Thanks for this useful comment. I used your time stamps to jump back and forth between the 3 DPs to quickly compare short sections of notes using AudioTechnica headphones to carefully listen to the note quality. Below are my thoughts: I came in to this video after getting hyped on other videos explaining the technical achievement of the sound modeling in the FP90 and the great sound sampling of the p515. Unfortunately we didnt get to hear the sound of the Bosendorfer from the Yamaha so I cant comment on that. From my careful listening and to my surprise, the FP90 sounded the most synthetic and least expressive in the middle/upper range compared to the other 2. This is definitely due to them synthetically modeling the sound rather than sampling it from a real piano. Modeling is great, but they need to improve their real-time modeling algorithms to better catch the nuances in those middle to upper ranges. The Kawai is definitely is the most expressive in the middle range compared to the other two. It has a proper mix of the upper and lower tones you should be getting from the middle range. In the FP90, the middle range is too high and tinny. In the yamaha, it focuses a bit much in the low range and doesnt capture the high frequencies of the middle range in the same way the Kawai does. (This could just be the stylistic differences between the yamaha and kawai concert grands themselves). Yamaha pianos have always been coined as being "bright", so perhaps they purposely detuned a bit to try and mimic a "rich" sound like steinway, but it actually comes across as losing richness in that middle range instead. On a side note, the Roland has many ways to adjust their piano sounds due to the modeling engine so perhaps it's possible to get a richer, less synthetic sound if you play with it a bit, but based on the default piano sound alone, it lags behind the other two. Overall, based on careful listening with Audiotechnica headphones, the Kawai sounded the best in the middle range. All 3 sounded good in the low range. Yamaha and Kawai both sound good in the high range.
The Yamaha has the most romantic sustain and most beautiful sound. It's like a piano with soft hammers but medium-bright sound. I really wanted to like the Kawai cuz everyone adores the Kawai sounds but Yamaha is my favorite!!
I didn't want to go into this video thinking this way, but the es8 simply isn't measuring up to my expectations. It fills the room, but in a slightly artificial way. The sound just feels... stuffy, almost. The p515 is the clear winner in sound, for me at least.
Yamaha sounds most like a real piano to my ears, really wanted to like the Roland, but the P-515 is closer to what I'm looking for to start playing again
butter fingers gave it another listen on hq speakers, and the Yamaha still wins, Kawai is doing something different, and their digital piano probably sounds closest to an acoustic piano in some ways, but something's missing and just not right
I get what you mean, dude. I love all 3 of these for sure, and there are really big positives for each. They all sound premium. But the yamaha has a sound, especially during sad music, that just sounds more like it's crying out the way you need it to. The other ones just sound both slightly muffled and like they're almost autotuned. Not that they're tuned better but that it sounds somewhat artificial in the way that the note hits you. Not quite as live.
They are all three good products. Hard to say who is better. Listening to the last part, I have a slight preference for the Roland. I myself have a kawai Mp7
I would like to ask you about the sound volume with and without headphones ?? I have the roland fp-30 which sounds nice but the volume is really kow in any headphone I try.. Also the speakers, they are good enough for me but would not fill a large room !
Thair Piano well in my opinion the internal speakers are great and can compete with the ones from Kawai or the Yamaha Calvinova. Also i‘d actually prefer using a PA for larger rooms, but I actually haven’t tried using it in a bigger audience so far... Headphones sound output is quite ok for me, around the same as the one in the Yamaha silent Piano series
Sometimes I wonder if it is not very useful to hear the sound differences online because the recording microphone, music player, earphone may affect then outcome of the sound from the different instrument ?. However this is already the best information that I can get while sitting at home. Thank you for your sharing and information! I’m struggling which to buy and your video is good for making reference
Kawai is a beast and won by far! The sound was spectacular and flavorful! Yamaha is ok but the sound just seems similar to prior models with just better speakers, meh... Roland just seems to be, well, the little engine that could. I’ve even tried all 3 in a music store and the key action of the Kawai is also superior and closest to a real grand piano.
cOO0le You can think whatever you want if you a yamaha fan. I also played both kawai and yamaha grand pianos and kawai always sounds and feel much better. How u gonna tell me what sounds and feel better for me cOOLe. That was a poor opinionated argument u made. You buggin. Lmao.
I own a kawai es8. I'm not sure if I'm biased because I own one, but I still think the kawai has the best natural piano sound of the 3 followed by the yamaha with the roland last. The yamaha is a better spec instrument and is worth consideration. I'm not a fan of the roland because of its synthetic sound.
Believe it or not Roland actually sounded better years ago. Around 2010 it was tops as far as I was able to find on UA-cam, but the models since have gotten more digital sounding.
I agree and I’m biased to Yamaha. I was pleasantly surprised by the ES8, but the Yamaha’s features would probably win the day for me. Tone is critical for solo playing, but I mainly play in groups, and practice on my acoustic at home. I like having built in speakers so I only need to bring an amp when competing with electric guitars
@@teamchivers I think all the features of the yamaha p515 is awsome and this model sound is great too. I wish the kawai had the blue tooth and the wooden keys as well as the software available to the p515. To be honest, the type of piano sound I use more often on my es8 is the second piano option which is EX concert grand as it has a brighter sound than the first option of the SK concert grand. But this really depends on the music being played. The other thing I like about the kawai is its 5 year warranty, which gives me peace of mind.
@@demiani6237 In Australia Kawai offers 5 year warranty on new ES8's. No additional cost apply after buying the ES8, However, their warranty is not transferable. So if you sell your Kawai ES8, the warranty is no longer valid to your buyer.
It does appear warm, yet it can get crisp too. The Bösendorfer which is also included is very warm indeed, but the CFX felt balanced last time I played. *Edit* Roland is currently rolling out a new Digital Piano series with new sounds, which may also be available in a portable version in about a year?
I would take any of these instruments over the dgx 202 that I have to practice on. Also, for me the key action is really important because I would eventually use them to play virtual piano software.
I'm not a particular Yamaha fan but in this case, I found the new Yamaha P515's sound to be the most "realistic" in comparison to an acoustic piano. I could only wish that Casio would bring their fantastic GP500 sounds and action down to a stage piano at this price point for comparison. Searching Casio's website, I thought that perhaps their CGP700 might be it, but not even close as far as their piano sound goes and the other instruments were even worse. There may be hope for Casio going forward if they were ever to incorporate the innards of even the GP300 along with the AiX sound engine from their new fantastic CT-X5000 61 note keyboard into an 88 note stage piano.
FP90 no hard edges a round long string sound there's more spaciousness in it's sound especially at the top and bottom. Large well engineered pianos have the space on the sound board for every note producing a more blended sound the Rolland has that. Next is the Yamaha no complaints. But for jazz trio or solo piano it's the FP for me.
fp90 has the best action and sound. In this sample, Kawai is just being loud. The sensor on Roland is definitely better as you can control the sound easily compare to yamaha and Kawai
1) yamaha 2) es8 3) fp90, but they all sound well and almost identical. Can’t go wrong with any of the three you choose to buy. At this point, you’re really just looking for which one feels better and has more features or bang for your buck. If you’re buying for the most features, I’d say either fp90 or p515 because of the bluetooth connectivity.
The decay with the Roland sounds amazing to me, it reverberates like a real keyboard, whereas the Kawai and Yamaha are monotone on the decay. As to which feels better to play, I cannot say.
I don't know how many of your videos I've watched over the past several weeks, but they have all been very helpful. Thank you, Tony! If I lived in the UK instead of the US, visiting Bonners would be at the top of my to-do list.
