Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Yamaha DGX 640/Kawai CA-63/Yamaha CLP 440

I am beginner who has been learning piano for about 6 months. In April, I purchased the Yamaha DGX 640. I liked the DGX and all the sounds and functions on it.
Just out of curiosity, I decided to go back to the music store where I purchased the DGX. I found they had the Clavinova CLP 430 and 440. I played on them for a few minutes, and I liked the feel of the keys. From that moment, I disliked, my DGX. I decided I wanted one of them. I quickly dismissed the CLP 430 because it just didn't have enough functionality compared to the CLP 440. I spoke to the dealer about trading in the DGX I bought about 4 months ago and he told me I'd have to pay £1500 plus my DGX. I thought that was a little too much so I started to look elsewhere considering I paid £650 for my DGX.
I started searching on the Internet for DPs I could get within that price range. I stumbled on this forum. I read a lot of threads and reviews. I saw that Kawai CA-63 was well liked and had postive reviews. So i decided to find one and test it. I went to Central London and found the CA-13. I tried it and loved it. I have now settled for the Kawai CA-63. But here are my questions
1)Should I stick with my DGX as it is a descent DP?
2)Does the Kawai CA-13 feel exactly the same as the CA-63? I know they have the same action (RM3) but do they feel the same?
3)Should I go for the Yamaha CLP 440?

Any suggestions are welcome. Thank you.

I still wait for my Kawai ca63, so my oppinion is not based on extensieve impression, but I surely tell you kawai ca63 is better than yamaha clp 440. well, this statement is similar with this: "stenway is a better piano than bosendorfer" with is of course, inapropriate and only subjective. Steinway is for my personal taste, better in bigger halls, but for sure, I would anytime, prefer a Bosendorfer.

To resume... kawai ca63 felt to my very well trained hands(more than 25 years of piano playing at a professional level) better than yamaha clp 440 or 470. of course, I didn`t played for long, but only for half an hour. Still, it suffice so I can make my decision.

As for ca13 vs. ca63, even though they share same mechanism, RM3, the sound sampling is better for the ca63 witch in turn will deliver a better response for your musical intensions. Well, this assumption is made after words made by other forum users, so take it as is. I was also told, that if I would use my DP with a software piano like Ivory II or Galaxy II, ca13 could provide even better satisfaction than ca63 alone. But I decided that ca63 is the best for me, as midi conection would provide to much a trouble for me. (though, my wife already purchased Galaxy II as my birtday present, so I would have both...)

In conclusion, go for ca63, as you on your own discovered it offers better satisfaction.

with your dgx, either keep it for easier transportation when needed or sell it, accepting a small loss in money terms...

Good luck!

Thanks for your opinion Eperdos. It's good to get an opinion from someone like you who has so much experience playing the piano. I don't know much about pianos and never played on one before but in the shop I went to in Central London, they had £100k pianos, to my surprise, the salesman let me try them too, and I can honestly say that the Kawai, in terms of key action, felt authentic.

Real Acoustic Grand Piano sound doesn't bother me, I like the piano sounds on my DGX and I also liked the piano sounds on my £125 61-key keyboard. To be honest, I can't really tell the difference between the piano sounds (mellow, bright, fuller, richer) all I can say is that it's a piano sound.

One thing I like about the RM3 action on the Kawai is the silence of the keys. They are not as noisy and clunky as the keys on the GH3 action Clavinovas(CVP and CLP). The keys on my DGX make a lot of noise but maybe it's my style of play as I am just a beginner, but I played the same songs I play on my DGX on the Kawai and I thumped the keys hard but the noise was noticeably no where near the noise Yamaha boards make. Would you agree to this?
Furthermore, I do like the functionality on the Kawai CA-63. Yamaha CLP 440 doesnt come close, in my opinion.

Got a few more questions about the CA-63 as I didn't try it out but tried the CA-13 just to get a feel of the RM3 action.
1)What do you think is the lifespan of a Digital Piano?
2)Is there a digital piano you came close to purchasing before settling for the Kawai CA-63?

Thanks

I have to say first, I am new to digital pianos. you can read my first topic on this forum:

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1912849/1.html

...and see that maybe I knoe less than you know about DP.

Until coming to this forum and extensivly read various topics to discover the kawai ca63, I was going for a yamaha clp 470. What first make me consider kawai ca63 was it`s price and touch compared to yamaha clp 470. soon, I changed my direction toward kawai ca63 and I am only days apart from having it into my house.

about the life span of a DP. as with any "apparatus" time is against it. as technology evolves at so high speeds, new and better machines appear so frequently. But, quite similar to a acoustic, once you are satisfied with you instrument, you can live with it for a long time. As log as it`s physical life allows.

I have no ideea about key noise. I wasn`t aware of the problem when trying it in a kindergarden and I have no impression whatsoever. but again, you already said it, it`s more silent than yamaha, so...

I do promise, as soon as my ca63 arives, I will write an extensive review of it and repond to any question you could have (I expected it in the first days of july, but i was delayed for 17, witch is next tuesday, I belive, so next weekend, if not again delayed...)

I have read your first topic. Seems to me you were thorough about it and made an informative decision.

As you are a professional who has played for more years than my age(am 23), I will take your advise seriously and this has cemented my decision to purchase th CA-63. I will be ordering mine in the next about two weeks time, can't wait.
Thanks so much

And I hope you do get your piano on the 17th. I will be looking forward to your review.

One last question.
Do you know if the Kawai CA-63 can recored 6 different instruments and have them play back at the same time? My DGX does that and I think its a cool feature, am not too bothered about it though, but just thought I should ask.
Thanks

not sure if my answer is corect, but as I understand from fellow user of the forum, there is only dual mode, in where you can play 2 instruments at same time. This I know from annalyzing this topic:

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1880958/1.html

Many "new" piano sounds, resembling real or imaginated pianos can be made through combination in dual mode.

But you i believe, want a mini orchestra or a band into one instrument.

Further, if you mean only recording 6 different voices and then play them back all thogether, also I believe the answer is no, as manual states only 2 track recording and even this 2 track i believe is meant to be L+R stereo. But take my answers only "as I am aware"!

Combining them using specific software is another story and recording it to USB or even exporting as midi really allows for great liberty of creation.

From the CA-63/93 user manual:

Thanks for the replies gentlemen.
This is not an essential requirememnt for me but would have been nice to be able to create a mini-orchestra or band. Am still getting the Kawai

Eperdos, Have you done any research about the tweeter sizzles? Is it something to worry about?
Thanks.

about tweters:

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1858842/3.html

see the 3rd page posts.

Thanks. I think those where bad batches or something.
I shall await your review when you receive your piano.

Thanks