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Yamaha CP88 and 73 - Deserve their own thread


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Lowest price of the CP73 in the UK is £1349, about $1650, which is starting to look quite attractive. As people have said the sub section is a bit lacking but what I find more annoying is the choice of Insertion Effects on the Piano section. Why anyone would want to add distortion or overdrive to acoustic pianos?

 

Update - just watched the excellent Bonners review and he explains that in the Advanced Settings you can access EP or Synth sounds in the piano section or EPs in the Synth section etc. That makes the choice of effects less of an issue. So you could put the Piano in the EP section and get access to more insert effects. Interesting. Layering has probably been covered earlier in the thread but I didn't spot it this extra feature. So you can layer 2 Pianos or 2 EPs or 2 Synths.

 

I'm open to correction but I think I remember in one of Blake Angelos's demos saying you can assign any patch to any section and use the revelant effects. So you could put the pianos in the elec pianos or the sub category, or something from the sun category, organ maybe, and put it in the piano section and avail of the distortion. If that's correct then you could have up to three layers going at any one time or indeed three types of the same instrument so a three way layer piano or two acoustic pianos and a pad?

Yamaha MODX8, Legend Live.
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The CP build is good. Compact but sturdy feeling. The weakest points are the big feature of the new CPs - the big knobs, throw switches and rocker switches. Yamaha appears to have used quality parts in these areas. The 88 I"ve been playing in a local guitar center sees a lot of demo use and is holding up. The one thing I"ve seen is the sound selection knobs (one in each sound section) is not an endless encoder. It goes clockwise and counter clockwise with a stop on both sides. If you know this, great no problem. If not, one might be tempted to turn them past their end point. And internally, while quality plastic, the rod and it"s socket are plastic and they can break. The knob caps can also be pulled off, I"d refrain from ever doing that to maintain their grip. This isn"t new, any instrument that uses knobs... we wonder how long the caps are going to hold up. An owner will take better care than a renter or kids let loose in a GC showroom.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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I played on the CP88 for a couple of hours at GC... very nice experience. I hope the September update brings some decent organs & worthy "other" sounds for the the gigging musician ( strings, brass, etc... c'mon Yamaha, at this $$$ that's all that lacking here). That being said, the APs & EPs are stellar & definitely worth the hefty price tag, but for the moment it begs to be coupled with a second tier "meat & 'taters" board like the MODX or the FA-06.

The hammer action is great and easy to play, I felt like I was playing a grand piano - yes, the piano samples are that good. The EPs can be tame or bark like a rabid dog, it's all in your attack ( felt & sounded so realistic). This is an instrument that brings the best out of your playing, I didn't even realize that a few hours had passed until the sales guy started to hover over my shoulders.

Yeah, this'll probably be my new board, just needs better support sounds - heck, my RD-2000 is 10 lbs. beefier, doesn't play this good but it does have good "other" sounds and cost about the same. The RD-2000 is a great board & the action is the reason I got it but the CP88 is almost the replacement all in one board... your move Yamaha. :-)

You don't know you're in the dark until you're in the light.
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Haven"t found a shop with the 73 on the floor yet. Anyone on how the action compares to the 88?

 

I saw one on the floor at Sam Ash in Manhattan last time I was there (possibly 2-3 months ago). At the time they had both of them, but mounted up on one of the pillars and angled, which made it impossible to determine how they played. I vaguely remember actually liking the 73 more that the 88, but the situation really didn't allow for any quality time.

.

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Haven"t found a shop with the 73 on the floor yet. Anyone on how the action compares to the 88?

 

I've posted about this a few times. For piano technique, they don't really compare, the 88 feels much more piano-like. The 73, having the lighter action, is arguably better for rhodes, wurly, and clav.

 

I think it's more appropriate to compare the CP73 to keyboards that similarly sacrifice action for portability, and in that category it's the best action I've found. I also far prefer it over Korg's RH3. However, I haven't played the newest Casio weighted action, which some people rave about, so can't compare it to that.

 

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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Haven"t found a shop with the 73 on the floor yet. Anyone on how the action compares to the 88?

 

I've posted about this a few times. For piano technique, they don't really compare, the 88 feels much more piano-like. The 73, having the lighter action, is arguably better for rhodes, wurly, and clav.

 

I think it's more appropriate to compare the CP73 to keyboards that similarly sacrifice action for portability, and in that category it's the best action I've found. I also far prefer it over Korg's RH3. However, I haven't played the newest Casio weighted action, which some people rave about, so can't compare it to that.