I used time stamps from a comment below to jump back and forth between the 3 DPs to quickly compare short sections of notes using AudioTechnica headphones to carefully listen to the note quality. Below are my thoughts: I came in to this video after getting hyped on other videos explaining the technical achievement of the sound modeling in the FP90 and the great sound sampling of the p515. Unfortunately we didnt get to hear the sound of the Bosendorfer from the Yamaha so I cant comment on that. From my careful listening and to my surprise, the FP90 sounded the most synthetic and least expressive in the middle/upper range compared to the other 2. This is definitely due to them synthetically modeling the sound rather than sampling it from a real piano. Modeling is great, but they need to improve their real-time modeling algorithms to better catch the nuances in those middle to upper ranges. The Kawai is definitely the most expressive in the middle range compared to the other two. It has a proper mix of the upper and lower tones you should be getting from the middle range. In the FP90, the middle range is too high and tinny. In the yamaha, it focuses a bit much in the low range and doesnt capture the high frequencies of the middle range in the same way the Kawai does. (This could just be the stylistic differences between the yamaha and kawai concert grands themselves). Yamaha pianos have always been coined as being "bright", so perhaps they purposely detuned a bit to try and mimic a "rich" sound like steinway, but it actually comes across as losing richness in that middle range instead. On a side note, the Roland has many ways to adjust their piano sounds due to the modeling engine so perhaps it's possible to get a richer, less synthetic sound if you play with it a bit, but based on the default piano sound alone, it lags behind the other two. Overall, based on careful listening with AudioTechnica headphones, the Kawai sounded the best in the middle range. All 3 sounded good in the low range. Yamaha and Kawai both sound good in the high range. I hope this helps and is informative to someone.
I wonder how biased we are when listening to the FP-90 knowing it's synthetic though. Also, not all acoustic pianos sounds the same either and I think it makes sense for Roland to have their own sound character.
I don't think Yamaha was trying in any way to sound like Steinway. I think they've incorporated some Bosendorfer characteristics into their pianos now and they've been voicing down the pianos for at least 15 years now. The CF combines "warm" and "bright" characteristics. I do find some Kawais and Euro pianos brighter than Yamahas newer grands (CX, SX and CF) from the mid-range up.
That opening bass chord was very loud on the Yamaha P515. Was that because the Yamaha had a very powerful bass, or was it because Tony hit the bass keys harder than he did on the Kawai and Roland?
You are kinda awesome. Your videos are so helpful! Thank you for making them. I still cannot decide which one I should buy. There are just so much choice out there. I am also a musician and I am looking for a digital piano that has the most similar action to a Grand piano. But some of the pitch really bugs me in the digital piano. This is really hard. But thank you for the video,
Very nice comparison. In terms of sounding like an acoustic piano, I think the Yamaha and Kawai were about equal, with the Yamaha perhaps having a slight lead.
Just did my own search Dec 25, 2018. P515 is the least expensive so the search is over! Few more days before year-end to see if anyone has a VERY SPECIAL offer!!
I love the sound of all and feel you could not go wrong with either. I have only played the Kawaii ES8 and it feels and sounds phenomenal in person. Kudos to Tony at Bonner’s for always bringing us the best reviews. Thanks for this great comparison.
It would be interesting to have a few people wearing blindfolds listening to the three electronic pianos plus (as you mentioned) a quality acoustic grand in the mix for an in the room comparison.
I appreciate the comprehensive comparison. My listening environment is a Pioneer HPM-100 system driven by a high quality Yamaha amplifier. To my ears, they are very close. The Kawai sounds the most "muddy" for lack of a better description. My ears like the P515 the best. To my ears the Kawai is #3, the Roland #2 and the P515 is #1.
Bruce Gavin first speakers I ever bought were HPM-100s! using modern Pioneer (Andrew Jones) surround speakers now, and to my ears, the Yamaha sounds most like a real piano 🎹
Thanks for an excellent comparison where you have brought out the dynamics of each instrument.On many Yamaha pianos ( don't know about the 515 ) the b and c one octave above middle c sound very weak and are inconsistent with the rest of the piano. They could almost be from a different piano. This certainly applies to all of the less expensive pianos , yet interestingly NOT their much older models. I wonder if you would care to comment ??
The Kawai definitely has the edge on the other two sound wise. It's a richer more complex sound, though I would have liked more contrasting dynamics in the demo to see how the timbre changes.
I don't know about Yamaha, but for me, between Kawai (plastic keybed action) vs Roland FP90 (wood keybed action, PHA 50 same as on RD2000) its not apple to apple comparison. The price margin is also huge in my country (ES8 a LOT cheaper). In terms of actions, which one feels more "natural" for you ?
Thanks for the comparison. I think all 3 pianos sound fantastic and would be happy with any of those sounds. I own a Kawai MP11 which I love for the action of the keys more than anything. They feel very realistic to me. I've owned a Yamaha digital piano but didn't like the action on the keys. They seemed too stiff . I will be buying an addtional digital piano for my house and it will be a Kawai. I know that sound and it's rich and beautiful. I can't imagine taking a chance on anything else.
Hi, which key action is more confortable, reliable and which feels more balanced and better playing near at the fulcrum between this P515 and Roland FP90?... Thanks!.
The Yamaha has wooden keys with synthetic ebony and ivory key tops. The Kawai ES8 has fully plastic keys with plastic key tops. Obviously, the Yamaha is much better. They both feature triple sensor action, though.
Can anyone detail the pricing? Most to least expensive? I'm looking at the P515 in the states, from Kraft for $1499 but they will apply a $100 gift card to drop it to $1399. 36 month interest free financing. If the Roland and Kawai are significantly less I may have to try them, although I favor the P515 right now. Thanks
as a new owner of Fp-90 (just arrived home yesterday), i have a few questions that i'd love to hear quick responses. My first impression of the sound is muffled, it lacks clarity and is even worse than my old cheap $500 digital piano, also there is a slight hiss out of the speaker (can you check if yours has one too? It should be noticeable if your surrounding is quiet, otherwise just put your ears close to the speaker); the key action is not of any different to my previous piano, i was expecting a significant difference between the two, but this can be ignored temporarily, my main concern is still the sound quality, it's just really dull and synthetic. As i blind bought it abroad after having read many raving reviews of it, placing the fp90 among the best digital piano at ~$2000, returning it to USA (i live in Asia) wouldn't be ideal. Thanks!
I have the same "problem" with my FP 90. I had an FP 30 before and the internal speakers sounded so much better than this of the FP 90. Other than that, I do love my FP 90. I just am disappointed in the internal speaker sound.
All sound good but I would need to get in front of these and play them. Action and sound through the speakers would be main selling points for me and despite these demos being really helpful, they can't substitute playing them yourself. I'm gonna try all three of these out myself.
Try the Roland before you get it.I've had it for 2 weeks and I decided to return it back. Because of the physical modeling it creates a lot of sustain when pressing the pedal and the piano sound becomes very muddy
I've always been a huge fan of Roland piano's but I've got to say that Kawai does an outstanding job with their newer models!! I think I will go for Kawai instead of Roland now. Although the Roland sounds still a bit better than Yamaha, Kawai wins as it sounds very natural from the very low notes to the very high notes!!
The Kawai sounds most piano-like, hands down. But that doesn't mean that others are bad. I owned a Roland RD-700 in the past, and Roland generates such a rich sound that you forgive whatever nitpicks you might have about authentic acoustic.
my main comment on this category, is that i really feel the Kawai and Yamaha are lacking sliders or knobs, despite having some relevant parameters, such as in the technician/piano room, as well as compresser and other effects, and also as a controller for external gear (also they could find a way to get mod/pitch wheels on these things!) Obvious aimed at pianists who arent usually riding sliders while playing, but that leaves some of us with no current offerings.
