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I bought my VPC1 when they were first on the market in 2013? and have had no issues except with the 3-pedal unit going out within the first year. Kawai replaced it willingly and I have had no further problems.

Of course each instrument is different and my experience might not be that of someone else but I have enjoyed it and the touch is firm enough to keep my technique and offer enough resistance for control of touch and dynamics.

I wish you well making your decision!

Kudos to you for gigging with the beast! I also own MP11; it stays put. I recently bought ES-110 for gigs (assuming that such a thing as a gig exists in the future...).

Did you move your MP11 by yourself?

Two Kawais: CA58 was good except that played unevenly in the pp-p range, because of let-off simulation differences across keys. Didn't complain about it, because it turned out the action was too heavy for me anyway and decided to buy a silent piano. Which is a K300 ATX3. It had some problems with regulation which were fixed by the dealer. This is to be expected with a new upright action. More concerning is that the logo is slanted (a well-known Kawai problem, judging from the multiple reports in this forum), which I reported 5 months ago. The dealer can't fix this, and states that this is a warranty case to be solved by Kawai. Despite reminders from the dealer Kawai still hasn't contacted me.

Hello,
So I became a member on this forum few days ago to get me a digital piano thinking it would be all easy ...

While looking on youtube and web in general 2 names always pop up. Kawai and Yamaha. And both sound good. I have a preference for Kawai. But not tested only from hearing on youtube and unsure if that sound is same as in real life. I guess not due acoustics etc making me wonder if even testing how different it would be between listening in a shop and at home.

I dont want a digital piano and what I read on this forum confirms this a bit but I have no choice. Living on an attic atm (and no idea for how long but when I move to an appartment or house I will get me the real thing).

I checked that K300 ATX from above message. 8000 Euro and 220Kg oh dear. Anyway my budget is 3000 Euro that would be the Kawai CA79 or Yamaha 775 but I saw already a topic about that. Both pianos seem to be good with a realistic feel but again not tested. The bad thing is CA79 is 3100 Euro at the shop I called and they were unsure about delivery but not before end of Jan if I order fast. Ya right. Yamaha I havent really checked but after reading this topic I will have a better look.

I just want a as realistic feel digital as possible that I can place on the attic without killing my back. A piano with the basics. No interest at all in 90% of the gadgets. A few piano sounds and a metronome is all I need.

@Sbird: You might want to explain your "attic" because the term means something quite different in your part of the world. Will you need a yard-arm lift to hoist the piano?

My attic looks like this
https://decorexpro.com/images/artic...dy-luchshie-idei-i-poryadok-rabot-31.jpg

Only 1 window however of 1m x 1m.
2 stairs to get there, no elevator. It was already a ... pain just to get my furniture there.

Have you thought of a slab type digital piano like a Yamaha p515 or Kawai Mp11se? These are practically the same as their full furniture brothers but without the cabinet, speakers etc, but cheaper and mobile. (Well the p515 does have speakers, but the top kawai's have the better actions, in my opinion, of course.)

Nah I dont want that. Do they have the feel of a piano? As far I read the CA79 and Yamaha 775 do rather well.
The CA79 is 75kg but should be no problem as it can be assembled and its not to high. I will only need 1 person to help me.
And I notice I forgot to say atm I own a very old Roland KR-4500. It makes lots of noice even with volume off and has also alot of white noice.

The Kawai ES110 would be a good choice for you.

I think the slabs have exactly the same actions and therefore feel as their big brothers. If you want better feel, you need to look at the hybrids, but since these have real actions they are heavier as well, but still far from as heavy as an acoustic piano.

But, I would agree that a furniture type dp looks much nicer. I would suggest you hit the piano dealers and try some of them out, because other people's opinions can only tell you so much. In my search for a dp I went in convinced i needed a Kawai ca97, because of most opinions on the internet, then when I tried it I was quite unimpressed by it's sound. I ended up with an acoustic in the end, and for a digital option a vpc-1 with vst's for in my opinion a better piano experience.

