Danny Linguini Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 Well this turned out to be a total misfire on just about all fronts. I just packed up the CP4 for a gig coming up on Friday, and pulled out the SP4-7 to set up here at home while the CP4 is getting ready to hit the road. I almost hate it. I think I actually prefer playing the Yamaha YPG-235 I keep handy for quick hits over the SP. I wish I had known how much I almost hate it before I put the MP6 up for sale, because I surely would have listed the SP instead. After playing full-size, fully-weighted keys and that incredible touch of the CP4, the SP is like playing a toy. Not to mention how sickeningly thin the piano sounds compared to both the CP4 and the MP6, except for the upper octaves. I suppose that's one thing I can take comfort in -- the big reason I went after the CP4 in the first place was for a better sound. If nothing else, I really appreciate what a good board the CP4 is. Now that I think of it, this is actually the first time I'm running the SP through this home sound system -- it never came out of the bag except for gigs when it was my main board. I don't remember it sounding (or feeling) this crappy; but now that I'm comparing sounds through the same system after practicing many hours on the CP4, the SP is pretty awful. I had to shut it off before I went all Pete Townsend on it. Now I am just depressed. The only reason I'm not putting the SP up for sale right now is because it's the only thing I have for a backup in case anything happens to the CP4 -- and I need something to practice on so I don't have to unpack the CP4 between gigs. Needless to say, I'm very extremely not happy right now that I got rid of the MP6. I might have to go looking for a decent used 88-key something or other. New gear -- even if it's used -- is always good for lifting one out of a severe funk. Now UPS says the MP6 was delivered today. The only thing that could possibly make me feel worse about this whole thing is if I hear from the buyer that it arrived in pieces. Sometimes things work out, and then sometimes you have episodes like this. D-10; M50; SP4-7; SP6 I'm a fairly accomplished hack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kawai James Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Sell the Kurz and keep your eyes open for a secondhand MP7 - problem solved. Employed by Kawai Japan, however the opinions I express are my own. Nord Electro 3 & occasional rare groove player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 I played the SPS-4 8 a few weeks ago at a rehearsal space. No bones about it, this is Kurz's budget model. Not horrible, but nothing to write home about. Don't know where they are sourcing the LK40GH action from. Not on par with sub $1k actions from Yamaha and Kawai. Sound wise, they aren't giving much from the PC3K or Forte at this price point. Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 I played the SPS-4 8 a few weeks ago...Sound wise, they aren't giving much from the PC3K or Forte at this price point. Most of the sounds of the PC3K can be loaded into the SP4. 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. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 SB, don't fret over selling the MP6. in the long run, there is no loss. But, I would also sell the SP4-7 too. Use the cash windfall to buy another KB with the right FTEC (finger-to-ear-connection) and that also pairs up well with the CP4. PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Linguini Posted July 16, 2015 Author Share Posted July 16, 2015 Yeah, the SP is definitely going up as soon as I snap some pickies and package it up. I'm actually looking at a B stock PX-5S. Cheap enough, gets mostly great reviews, and definitely a capable backup to the CP4. Easily a good home practice rig. Who knows, I could end up liking it enough that it could replace the CP4 as my gigging board. D-10; M50; SP4-7; SP6 I'm a fairly accomplished hack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 I played the SPS-4 8 a few weeks ago...Sound wise, they aren't giving much from the PC3K or Forte at this price point. Most of the sounds of the PC3K can be loaded into the SP4. * * At half the polyphony and shaving off anything the watered down DSP on the SP4 can't produce. Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElmerJFudd Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Yeah, the SP is definitely going up as soon as I snap some pickies and package it up. I'm actually looking at a B stock PX-5S. Cheap enough, gets mostly great reviews, and definitely a capable backup to the CP4. Easily a good home practice rig. Who knows, I could end up liking it enough that it could replace the CP4 as my gigging board. Casio is moving quickly at the moment. Might want to check out the PX560 or wait for the update to the PX-5S which can't be far off and would most likely include a touch screen UI, dedicated transpose buttons, half damper support, expression pedal input. All this stuff is now on the PX560. Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 I played the SPS-4 8 a few weeks ago...Sound wise, they aren't giving much from the PC3K or Forte at this price point. Most of the sounds of the PC3K can be loaded into the SP4. * * At half the polyphony and shaving off anything the watered down DSP on the SP4 can't produce. Right, same as the PC3LE. Of course it doesn't give you everything the much more expensive models do, but it's not bad. I think the biggest issue is that loading of the alternate sounds is not straightforward. 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. