Battery dead in 5 years?

[thorin_2]

Hi, I've narrowed down my choice between an acoustic piano (5 year old but great condition baldwin acrsonic) and the yamaha s90ES. I couldn't make up my mind so while I was stuck with that conundrum, I decided to download and read the Yamaha s90es manual. I noticed that it (as well as other digital piano manuals), says the following:

 

Battery Notice: This product MAY contain a small non-rechargable battery which (if applicable) is soldered in place. The average life span of this type of battery is approximately five years. When

replacement becomes necessary, contact a qualified service representative to perform the replacement.

 

Warning: Do not attempt to recharge, disassemble, or incinerate this type of battery. Keep all batteries away from children. Dispose of

used batteries promptly and as regulated by applicable laws. Note: In some areas, the servicer is required by law to return the defective parts. However, you do have the option of having the servicer dispose of these parts for you.

 

Question. Has anyone here who has owned a synth for more than 5 years experienced their rom battery dying? What does it cost to replace? Is it trully "sodered" in and is that built in obsolecense or can it still be replaced?

 

On a final note, What would YOUR choice be between the acoustic Baldwin Acrosonic piano and the digital, but supposedly best digital piano sound ever produced by yamaha, be? I know the pros and cons, it is just such a difficult choice. Nothing really beats the sound of an acoustic, even if it isn't a top of the line piano. Thoughts?

[Dave Horne]

Not to rain on your parade, but I believe the Baldwin Acrosonic piano is a spinet, the smallest made vertical piano - 36 inches or so tall. I wouldn't never consider one. I would go for a console or a full sized upright.

 

If you really want an acoustic piano I would go to several stores and inquire about renting one. It might take a day or several weeks or longer of playing for you to decide whether or not you want a particular model.

 

The advantage of a digital keyboard, it never goes out of tune and can be used with headphones. The disadvantage, the action of all electric keyboards is generally inferior (and lighter) than acoustic keyboards. That is a generalization.

 

I wouldn't worry about replacing a battery. I've done it several times myself. If the battery in question is in fact soldered in place, someone with modest soldering skills can replace it for you - no big deal.

 

Renting a keyboard or acoustic piano might be the way to go and I always give that advice.

 

I'm sure others here will have different opinions. Also, I assume you have a teacher and are not planning on teaching yourself(?). Good luck!

[ITGITC]

Replacing the battery is not built-in obsolescence. Do NOT let this factor into your purchase of the s90ES. It's a button-sized battery that my be held in by a clip or it may be soldered. Nevertheless, it's just not a big deal when it comes to choosing the electronic instrument over the acoustic.

 

Larger factors include the sound, the amplification you plan to use, the look, the tuning and maintenance of the acoustic, the general feel of playing an acoustic vs. electronic, etc.

 

I have both acoustic and electronic. It's nice to have my acoustic piano because it's a beautiful piece of furniture in my living room. It also has a great sound and I enjoy playing it. However, it requires tuning every six months.

 

On the other hand, I enjoy playing my electronic keyboard because I can use it with headphones, I can record it easily, it never needs tuning, and its portable.

 

I have never given the battery a 2nd thought.

 

What are your applications? Have you played the S90ES? What do you plan to use for amplification?

 

Lots of things to think about besides the battery.

 

Good luck.

 

Tom

[gangsu]

Hi thorin_2,

 

"Acrosonic" is the name Baldwin traditionally used for its upper-level consoles and spinets. Like Dave advised, there are good reasons to avoid spinets with their indirect-blow action and inherent problems. But the name alone does not indicate a specific model.

 

If you are considering the purchase of an acoustic, I and many others on this forum heartily recommend Larry Fine's "Piano Book". It's so interesting! A whole other world.

 

Good luck.

 

Edited to add that it appears the only Acrosonic manufactured within the last five years would be model 2090E, a 43 1/2" console in Vintage Mahogany. Does that sound like your piano? Current list price $8,020

[Byrdman]

For that amount of money you can get a decent (older) baby grand.

[thorin_2]

Well, I don't think it is the mahognay one. I believe it is cherry, a rather brown, dark cherry. Also, how do you know if it is a spnit? It seems tallker than 36 inches (more like 43?, I'll measure it when I get a chance). She claims to have bought it new 5 years ago at a reputable dealer (and I don't take her for a liar) even though she cannot find the receipt. I suppose I can go and hunt down the exact model number (if I can find it on the piano) and do more research that way.

[ITGITC]

Measured from the floor to the top of the cabinet:

 

Spinet = 35" - 37"

Consolette = 38" - 39"

Console = 40" - 43"

Studio = 44" - 47"

Upright Greater than or equal 49"

Full Size / Pro = 48" - 60"

 

===============================

[Bill H.]

