jordan please answer this! or anybody who can answer this.

[thepianogenius]

hi Jordan i'm wanting to buy a keyboard but i dont have money for a K2661. so i'm thinking about going for a kurzweil stage piano SP88x instead. but since i'm living in the UK there's no kurzweil dealer in my area so i wonder if you know if the SP88x stage piano reproduces the touch of a real piano faithfully? i might still buy it even if i dont get to play before i buy, if its recommended by you and others on this forum. thanks a bunch, Oswald.

[X-dark]

this post must be in gear talk.

[Alessandro]

Hy thepianogenius! I remember you in the older forum! Finally you joined! Nice to see you again! :D

[Enigma™]

moved to gear talk

[Georges]

What do you expect by a FAITHFUL reproduction of the piano touch?

If you mean authentic, forget it. If you want a keyboard which reproduces the touch of a piano faithfully, the ONLY choice is the Kawai MPC9500, but I guess that one is out of your price range. If you mean "heavier to play than normal synth keys", then there is no mistake with the SP-88X.

The Kurzweil X version (the same for all X models, no matter the type of device) keys feel more or less the same as the Roland XV-88 keys, maybe a tight better. Moreover, the touch is not far away from 88 key versions of Korg or Yamaha synths. So, that may be your reference when checking out your keyboard dealer; I mean, that's what you are going to expect when you get your Kurzweil SP88X.

I don't know its price but the PC1X also seems to be an interesting device, soundwise I mean. The acoustic piano sounds on the SP-88X are not bad but these days you can get better.

[Tusker]

i might still buy it even if i dont get to play before i buy, if its recommended by you and others on this forum. thanks a bunch, Oswald.

I like that stage piano but please take my advice. Do not ever buy a keyboard based solely on advice from the web. You should check something out before spending your money on it.

Best,

Jerry

[Georges]

Do not ever buy a keyboard based solely on advice from the web. You should check something out before spending your money on it.

Yep, don't do it. I did it with the SP-76, and I had a lucky hand because it was even above my own expectations, but it could have been the other way round. SP-88X is a good piece of gear considering the low price (beware: it's not a synth, it's only a MIDI masterkeyboard with built-in sounds), but be sure to check at least out how the keys feel first. Use the references (Roland XV-88, FP-9, Kurzweil K2600X, PC2X, etc.) - I did the same with the SP-76, my references were a Roland RS-9 and a Roland A-33. That way I could imagine what semi-weighted keys would feel like. The rest was a matter of feature reading, MP3 demo songs and a remaining lucky hand.

I hope it works for you.

N.B.: Just ONE important thing and keep it mind whenever you are going for an 88 key FULL-weighted keyboard: the weight is usually a problem; ok, the SP-88X with its 21-23 kg weight is actually at the bottom of the usual weight range for such boards. Still, 21kg are a lot of weight, in particular if you have to carry it around a lot (and it will make you say the F word often) and don't forget that the board has 1,40 m length, which makes it quite un"handy" to carry around. That was the mistake I did with the K2600X in 2000, I underestimated its weight (33kg) and thought that I would never want to carry it around. :roll: I know better now and use an SP-76 (12kg) plus a K2600r (11kg; soon 12 kg :wink:) - I sold the K2600X in October 2000 with a 1,000 EUR loss (compared to its purchase price 10 months earlier; 2nd hand synth market here in Luxembourg is not really liquid; e-Bay was in its early days only).

So, after all these stories: Do not underestimate a full-weight 88 keyboard and do not tell yourself that you will never want to carry it around! :lol: Tell yourself that I have told you. Be aware. 8)

[Over The Edge]

Don't entertain purchasing a synth unless Jordan owns it.
Then it's okay to go out and get it. :D




FL
www.franklucas.net

[thepianogenius]

ok thanks alot for the advice guys! i think, i'll try out a roland FP-5 at my nearest dealer and use that as my reference. i only want a keyboard to practice my pieces at night because i'm staying in a flat and sometimes my neighbours complain so i dont actually need a top class keyboard. and i dont actually intend to bring it around with me very often. and the reason why i tend to prefer the kurzweil over the roland is that its got those pitch ribbons! which roland doesn't have.