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Is the Kawai MP9000/9500 the best?


burningbusch

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OK, I'm beginning again in my search to find the best piano controller action. Recently I've owned a Yamaha P-200, Roland XV-88 and now a Roland RD-700. I played the Kawai MP9000 for the first time the other day and liked it a lot. I wish the action were a bit heavier. At the store I tried it at there were no Rolands or Yamahas that I could compare against. They're closing out the 9000s at $1495 with the new MP9500s coming in at $1995.

 

For me, everything else on my main weighted keyboard is secondary to the action. Is there ANYTHING else besides the Kawai that I should be looking at? Any MP9000 owners out there? How do you like it?

 

Thanks

Busch.

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I am not by any means an expert at this but for what it's worth, I grew up with a grand piano in the house so I like to have weighted keys myself.

 

I got the QS8 because it was inexpensive and it's alright but I am sure it doesn't compare with the other's you mentioned. But, I will tell you that the best action I played at the store by far was the Yamaha S80. It felt like a real hammer bouncing back at you. That's the controller I'd really like to have but I mainly play guitar so it's not as important to me.

 

I've never tried the Kawai thing you mentioned but it looks interesting. I assume that the hump in the back is some kind of place for hammer action? The grand we had in the house (baby grand actually) was a Kawai so I think that if it's possible that they really use piano parts in it then maybe that could be the best one.

 

String vibrations would be a GREAT idea. It's funny you said that because I was playing some deluxe Technics piano (oh, nice feel on that too) and it had speakers in it (some $5,000 home keyboard thing...just playing it for fun) but the speakers vibrated the whole thing and I swear it felt just like playing a real piano with the strings vibrating in it!

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Just gone through the same decision process. Compared the MP900 with RD700, FP3, Yam P120.

 

MP - best feel (mid to top notes, didn't like sound). Very bulky. No gimmicks

 

RD/FP, feel good but not as, top/middle samples better, but that's very personal. Bass end on RD series truncated. RD700 lots of gimmicks, GM2, drums etc etc

 

I bought an SRX-02 Roland sample card, and an RD700. Ended up spending as much as the MP, but I have a portable, expandable soln.

 

JS

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You just might get that, if/when GeneralMusic releases a ProMega3 module. Rumor has it they are working on such a device :)

 

Originally posted by RaGe:

I have a Roland FP3 and the action is pretty good, although nothing compares to the MP9000's action. Now if they could add piano strings vibrations :-)

I used to think I was Libertarian. Until I saw their platform; now I know I'm no more Libertarian than I am RepubliCrat or neoCON or Liberal or Socialist.

 

This ain't no track meet; this is football.

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I own the MP 9000. I do not know anything about the 9500 model, maybe someone could post a link. It has the best action I have played on a keyboard in this category so far. It also has some killer sounds. The bad things: WAY heavy. The mechanism is sensitive if you pound (I do, because I play on a Yamaha grand, and the MP is not as stiff). I had to replace the little plastic caps behind the hammers. They end up broken all the time. Also, the pedals are on-off switches. I would appreciate a half-pedalling system with three pedals very much, but the 9000 does not have that. Overall: Content, but with complaints...
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Thanks for the replies. I went back and tried the MP9000 a few more times. In the end I felt that, while the action is somewhat more authentic than my RD-700, I would be giving up way too many features that I've started to appreciate on the RD. I also felt that the action is light in comparison to any decent acoustic grand, so it really doesn't get me any closer to my goal of having a controller action that's as heavy as my Steinway.

 

Busch.

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Hey folks

 

Kawai MP9500 links for Amiri: kawaius.com and

kawai.de if you can read German.

 

The MP9500 has 64 sounds so that makes 48 sounds more than in the MP9000. There´s some new categories like brass sounds and apparently a number of new jazz organs (haven´t heard them though :8)

 

Too bad that keyboards in digital pianos don´t last for long.

 

Now it´s a beautiful day in Helsinki rock city.

Take care people!

Nuksu

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Think long and hard before paying $1495 on a "close out deal." I priced these several years ago when they first came out and I was quoted $1350 or thereabouts, which was not a closeout price. I would imagine they could be in the $1k range for closeout.

 

I have not played one in a long time, but it does have a great action. The overall dimensions are way too big compared to most of the competitors. Another cause for concern is that the keys are made of wood and if left in the back of a trailer during transport, they could be the victim of extreme heat or cold, causing the action to get out of wack.

 

My favorite is the Roland RD600. I had the RD700 and sold it because it did not top my RD600.

 

Good luck,

E

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