How do you like your cp73 compared to your seven ? I know some of the sevens sounds from my gemini and I know the older yamaha cp5 . Thank you

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Fair enough, I don"t care for the RH3 in the Grandstage either. The RD-2000 is ok - I like the motion and swing of the keys but it feels sluggish to me, wouldn"t be my pick of these either, although as mentioned above - it"s full of great bread and butter sounds. The 88 isn"t noticeably heavier than the CP4. I"d be inclined to get the 88 if being disappointed by the 73"s action.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Fair enough, I don"t care for the RH3 in the Grandstage either.

I haven't played a Grandstage. Have you played an SV1? I'm curious if your dislike of the RH3 in the Grandstage extends to your feelings about the RH3 in the SV1. (Meanwhile, I didn't like the RH3 in the Kronos that I played only briefly... but I like the SV1.)

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The RH3 on the Kronos 8 feels the same to me as the Grandstage, meh. I like it on the SV1 for EPs.
Sounds like we'd probably be in sync there.

Not pleased with how it plays the APs on the SV1.
I wonder how much of that may be the limitations of the sound as opposed to the action. If you ever have the opportunity, it would be interesting to see how the SV1 feels triggering some VST or iOS piano you like.

 

 

Maybe this is the best place for a shameless plug! Our now not-so-new new video at https://youtu.be/3ZRC3b4p4EI is a 40 minute adaptation of T. S. Eliot's "Prufrock" - check it out! And hopefully I'll have something new here this year. ;-)

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Haven"t found a shop with the 73 on the floor yet. Anyone on how the action compares to the 88?

 

I've posted about this a few times. For piano technique, they don't really compare, the 88 feels much more piano-like. The 73, having the lighter action, is arguably better for rhodes, wurly, and clav.

 

I think it's more appropriate to compare the CP73 to keyboards that similarly sacrifice action for portability, and in that category it's the best action I've found. I also far prefer it over Korg's RH3. However, I haven't played the newest Casio weighted action, which some people rave about, so can't compare it to that.

How do you like your cp73 compared to your seven ? I know some of the sevens sounds from my gemini and I know the older yamaha cp5 . Thank you

 

The CP fairs better in that comparison than I thought it would. HIstorically I haven't been a huge fan of Yamaha's EP sounds, feeling they exhibit a certain flatness and lack of dynamics, but they've improved over time and the CP is the best and most dynamic to my ears. But the Crumar is more dynamic and allows you to dial in the ep you want. For EPs, I wish I could combine the action of the CP with the engine of the Crumar (sorry, no, Scott, I have not tried to midi them together). For AP, the sampled grand on the Crumar is certainly playable, but not the equal of the CP. I've been gigging with the CP for the better action, the better APs, and the better portability. But I still think the Crumar is very cool.

Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro

Home: Vintage Vibe 64

 

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I recently had opportunity to play the Crumar Seven and the CP88 side by side.

The Seven has such a great look and vibe, the UI is very cool, and the sounds - generally very good, especially on Rhodes. The FX are very good too. Especially the wah. I was surprised that the action felt right for the Rhodes on the Seven. It feels a lot like the Rhodes I"ve played - though authentic this isn"t necessarily a good thing because it"s not great for playing clav or acoustic piano on.

What I really need to know about the Seven is can you select different velocity curves - better yet, if you can, can you save them with your patch? Otherwise, going forward - Crumar should consider including or selling cross supports like my mkI 88 has to stabilize the little bounce and wobble while playing seriously.

 

Tough decision between these two because while the Seven is so cool, the CP88 is the vibiest thing we"ve ever seen from Yamaha with a UI drawing similar inspiration. It lacks tolex and 4 screw in legs. But it has an amazing action and covers a lot of the same ground sonically - with acoustic pianos way out ahead. It needs a tap tempo feature on the delay perhaps and a major update in ancillary sounds - as has been discussed ad nauseam now. Organs in this instrument aren"t that important to me as I"d rather play them on a second board with the right action and controls. But bonus for convenience. All around, just a very practical instrument as we expect from Yamaha.

 

Would love to own them both (which is very impractical) for different reasons. The CP88 to gig. The Seven for home, rehearsal space and maybe out and about for occasional non piano centric gigs - which is rare.

 

 

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Got to play the CP88 next to the RD-2000 and the APs & EPs go to Yamaha but pretty much everything else goes to Roland. I always felt the RD series had weak organs but compared to the CP88 they're pretty good. Definitely hammer action and playability is superior on the CP88 & I'm a die hard Roland guy. On the fence & I like the concept, it's just those damm weak "other" sounds...
You don't know you're in the dark until you're in the light.
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I've said it before, if Roland makes a keyboard controller that uses that PHA-50 action, i'll buy it in a heart beat even if i already have what i need. I wonder why they stopped making 88 controllers after the A-88.

