Keybed Grand vs Piano 4 vs Piano 5

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Re: Keybed Grand vs Piano 4 vs Piano 5

Post by maxpiano »

Spider wrote:This was the post I'm referring to, but unfortunately the tables with the measurements data are not visible anymore, they were probably attached to a link which became corrupted.
Anyway, if you read the discussion you'll get a good idea.

https://forums.musicplayer.com/topic/17 ... chweights/
There is also this test by Sweetwater, mentioned in that discussion https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/keybo ... experiment
Last edited by maxpiano on 20 Aug 2022, 17:11, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Keybed Grand vs Piano 4 vs Piano 5

Post by Spider »

Thanks Max, I don't know why I couldn't see the data, probably something with my browser settings.
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Re: Keybed Grand vs Piano 4 vs Piano 5

Post by NordDocZac »

I am in an interesting situation where I’ve been playing the MP7SE for the last 5 years and just ordered the NP5. I have previously owned the Nord Piano and NP2 about 10 years ago and a career change had me selling my Nord Pianos. I remember not immediately loving the action but it felt well connected to the sounds and over time I grew to enjoy it. I expect that will be the case again, except hopefully improved especially with the triple sensors in the newer gen NPs.

I like many others have had many issues with the RHIII keyboard in my MP7SE. Explosive sounds, loss of dynamic control, and clicky loose keys. I still have my MP7SE and plan to keep it set up side by side with my incoming NP5 to compare. I almost pulled the trigger on the Nord Grand but when I read many posts on here about users having similar issues with their Kawai key beds, the same RHIII in my MP7SE, I switched gears to the NP5. I considered the CP88 but ultimately just do not like Yamaha’s DP acoustic pianos. They sound so lifeless, and there is no resonance sampling or modeling which is incredible for a high end DP. Not to mention I picked up the brand new NP5 for $2799 shipped without taxes.

Hoping Santa makes an early trip and it arrives this week. :keyboard:
Last edited by NordDocZac on 19 Dec 2022, 00:03, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Keybed Grand vs Piano 4 vs Piano 5

Post by M1tsos »

NordDocZac wrote:I am in an interesting situation where I’ve been playing the MP7SE for the last 5 years and just ordered the NP5. I have previously owned the Nord Piano and NP2 about 10 years ago and a career change had me selling my Nord Pianos. I remember not immediately loving the action but it felt well connected to the sounds and over time I grew to enjoy it. I expect that will be the case again, except hopefully improved especially with the triple sensors in the newer gen NPs.

I like many others have had many issues with the RHIII keyboard in my MP7SE. Explosive sounds, loss of dynamic control, and clicky loose keys. I still have my MP7SE and plan to keep it set up side by side with my incoming NP5 to compare. I almost pulled the trigger on the Nord Grand but when I read many posts on here about users having similar issues with their Kawai key beds, the same RHIII in my MP7SE, I switched gears to the NP5. I considered the CP88 but ultimately just do not like Yamaha’s DP acoustic pianos. They sound so lifeless, and there is no resonance sampling or modeling which is incredible for a high end DP. Not to mention I picked up the brand new NP5 for $2799 shipped without taxes.

Hoping Santa makes an early trip and it arrives this week. :keyboard:
I have no problems yet with my grand which i love the most of all the nords i ever had…

The keybed isn’t exactly the same with mp7se. Mp7 has graded hammer action and nord grand has no graded.. nord grands the whole keybed feels like the upper range of the mp7
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Re: Keybed Grand vs Piano 4 vs Piano 5

Post by NordDocZac »

M1tsos wrote:
NordDocZac wrote:I am in an interesting situation where I’ve been playing the MP7SE for the last 5 years and just ordered the NP5. I have previously owned the Nord Piano and NP2 about 10 years ago and a career change had me selling my Nord Pianos. I remember not immediately loving the action but it felt well connected to the sounds and over time I grew to enjoy it. I expect that will be the case again, except hopefully improved especially with the triple sensors in the newer gen NPs.

I like many others have had many issues with the RHIII keyboard in my MP7SE. Explosive sounds, loss of dynamic control, and clicky loose keys. I still have my MP7SE and plan to keep it set up side by side with my incoming NP5 to compare. I almost pulled the trigger on the Nord Grand but when I read many posts on here about users having similar issues with their Kawai key beds, the same RHIII in my MP7SE, I switched gears to the NP5. I considered the CP88 but ultimately just do not like Yamaha’s DP acoustic pianos. They sound so lifeless, and there is no resonance sampling or modeling which is incredible for a high end DP. Not to mention I picked up the brand new NP5 for $2799 shipped without taxes.

Hoping Santa makes an early trip and it arrives this week. :keyboard:
I have no problems yet with my grand which i love the most of all the nords i ever had…

The keybed isn’t exactly the same with mp7se. Mp7 has graded hammer action and nord grand has no graded.. nord grands the whole keybed feels like the upper range of the mp7
I’m a little gun shy of Kawai’s plastic actions. But my friend went through 3 MP11SEs for similar issues, and it was the contact strips and very uneven key spacing for him. He finally gave up and bought a Nord Grand. He hasn’t had issues but also doesn’t care the action at all and is waiting to see what’s announced at NAMM 2023. He also just bought an Estonia 210 so all DPs are on the back burner for him as well.

