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So you're turned off by a turned on appliance?

It's true that the contestants would chose an acoustic piano. His point was the advancement in technology. His doctorate is in electronic music. The same would happen if he said that about electric violins at abig violin competition.

I assume you are joking because otherwise, what would be the difference between that and the acoustic that is standing ready-to-play?

I’m not joking. There is a massive difference between a computer and an acoustic piano. I think you and Mac are in the weeds of my posting. The point was that fiddling with a computer (or a keyboard user interface that requires substantial menu diving, or an analog or virtual analog synthesizer) is a great way to drain enough creative juices or inspiration to cause me to lose interest in playing music at that time.

A related topic to the subject of the posting, why are digital pianos other than those with mechanical actions of an acoustic piano and/or hybrid silent acoustic/digital pianos and/or those with soundboard speakers sold in big furniture cases? Why would I want something digital that will be replaced with the latest and greatest version in 5 years mounted in a big piece of heavy furniture that just increases cost and increases the hassle of moving it? Isn’t one point of digital technology not needing that? And the sound system should be separate from the piano so that either can be repaired or upgraded independently.

I guess people prefer aesthetically the cabinet piano.

Or ... simply because it looks like a piano. I could not have a slab in my living room.

Know what you mean...I guess when it's finished, this slab piano might suit your mansion MacMacMac .....











Or maybe just the Nord Grand - could live with that myself

Is it me or does the Nord Grand look like something built by Ikea?

Well, it is after all a Swedish design:)

Compared with most stage and portable pianos, up close it looks stunning.

Some may. Others prefer the small package. If the piano vendors offered the same instruments in both formats for instruments where this is possible, we might learn what the real preferences are.

Here is the explanation:

Historically, when digital instruments were developed, they were very expensive. They needed tuning and they were very heavy, thus came with especial cases, stands, and of course: furnished. The tradition didn't stop and some people still prefer furnished style keyboards. You don't put and expensive luxury analog synth on a cheap stand.

That being said, professional musicians do like to have the closest experience to the actual instruments they're playing. Some musicians even prefer to wear specific outfits and accessories. For example, many musicians prefer to wear loose outfit (if you're wondering why some still wear 80's-90's outfits in 2020) and some master violin players even don't wear watches or rings while playing instruments... Thus having a very close experience is important. They pay for it.

There is a car reviewer on youtube, he's name is Doug and he reviews luxury cars. He once reviewed Bugatti Chiron (3M $ car) in crocs flip-flops, a T-Shirt, and a baggy short wearing socks.

Anyone can review a 3M car in a dollar store-bought outfit sure, but they will look cheesy and cheap.

I purchased my instrument for live performance. Otherwise, I would have bought a furnished Kawai.

And just to complete my post you can google Piano Shell! These shells are usually used to hide slab DPs

Regarding the OP's question, I used to use VSTs but I needed a performance instrument and bought an MP7SE. Since then, it sounds so good that I haven't touched VSTs. Too much time consuming and not that much benefit.

+1 these are excellent points.

Some people do, fine. I didn’t say not to offer digital pianos in furniture cases, but that should be an upgrade option, not a minimum configuration. Lots of people don’t need a digital piano that looks like an acoustic upright, and don’t want to pay for it, monetarily or in terms of inconvenience. There is substantial demand for having the best piano engine in a smaller package without amp or speakers— in studios or in homes that also have an acoustic piano and don’t need another piece of furniture.

I don't see the point ...

They sell console digital pianos.
They sell mini-grand cabinet digital pianos.
They sell slab digital pianos.

There's something for everyone. Buy whatever you like.

I can’t buy what I would like because it is not offered for sale for purely artificial reasons.

For WAF - Wife Acceptance Factor. It makes it look nice in the home. Much more acceptable for home decor than a slab on a stand.

Osho

My comment was not that there should be no digital pianos in furniture-grade acoustic piano-style cabinets. I understand why some people want that. My point was that the DP vendors don’t offer their best piano engines in a smaller format slab for purely artificial, strategic marketing reasons. For me this raises the bar— I’m not going to own two pianos that are big pieces of furniture, so as long as an acoustic piano is superior, the DP vendor is losing a higher end sale to me. I’m sure they don’t want slab sales cutting into furniture sales, which would happen if the same piano engine was offered in both formats, but they also would sell a lot more slabs, which have lower manufacturing cost. If this happened, we would learn just how many people really want big, heavy, furniture-grade cases for their DP.

I think the correct design would be the furniture shell with sound system to which an independent, standard format slab can be installed and replaced/upgraded. Then buyers decide which format they want, and the furniture cabinet does not depreciate with the technology, but is re-used.