If you don't mind buying used, with a $3000 budget how about looking out for a used yamaha nu1(x)? This one impressed me when I tried it at a piano dealer, it has a good sound system and a real action. To me the casio gp500 was pretty nice as well when I tried it just a couple of minutes.

I think you would have to be very lucky to find a used kawai nv5, since it's quite new and more expensive.

I dont think I will go for hibrid unless like you say I can find a used one. Way more expensive and +100kg and also higher -> wont fit easy under my roof.
It cant be to high as it needs fit under my roof (my Roland + music books just fit fine I have like 6 cm spare room), i have old partitures (+/- 80 yrs old that dont even fit).
https://img.audiofanzine.com/images/u/product/normal/roland-kr-4500-120893.jpg

Anyway I had decided to go for a CA79, the only reason I had not ordered yet was the waiting time (I only called 1 shop). Then I found this forum. Now I have feel I need do my homework again.
I didnt expect any issues as the Roland I have worked real good for years and that thing is from the middle ages.

Edit: typo and ya I will have to visit some shops in these corona days.

Well the ca79 seems like a solid choice to me, but still, i'd try before buying, you might just don't like it, or like a roland casio or yamaha better.

Stunning attic! Wish I had one like that . .

Hi Sbird, I was recently in your situation, looking for a DP for my studio that has a narrow and curvy entrance, it actually looks a lot like your attic, my primary focus was on the feel of how the DP plays. I had auditioned the CA 79 and also considered the CLP 775 but after playing the Casio GP 310 several times went with it.
It has the best action for me and I would recommend you give it a try. Good luck, hope you enjoy the process ...

Cheers, now finding a shop I can test those DP
I like my attic, its my hobby/fun place.

While searching I found this short youtube with a kid playing but I must say the piano's sound different then other demos I heard. And in this demo I like the yamaha sound better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y643hDFmGEo

What you're hearing there is the sound of the speakers picked up by a poor quality mic, so I suspect that the Yamaha (being a brighter piano sound) is being better picked-up better by the cheap mic.
Also, unless you practice using headphones, you're not getting the binaural sampling effect so much. Therefore, it's really worth visiting the store to practice. Videos either use Line-out (which gives you unrealistic ideas of what the piano might sound like through the speakers) or they mess up the recording by choosing poor quality mics or positioning the mics ineptly.

At university we have Kawai digital pianos in the piano room--about 30 of them. They are wooden action, console-style and over a decade old. All of them work perfectly and yes I have played them all at one time or another. I do have favorites because of slight differences in action, but none the less they are all in perfect working order. I keep hoping they'll upgrade soon so I can buy one of them just for the action.

Well, I guess there's one I haven't played--the one the professors use. It has a soundboard and does sound better than the model the students use.

Prior to this year these pianos saw a lot of action all day long by students of highly varied skill levels. Id tell you the model number, but no one is allowed in there...

Yes, I always moved it alone, and I prefer because when someone proposes to carry something for me, generally they don't take enough care of my gear.
Mp11 isn't not a big deal, about 40 kgs with its softcase, I can lift it with one hand (I only weight 75 kgs).

Grand piano movers have more merit : they carry 350 kgs or more at only 2 persons !

Yesterday, I have moved my 60kg CLP150 and found it quite heavy when in the turn of my stairs it is quite difficult to spread the weight 50%/50% between the two movers (my son and me).

I guess the movers of my N1X will have an harder time : it weights 2 times more.

@Frederic: When covid subsides and pianos become more readily available I will likely buy the N1X.
The movers will be happy that they need life it only one step up from the walkway and one more step into the foyer ... and all is flat from their to its destination.

@doudou: Yes, it's amazing ...When I bought a Kawai US50 upright acoustic piano many years ago two guys hefted it. It weighed 560 pounds. That's 254 kg. Astounding.