Piaggero NP32 on the way

[Doctor Blue]

After spending a week or so with my PSR-e363, I decided it wasn't for me. So it's gone back to the store and a NP32 is on the way and should be here Wednesday.

There are some really great features and sounds on the PSR but I found myself mostly wanting to use the piano sound and play pop pieces from Adele, John Legend, John Lennon. Because of the 61 note keyboard, I kept running out of real estate with the left hand chords and notes.

Anyone else here have the NP32 or tried one?

 

[SeaGtGruff]

I have no experience with any models besides the PSR-E, but I'm guessing you're going to love your NP-32 a whole lot more than the PSR-E363. Keep us updated with your reactions to it after it arrives, both your initial reactions and your later "considered opinions" after you've had time to explore it a while.

 

[Doctor Blue]

Well the NP32 arrived yesterday. It sounds great, is sleek and lightweight and the light graded action and touch sensitivity are good enough for my purposes and a big difference from the PSR.

However . . . there are two problems:

1. The left side speaker buzzes when bass notes are struck. Volume dial is at about 12 o'clock, and it doesn't happen in the right side speaker. At first I thought it was because of reverb but it happens with a dry signal. It happens less so if I play with a lighter touch. :/ The touch sensitivity is on factory setting, medium. So, I'm not very happy about that.

2. When I connect the NP32 to Notestar and launch any song I've bought, only the keyboard part plays back through the keyboard speakers, and not the vocal track or backing track. I looked further into the NoteStar settings and sure enough, it says right there that when the the keyboard source (and not the iPad) is selected, ONLY the keyboard track of the Notestar file will playback through the keyboard speakers, and not the vocal or backing tracks. Big bummer.

This is a big disappointment, as the level of the Ipad tracks have to be cranked up and it never sounds like you are playing with the actual band, so to speak. The strangest thing, is that, when I tested the NoteStar app out with the PSRe363 that I bought and returned, it did play back ALL tracks - vocal, piano, and backing tracks - through the keyboard (which sounded great) and it seemed to override any ability to select the Ipad completely. I didn't understand why that was like that, but I didn't question it because all the tracks came through the keyboard speakers and sounded cohesive, balanced, and wonderful.

I don't understand why this phenomenon is happening, as I am using the same ipad, same connectors, and the same USB to Host port.

One other gripe. This is my second NP32. I bought one originally from Amazon, but it arrived with a hole cut in the box on one end and it it was banging around loosely in the box. It got sent back and I got a refund. Clearly it had been used.

What to do? Do I return the NP32 for one that doesn't buzz, and just deal with how the Notestar app works with it? Do I returned the NP32 and consider a different keyboard, perhaps one that will work with the NoteStar like the PSR did?

 

[SeaGtGruff]

Regarding the tracks, if I'm not mistaken the PSR-E363 has the ability to send and receive audio as well as MIDI over its USB connection, so I'm guessing the app is sending the audio tracks to the PSR-E363 so they can play through the keyboard's speakers. But the NP-32 doesn't have the ability to send and receive audio over its USB connection, hence the only way you'd be able to play the audio tracks through the keyboard's speakers would be if the NP-32 has an AUX IN jack that you can use to run an audio cable from the iPad to the keyboard.

EDIT: I just checked, and the NP-32 doesn't have an AUX IN jack. And as for USB-audio, some of Yamaha's synths have had it for a few years, but so far only the newest PSR-E models have it-- the ones that came out in 2016 (PSR-E453/PSR-EW400) and 2017 (PSR-E363/PSR-EW300).

 

[Doctor Blue]

Thanks for that information. I will be going to check out the EW300 or EW400 today to see if it will fit my needs. The 400 model has aux in. I am hoping that the USB to Host on either of these two keyboards will play all the NoteStar files like the e363 did.