I have an Yamaha entry level, p115, and was convinced to move to Roland (in the next big investment). But after this demo, I really think about Yamaha or Kawai.
I own the earlier P-105 and am a big fan of that keyboard. I don't know whether it is because it sits in my entryway with tile floor and a 17' ceiling but it just sounds awesome! I really like the CFIIIS sample, however, I am not crazy about the plastic, noisy keys. For that reason (among others) when it becomes available again, I am strongly considering the P-515. I would just hope that I like the CFX sample as much as their CFIIIS sample. While thinking about it, you know that "thud" we hear from the key-bed when the key hits bottom? Of course, you only hear it when the volume is low (when the volume does not cover is) but I'm guessing that is present in all lightweight weighted keyboards. But, I wonder if the heavier P-515 is quieter because of its weight and design?
Thank you for the opportunity to share your technical experience. Made my heart love music even more. Because you pass that in addition to being professional, you love music in your humility. Congratulations! I liked them all. But, I liked KAWAI more by looking more robust and strong. I just want to know which one has the greatest sensitivity and softness when playing. Hugs.
Everybody saying that Kawai is better is completely wrong or not using headphones. The P515 is clearly more brilliant and lifelike, and sounds very natural. The Kawai sounds muddy but still like a piano. I won’t even mention the key action - it’s obvious that Yamaha wins there
It's a pity it's the only one of these three that can't record the sound from line in. I regularly record myself on my current keyboard and wish it did that sometimes. The Kawai MP7SE can record line in for the same price but then no speakers...
@@agaveboy Welp, no. You might subjectively prefer it for some unknown reason but if your comment made one thing clear, it's that you are just not in the market for anything but the thing you chose to be a fanboy for anyway.
Deemieboi I heard about in some of their pianos (only the models featuring the grand feel 2 key action) have dead spots which means some notes are louder than others or sometimes softer than others. I am looking into buying the Kawai CA48. I personally think kawai is hands down the best sounding piano company. Look at their piano models and check which one you like best. Stay away from grand feel 2 key action and try and go for their grand feel compact key action. It’s a wooden key but a little bit shorter and has no record of dead spots. Good luck finding the piano right for you!
I finally received my new Yamaha P-515 about a month ago. (They are apparently very popular and were on back order). I absolutely love it! If you want an instrument with a realistic keyboard action, I think the P-515 is a fantastic choice. The Yamaha CFX and Bösendorfer piano samples are beautiful.
I have been waiting for my P515 since June, I was told that there is a back order , and that the soonest It can be shipped is October. When did you order yours?
Jose M Rivera: I purchased my Yamaha P-515 from Kraft Music. When I spoke to a sales rep by phone in early June (2020), he told me they were out of stock and weren’t expecting any deliveries until late September or October. But on June 19th he called to say that they had just received several black P-515s unexpectedly. I ordered one then and received it on June 26. I guess I was just lucky. Since we’re already into September, maybe it makes sense to wait for your October delivery. Of course, you could try calling Kraft Music; maybe they have the P-515 in stock right now if you really need it fast and can cancel your other order. The people at Kraft were very nice to deal with. (Phone: 1-800-783-3368) I continue to love this keyboard. One of the best purchases I have ever made. 😎🎹
Kawai sounds like having a good resonance simulation or in sample, I mean it's closet to realistic, not bored. The others also have good sounds but sound is little bit boring for me.
I've never been overly worried about the feel because good piano technique gets the results. You can't control the sound beyond the manufacturer's design so with that in mind the clear winner is the Yamaha p515. I currently own the p255, owned the FP90 for a year and owned the es7 for two. I realise that two of these are the older brother but I don't think the sounds have evolved drastically. Yamaha has the richest, deepest sound. Kawai is similarly colourful in tone but it has lousy decay and my last Kawai had mechanical problems with the keybed. Roland's modelled sound just grows worse to your ear the longer you own it. It's dry, sounds sort of unnatural and what it makes up for in seamless resonance and decay, it lacks in clarity and colour. I'd happily upgrade to the 515 if the 255 wasn't still such a great instrument all round. It's not perfect (as none of them really are) with headphones on but has character and the speakers deliver beautifully for live performance.
I just bought the p 515 but I'm not sure I'm completely satisfied with it. Neither one of these are on display at the store so you can't try them in person unless you buy them because they're special orders. Do you not recommend returning the p 515 for the roland FP 90?
Hi Tony and Bonners, excellent video as always from you...!, please tell me which one is your favorite key action, rank them 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, and why!, please take in consideration fast passages and thrills, more responsive keybed, best expression or finger to sound connection and articulation for jazz and classical music in first place... Thanks!...
Hi There! It is almost impossible to rank these pianos because they all have different things that make them excellent to different people. It would entirely depend on what an individual is used to playing in the first place, and of course personal taste as well as the technical specifications. The action on all of these pianos is excellent for a portable stage piano, but of course, the Roland and Yamaha have a wooden keyboard whereas the Kawai has a plastic key action. This makes the Kawai action slightly lighter than the others, which may or may not be preferable to you. You will also need to consider which ones you prefer the sound on. Yamaha Digital Pianos typically sound brighter than their Kawai and Roland counterparts, and this is accentuated with the smaller portable units. If you would like more information then please come and see us in our Reigate or Eastbourne showroom where you can try all three side by side.
Many thanks for your lovely reviews Bonners Music. I would be pop in from time to time had I not lived so far away. Can I ask you, do you find the ES8 shortened keys pivot somewhat limiting / problematic when playing deep into the keys (think sharp octave chords)? I believe it's similar to the p515 but not as good as the fp90.
Thank you Luca. I personally do not find it to be limiting. The Kawai actions tend to be very responsive across the range. I would say that the Roland FP90 has more travel and therefore does allow for lots of expression when playing. I would recommend making the trip to our Reigate or Eastbourne showrooms to try all three models side by side. This will help to ensure you purchase the right model for you. The action is only half the choice. The sound of these instruments varies greatly and I wouldn't recommend making a decision until you had compared them for yourself.
@@bonnersmusic Thanks for your fast reply. I actually just received the mp7se after comparing the fp90 es8 and p515. Personally I love the kawai sounds. To my surprise I'm getting more bothered than I thought I would about the keys feeling heavier near the back board (pivot point). You and other better musicians than myself perform well on it and praise its action, so I was wondering whether it came down to technique i.e. play closer to the edge of the keys as a general rule. Thanks again
Hi Luca, IMHO Kawai has the best key action in the DP market, even the older ES7/MP7 are unsurpassed today. Are you tried Kawai ES8, Roland FP90 and Yamaha P515, next to each other?, please tell us which one is your favorite key action, rank them 1st, 2nd and 3 place, and why!... Thks!...
