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Hi guys,

I was about to buy the Nord Piano 4...
But then I realized the Fatar keybed is producing noise that is too distracting...
I know mechanical noise is completely normal when playing on digital keyboards, but the thumping sounds on these particular units are just unbearable.
I will be playing the keyboard in a quiet environment i.e. my bedroom most of the time. If it's already annoying to me in the store, I guess I will just pass playing it at home.

Therefore, I am on search for other keyboards that delivers similar functionalities / sounds but offers a much quieter keybed...

At the similar price range, there are the Roland RD2000 / Yamaha CP88.

Does anyone have experience with the them?
Do these units sound significantly quieter?
Or would you recommend other keyboard in the market?

I found this video demonstrating the noisiness of a Fatar keybed on a Nord unit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3LeMPHKRrE

This is just as what I experienced at the store. This might be okay on stage, but it surely gets distracting when playing at home

"Similar" functionalities is a very vague term.

You may wish to describe which functionalities within the Nord Piano4 that you need or want.

Against everyone elses knowledge, I would ask you to try the Lachnit MK23. It's expensive, but regulated.
It's regulated and completely handcrafted. It uses a TP40W Fatar Keybed. I have not tried myself, but, it's very special and might fulfill your wishes.
You can't compare the keybed to the implementation Nord has done. It's completely different.
If someone does say per se again (when it's not first hand knowledge), that all Fatar Keybeds are not good, I won't listen anymore.
Because often, it doesn't matter what you use. If your implementation is bad, it won't make the difference.
What also is, mass-produced products might not have the precision, handcrafted products have. They have a higher tolerance for errors.

I will buy this instrument soon, and once I have it, I will give you some of my observations.
I have to wait till I have saved up.

Best

Korgs rh3 is pretty silent according to my experience

If you go for Korg RH3, make sure to not pick the Korg D1. I had it for a while and the keys feel 'stuck'. Unlike in the old Korg Kronos 88 where it's definitively different.

The GF action in the MP11/MP11S# is *by far* the quietest mechanism you will encounter in a slab format. Everything else is just fighting for second place.

I think the attribute I value most right now is the quietness of key action... That's the main reason why I'm getting rid of my old digital piano.

Other than that, what I like about the Nord Piano 4, is the on-the-fly tweaking options and the great sound library.

Kawai MP11/MP11SE have functionality that is pretty close to the CP88 (even with similar operational design, except effects are controlled by definable rather than dedicated knobs), but should have a quiet keyboard, similar to the Kawai in the video you posted. (I don't know how loud or quiet the CP88 is.)

I'm also thinking about upgrading. Similar considerations. For me at least, I think it's limited to Roland or Kawai, because of noisy keybeds from other brands. The RD2000 and Fa-08 felt pretty similar when I played them. Don't know about midi functionality, but RD2000 has full release velocity. I haven't had the opportunity to play a newer korg RH3, but when I tried one a year or two ago, the action was pretty stiff. There are rumors that the newer RH3s are less stiff. I wonder if anyone has experience with the Kronos SE?

+1

It may be the quietest, but there's not much in it. Roland's cheapest action PHa40, I think that's what it's called, is very quiet indeed. You'll find that out if you you try it. I suspect you may not have. It's solid, bottoms out nicely and quiet at the same time.
And the Kawai compact grand found on the CA48, and 58 is pleasantly quiet too.
So you don't have to spend that much!

What do you mean "there not much in it"? The GF (II) action is a wooden key action and Kawai's best DP action. The PHA-40 is an entry-level plastic folded action from Roland...

The CAx8 are cabinet DPs and not in the same product category as the Nord Piano 4, Roland RD2000 or Yamaha CP88. Kawai's stage pianos are the MP8 and MP11. Only the MP11 features the GF action.

I've tried most of the Roland actions. They're not particularly quiet, even by plastic action standards. Ivory feel G, PHA-III, PHA-IV Concert, PHA-IV Standard, PHA-50.... Particularly, they develop a fairly loud key return thump as the top foam strip wears down, and they rattle audibly on glissandos.

Yamaha's GH based actions are probably the next quietest after the Kawai wooden key actions, IMO.

What about the newly announced Nord Grand?

So... MP11se best, then VPC1 then MP7se/ES8 for mechanical noise? MP7/ES acceptable, or would be of concern for those easily annoyed by noise?

You're wrong. But don't worry about it . . . try the newer ones and see. I've had mine 4 years and it's still quiet. The wife won't let me change for that reason. And I won't either until something better comes along.

Somehow, you're going to have to try these yourself!

My Yamaha P-515 has a very quiet keyboard.

Does that mean the CP88 has a quiet keybed too? Heard that they share the same action

Not exactly the same... specs say
P-515: NWX action
CP88: NW-GH action (same as CP4)