action and sound perspective.

Piano
    I chose the CA79 over the slab mainly for the action (GF3).  This action is the one that clicked for me.  Also, I liked the ascetic of it, as I consider Piano console a piece of furniture.  That also was part of my decision to go Piano console over a slab.

Audio
    When purchasing the CA79, I thought that I would mainly use the onboard sound engine and speaker.  Well, that did not turned out as I had envisioned.  You see, most piano console at this price range offers great action and a very good sound engine.  But the speaker system, although really nice on paper, it was not to my linking in my room.  I tried a lot of different ways to make the sound better, but unfortunately I never achieved what I was looking for.  It is really great through my headset though.

   I also tried to hook an external sound engine (VST and Pianoteq) through the onboard speaker of my Piano, but still a poor sound to my ears.  Again, this is not just the CA79, I have read a lot of other owners with similar experiences across different manufacturers. 

   So in the end, I settled to add a set of speaker monitor with Pianoteq.  This is what works best for me in my room.  It has been my setup for the last year and a half and I am quite pleased with it.

Good luck with your selection.

Sordess

Thanks everyone for your points.

@BarbaraRB my CA97 was wonderful before getting sick with the sliptape issue, now it's become a real pain in the neck to repair it every now and then, weather in my country is not helping either. Hence,  I'm looking for an alternative and possible plan B, not sure I'll end up taking the move but at least I'll be prepared in case I do.

For now I'm having both the PHA4 and Casio's Scaled Hammer Action 2 (SHA2) present in the FP30x and the CDPS160 respectively in my short list, otherwise I'll consider some more serious contenders in the slab category like an FP90x or a Numa XGT.

The alternative as some fella said above may well be a decent console plus a couple of good monitors (perhaps the MTM or 3020), I think of that as an overkill but it might best fit the bill, who knows..

Not really Barbara, things aren't that easy sometimes, especially if you're living in a country where Kawai has barely got any serious service (a little trading company in a remote area).

I too would expect them to be more proactive when it comes to higher end pianos like it was my CA97 at its time but truth is that I have to handle it on my own, not a big deal though, the only problem is that it's never a definite fix, you always know that's just a matter of time until the sliptape issue occurs again.

That's why I'm now keeping away from the MP11se whenever someone is suggesting it as an alternative for a controller although I like its whole concept, wished someday they'd release an MP12 with the GF3 that presumably solves the issue, but who knows..

Anyway, since you use a PHA4 as a controller, did you try to play any advanced classical repertoire on it? Any honest feedback? I've tried this action several times, liked it and hated it, it's expressive but it somehow feels "cheap" especially when bottoming out hard, it's like plastic is hitting something or like the keys are hollow? Also, while playing fast passages, I noticed that I couldn't properly play all notes, I played them but they didn't sound probably because I didn't press the keys enough which is not happening with my CA97 as a reference. Not sure it all makes any sense but you may share your opinion if any.

Regards,
David

If you specify your location in your profile it will appear under your avatar.

I use a computer or tablet for viewing the Forum.  Not everybody posts where they live, under their avatar. For example, you haven't posted your location, although at some point I realized you weren't in the U.S. because of several terms you used, and variations on spelling from what is used in the U.S.  It's not important -- I was just mentioning that I didn't realize the person writing was not in the U.S., which had an impact on whether Kawai would help him with the problems his piano was having.

Viva la France!  Viva la belle Pianoteq!  Cherchez la femme!

- Babette

Les chausettes de l'Archeduchesse, sont elles seche? Arche seche?  - Pardon, s'il vous plait, pour tout l'erreurs!

Correction:  Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches? Elles sont sèches, archi-sèches?