@@ferdearmas8732 action p515 es8 fp90, sound es8 p515 fp90. p515 action is not better, but being wooden it gives me the illusion of being better than the es8. fp90 is probably better if you like slightly heavier, deeper action with more pleasant lighter action at the back of the keys due to the slightly longer pivots. i prefer the es8 though. please note the es8 mp7se mp11se action to sounds connectivity is way above anything else. and they sound great. the only thing I'm not happy about is the heavier feel of the keys at the back of my mp7se. I've been thinking of returning it for this reason amongst other things. but i might keep it
The Roland sounds “Synthy” and plays mushy and unresponsive. (I have tried one!) The ES8 sounds a little better than the Roland, but the action is just too easy. Only the Yamaha sounds and plays as close to a real Grand Piano as a slab style digital Piano can. I used to own a 9 foot Steinway Concert Grand Piano and I have been composing for almost 50 years, so I really do know what I’m writing about. The Yamaha P-515 is the least expensive on this list, at $1,599,00. Yamaha makes 1 out of every 4 instruments on the planet. Roland doesn’t manufacture acoustic pianos and their piano sounds have always “sounded” like fake crap! They are the worst sounding, the worst playing and the most expensive on this short list. Kawai does make some really fine acoustic pianos, but not nearly as good as Yamaha. Yamaha bought out Bosendorfer. The Austrian piano makers have full autonomy but Yamaha owns them. At this price or an even higher price, no other Piano offers real solid wood keys, an escapement movement, synthetic ivory, synthetic ebony and generates their own samples from their own manufactured acoustic pianos. The P-515 offers the most and costs the least out of the 3 Pianos being compared in this video. This really is a no brainer!
I couldn't agree any more. I own both Yamaha P515 and Kawai ES8. I never liked Roland FP90 because of what you said .... Synthy... However, my story is: when I was choosing between P515 and ES8, I was so hesitant that I ordered both of them at the same time - thinking I would return one of them. Before buying, I played both of them in person; but I actually liked both of them. In the store you get to play only for minutes. But from my experience, I found, even if you like something at the first glance, you might not really like them after some time. So ... I bought both of them so that I could try both of them for some time. Funny thing is that I never returned any of them. Even funnier this is that more than 90% of the time the P515 is being used by myself or my friends and guests. I love the action of the P515. I never felt like it was heavy; but to me it surely felt different than the others. And I love it. I don't know how to explain it; but It makes me feel like I'm talking to the piano while I'm playing.
At the very beginning of the last piece you played, at 6:58, you played the left hand one octave LOWER than the very same beginning part that you played on the Roland FP90 at 8:30 ...Why?! It makes a very clear difference...and it is pretty suspicious.
To me the Yamaha sounds little bit blurred or faded, like there's a thin foil between me and the piano or I don't know how to describe it.. a bit more synthetic too.
Yes I am a classical pianist myself. The es8 plays and sounds the best, but I would never buy one because so many people report them breaking in just a year. Even my music store has broken ones on the show floor - keys don't sound etc. disappointing! The fp90 has a great action, including real wooden keys, but it sounds tinny and bad, not like a real piano at all. It's also the heaviest of the 3 at 52 pounds. The Yamaha p515 is the most affordable, and I have nothing negative to say about it. Plays well, I won't lie it doesn't play as well as the kawai. But they last unlike the kawais, and the piano piano sounds good unlike the Roland. Winner? Yamaha. After trying all 3 in the store one after the next.
Brian Bernstein thank you👍🏽 I have try the Roland and Yamaha. But i think the Yamaha have bad boxes, especially on the bass... I Need a Stage Piano to try Classic pieces. I have a Piano, but i can‘t practise there every time.
You can tell from this comparison that Roland doesn't make acoustic pianos... I was surprised by how good the Kawai was, and how much the Yamaha left to be desired.
Great!..., but i`m worried for the uneven keybed, cheap feel on black plastic keys against the wooden whites keys, the short pivot point and high static touch..., this P515 or Kawai ES8 or Roland FP90?..., decisions!, decisions!..., please help!
Fee De Armas: The feel of the keyboard action and the keys themselves are remarkably realistic on the Yamaha P-515. The keys are made of wood and don’t feel cheap or flimsy; quite the opposite in fact. 😎🎹
I like the Kawai, although 'touch ' would be important. How does this Kawai compare to the Kawai ES58? Which is the best digital piano on the market for touch and sounding like a good grand?
CA58 has real wooden key, so you know, plus Kawai usually have prob with their plastic keybed after long time of heavy use, like click and unusual noise
Sheet music for the same version of "When she loved me" played please? 🙏 I loved this exact version of yours, I could not find it elsewhere. Thank you very much!
After listening very carefully and with incredible attention to detail, I have concluded that all 3 instruments sound like pianos. 👊😎🎹
im not so sure yet, but you might be correct!👊😎
@@RabbitConfirmed Thank You dear friend! 👊🤠
3:45 Yamaha P515
4:45 Kawai ES8
5:48 Roland FP90
I think kawai marginally won this but imo cp88 is the best piano right now or even cp4
Also korg grandstage deserves to be tested
Hi, please friend, give more details about your experience with the key actions: NWX, RHIII and PHA-50. Thanks!...
Thanks for this useful comment. I used your time stamps to jump back and forth between the 3 DPs to quickly compare short sections of notes using AudioTechnica headphones to carefully listen to the note quality. Below are my thoughts:
I came in to this video after getting hyped on other videos explaining the technical achievement of the sound modeling in the FP90 and the great sound sampling of the p515. Unfortunately we didnt get to hear the sound of the Bosendorfer from the Yamaha so I cant comment on that. From my careful listening and to my surprise, the FP90 sounded the most synthetic and least expressive in the middle/upper range compared to the other 2. This is definitely due to them synthetically modeling the sound rather than sampling it from a real piano. Modeling is great, but they need to improve their real-time modeling algorithms to better catch the nuances in those middle to upper ranges.
The Kawai is definitely is the most expressive in the middle range compared to the other two. It has a proper mix of the upper and lower tones you should be getting from the middle range. In the FP90, the middle range is too high and tinny. In the yamaha, it focuses a bit much in the low range and doesnt capture the high frequencies of the middle range in the same way the Kawai does. (This could just be the stylistic differences between the yamaha and kawai concert grands themselves). Yamaha pianos have always been coined as being "bright", so perhaps they purposely detuned a bit to try and mimic a "rich" sound like steinway, but it actually comes across as losing richness in that middle range instead.
On a side note, the Roland has many ways to adjust their piano sounds due to the modeling engine so perhaps it's possible to get a richer, less synthetic sound if you play with it a bit, but based on the default piano sound alone, it lags behind the other two.
Overall, based on careful listening with Audiotechnica headphones, the Kawai sounded the best in the middle range. All 3 sounded good in the low range. Yamaha and Kawai both sound good in the high range.
nezkeys79 kawai sounds ugly lmao
The Yamaha has the most romantic sustain and most beautiful sound. It's like a piano with soft hammers but medium-bright sound. I really wanted to like the Kawai cuz everyone adores the Kawai sounds but Yamaha is my favorite!!
I have a Yamaha 515 and love it. Great piano sounds and action. I have other Yamaha pianos and they hold up really well.
ua-cam.com/video/x526-6XYybI/v-deo.html. Composition p 515 and kawai es 8 combinec
I didn't want to go into this video thinking this way, but the es8 simply isn't measuring up to my expectations. It fills the room, but in a slightly artificial way. The sound just feels... stuffy, almost. The p515 is the clear winner in sound, for me at least.
Yamaha sounds most like a real piano to my ears, really wanted to like the Roland, but the P-515 is closer to what I'm looking for to start playing again
butter fingers gave it another listen on hq speakers, and the Yamaha still wins, Kawai is doing something different, and their digital piano probably sounds closest to an acoustic piano in some ways, but something's missing and just not right
I get what you mean, dude. I love all 3 of these for sure, and there are really big positives for each. They all sound premium. But the yamaha has a sound, especially during sad music, that just sounds more like it's crying out the way you need it to. The other ones just sound both slightly muffled and like they're almost autotuned. Not that they're tuned better but that it sounds somewhat artificial in the way that the note hits you. Not quite as live.
I love the yamaha sound, it’s such a distinct sound, but beautiful. The action on the es8 is really nice though, I own p515 and have tried both !