 

[JeStark08]

I'm having problems in choosing between the NP32 and EW400. But the most fits my needs is the EW400. It has the following:

-USB flash drive capability for saving recorded midi files and songs
-easy transpose function on board
-76 keys to solve keep running out of real estate with the left hand chords and notes
-aux in capability
-12 W speakers installed in both sides to have greater output sounds when not having an amplifier system

 

[Doctor Blue]

I'm having problems in choosing between the NP32 and EW400. But the most fits my needs is the EW400. It has the following:

-USB flash drive capability for saving recorded midi files and songs
-easy transpose function on board
-76 keys to solve keep running out of real estate with the left hand chords and notes
-aux in capability
-12 W speakers installed in both sides to have greater output sounds when not having an amplifier system

Hi,
I had the same decision trouble. I think it all depends on what you would like to accomplish with the keyboard. I actually bought a NP32 because I mostly wanted to play piano and also to play along with apps like Notestar, or run You Tube and my Spotify playlist through the keyboard speakers. I would have kept the NP32 except it didn't have the functionality to let me do that. So, I traded it for the EW400, which I absolutely love. I mostly only use it for piano play along but the DJ functionality is kind of cool. I haven't begun to explore all it can do but am quite pleased with it. They have a newer model now, and I was able to get a bit of a discount on mine. And it has 76 keys. I'm sure there are others here who are more knowledgeable about those models who can also weigh in.

 

[JeStark08]

Thanks for the enlightenment response on my post. Is the new model you're saying is the EW410? Mmmm... Maybe I wait a couple of days if it will come out in the market here in the Philippines and wait for mark-down price of the EW400... LOL! I wish...

 

[JeStark08]

Another question, if the MIDI file recorded from the EW400 can play also in Yamaha Stagea ELB-01? Thanks...

 

[Doctor Blue]

Thanks for the enlightenment response on my post. Is the new model you're saying is the EW410? Mmmm... Maybe I wait a couple of days if it will come out in the market here in the Philippines and wait for mark-down price of the EW400... LOL! I wish...

Yes I think it’s the EW410. It’s out here in the states already I believe. But the 400 is fine, I think the new model maybe has more voices, etc.

 

[Doctor Blue]

Another question, if the MIDI file recorded from the EW400 can play also in Yamaha Stagea ELB-01? Thanks...

That I don’t know. Perhaps our techie people here can comment...

 

[SeaGtGruff]

No, I don't think the PSR-EW410 is expected to be available until May, so still a couple of months away.

Yes, a MIDI file that you record on the PSR-EW400 should play on other models-- although you might want or need to adjust the voice selections and effects selections to choose the best ones that are available on the other models. That's to be expected, even if you purchase a MIDI file from a web site, since different keyboards do not usually have the exact same preset voices and effects types as each other. But a MIDI file is a MIDI file, and will work on any keyboard or other hardware or software that can play MIDI files.

 

[JeStark08]

Ok Sir SeaGtGruff. I just recorded yesterday a MIDI file from Yamaha Stagea ELB-01 in our church. I'll try to play it in the Yamaha PSR-EW400 in the store this week if it can play all the registrations I recorded.

 

[SeaGtGruff]

If the MIDI file uses voices that are specific to the ELB-01, then those voices might be substituted with voices from the PSR-EW400 when you play the MIDI file on the PSR-EW400. But as long as it's a standard MIDI file, it should play on other keyboards.

 

[Clive Nicholas]

After spending a week or so with my PSR-e363, I decided it wasn't for me. So it's gone back to the store and a NP32 is on the way and should be here Wednesday.

There are some really great features and sounds on the PSR but I found myself mostly wanting to use the piano sound and play pop pieces from Adele, John Legend, John Lennon. Because of the 61 note keyboard, I kept running out of real estate with the left hand chords and notes.

Anyone else here have the NP32 or tried one?

Yes just arrived today. Tried the voices and they don't live up to my expectations but good value and stylish with the software.

 

[Doctor Blue]

Yes just arrived today. Tried the voices and they don't live up to my expectations but good value and stylish with the software.

I have since traded that keyboard and have been happy with my no-frills Alesis Recital Pro.