P45 vs P85 for TOUCH

[teloive]

Hello all,

I am looking for a keyboard to use over the summer to keep up my practice. I don't care about all the in-built gadgets, sound, voices, recording, MIDI etc. I literally need it just to practise while I am on holiday without a piano. I will be doing hard work, several hours a day, intensive repertoire. I want to know from anyone who has had one or both of these before, which one has the most realistic piano touch. I mean key weight, key release velocity, actual touch (matte or smooth), and if there is a difference in the key action sound (one more plasticky and bouncy than the other).

Also, I know there is nothing like a real piano, but I am unable to get one, but I am looking for something as close as possible.

Let me know if you have any experience. I'm looking at both these models in my local classifieds, but there are no other models available so please don't suggest other brands/models.

Thanks!

[Groove On]

The usual suspects for budget digital pianos:

 

Roland FP10, FP30

Kawai ES110

Yamaha P125

Casio PX160, PX-S1000

 

I like the Roland FP10/FP30 action the best, but never got my hands on a Casio (yet). For an under US$1,000 setup - I think any of those boards hooked up to Pianoteq have a decent touch/responsiveness. Unless youre one of those who hate the timbre of the Pianoteq sound - in which case look at sampled VSTs instead. Its still not an acoustic instrument, but many people have been pleasantly surprised by that setup (and others not so much).

 

I should mention I run through a pair of QSC K8.2s - which enhances the sound.

[JimboKeys]

AFAIK, the P45 and P85 use the same GHS action. But there can be a great difference in feel depending on how beat the particular keyboard you're looking at is. I've been in GC with two otherwise identical Yamaha keyboards where one - probably the newer - had a nice playable action, while the other had keys wobbling and clacking all over the place. The only way to compare the action of the two keyboards you're looking at would be to play both of them (preferably side by side, but likely not possible in your situation).

 

- Jimbo

[CountFosco]

I left my nice Yamaha upright AP in Australia when I moved, and picked up a P85 as a replacement. I've been using it as my main house piano for around 10 years, and I found it to be a good compromise between price, action and sound. And my son also plays it, and he has only one dynamic level - the one just above fff, which I think is called beatthelivingcrapoutofitioso, and it's still alive. There are 2 onboard piano sounds, the first one is fine, the second is OK. I've recorded a lot with it, and after adding a bit of reverb in post processing, I think it sounds great. I would say all of the other sounds are virtually unusable. But for a holiday practice piano, I think it would work well.

[LX88]

I have a P 85. I paid 100 dollars for it about a year ago.

 

When I play the P 45 at Guitar Center, I don't hear a tremendous amount of difference. And the P 85 is about 10 years old.

 

If can get a P 85 at a bargain price like I did, it is a great practice instrument. The only beef I have is that that keybed ( whatever it is) does seem to be fragile and Yamaha has a history of keybeds developing noise etc. If you buy new, get the extended warranty.