They are all three good products. Hard to say who is better. Listening to the last part, I have a slight preference for the Roland. I myself have a kawai Mp7
The Kawai, still outshines, noticeable on the high notes that have that nice ring to them the others do not have.
The all sound convincing in your video. But when I tried the P515 with headphones I did prefer their 2nd sound, the Bösendorfer.
They all sound good- I could be happy with either one or even all of them
Kawai ES8 is the best by far. Incredible.
i have an fp90 at home, beautiful machine, feels really nice
Man this video was so helpful and professional. Keep up the good work! You also have a nice taste in music :D
Bought a FP90 a few weeks ago, still no regrets on the decision, it’s beautiful
I would like to ask you about the sound volume with and without headphones ?? I have the roland fp-30 which sounds nice but the volume is really kow in any headphone I try.. Also the speakers, they are good enough for me but would not fill a large room !
Thair Piano well in my opinion the internal speakers are great and can compete with the ones from Kawai or the Yamaha Calvinova.
Also i‘d actually prefer using a PA for larger rooms, but I actually haven’t tried using it in a bigger audience so far...
Headphones sound output is quite ok for me, around the same as the one in the Yamaha silent Piano series
Sometimes I wonder if it is not very useful to hear the sound differences online because the recording microphone, music player, earphone may affect then outcome of the sound from the different instrument ?. However this is already the best information that I can get while sitting at home. Thank you for your sharing and information! I’m struggling which to buy and your video is good for making reference
Actually I'm a big fan of YAMAHA though, I think I'll go with KAWAI in this time. But three of them are really nice.
Kawai is a beast and won by far! The sound was spectacular and flavorful! Yamaha is ok but the sound just seems similar to prior models with just better speakers, meh... Roland just seems to be, well, the little engine that could. I’ve even tried all 3 in a music store and the key action of the Kawai is also superior and closest to a real grand piano.
Jose Gonzalez do you know anything about how digital pianos are sampled?
cOO0le Yup
Jose Gonzalez I don’t think you do, to me it is obvious the P515 is much more rich and natural than the Kawai. The Kawai sounds lifeless.
cOO0le You can think whatever you want if you a yamaha fan. I also played both kawai and yamaha grand pianos and kawai always sounds and feel much better. How u gonna tell me what sounds and feel better for me cOOLe. That was a poor opinionated argument u made. You buggin. Lmao.
I own a kawai es8. I'm not sure if I'm biased because I own one, but I still think the kawai has the best natural piano sound of the 3 followed by the yamaha with the roland last. The yamaha is a better spec instrument and is worth consideration. I'm not a fan of the roland because of its synthetic sound.
Believe it or not Roland actually sounded better years ago. Around 2010 it was tops as far as I was able to find on UA-cam, but the models since have gotten more digital sounding.
I agree and I’m biased to Yamaha. I was pleasantly surprised by the ES8, but the Yamaha’s features would probably win the day for me. Tone is critical for solo playing, but I mainly play in groups, and practice on my acoustic at home. I like having built in speakers so I only need to bring an amp when competing with electric guitars
@@teamchivers I think all the features of the yamaha p515 is awsome and this model sound is great too. I wish the kawai had the blue tooth and the wooden keys as well as the software available to the p515. To be honest, the type of piano sound I use more often on my es8 is the second piano option which is EX concert grand as it has a brighter sound than the first option of the SK concert grand. But this really depends on the music being played. The other thing I like about the kawai is its 5 year warranty, which gives me peace of mind.
@@dmiffo5128 does that warranty have to be purchased separately?
@@demiani6237 In Australia Kawai offers 5 year warranty on new ES8's. No additional cost apply after buying the ES8, However, their warranty is not transferable. So if you sell your Kawai ES8, the warranty is no longer valid to your buyer.
They all sound great. The Yamaha is warm, The Kawai has a very rich tone (sounds like church). The Roland is in between and probably would be my pick.
It does appear warm, yet it can get crisp too. The Bösendorfer which is also included is very warm indeed, but the CFX felt balanced last time I played.
*Edit* Roland is currently rolling out a new Digital Piano series with new sounds, which may also be available in a portable version in about a year?
Thank you for your sharing. Which one is the most suitable for preparing grade 8 exam, tks,?
I wanted to like the Yamaha best because that’s what I was planning to buy but the Kawai had a great open string resonance thing going on there...
I would take any of these instruments over the dgx 202 that I have to practice on. Also, for me the key action is really important because I would eventually use them to play virtual piano software.
The volume of the Kawai seems to be louder. If something in a comparison is louder, you tend to love it more.
No. The Dynamics are just wider making the loud tones louder and the vice versa.
I'm not a particular Yamaha fan but in this case, I found the new Yamaha P515's sound to be the most "realistic" in comparison to an acoustic piano.
I could only wish that Casio would bring their fantastic GP500 sounds and action down to a stage piano at this price point for comparison. Searching Casio's website, I thought that perhaps their CGP700 might be it, but not even close as far as their piano sound goes and the other instruments were even worse. There may be hope for Casio going forward if they were ever to incorporate the innards of even the GP300 along with the AiX sound engine from their new fantastic CT-X5000 61 note keyboard into an 88 note stage piano.
Nice playing and demo. If I lived in uk I would pop into see you. Thanks from Australia 😎
very well done.
FP90 no hard edges a round long string sound there's more spaciousness in it's sound especially at the top and bottom. Large well engineered pianos have the space on the sound board for every note producing a more blended sound the Rolland has that. Next is the Yamaha no complaints. But for jazz trio or solo piano it's the FP for me.
fp90 has the best action and sound. In this sample, Kawai is just being loud. The sensor on Roland is definitely better as you can control the sound easily compare to yamaha and Kawai
I find the Kawai better if you choose heavy as the action, otherwise the transition between piano and forte is a little abrupt.
I kind of know what you are talking about - playing pianissimo is not that easy on the Kawai
The Kawai sounds rich and full flavoured, I need to check more as the Yamaha has good software etc for controlling and learning piano.
1) yamaha 2) es8 3) fp90, but they all sound well and almost identical. Can’t go wrong with any of the three you choose to buy. At this point, you’re really just looking for which one feels better and has more features or bang for your buck. If you’re buying for the most features, I’d say either fp90 or p515 because of the bluetooth connectivity.
I just discovered this channel. Great job! Which of the three feels and plays closest to an acoustic piano?
The decay with the Roland sounds amazing to me, it reverberates like a real keyboard, whereas the Kawai and Yamaha are monotone on the decay. As to which feels better to play, I cannot say.
I don't know how many of your videos I've watched over the past several weeks, but they have all been very helpful. Thank you, Tony! If I lived in the UK instead of the US, visiting Bonners would be at the top of my to-do list.
Thank you Paul!
I'm pretty sure this is a direct line or USB recording and not using a microphone...pls correct me if I'm wrong! 🤔😁
I used time stamps from a comment below to jump back and forth between the 3 DPs to quickly compare short sections of notes using AudioTechnica headphones to carefully listen to the note quality. Below are my thoughts:
I came in to this video after getting hyped on other videos explaining the technical achievement of the sound modeling in the FP90 and the great sound sampling of the p515. Unfortunately we didnt get to hear the sound of the Bosendorfer from the Yamaha so I cant comment on that. From my careful listening and to my surprise, the FP90 sounded the most synthetic and least expressive in the middle/upper range compared to the other 2. This is definitely due to them synthetically modeling the sound rather than sampling it from a real piano. Modeling is great, but they need to improve their real-time modeling algorithms to better catch the nuances in those middle to upper ranges.
