Very Specific Purpose Keyboard

[Cosworth]

Hi Guys, I need your advice and inputs for buying keyboard with specific requirements, it will be use solely in

the bed room, so due to space limitation it has to have very good quality built in speakers (I don't want to use

headphones, monitor speaker or keyboard amp), I only play solo piano style so rhythm functions doesn't

really matter, hence I want the best sounding and wide range of piano, electric piano, and organs sound

choices. I don't want weighted action keys since I already have Yamaha Grand Piano and Roland RD-600 for

that, and I'd like this one to be synthesizer style for other experience, with the best touch and velocity

sensitivity. Recording and iOS apps feature would be nice, my budget quite loosely. I would greatly appreciate

your inputs, many thanks in advance


Kosi

 

[happyrat1]

How many octaves do you need on the keyboard?

88 key actions are usually fully weighted, hammer action.

76 and 73 key actions are usually semi weighted.

61 key actions are usually organ or synth style.

Since you are looking for excellence in piano and organ sounds my first thoughts include Kawai MP7 or a Nord Electro.

Also crucial to ask is how much is your budget for this instrument?

Gary

 

[Cosworth]

61 key actions minimum, does Nord Electro have built in speaker ?. My budget is up to $5000. Thanks Gary

Kosi

 

[happyrat1]

Neither of those has speakers built in.

Very few professional grade instruments in that price range do have speakers.

Also the MP7 is 88 key weighted, hammer action.

Nord Electro does come in a 73 key version though.

Mostly in the 61 key, sub- $2000 range, with speakers you can include most arranger keyboards, but they come loaded with a lot of rhythm styles and voices which you don't consider to be a priority.

Maybe the Roland FA-06, a 61 key workstation with lots of bells and whistles, but again no speakers.

Gary

 

[Cosworth]

The need for built in speakers is mandatory unfortunately, if I only have to spend less than $2000 that would be great of course

and other features like rhythm, voices if included not really a problem as long as I get great sounds of piano, EP and organs

 

[happyrat1]

In that case I'd suggest looking at the Korg PA900 or the Yamaha PSRS950 or the Roland BK-5.

These are all the top arrangers from the big three.

https://www.amazon.com/Korg-PA900-Semi-Weighted-Professional-Arranger/dp/B00DOPZA1C

https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-PSRS950-61-Key-Portable-Keyboard/dp/B0092KJBRC

https://www.amazon.com/Roland-BK-5/dp/B0072BB9R8

I think you'd have to actually audition these in a store to find out which has the best piano sound and touch.

Gary

 

[Cosworth]

Really appreciate your info Gary, I'll look into those options. Thanks

 

[SeaGtGruff]

Regarding the PSR-S950, the newer model is the PSR-S970 which has some extra features. And if you're interested in exploring more exotic "world" sounds, or synth sounds that use portamento, you might want to consider the PSR-A3000 instead.

However, if you don't care about all the hundreds of additional types of instrument voices that a PSR model will have, are really interested only in the acoustic piano, electric piano, organ, and other keyboard-type voices (e.g., harpsichord), and want to get the best-sounding voices, then as far as Yamaha keyboards are concerned you'll probably be more interested in looking at one of the Yamaha Piaggero or Clavinova models, although I don't think you'll find any with organ-/synth-style keys. There are also the Yamaha DGX models, some of which (I think) have organ-/synth-style keys, or even the new PSR-EW400 model, although the DGX or PSR-EW might not give you the quality of sound you're hoping for.

 

[Cosworth]

Hi Michael,

Thanks for your input