Stay away from any drop-action acoustics...and there are hybrid actions out there to be aware of in this regard.

 

I've personally replaced a couple of Yamaha's soldered-in batteries, and I am definitely one of "limited" soldering skills. I also thought that this was a big job until a tech showed me what to do...you unsolder and resolder at the battery and leave the leads...and the delicate pc board... alone.

[thorin_2]

what is a drop-action acoustic? Can you describe?

[ITGITC]

The so-called "drop action" is a major compromise from the normal vertical piano action in that it employs an additional lever system to 'drop' the entire mechanism down below and behind the keys instead of above them; this is done solely for marketing purposes, in that it enables the piano to be much lighter and lower. But the keys are necessarily so short and the action parts so small that it tends to be temperamental and difficult to keep in regulation, as well as hard to control; also, the string lengths and soundboard area are so small that the tone is poor, especially in the bass where the low registers are extremely difficult to tune.

 

Spinets tend to be of poorer overall quality because the products are aimed at that segment of the market in which buyers are often more concerned with styling and convenience than with music. A good alternative for many people is a console piano; they are small and relatively light, but have a direct blow action and--usually--a better sound.

[Bill H.]

Yeah...it's where the action is underneath the keys and connected to the end of the keys with something...these days usually a plastic piece. That's what a spinet action is, but I've seen pianos not described as spinets by the manufaeturer that also use something similar. It makes the piano trouble-prone and not responsive. Now...I'm not an acoustic piano expert by any means, but if I were looking I'd get something used (because mass market pianos really depreciate and you'll get a lot more piano for your budget) and nothing smaller than a console, and that's if you don't have room for a grand.

 

My own home piano is my CP-80...now pretty much permanently set up in the living room.

[fantasticsound]

I bought a 1918 Kurtzmann upright for $150 that plays ok. Needs some work. It's a continuous source of chagrin to the Wewus. (He's of the notion, and in general I agree, that pianos are old, not vintage, unless you have an inordinately large amount of money with which to keep them in pristine condition. Even then, the incredible pressure created by so many strings on the lyre takes its' toll.)

 

But I love feeling the return and resonance of a real piano, even though my relatively crappy EMU MPS keyboard has piano sounds that, for loud playing, outstrip my acoustic piano.

[fantasticsound]

Hey, Tom, I never heard those specific demarkations of what is a console, spinet, etc.

 

Thanks!

[ITGITC]

Originally posted by fantasticsound:

Hey, Tom, I never heard those specific demarkations of what is a console, spinet, etc.

 

Thanks!

Yup. I had em written on the back of my hand.

[workstationM.I.]

I'm kinda surprised to hear that those "factory batteries" are still being used at ALL considering todays technology,unless there is something that I'm really not aware of-and that may well turn out to be the case.

 

I had an Alesis MMT-8 once and,I had always assumed the reason it had a battery was because there was no internal floppy to save data on,so,the battery was the only way to save your work from being wiped out when powering down.

 

But now, with more than a few keyboards out there

with either Compact Flash or Smartmedia storage

is there still a need for that factory battery?

If so,what duty does it perform?

[Stephen Fortner]

The Kurzweil K-2000 used regular batteries and had a door on the bottom.

 

It's weird... I have an old DX-7 at mom's house I bought in 1986. The internal programs (stuff I did way back when) are all still intact, and when you do the "battery check" function it still reads 2.8 volts. Like it did in 1986.

[ITGITC]

Originally posted by Stephen Fortner:

The Kurzweil K-2000 used regular batteries and had a door on the bottom.

 

...and still does.

 

Mine's in the closet. I guess I'd better drag it out and check the battery voltage. Who knows, I might even play it... naaaaaaah.

[The Real MC]

A buddy of mine bought a B3%r!n6er V-Amp a couple of years ago. Six months ago he started losing his patches. No battery cover, no mention of any battery in the manual.

 

So I pop the hood and I find a dead 2032 battery inside. We were both quite pissed that there was zero mention of any battery at all. He got a replacement battery, but he won't get his sounds back. And he won't be buying any B3%r!n6er products again. That seemed like a sleazy method of planned obsolescence.

 

Needless to say, every new purchase I make that has no mention of a battery in the manual, I pop the hood. Just did that last night with my Vox Valvetronix (no battery). Just can't trust people anymore.

[K K]

To replace a lithium battery on any instrument is really not difficult. The very worse it can cost you is one hour of labour and that's it. Took 12 years to replace the first one amongst my old modules.

 

Simply make sure to back-up those programs regularly (at least once a season) so that if the battery suddenly fails and one day your instrument wakes up with the factory presets, you'll be able to resend your works into it in a few seconds.