The Kawai is definitely the most expressive in the middle range compared to the other two. It has a proper mix of the upper and lower tones you should be getting from the middle range. In the FP90, the middle range is too high and tinny. In the yamaha, it focuses a bit much in the low range and doesnt capture the high frequencies of the middle range in the same way the Kawai does. (This could just be the stylistic differences between the yamaha and kawai concert grands themselves). Yamaha pianos have always been coined as being "bright", so perhaps they purposely detuned a bit to try and mimic a "rich" sound like steinway, but it actually comes across as losing richness in that middle range instead.
On a side note, the Roland has many ways to adjust their piano sounds due to the modeling engine so perhaps it's possible to get a richer, less synthetic sound if you play with it a bit, but based on the default piano sound alone, it lags behind the other two.
Overall, based on careful listening with AudioTechnica headphones, the Kawai sounded the best in the middle range. All 3 sounded good in the low range. Yamaha and Kawai both sound good in the high range.
I hope this helps and is informative to someone.
I wonder how biased we are when listening to the FP-90 knowing it's synthetic though. Also, not all acoustic pianos sounds the same either and I think it makes sense for Roland to have their own sound character.
@@aserhas good point. Perhaps knowing its synthetic could be biasing my observation.
I don't think Yamaha was trying in any way to sound like Steinway. I think they've incorporated some Bosendorfer characteristics into their pianos now and they've been voicing down the pianos for at least 15 years now. The CF combines "warm" and "bright" characteristics. I do find some Kawais and Euro pianos brighter than Yamahas newer grands (CX, SX and CF) from the mid-range up.
That opening bass chord was very loud on the Yamaha P515. Was that because the Yamaha had a very powerful bass, or was it because Tony hit the bass keys harder than he did on the Kawai and Roland?
You are kinda awesome. Your videos are so helpful! Thank you for making them. I still cannot decide which one I should buy. There are just so much choice out there. I am also a musician and I am looking for a digital piano that has the most similar action to a Grand piano. But some of the pitch really bugs me in the digital piano. This is really hard. But thank you for the video,
Very nice demo. I think I go for the Yamaha.
I think overall it's a very good choice, however you should play and hear them for yourself.
@@Cyb3rAssassine I have played on Yamaha instruments for over 50 years now, and like that brand best.
In my opinion it sounds most naturally, ore more naturally than the other two.
Kawai has killer tone. Sounds like a real acoustic.
Price drop on kawai es8 to $1650 this weekend at least. Just placed my order. Used a 20% coupon on top of that. $1320 plus tax. Here in California.
Where did you purchase with a 20% coupon?
Congratulations, how are you finding your es8 now that you've had it for 3 months?
KAWAI ES8 takes the Cake!
Very nice comparison. In terms of sounding like an acoustic piano, I think the Yamaha and Kawai were about equal, with the Yamaha perhaps having a slight lead.
Just did my own search Dec 25, 2018. P515 is the least expensive so the search is over! Few more days before year-end to see if anyone has a VERY SPECIAL offer!!
I love the sound of all and feel you could not go wrong with either. I have only played the Kawaii ES8 and it feels and sounds phenomenal in person. Kudos to Tony at Bonner’s for always bringing us the best reviews. Thanks for this great comparison.
Many thanks Don!
Can you please tell how good are build-in speakers in ES8?
Hi, thanks for the useful video. What would make the sound-comparison even better would be to include the sound of a mid-market real acoustic piano.
Yes, all reviews should include this! To be able to hear the reviewer's style and touch on an acoustic instrument compared to a digital one.
It would be interesting to have a few people wearing blindfolds listening to the three electronic pianos plus (as you mentioned) a quality acoustic grand in the mix for an in the room comparison.
In my opinion, Roland FP90 has the most beautiful piano sound! The key action is very good too!
I appreciate the comprehensive comparison.
My listening environment is a Pioneer HPM-100 system driven by a high quality Yamaha amplifier.
To my ears, they are very close.
The Kawai sounds the most "muddy" for lack of a better description.
My ears like the P515 the best.
To my ears the Kawai is #3, the Roland #2 and the P515 is #1.
Bruce Gavin first speakers I ever bought were HPM-100s! using modern Pioneer (Andrew Jones) surround speakers now, and to my ears, the Yamaha sounds most like a real piano 🎹
All keyboards sounding awesome. Thanks...
Es8 sounds most Alive and filled the room
Thanks for an excellent comparison where you have brought out the dynamics of each instrument.On many Yamaha pianos ( don't know about the 515 ) the b and c one octave above middle c sound very weak and are inconsistent with the rest of the piano. They could almost be from a different piano. This certainly applies to all of the less expensive pianos , yet interestingly NOT their much older models. I wonder if you would care to comment ??
The Kawai definitely has the edge on the other two sound wise. It's a richer more complex sound, though I would have liked more contrasting dynamics in the demo to see how the timbre changes.
It is important to mention how did you recorded... LINE outs, mics, which Mic, interface model, etc.
Excellent comparison! Very good!
Excellent video as always Tony!
I don't know about Yamaha, but for me, between Kawai (plastic keybed action) vs Roland FP90 (wood keybed action, PHA 50 same as on RD2000) its not apple to apple comparison.
The price margin is also huge in my country (ES8 a LOT cheaper). In terms of actions, which one feels more "natural" for you ?
For your fourth location, please open a store on Rt 17 in Paramus, NJ.
Thanks for the comparison. I think all 3 pianos sound fantastic and would be happy with any of those sounds. I own a Kawai MP11 which I love for the action of the keys more than anything. They feel very realistic to me. I've owned a Yamaha digital piano but didn't like the action on the keys. They seemed too stiff . I will be buying an addtional digital piano for my house and it will be a Kawai. I know that sound and it's rich and beautiful. I can't imagine taking a chance on anything else.
Hi, which key action is more confortable, reliable and which feels more balanced and better playing near at the fulcrum between this P515 and Roland FP90?... Thanks!.
Fer De Armas the p515
@@agaveboy Ok thanks, and between Kawai ES8 and P515?.
The Yamaha has wooden keys with synthetic ebony and ivory key tops. The Kawai ES8 has fully plastic keys with plastic key tops. Obviously, the Yamaha is much better. They both feature triple sensor action, though.
@@agaveboy Thanks again. and between Kawai ES8 and Roland FP90?.
@@agaveboy Thanks again. and between Kawai ES8 and Roland FP90?.
I liked the Yamaha in every example.
Kawai ES8 all the way! Btw
Can anyone detail the pricing? Most to least expensive? I'm looking at the P515 in the states, from Kraft for $1499 but they will apply a $100 gift card to drop it to $1399. 36 month interest free financing. If the Roland and Kawai are significantly less I may have to try them, although I favor the P515 right now. Thanks
as a new owner of Fp-90 (just arrived home yesterday), i have a few questions that i'd love to hear quick responses. My first impression of the sound is muffled, it lacks clarity and is even worse than my old cheap $500 digital piano, also there is a slight hiss out of the speaker (can you check if yours has one too? It should be noticeable if your surrounding is quiet, otherwise just put your ears close to the speaker); the key action is not of any different to my previous piano, i was expecting a significant difference between the two, but this can be ignored temporarily, my main concern is still the sound quality, it's just really dull and synthetic. As i blind bought it abroad after having read many raving reviews of it, placing the fp90 among the best digital piano at ~$2000, returning it to USA (i live in Asia) wouldn't be ideal. Thanks!
I have the same "problem" with my FP 90. I had an FP 30 before and the internal speakers sounded so much better than this of the FP 90. Other than that, I do love my FP 90. I just am disappointed in the internal speaker sound.
hey, what's your thoughts 3 years later?
