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Hi everyone,
I'm trying to decide between the roland hp603 and the Yamaha clp635. I know the hp603 has the same sound engine as the hp605 or lx17, but the Yamaha clp635 has some lower specs wrt clp675.
Would you recommend me one over the other?
I'm a real beginner so I can't really appreciate the differences. I hope I can do as I progress so, I would like to make the right purchase.
I narrow the decision to this two as per my budget and availability in my local distributor.
I'll appreciate any comments.
Thanks

I get the HP603 for because you are a beginner and the modeling with the Roland is really good to learn proper pedaling. Also the Roland comes with a 10 year warranty in most countries.

You could possibly get a 535 very cheap right now. I tried one; also a 525 (or was it a 625) and that was nice, too. A simple good looking piano. I got a bit out o' my depth with the bigger ones. I don't think they liked me . . .

I think the HP603 and CLP635 are very comparable. They are both on my shortlist for my next DP. They are both very good. I played them both several times, I can't think of anything objectively better/worse in one or another. It's a subjective decision on which sound/tone or touch you like better. You can't go wrong with either. However I would say the 635 is a big improvement on the 535, not on specs, as they have the same sound system on paper but the 635 sounds much better (clearer, brighter sound).

When I was buying two and a half years ago, I looked at the predecessors of each (HP504 and CLP535). We then chose the Kawai CN35, mostly because of the sound character (vs Yamaha) and the better sound quality (4 speakers, not just two). So I'd recommend looking at the new CN37 because two more speakers make a difference.

If I had to chose between CLP635 and HP603 only, I'd take the Roland. One, because I find Yamahas a tad too bright/brilliant in general, but mostly because Roland has full modeling now and that is really nice and should help with proper pedaling technique (when you get to it).

Thanks guys for the responses! Although the roland is a bit more expensive, I was more inclined to it, but not for any objective reason. The pedals was something I haven't considered before. Thanks!

I can only say about the keyboard action for yamaha clp 535/635. I am using upright acoustic piano and in the store I could not play a single piece with 535/635. It's so much different from the acoustic piano. It should not be labeled as a piano. It is rather an electronic keyboard in a piano-like case. We might say, that is what digital piano means... but 635/535 is just no no and no.

FWIW I have the Roland LX-7 which has the same sound engine and keyboard action as the HP603, and I really like the four modeled piano sounds and the feel of the keyboard. (I have not tried the Yamaha CLP635 as my dealer does not carry it.) Good luck with your decision.

Even without ever having played the CLP-635, I'd say, go with the HP603. Why? Because it has the same sound engine _AND_ the same keyboard as the LX-17. The only difference is the casing and the speakers, which both are much more expensive, powerful, and more elaborate on the LX-17. However, if you connect a headphone to the HP-603 and the LX-17, they're the same.

The CLP-635 worse in both sound and action. When you're considering the Rolands, the only Yamaha's worth comparing are the 675 and 685. (I did play the 575 and 585, but didn't like them; chose the LX-17.)

We got the Roland and are very happy with it. It's true that Roland uses the same action in all of their HP/LX pianos so you might like it better than Yamaha's action, because they use different actions in their different models. The one thing that people haven't mentioned though, is that the Roland action is quite loud, so you'll have to figure out for yourself if that's a dealbreaker or not. It's especially noticeable when playing at a lower volume without headphones.

Pro tip: do not pay full price, or discount price, or even "institutional price" for these pianos. The store markups are quite high, and it pays to shop around.

Other options to consider are the DP-603, which is essentially the same piano as the HP-603 and the Kawai ES8. Both of them have a more "digital" look so that might be a consideration but they're both 2000 dollars off the internet. The Kawai is 2500 with the stand and pedals.

I'm curious to know why some of you keep saying a modeled digital piano is the best thing for learning proper pedal technique.

Probably because the string resonances are more realistic.

I've often seen descriptions posted of what an acoustic piano is capable of doing with regard to pedal and string resonances, and up until now, the Roland LX-17 fails only one test.

- Press C-E-G one octave below middle C, so that you don't hear the keys.
- Press the damper pedal, slowly.
- Hit C-E-G starting at middle C, release

Now you should hear the C-E-G you're holding in the lower octave. (Most digital piano's can do this nowadays.) Now, slowly press C-E-G starting at middle C again (without making a sound), and then release the C-E-G in the lower octave. Then release the pedal. It's claimed that an acoustic can 'transfer' string resonances in this way, and you should now hear the depressed C-E-G starting at middle C; I don't know if it's true. I should test it someday. It's the one test I've found that the LX-17 fails. Every other test that goes like "press this, hit that, release that..., and then you should hear...." has succeeded.

With regard to pedal and string resonance realism, the Rolands and Pianoteq are ahead of Kawai, who is ahead of Yamaha (at least, when comparing to the CLP-585; don't know about the CLP-685). If you *like* the modeled sound is another question.

You know, that a listener cannot hear these subtleties at all, even when sitting just a few feet from the piano. What all these DSP effects do is make the digital sound a little less sterile to a headphone user.

Advanced piano pedaling is about controlling the soundboard and especially the room (resonance). You need a real piano inside a good room to practice this.

I'm with JoeT on this.

I'm generally of the opinion that "string resonance matters", because I can hear it when I play --

. . . but transferring energy from an already-decaying string, well after the hammer impact,
. . . to a string that's harmonically related to it ????

Some things are only audible in a lab (if they're audible at all), not in a concert hall, or in a jazz club.

I've never tried that "delayed resonance" test on an acoustic piano -- has anyone else?

I sometimes test resonances between an acoustic and CFX, and the effect is real (and CFX renders resonance quite accurately). I'm confident it can be heard in a listening venue if played.

However, I just don't really encounter piano pieces that make use of it. Peterws mentioned Eric Satie, and I can easily see some of his pieces being written to take advantage of them, but honestly, almost nothing else I know of really does. Are there a lot of pieces that require a completely delayed key to be held down and new notes struck, without sustain pedal? I just don't see it as that important in the grand scheme of things, but sure if you are mimicking piano physics as closely as possible, but all means include it.