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Dear Forum-Dwellers  I'm terribly unhappy with the way my MP6 sounds. I've heard from lots of sources that the Kawai MP6 sound should actually be rather good so I'm a bit confused and I'm not entirely sure if my hearing is off or my board is broken or just terribly set up. I usually play the Concert Grand default through headphones (Sennheiser HD 598) and I'm pretty disappointed about the way my MP6 sounds. I didn't notice it at first because it was my first DP and I just started practicing but the more I train with my teacher and the more I play on the music school's pianos the more I realize that my MP6 sounds nothing like a real piano. Especially in the middle registers around middle c the piano sounds weird and somewhat unnatural as if there are parts of the tones that are 'missing'. It sounds nothing like on a real piano to me and the difference is so jarring that I don't enjoy playing it at all. There's nearly no delay so every note sounds like it's 'cut off' and I have audible distortion and noise over the headphones when I play a note. What I find strange is that my board doesn't sound at all like the sound examples on the Kawai homepage or in most of the reviews at least not over the headphones. I've already done multiple factory resets and the MP6 has the latest firmware. I'm at a loss what else I could do. Are there some essential 'sound tweaks' you have to do? I have no clue what all of the knobs and drawbars actually do, since I'm a total beginner as far as equalizers, effects and those things are concerned so I just keep everything at its default value. I'd even consider selling the MP6 if it weren't for the discrepancy in what my MP6 does and how it should sound like according to the demos. So any tips or recommendations?
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It would be helpful if you could post a recorded example - anything that highlights the problem you encounter.
Beyond that, you have to remember that any digital board is a big compromise compared to "the real thing," especially a board that is relatively inexpensive. I have written a number of posts about what I consider to be the shortcomings of the MP6's acoustic piano sound - it's not bad, but nowhere near the tonal quality of the best software pianos.
There are some tweaks you can do. I can't remember the thread (one recent, some a while back) that deal with settings to potentially improve the stock Kawai sound. I think it may have been TA Dutchman??? who posted a large number of settings for the CA65 which you could translate into similar settings for the MP6.
"you don't need to have been a rabbit in order to become a veterinarian"
mabraman, 2015
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You could of course play a VST piano like Ivory II or Galaxy Steinway using your MP6 to drive them. Computer sampled pianos offer superior quality overall.
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Dear Forum-Dwellers I'm terribly unhappy with the way my MP6 sounds. I've heard from lots of sources that the Kawai MP6 sound should actually be rather good so I'm a bit confused and I'm not entirely sure if my hearing is off or my board is broken or just terribly set up. I usually play the Concert Grand default through headphones (Sennheiser HD 598) and I'm pretty disappointed about the way my MP6 sounds. I didn't notice it at first because it was my first DP and I just started practicing but the more I train with my teacher and the more I play on the music school's pianos the more I realize that my MP6 sounds nothing like a real piano. Especially in the middle registers around middle c the piano sounds weird and somewhat unnatural as if there are parts of the tones that are 'missing'. It sounds nothing like on a real piano to me and the difference is so jarring that I don't enjoy playing it at all. There's nearly no delay so every note sounds like it's 'cut off' and I have audible distortion and noise over the headphones when I play a note. What I find strange is that my board doesn't sound at all like the sound examples on the Kawai homepage or in most of the reviews at least not over the headphones. I've already done multiple factory resets and the MP6 has the latest firmware. I'm at a loss what else I could do. Are there some essential 'sound tweaks' you have to do? I have no clue what all of the knobs and drawbars actually do, since I'm a total beginner as far as equalizers, effects and those things are concerned so I just keep everything at its default value. I'd even consider selling the MP6 if it weren't for the discrepancy in what my MP6 does and how it should sound like according to the demos. So any tips or recommendations? Nigeth... First go to this thread: MP6 User's Forum I've been an MP6 owner for the past two years, and play my board every day with great delight for the sound results. Don't dismay. You want find much help in the manual... settings for this board are best learned by experience. The problem is that there are so many tweaks - easy enough to get to and change - but without some help, you'll probably not get optimum sound. I'm on my way to a supper engagement. When I return I'll check in here. Please post specific questions. I'll do my best to share what I've learned in the form of a short tutorial. Just post your questions in the forum thread referenced above. I'm going to maintain this thread in the hopes all MP6 user's will benefit from the cumulative wisdom of users in the forums. Regards! H.K.  P.S. If you have any trouble pulling up the thread I've referenced... it's post #2021573
Last edited by HisKidd; 01/30/13 09:22 PM.
Keyboards are the best therapy I know of...
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Kawai MP6 stage piano; Kawai ES8; Kawai G20 Grand
DCM CX-17 Monitors
Sennheiser HD 205, DJ series, headset
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It's been a few weeks with mine and I'm just getting around to digging into it, but my initial assessment was a little on your end. Now, I also use software instruments so I played them A->B to judge shortcomings. By design i think the sounds start pretty dry. Theyre not as open sounding. The out of the box settings just don't cut it, but start to explore. Last night I dialed in some satisfying settings for the jazz piano setting. EQ lo +5 mid -2. (1250) hi -3. This warmed things up (sennheiser HD 280 pro phones). Reverb, room 2, RvT 50 RvD 84.