All sound good but I would need to get in front of these and play them. Action and sound through the speakers would be main selling points for me and despite these demos being really helpful, they can't substitute playing them yourself. I'm gonna try all three of these out myself.
Try the Roland before you get it.I've had it for 2 weeks and I decided to return it back. Because of the physical modeling it creates a lot of sustain when pressing the pedal and the piano sound becomes very muddy
@@villiyo4918 that's good to know because I was seriously considering the Roland. Not tried it yet though so I will definitely check it out. Thanks
Justin Stretch k
I've always been a huge fan of Roland piano's but I've got to say that Kawai does an outstanding job with their newer models!! I think I will go for Kawai instead of Roland now. Although the Roland sounds still a bit better than Yamaha, Kawai wins as it sounds very natural from the very low notes to the very high notes!!
I absolutely love all your videos, man. Been watching them all night. Such great information, love the quality of them as well. What a pleasure!
El KAWAI ES8 , TIENE MAYOR PROFUNDIDAD EN SU SONIDO , BRILLANTE Y NÍTIDA , YO ME QUEDO CON ESA ELECCIÓN.
if you wouldnt mind describing the differences of the actions? I know all three have good reputations.
kawaii took it on this test...but barely over the Yamaha...slightly more bright...but neither of these 3 shone...you play great
The Kawai sounds most piano-like, hands down. But that doesn't mean that others are bad. I owned a Roland RD-700 in the past, and Roland generates such a rich sound that you forgive whatever nitpicks you might have about authentic acoustic.
my main comment on this category, is that i really feel the Kawai and Yamaha are lacking sliders or knobs, despite having some relevant parameters, such as in the technician/piano room, as well as compresser and other effects, and also as a controller for external gear (also they could find a way to get mod/pitch wheels on these things!) Obvious aimed at pianists who arent usually riding sliders while playing, but that leaves some of us with no current offerings.
I have an Yamaha entry level, p115, and was convinced to move to Roland (in the next big investment). But after this demo, I really think about Yamaha or Kawai.
I own the earlier P-105 and am a big fan of that keyboard. I don't know whether it is because it sits in my entryway with tile floor and a 17' ceiling but it just sounds awesome! I really like the CFIIIS sample, however, I am not crazy about the plastic, noisy keys. For that reason (among others) when it becomes available again, I am strongly considering the P-515. I would just hope that I like the CFX sample as much as their CFIIIS sample.
While thinking about it, you know that "thud" we hear from the key-bed when the key hits bottom? Of course, you only hear it when the volume is low (when the volume does not cover is) but I'm guessing that is present in all lightweight weighted keyboards. But, I wonder if the heavier P-515 is quieter because of its weight and design?
Thank you for the opportunity to share your technical experience. Made my heart love music even more. Because you pass that in addition to being professional, you love music in your humility. Congratulations! I liked them all. But, I liked KAWAI more by looking more robust and strong.
I just want to know which one has the greatest sensitivity and softness when playing.
Hugs.
Of course is the Yamaha
Hi Samuel, did you like key actions in this order of preference?, 1. Kawai, 2. Yamaha and 3. Roland... Thanks!...
I love the sound of kawai!!! ❤️❤️❤️
This is the best way to compare the instruments..! Excellent Job..👍
Very informative video, thanks.
Everybody saying that Kawai is better is completely wrong or not using headphones. The P515 is clearly more brilliant and lifelike, and sounds very natural. The Kawai sounds muddy but still like a piano. I won’t even mention the key action - it’s obvious that Yamaha wins there
ES8 all the way. Best dynamics, most natural tone behaviour with different strength inputs and just most beautiful sample. All three are great though
It's a pity it's the only one of these three that can't record the sound from line in. I regularly record myself on my current keyboard and wish it did that sometimes. The Kawai MP7SE can record line in for the same price but then no speakers...
The P515 is better lmao.
@@agaveboy
Welp, no.
You might subjectively prefer it for some unknown reason but if your comment made one thing clear, it's that you are just not in the market for anything but the thing you chose to be a fanboy for anyway.
I prefer the P515 because I play more soft rock genre of music. The ES 8 was my second choice.
Yamaha has a warmer tone and feels more like a piano I GUESS.
Kawai Yamaha P515 Roland. Imma go with the Yamaha. Ive heard the Kawai has had electrical problems in the past. Any info?
Deemieboi I heard about in some of their pianos (only the models featuring the grand feel 2 key action) have dead spots which means some notes are louder than others or sometimes softer than others. I am looking into buying the Kawai CA48. I personally think kawai is hands down the best sounding piano company. Look at their piano models and check which one you like best. Stay away from grand feel 2 key action and try and go for their grand feel compact key action. It’s a wooden key but a little bit shorter and has no record of dead spots. Good luck finding the piano right for you!
I finally received my new Yamaha P-515 about a month ago. (They are apparently very popular and were on back order). I absolutely love it!
If you want an instrument with a realistic keyboard action, I think the P-515 is a fantastic choice. The Yamaha CFX and Bösendorfer piano samples are beautiful.
I have been waiting for my P515 since June, I was told that there is a back order , and that the soonest It can be shipped is October. When did you order yours?
Jose M Rivera: I purchased my Yamaha P-515 from Kraft Music. When I spoke to a sales rep by phone in early June (2020), he told me they were out of stock and weren’t expecting any deliveries until late September or October.
But on June 19th he called to say that they had just received several black P-515s unexpectedly. I ordered one then and received it on June 26.
I guess I was just lucky. Since we’re already into September, maybe it makes sense to wait for your October delivery. Of course, you could try calling Kraft Music; maybe they have the P-515 in stock right now if you really need it fast and can cancel your other order. The people at Kraft were very nice to deal with. (Phone: 1-800-783-3368)
I continue to love this keyboard. One of the best purchases I have ever made. 😎🎹
Thanks for the info. Marshall I’ll look into Kraft music. I’ve heard good things about them. Be safe.
Isn't the action too heavy?
Very helpful, thank you!
Kawai sounds like having a good resonance simulation or in sample, I mean it's closet to realistic, not bored. The others also have good sounds but sound is little bit boring for me.
Thanks for the video!
hi there guys! can you please tell me which of those have the heaviest action? thanks!
Can you PLEASE explain, what keyboard-stand you are using for the Roland/Yamaha-Combination? I have never seen this before …
Quiklok QL695
Thank you!@@bonnersmusic
I've never been overly worried about the feel because good piano technique gets the results. You can't control the sound beyond the manufacturer's design so with that in mind the clear winner is the Yamaha p515. I currently own the p255, owned the FP90 for a year and owned the es7 for two. I realise that two of these are the older brother but I don't think the sounds have evolved drastically. Yamaha has the richest, deepest sound. Kawai is similarly colourful in tone but it has lousy decay and my last Kawai had mechanical problems with the keybed. Roland's modelled sound just grows worse to your ear the longer you own it. It's dry, sounds sort of unnatural and what it makes up for in seamless resonance and decay, it lacks in clarity and colour. I'd happily upgrade to the 515 if the 255 wasn't still such a great instrument all round. It's not perfect (as none of them really are) with headphones on but has character and the speakers deliver beautifully for live performance.
I just bought the p 515 but I'm not sure I'm completely satisfied with it. Neither one of these are on display at the store so you can't try them in person unless you buy them because they're special orders. Do you not recommend returning the p 515 for the roland FP 90?
Hi Tony and Bonners, excellent video as always from you...!, please tell me which one is your favorite key action, rank them 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, and why!, please take in consideration fast passages and thrills, more responsive keybed, best expression or finger to sound connection and articulation for jazz and classical music in first place... Thanks!...