I am a huge fan of Nord and suspect I would have enjoyed the Grand action more than I will the NP5, however, I had two Nord Pianos, the NP2 I owned from 2012-2016, and never had a single issue with the keys on those. I need the action to last me through residency (4 years from now) for which I can replace the NP5 with whatever replaces the Nord Grand at that time and an acoustic upright of some kind.
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Re: Keybed Grand vs Piano 4 vs Piano 5

Post by M1tsos »

NordDocZac wrote:
M1tsos wrote:
NordDocZac wrote:I am in an interesting situation where I’ve been playing the MP7SE for the last 5 years and just ordered the NP5. I have previously owned the Nord Piano and NP2 about 10 years ago and a career change had me selling my Nord Pianos. I remember not immediately loving the action but it felt well connected to the sounds and over time I grew to enjoy it. I expect that will be the case again, except hopefully improved especially with the triple sensors in the newer gen NPs.

I like many others have had many issues with the RHIII keyboard in my MP7SE. Explosive sounds, loss of dynamic control, and clicky loose keys. I still have my MP7SE and plan to keep it set up side by side with my incoming NP5 to compare. I almost pulled the trigger on the Nord Grand but when I read many posts on here about users having similar issues with their Kawai key beds, the same RHIII in my MP7SE, I switched gears to the NP5. I considered the CP88 but ultimately just do not like Yamaha’s DP acoustic pianos. They sound so lifeless, and there is no resonance sampling or modeling which is incredible for a high end DP. Not to mention I picked up the brand new NP5 for $2799 shipped without taxes.

Hoping Santa makes an early trip and it arrives this week. :keyboard:
I have no problems yet with my grand which i love the most of all the nords i ever had…

The keybed isn’t exactly the same with mp7se. Mp7 has graded hammer action and nord grand has no graded.. nord grands the whole keybed feels like the upper range of the mp7
I’m a little gun shy of Kawai’s plastic actions. But my friend went through 3 MP11SEs for similar issues, and it was the contact strips and very uneven key spacing for him. He finally gave up and bought a Nord Grand. He hasn’t had issues but also doesn’t care the action at all and is waiting to see what’s announced at NAMM 2023. He also just bought an Estonia 210 so all DPs are on the back burner for him as well.

I am a huge fan of Nord and suspect I would have enjoyed the Grand action more than I will the NP5, however, I had two Nord Pianos, the NP2 I owned from 2012-2016, and never had a single issue with the keys on those. I need the action to last me through residency (4 years from now) for which I can replace the NP5 with whatever replaces the Nord Grand at that time and an acoustic upright of some kind.
There will be huge difference for you because of the triple sensor.. you will be able to express more feel because of more velocity steps.. at least this is what i felt while had stage 3 88 and grand together to compare
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Re: Keybed Grand vs Piano 4 vs Piano 5

Post by NordDocZac »

I wasn’t aware the Stage 3 didn’t have triple sensors! Good to know. I’m glad they added triple sensors to the NP3 and up, so I’ll definitely report back to this thread when my NP5 arrives. I’m excited to be back with a Nord. Was hands down my favorite keyboards I’ve ever owned.
Last edited by NordDocZac on 19 Dec 2022, 04:20, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Keybed Grand vs Piano 4 vs Piano 5

Post by Hlaalu »

M1tsos wrote: There will be huge difference for you because of the triple sensor.. you will be able to express more feel because of more velocity steps.. at least this is what i felt while had stage 3 88 and grand together to compare
Calculated velocity has still the same resolution, i.e. 0-127. What changes is that you don't have to depress the key fully to make it play again, allowing for faster/softer fast trills and the like.
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Re: Keybed Grand vs Piano 4 vs Piano 5

Post by M1tsos »

Hlaalu wrote:
M1tsos wrote: There will be huge difference for you because of the triple sensor.. you will be able to express more feel because of more velocity steps.. at least this is what i felt while had stage 3 88 and grand together to compare
Calculated velocity has still the same resolution, i.e. 0-127. What changes is that you don't have to depress the key fully to make it play again, allowing for faster/softer fast trills and the like.
Yes this is the reason that you can express more feel on your performance…

When i had stage 3 and grand together i felt that stage e was almost like just a trigger.. needed to press the whole key down to make it sound.. while on grand it didnt and the behaviour was closer to a normal acoustic piano compared to stage 3.
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Re: Keybed Grand vs Piano 4 vs Piano 5

Post by maxpiano »

M1tsos wrote:
Hlaalu wrote:
M1tsos wrote: There will be huge difference for you because of the triple sensor.. you will be able to express more feel because of more velocity steps.. at least this is what i felt while had stage 3 88 and grand together to compare
Calculated velocity has still the same resolution, i.e. 0-127. What changes is that you don't have to depress the key fully to make it play again, allowing for faster/softer fast trills and the like.
Yes this is the reason that you can express more feel on your performance…

When i had stage 3 and grand together i felt that stage e was almost like just a trigger.. needed to press the whole key down to make it sound.. while on grand it didnt and the behaviour was closer to a normal acoustic piano compared to stage 3.
Also on a triple contact keyboard you have to "press the whole key down" to trigger a note the first time, the intermediate contact is used only for fast repeats (retrigger without fully releasing the key).
Last edited by maxpiano on 19 Dec 2022, 08:09, edited 1 time in total.
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