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When I tried the CFX, I found the volume when playing with the music desk on was significantly smaller than when the music desk was down. Seems like it has a quieter sound when sitting at the bench. The audience may feel differently than the performer.
Piano: 1982 NY Steinway Model B, Yamaha AvantGrand N3X VST(preference in order): VSL Synchron Pianos, Vienna Imperial, Garritan CFX, VI Labs Modern U, Ivory II American Concert D, Pianoteq
OMG... Comparing Hailun 218 to S7X, CFX and 214VC... And take James Pavel Shawcross's videos serious...
After playing the Hailun 218 yesterday for about 2 hours, I can say that in my opinion it is an excellent instrument. Have you played one?
Sonepica YOU will be the one playing this piano for many years— if you are happy with the tone and touch, isn’t that the only opinion that matters???? Not unless some of these forum members want to gift you the piano they think you should buy; in that case, you shouldn’t turn down a gift.
OMG... Comparing Hailun 218 to S7X, CFX and 214VC... And take James Pavel Shawcross's videos serious...
After playing the Hailun 218 yesterday for about 2 hours, I can say that in my opinion it is an excellent instrument. Have you played one?
You certainly sound more enthused by the Hailun overall. Can I ask, is it troubling you that the Hailun carries less brand prestige than the Yamaha? Does that make it harder to take the 218 back to your home to meet your family and friends. I don't mean that to sound facetious - I see it as a real issue when purchasing one's "forever" piano. You want it to represent the best you could buy and you want to proudly show it to anyone in your life who's interested. Of course, this may not apply to you at all - I'm just asking the question because I wonder if it is a blockage you are facing regarding your purchase. I think ultimately, all our opinions here carry very little value for your choice. You MUST go with your gut. Don't buy what you think you should buy. Buy what your heart is telling you to buy - regardless of the letters on the wallboard.
OMG... Comparing Hailun 218 to S7X, CFX and 214VC... And take James Pavel Shawcross's videos serious...
After playing the Hailun 218 yesterday for about 2 hours, I can say that in my opinion it is an excellent instrument. Have you played one?
Sonepica YOU will be the one playing this piano for many years— if you are happy with the tone and touch, isn’t that the only opinion that matters???? Not unless some of these forum members want to gift you the piano they think you should buy; in that case, you shouldn’t turn down a gift.
I agree! And in that spirit, I am currently accepting all offers of quality grand pianos! God knows, I'm nowhere near getting my hands on a decent grand piano in this lifetime! lol. Lucky my trusty U3 is not too bad. I do salivate at some of the pianos the PW community owns!
I've never played Estonia. I played a Petrof concert grand that was absolutely comical to me. The bass was booming, but the high treble was pathetically weak.
Sustain in the melody area is to me, the most important part to get right. Almost everything else can be modified.
+1
You could probably dampen or lessen the sustain of a piano if you really wanted to, but if your piano does not have enough sustain to begin with, where do you go from there?
You can hear the exceptional sustain of the Hailun 218 on some of the high treble notes in this video. The just ring on forever. You can also hear the satisfying growl of the powerful bass.
I was very impressed by the Hailun 218 I played on the weekend. A powerful, resonant piano with a delicate, warm sound and a beautifully long sustaining treble.
I was very impressed by the Hailun 218 I played on the weekend. A powerful, resonant piano with a delicate, warm sound and a beautifully long sustaining treble.
Are you thinking about pulling the trigger on the Hailun 218? What other pianos do you feel you need to check out before you could make that decision?
For what it's worth, I've played the Hailin 218 and I think it's an excellent piano at an excellent price. I could consider getting one of those (or the Feurich 218), and putting the savings into a rigorous maintenance program that always keeps it at peak performance. I probably preferred the Yamaha C7X by a little bit, but being so much cheaper certainly makes it a tough call.
I was very impressed by the Hailun 218 I played on the weekend. A powerful, resonant piano with a delicate, warm sound and a beautifully long sustaining treble.
Are you thinking about pulling the trigger on the Hailun 218? What other pianos do you feel you need to check out before you could make that decision?
It's really only the Yamaha S7X/C7X and Hailun 218 that interest me at this point.
Sustain in the melody area is to me, the most important part to get right. Almost everything else can be modified.
I'd definitely agree with that but equally there needs to be a harmonious balance too between the bass and the treble especially in the killer octave. For me the balance is equally important. I've played some longer CX Yamahas where the bass was great and the treble sustained but trying to balance the two was tricky and made it feel like I had a fight on my hands to play the sound I wanted.
When I tried the CFX, I found the volume when playing with the music desk on was significantly smaller than when the music desk was down. Seems like it has a quieter sound when sitting at the bench. The audience may feel differently than the performer.
Is that a criticism? I'm sure its volume is more than enough for the pianist. It's a concert grand. Every piano sounds louder without the music desk except for a few that have cut out desks.
Lucky my trusty U3 is not too bad. I do salivate at some of the pianos the PW community owns! 