Hi There! It is almost impossible to rank these pianos because they all have different things that make them excellent to different people. It would entirely depend on what an individual is used to playing in the first place, and of course personal taste as well as the technical specifications.
The action on all of these pianos is excellent for a portable stage piano, but of course, the Roland and Yamaha have a wooden keyboard whereas the Kawai has a plastic key action. This makes the Kawai action slightly lighter than the others, which may or may not be preferable to you.
You will also need to consider which ones you prefer the sound on. Yamaha Digital Pianos typically sound brighter than their Kawai and Roland counterparts, and this is accentuated with the smaller portable units. If you would like more information then please come and see us in our Reigate or Eastbourne showroom where you can try all three side by side.
I'm going to suggest this, but haven't played them. I think the Roland resolves ppp, and the other two, just pp
And I think it causes him to soften his touch
Many thanks for your lovely reviews Bonners Music. I would be pop in from time to time had I not lived so far away.
Can I ask you, do you find the ES8 shortened keys pivot somewhat limiting / problematic when playing deep into the keys (think sharp octave chords)? I believe it's similar to the p515 but not as good as the fp90.
Thank you Luca. I personally do not find it to be limiting. The Kawai actions tend to be very responsive across the range. I would say that the Roland FP90 has more travel and therefore does allow for lots of expression when playing. I would recommend making the trip to our Reigate or Eastbourne showrooms to try all three models side by side. This will help to ensure you purchase the right model for you. The action is only half the choice. The sound of these instruments varies greatly and I wouldn't recommend making a decision until you had compared them for yourself.
@@bonnersmusic Thanks for your fast reply. I actually just received the mp7se after comparing the fp90 es8 and p515. Personally I love the kawai sounds. To my surprise I'm getting more bothered than I thought I would about the keys feeling heavier near the back board (pivot point). You and other better musicians than myself perform well on it and praise its action, so I was wondering whether it came down to technique i.e. play closer to the edge of the keys as a general rule. Thanks again
Hi Luca, IMHO Kawai has the best key action in the DP market, even the older ES7/MP7 are unsurpassed today. Are you tried Kawai ES8, Roland FP90 and Yamaha P515, next to each other?, please tell us which one is your favorite key action, rank them 1st, 2nd and 3 place, and why!... Thks!...
@@ferdearmas8732 action p515 es8 fp90, sound es8 p515 fp90. p515 action is not better, but being wooden it gives me the illusion of being better than the es8. fp90 is probably better if you like slightly heavier, deeper action with more pleasant lighter action at the back of the keys due to the slightly longer pivots. i prefer the es8 though. please note the es8 mp7se mp11se action to sounds connectivity is way above anything else. and they sound great.
the only thing I'm not happy about is the heavier feel of the keys at the back of my mp7se. I've been thinking of returning it for this reason amongst other things. but i might keep it
好
Excellent video, thank you. May I ask the make of the double stack keyboard stand?
No, you may not!
The Roland sounds “Synthy” and plays mushy and unresponsive. (I have tried one!) The ES8 sounds a little better than the Roland, but the action is just too easy. Only the Yamaha sounds and plays as close to a real Grand Piano as a slab style digital Piano can. I used to own a 9 foot Steinway Concert Grand Piano and I have been composing for almost 50 years, so I really do know what I’m writing about. The Yamaha P-515 is the least expensive on this list, at $1,599,00. Yamaha makes 1 out of every 4 instruments on the planet. Roland doesn’t manufacture acoustic pianos and their piano sounds have always “sounded” like fake crap! They are the worst sounding, the worst playing and the most expensive on this short list. Kawai does make some really fine acoustic pianos, but not nearly as good as Yamaha. Yamaha bought out Bosendorfer. The Austrian piano makers have full autonomy but Yamaha owns them. At this price or an even higher price, no other Piano offers real solid wood keys, an escapement movement, synthetic ivory, synthetic ebony and generates their own samples from their own manufactured acoustic pianos. The P-515 offers the most and costs the least out of the 3 Pianos being compared in this video. This really is a no brainer!
I couldn't agree any more. I own both Yamaha P515 and Kawai ES8. I never liked Roland FP90 because of what you said .... Synthy... However, my story is: when I was choosing between P515 and ES8, I was so hesitant that I ordered both of them at the same time - thinking I would return one of them. Before buying, I played both of them in person; but I actually liked both of them. In the store you get to play only for minutes. But from my experience, I found, even if you like something at the first glance, you might not really like them after some time. So ... I bought both of them so that I could try both of them for some time. Funny thing is that I never returned any of them. Even funnier this is that more than 90% of the time the P515 is being used by myself or my friends and guests. I love the action of the P515. I never felt like it was heavy; but to me it surely felt different than the others. And I love it. I don't know how to explain it; but It makes me feel like I'm talking to the piano while I'm playing.
Which one of these has the best keybed? (vitally important)
FP-90
At the very beginning of the last piece you played, at 6:58, you played the left hand one octave LOWER than the very same beginning part that you played on the Roland FP90 at 8:30 ...Why?! It makes a very clear difference...and it is pretty suspicious.
You play so well!
To me the Yamaha sounds little bit blurred or faded, like there's a thin foil between me and the piano or I don't know how to describe it.. a bit more synthetic too.
Hi, does anyone have experiences?? Which one would you find best for classical piano pieces?
Yes I am a classical pianist myself. The es8 plays and sounds the best, but I would never buy one because so many people report them breaking in just a year. Even my music store has broken ones on the show floor - keys don't sound etc. disappointing!
The fp90 has a great action, including real wooden keys, but it sounds tinny and bad, not like a real piano at all. It's also the heaviest of the 3 at 52 pounds.
The Yamaha p515 is the most affordable, and I have nothing negative to say about it. Plays well, I won't lie it doesn't play as well as the kawai. But they last unlike the kawais, and the piano piano sounds good unlike the Roland.
Winner? Yamaha. After trying all 3 in the store one after the next.
Brian Bernstein
thank you👍🏽
I have try the Roland and Yamaha. But i think the Yamaha have bad boxes, especially on the bass...
I Need a Stage Piano to try Classic pieces.
I have a Piano, but i can‘t practise there every time.
You can tell from this comparison that Roland doesn't make acoustic pianos... I was surprised by how good the Kawai was, and how much the Yamaha left to be desired.
Great!..., but i`m worried for the uneven keybed, cheap feel on black plastic keys against the wooden whites keys, the short pivot point and high static touch..., this P515 or Kawai ES8 or Roland FP90?..., decisions!, decisions!..., please help!
Fee De Armas: The feel of the keyboard action and the keys themselves are remarkably realistic on the Yamaha P-515. The keys are made of wood and don’t feel cheap or flimsy; quite the opposite in fact. 😎🎹
@@marshallartz395 Thanks for reply mate, and what about Roland FP90 and Kawai ES8 key actions?, they feels so cheap?...
You're playing is exquisite 👌
I like the Kawai, although 'touch ' would be important. How does this Kawai compare to the Kawai ES58? Which is the best digital piano on the market for touch and sounding like a good grand?
correction: I meant compared to the CA58.
CA58 has real wooden key, so you know, plus Kawai usually have prob with their plastic keybed after long time of heavy use, like click and unusual noise
Hoàng Nguyễn does the ca98 have plastic key bed problem too?
CA98 has wooden key also, so less problem compared to ES8
@@hoangpiano3932 Thank you for your guidance.
Well, nothing about keyboard feel, touch speed response and other aspects of similarity to an acoustic piano keyboard.
Sheet music for the same version of "When she loved me" played please? 🙏
I loved this exact version of yours, I could not find it elsewhere.
Thank you very much!