Kawai VPC1 - Must have ?

I too have ES7 and am downright impressed by it. Major drawback's the repetition, which, despite its 3rd sensor (according to the notes), doesn't act as if one's there (or there reliably, a full letup being soon needed always). Maybe they got the intermediate positioning of sensor 3 wrong for practical purposes, or the convoluted-looking folded action simply doesn't suit 3. But looking at the package the piano makes overall, worth buying, worth keeping.

And the VPC-1 seems to be pitching the same external image. But no sounds. 65 pounds heavier. Same price. You'd hope that picture adds up to a better action : it's certainly more straightforward, easier to get what gives.

Turning to the software (this dratted country isn't going to import VPC-1, probably ever, so speculation's all I can offer), what actual use are velocity curves? Standard explanation's that actions can vary, so player needs a compensator (ES7's got equivalents to Pianoteq's plus provision for 2 others based on one's own playing) to help match acoustic keyboards he's used to. If you've got a mismatch there's a problem.

But another problem's if, say your left hand's weaker than your right (common even with proficient players, Pianoteq's velocity telltale picks it out well). In that case simply use a curve shaped more like PTQ's 'Moderately Slow' to compensate. And who is to say using a curve this way is wrong? Too, using 'Moderately Fast' in practice would muscle-up your left hand against Exam Day, on that stiff piano.

Thus providing VPC-1's editor doesn't get in your way when using your Pianoteq curve, only reason it's in the package at all is to suit latecomer-softwares to the VPC-1 Party,  which might not provide curves at all; just a bit of prudence Kawai throws in.

As for 'official curves', one wonders about those..... Perhaps they're called for, say, with Ivory, the sampling might better match one particular keyboard touch better than some general one.

I sure wish some owners would come out with reviews.

What's the model number of the Casio keyboard?

I've spend a couple of hours tonight trying to compare what's available out there at the moment.

I currently have a battered old Kurzweil Midiboard as my studio controller - but at 34 kg (!) it's hell to move across the room, let along gig with. And it's action is pretty stiff.... but it does Polyphonic Aftertouch!

The Kawai VPC1 is 29½ kg so a *little* lighter than my Midiboard
It doesn't have ANY aftertouch or even pictchbend or modwheel - but in a way I actually *like* the way it's only designed to be a grand piano controller and nothing else -
cos to be honest, a grand piano action is pretty inappropriate for playing Wurli or Clavinet (hah! those plastic keys or splurging away on a an evolving synthpad with PolyAT.

Thomann are currently selling the VPC1 for £1127.... that's cheaper than, for instance, the Studiologic Numa Nero, which is £1159... and the Nero doesn't send Note Off Velocity, and only has two pedal inputs, wheras the VPC1 comes with a triple pedal and progressive dampering. (The Numa is 3½kg lighter though)

The fabled Lachnit FLK Mk2 purports to have amazing action, plus mono aftertouch and it even sends MIDI Active Sensing. It's 4½kg lighter than the VPC1 ... the current price is £3530 though?!?

And none of these new boards do PolyAT like my old Midiboard...
the Infinite Response VAX77 does, but is approx £2570 and only 76 keys and not a piano type action...

... all in all, I'm confused  

I'm going to Musikmesse 2013 next month, I hope to try a few of these machines out!

Numa Nero can be found on Ebay for € 880 plus shipping.

but It seems to be not very reliable.....I have read a lot of forums....

the FATAR guys are telling me that, at least for the italian market they had no items back for assistance in 2012!!!!

we are all in a similar boat.....which one is the "one"???

Numa Nero has 22,5 Kg, usb power (depends on the USB port of the PC), no note-off velocity, no tri-sensor (the new numaconcert has tri-sensor tecnology)

vpc1 has 29,5 kg, usb power, note-off, pianoteq native integration

both have a wooden kb

but vpc1 it costs a lot more......

I tried one too (Numa Nero), and it's definitely not as bad as feline1 says it is... Just shows how action is a very subjective thing.

In short - you gotta go and try it out for yourself before purchasing it.

http://youtu.be/c3ikME3jpUw

At last, a controller that actually does feels like a grand!!!

Envy. (Tho not for your weather!) Thanks for the demo, better than a verbal review. Oddly I was listening to one of your soundcloud samples just yesterday, drooling over the sound and wondering about the preset. It was named : Project Ressurected (yep, that spelling, from memory).

I say, James, do you think the Kawai Power Supply for the ES7 would drive the VPC-1?

I ask because, living in Australia where the stick-in-the-mud Kawai officials have declined to consider importation, fans are thrown onto their own devices when seeking to import from US, say.

One would have to take with it a Power Supply geared to the US, 110..120 volts, versus the Australian norm of 240 volts.

That's a problem, but I own the ES7 and might use its Power Supply (if it *would* serve the VPC-1), as a more convenient workpast for this mismatch than any other. (And which I'll have to look into otherwise.)

Thank You for the USB tip, a super-convenient workpast. I could then await developments from Kawai Australia - thrum, thrum, thrum.....

And buy the PS when and if.

Thank you James. I can simply concentrate in playing now!

The VPC1 outshines all my previous keyboards. Even the NUMA Nero's keyboard (which I liked VERY much) did not have anything like the feel/sound interaction/relationship that the RM3 Grand II in this baby has when played through PianoTEQ's custom curve, nothing like!

In a few more days I wish to right a more detailed review (it only arrived yesterday!). But initial impressions have me "over-the-moon" with my new grand piano(s)

traver02

Welcome to the forum.

I hope you enjoy your VPC1,

Kindest Regards,

Chris

Hi Beto-Music,

In short, the dynamics are phenomenal!
Kawai and PianoTEQ have done a terrific job of the touch curve. In fact, it's taken a lot of getting used to after playing on lesser quality boards. I have never heard anything like what I hear through PianoTEQ with the VPC1. I'll send another demo in an attempt to illustrate the dynamic range/response.

Kindest Regards,

Chris

I don't want to take thomann (I order what I can there) a customer away for a day, but as I was curious how expensive the Kawai would be (1329.-, certainly worth the price, but....huiiiiiiiiiii^^) I found websites that have it available and seem to send worldwide, for example musicstore.de
At least you can write a mail to them, if you would not like to wait until "end of May". You could, but well, would you like to^^, cancel the Thomann order. And as they are great and good and rich, they would not even go bankrupt...(please sing "hark the angels come" now, will you)

Now I'll humbly go to my old clavinova - which in fact is lovely too.

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