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Ivory 2 vs Avant Grand N2


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I"ve really been enjoying playing Ivory 2 standalone through my old P200. Not sure if it"s the quarantine talking, but I"m seriously considering selling my avant grand N2 when I get back, and getting myself this as a replacement:

 

https://synthogy.com/index.php/news/item/30-kawai-unveils-vpc1-virtual-piano-controller-featuring-ivory-ii-touch-curve

 

I have an acoustic in my studio, so the digital is just for my condo. i.e. mostly for the kids, and for working out ideas when I am not at the studio. I"ve been trying to find an old grantouch GT2 as I have not really felt the need to hold onto the very expensive N2 since buying my little A1 acoustic. I"m intrigued by this kawai controller....with what I could save after selling the N2, I could definitely buy myself some pretty nice reference monitors.

 

The thing about Ivory that I really dig is being able to control so many different parameters...that is something that is just not possible on the N2. Really been digging being able to dial up the 'hard rock' C7 preset for the more rock/pop stuff, and then switching to the 'ambient jazz' preset for solo jazz material. I"m a yamaha guy so the C7 in Ivory more than suffices for my ideal piano sound.

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I haven"t tweaked Ivory yet either, I"ve just been playing the two presets: Hard Rock and Ambient Jazz. It"s just cool knowing one can tweak a few things if needed...

 

The N2 keybed is amazing. It"s the actual action taken from a real C series acoustic grand. That said, I now already have an acoustic grand. (I didin"t when I originally bought the N2.) Playing Ivory through a controller is something of a unique experience unto itself, or that is how I am perceiving it right now at least...i.e. it"s not a 'replacement' for a real acoustic, whereas an N2 is to some degree...i.e. it was the closest thing I could get to a real grand living in a condo.

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I'm lazy and old school. I turn my N2 on and practice. No fuss, no i/o issues. I have no room for a grand in my house. I thought about selling but realized they sell for less than I assumed. Also, the replacement I had in mind, the Casio GP500 is not close to having real action IMO.

 

If the depreciation is more maybe think about keeping and running VST through it with the ability to play through headphones all those cool presets on a real grand action. (devil's advocate)

AvantGrand N2 | ES520 | Gallien-Krueger MK & MP | https://soundcloud.com/pete36251

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Keeping the N2 is a viable suggestion. Not sure how much stock to put into this though:

 

'Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the VPC1 features a specially prepared touch curve for Ivory II users, which has been tested and approved by the Synthogy team.'

 

How hard would it be to match that curve with the keyboard in the N2?

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I so wish I still had my GT2...the N2 is nice and all, but as a digital practice piano, the GT2 was not all that different. It was still a 'real grand action driving a sample...' I got close to nothing for my GT2 on the trade in for my N2. Live and learn.

 

Would have been perfect for my new Ivory 2 setup....I liked the look of the GT2 more than the N2....I dug the 'miniature grand" shape! :)

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I can believe that the N2 action combined with Yamaha's N2 sound engine is probably the best in the world.

What is frustrating however, is Yamaha's schizophrenic company-wide Synthetic Acoustic Piano philosophy.

 

No one can figure it out.

They have many different engines between the various products and they each have their advantages and disadvantages to the various markets and price points they serve.

 

As a concrete example, why can't I evaluate an N2 Sound Engine in a Montage? Oh, they are separate markets. Yep Understood... N2 is 4x the price of the Montage. Well can I sacrifice the action for the sound and only pay 2x?

Related example: why was the Montage FM Engine crippled by not including all of the Algorithms as the GS-1? Oh, you should be able to figure out how to get around it.

 

On the OP, I don't like Ivory at all. It sounds sampled and a reproduction, whereas Yamaha's products sound much more organic.

J a z z  P i a n o 8 8

--

Yamaha C7D

Montage8 | CP300 | CP4 | SK1-73 | OB6 | Seven

K8.2 | 3300 | CPSv.3

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Maybe you"re right as I don"t have my N2 with me to compare. It also could be that after 2 weeks of being separated from my A1, and having to make do with the stock pianos on my P200, that finally getting Ivory going through the internal speakers was like having a light shone down from above...

 

I still dig Ivory 2, and it's never a bad thing having a good virtual piano in your macbook/ipad. The best thing about digital is the multitude of options..

 

I think next week I will be buying a virtual minimoog, prophet V and a CS-80. What a time to be alive...ð

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Hey, Mike, I think they're different instruments with entirely different goals. My N3 presents as an acoustic piano that never needs tuning and has an on/off switch. I think Yamaha nailed the action, response curves and reproducing sound convincingly. I even get synthetic vibration through the keybed. Play it for a few minutes, and you're convinced you're playing a real piano.

 

The VPC/Ivory combination would serve a different purpose for me.

Want to make your band better?  Check out "A Guide To Starting (Or Improving!) Your Own Local Band"

 

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That"s 100% my sentiments. Playing Ivory is something of a unique experience unto itself. It"s not meant as a replacement for a real acoustic, whereas the avant grand is. I"ve decided to keep my N2. It completely serves it"s purpose for me, living in a condo.

 

I also love the feel of the TRS vibrations through the keyboard of the N2/N3.

 

I can get a similar thing going with the 30W speakers on my P200/CP300. It"s one of the main reasons while I still tour with the CP300 when I play with Blue Rodeo.

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