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Linguini Posted July 17, 2015 Author Share Posted July 17, 2015 Well I don't need latest and greatest this time around -- just something decent, usable and cheap. Just snagged the PX-5S. Worst case, if I really don't like it, I should be able to sell it for close to what I paid for it. But based on what I've been reading, I think it should be more than adequate for my home/backup needs. My post-MP6 doldrums are slowly fading away... D-10; M50; SP4-7; SP6 I'm a fairly accomplished hack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 Just snagged the PX-5S. That's a great move especially if it fulfills the roles of both the MP6 and SP4-7. We'll wait for a verdict. PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnotherScott Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 Well I don't need latest and greatest this time around -- just something decent, usable and cheap. Just snagged the PX-5S. Worst case, if I really don't like it, I should be able to sell it for close to what I paid for it. But based on what I've been reading, I think it should be more than adequate for my home/backup needs. My post-MP6 doldrums are slowly fading away... It's a good board. There are a number of things I like better about the SP4, but the two big areas where the PX-5S is better are probably the two things that matter most to you: piano sound and action. If you're not entirely enamored of the piano sound/response when you get it, check out this alternate vairation you can load into it, which made a big difference to me: http://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/files/file/5-pianoaltatk/ 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. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DulceLabs.com Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 Just snagged the PX-5S. Hey welcome to the family. If you're on FB you will want to join the PX-5S Group (URL in my sig). We keep it very laid-back and friendly and if you need help you can usually get within a matter of minutes. The site AS pointed you to is another great resource -- lots of sounds and PX-5S related stuff to download. You just need to register first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Linguini Posted July 18, 2015 Author Share Posted July 18, 2015 It's a good board. There are a number of things I like better about the SP4, but the two big areas where the PX-5S is better are probably the two things that matter most to you: piano sound and action. If you're not entirely enamored of the piano sound/response when you get it, check out this alternate vairation you can load into it, which made a big difference to me: http://www.casiomusicforums.com/index.php?/files/file/5-pianoaltatk/ Thanks much! Hey welcome to the family. If you're on FB you will want to join the PX-5S Group (URL in my sig). We keep it very laid-back and friendly and if you need help you can usually get within a matter of minutes. The site AS pointed you to is another great resource -- lots of sounds and PX-5S related stuff to download. You just need to register first. And thanks much! Joined! D-10; M50; SP4-7; SP6 I'm a fairly accomplished hack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Linguini Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 Ok, well I cannot find anything else on the subject doing a search, and knowing how awesomely superb the forum search is here, that can only mean it's not here. Where I can see it. So I'll add to this epic saga. The PS-5X arrived just about an hour ago. Within a few minutes it was up on the stand and all connected. And a few minutes after that I was muttering profanities trying to figure out how to get out of the stage setting somebody left it in and get back to the basic grand pianos. I somehow stumbled on the right combination of buttons and landed on the Concert Grand, and soon after the muttering stopped. It has some really nice sounding pianos ... ... ... ... but I'm glad I got the CP4 first for gigging. The PX-5S is a nice board, and it's going to be great for what I intended it for -- the home music room and practicing. It has a lot of stuff I don't need (like most of the stuff that goes beyond the stage piano stuff), but not enough of the stuff that I do need (like quick access to layers, for instance), at least not that I can see yet. There are a few other quirks that I've noticed right off the bat that would probably having me returning it shortly if it was intended to be my main gigging board; but it isn't, so I'm keeping it. I do like the sound, especially the modern grand piano, the few organs I sampled aren't bad, and some of the EP's are as good or better than those on the CP4. And the touch is pretty nice, too. So I'm gonna keep digging around and see how stuff works, wear out my finger tips on the textured key surfaces, and be happy that both of my boards are probably the best I can do for their intended purposes. Edit: Oh yeah, and the PX-5S manual is the proverbial tits on a bull. That is all. D-10; M50; SP4-7; SP6 I'm a fairly accomplished hack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 The manual is useless, Mike's videos are the bomb. There's lots of info out there about it (check http://px-5s.com ), and a better set of Stage Settings at http://casiomusicforums.com "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Linguini Posted July 23, 2015 Author Share Posted July 23, 2015 .... and a better set of Stage Settings at http://casiomusicforums.com Oh, those is nice. D-10; M50; SP4-7; SP6 I'm a fairly accomplished hack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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