 

I've never been keen on their modeling engine, but then i'm biased against piano modeling philosophy hence i can't digest Pianoteq as well.

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Got to play the CP88 next to the RD-2000 and the APs & EPs go to Yamaha but pretty much everything else goes to Roland. I always felt the RD series had weak organs but compared to the CP88 they're pretty good. Definitely hammer action and playability is superior on the CP88 & I'm a die hard Roland guy. On the fence & I like the concept, it's just those damm weak "other" sounds...

 

A lot of potential buyers will be watching for the new sounds promised for September update. I could 'get by' with the current sub sounds, but more classic synth leads and pads, brass, etc. would finally get me to switch from CP4. I suspect I will forever be using a separate clone/key action for organ, so weak organ in a piano centric board means little to me.

Barry

 

Home: Steinway L, Montage 8

 

Gigs: Yamaha CP88, Crumar Mojo 61, A&H SQ5 mixer, ME1 IEM, MiPro 909 IEMs

 

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Has anyone here made use of the 1/4 inch inputs to mix a clonewheel or synth in lieu of using a mixer? Any downside to doing this? If I could eliminate having to lug a mixer for a 2 board rig it would be great. Looks like stereo or mono would be really easy. Whaddya think?
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Has anyone here made use of the 1/4 inch inputs to mix a clonewheel or synth in lieu of using a mixer? Any downside to doing this? If I could eliminate having to lug a mixer for a 2 board rig it would be great. Looks like stereo or mono would be really easy. Whaddya think?

 

I second this question. I"ve plugged my Mojo61 into the aux-in on my CP4 with excellent results. On CP88 there is a dedicated volume adjustment knob on the 1/4' inputs. On the CP4, the highest volume is a tad low with the Mojo61, which means I have to set the default Mojo61 to +10 rather than +4 pro level. Not a big deal, but I hope the highest volume on the CP88 for 1/4' inputs will be slightly higher gain than CP4.

 

Barry

 

Home: Steinway L, Montage 8

 

Gigs: Yamaha CP88, Crumar Mojo 61, A&H SQ5 mixer, ME1 IEM, MiPro 909 IEMs

 

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https://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/3001873

 

review from Dave Ferris on a different Yamaha CP 88 thread :

 

Getting around to posting this, as last week I was able to finally play the CP88 and P-515 next to each other. I had my Senn HD-650s , so there would be no afterthoughts about the quality of the phones.

 

My initial impressions at NAMM were confirmed again, 7 months later -- with the exception of the CP88 had a warmer and more organic sound then I heard in the over the top sonic assault at the Marriott ballroom , with pitiful quality phones..

 

The P- 515 has a more piano like action and the overall pianistic connection for a serious pianist closer emulates an acoustic piano. Taking the phones off, yes, the internal speakers do add to the overall piano player experience, without a doubt ! The 515 has a thicker and richer tone as well.

 

The CFX on the CP88 is voiced differently then the P515. At first A/B listen, I heard an obvious thinner and more compressed sound. But the more I kept going back and forth, I began to like the CP88 on its own merits. The sustain seemed to make the mid to higher octaves sing out better then my CP4. I didn't have it through speakers, where it is more noticeable then the phones, but there wasn't that break around the C6 octave where things thin out, like on the CP4.

 

After about 15 minutes I actually started to get used to and enjoy the overall connection of the CP88 a little more. Playing the CP88, I could envision it as sounding more clear and present out on a gig with bass, drums and guitar - especially louder volume rock/pop/ RnB - then the P515. For softer Jazz contexts, the P515 will work well however. And as goes without saying - running in stereo, the best quality speakers you can afford will produce the best sonic results live, with either Yamaha.

 

And there's no comparison between the rhodes and wurlis , with the CP88 obviously sounding superior. I usually don't spend much time with "other sounds" but since so many people have been ragging on them, I did check out some of the pads one might use to layer an AP with. To my ears they aren't that bad, certainly on par with the CP4 and probably better.

 

Conversely, no question they're superior to the provided Grand Stage at the church, which I struggle to find a pad to layer the German mono grand with that sounds decent. There's only one on the Korg- legato strings- that works with the #9 German mono grand. On my CP4 there are a solid half dozen I can go to when I want that effect.

 

All this said about both the CP88 and P-515, I still don't feel like either are a monumental upgrade from the CP4, at least for APs, and for what I need it for - to emulate an Acoustic piano in a Jazz context.

 

Either one would be a noticeable improvement for certain but since I'm not doing many live gigs anymore, it's not high on my priority list.

 

:nopity:
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