For the concert grand, EQ +5, -2 (1120) -3. VERB Room 2 time 110, depth 100... A pretty big open sound for sure
Pulling a little mid and some highs do it for me, but I like a warmer, more european tone. My ear is also looking for the grand I own.... So it searches for the decay and tone that's dialed in my brain. That's kind of what you need to do. Play with a bit of EQ and reverb before messing with things like resonance attack and decay. Those would come over time. Cheers. I am enjoying the MP6. I like the action.
On the EP side, out of the box, I dig the 60's EP (3A). Fun stuff
The speakers or phones you're using are important.
Last edited by RBMusik; 01/31/13 12:36 AM.
RB
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Nigeth... Take a look at my post in the Kawai MP6 Users thread. Don't let it overwhelm you. It will take some time to understand all the possibilities. I'll be posting specific settings for you for all 12 pianos. You can use these as a starting point (they represent 2 years of fine tuning adjustments!) Hope this proves to be helpful! Regards, H.K.
Keyboards are the best therapy I know of...
______________________________________________
Kawai MP6 stage piano; Kawai ES8; Kawai G20 Grand
DCM CX-17 Monitors
Sennheiser HD 205, DJ series, headset
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@HisKidd, Check your link above, as there appears to be an error message when clicking on it. Here is the correct link: Kawai MP6 User's Thread
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PV88... Thanks for pointing this out; and I appreciate you posting the correct link. Fortunately, with my recent post, the thread is right beneath Nigeth's thread. I'm still learning the bells and whistles for posting. Many thanks! H.K. Kawai MP6 User Thread
Last edited by HisKidd; 01/31/13 05:16 AM.
Keyboards are the best therapy I know of...
______________________________________________
Kawai MP6 stage piano; Kawai ES8; Kawai G20 Grand
DCM CX-17 Monitors
Sennheiser HD 205, DJ series, headset
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"There's nearly no delay so every note sounds like it's 'cut off' and I have audible distortion and noise over the headphones when I play a note."
Indeed post a sample;
if you've already done full factory resets and have the latest firmware (both checked?), than either there is something odd with your unit (distortion/ noise / bad sound) , or the MP sound is simply not your thing. Sometimes tweaking with EQ etc can help a lot in that case.
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OK I'll try and make a recording. I'd rather record the output I use (headphones) because I cannot rule out that it might be an issue that's just located to the headphone out.
I don't know how to that yet though.
As far as individual presets are concerned is there a resource that explains what those options do?
In a "this parameter does that" and "if you turn it left it will influence the sound in that way, if you turn it right it will influence the sound in that way".
It might be difficult to find a good set of parameters given all of the options and given that I am rather clueless and inexperienced.
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PV88... Thanks for pointing this out; and I appreciate you posting the correct link. Fortunately, with my recent post, the thread is right beneath Nigeth's thread. I'm still learning the bells and whistles for posting. Many thanks! H.K. Kawai MP6 User Thread Nigeth, Did you read this thread? Here you will find exactly what you are looking for as far as what exactly to do. In addition, I will post today settings for the piano sounds that should tune your board up to sound just fine. There is also an example in this thread of one of the piano sounds (on Box). It will help to read through the manual, or at least have it out when you look at my thread. It's just a matter of finding the specific control I name, and making the adjustment. This may seem like a tall order,but remember - once you adjust and save the settings, then you are simply going to push one or two buttons to recall your settings each time you power up. Regards, H.K.
Keyboards are the best therapy I know of...
______________________________________________
Kawai MP6 stage piano; Kawai ES8; Kawai G20 Grand
DCM CX-17 Monitors
Sennheiser HD 205, DJ series, headset
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No I haven't been at home yet to try it. I'll try it this evening.
Just to be clear though I'm not interested in a preset alone I need to know what the 'knobs and buttons' do and what their purpose is eventually.
I'll browse through the thread you linked when I get home from work later today
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No I haven't been at home yet to try it. I'll try it this evening.
Just to be clear though I'm not interested in a preset alone I need to know what the 'knobs and buttons' do and what their purpose is eventually.
I'll browse through the thread you linked when I get home from work later today Nigeth, my thread in the Kawai MP6 User's thread should answer your specific questions, and it contains the settings for the Grand Piano 1. If you read my information on the specifics of setting, and then practice by dialing in my suggested parameters, I think you'll have a much better understanding of how everything works. Just scroll down in the "User's" forum until you come to the two threads on RE: Adjustments for Best Sound, and RE: Concert Grand (1/1/A) Settings. Let's take our discussion to that thread so that we want be posting in two places. I'm hoping that this will change your opinion about the sound quality of the MP6! Go to my "Box" account in the "Adjustments for Best Sound" thread, and listen for yourself. Questions are welcome! Regards, H.K.
Keyboards are the best therapy I know of...
______________________________________________
Kawai MP6 stage piano; Kawai ES8; Kawai G20 Grand
DCM CX-17 Monitors
Sennheiser HD 205, DJ series, headset
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