Casio GP-300

MSRP: $4995

Summary
The Casio GP-300 combines aspects of an acoustic piano in a digital piano
form, which in the industry is described as a hybrid piano. This is achieved by
its use of wooden keys that mimic the key weight of an acoustic piano and
the use of an action that resembles a grands. Repetition is very impressive
for an instrument in this class and its dynamic range is wide and easily
controlled. Grand piano tones replicate some of the best concert grands in
the world. The piano has 6 speakers, two for the bass, middle and treble
sections, and are the largest amongst the competition. Overall the Casio GP300 represents a high value digital piano with its quality components and
features that give it a real piano feeling.
Pros
-Wooden keys, functional hammers
-Action mimics that of a grand piano, developed in partnership with C.
Bechstein
-Sounds replicate concert grands from C. Bechstein, Steinway and
Bosendorfer
-Best speakers in class
-Adjustable lid and listening positions
Cons

-Brand dilution from

lower-end Casio
products
-No integrated
soundboard

Yamaha CLP-545
MSRP: $5100
Summary
The Yamaha CLP-545 is your typical intermediate grade digital piano. It has
wooden keys but no hammer component, has 4 speakers and no integrated
soundboard. Piano tones are sampled from the CFX and Bosendorfer concert
grand pianos. Overall it is a decent instrument that does not provide as much
value as the Casio GP-300, which costs less but has more features.
Pros
-Wooden keys and escapement
-Sound sampling from CFX 9 and Bosendorfer Grand piano
Cons
-Action is typical of digital pianos, i.e. no hammers
-No integrated soundbaord

Yamaha NU-1
MSRP: $8900
Summary
The Yamaha NU-1 hybrid piano is as close as it gets to an acoustic piano with
its full upright action and wooden keys. This allows for a wide range of
dynamics, fast repetition, and soft legato playing. Its active soundboard and
quality speakers project a very realistic acoustic piano sound while sound
sampling comes from Yamahas CFX Concert Grand. Since it has a full action,
it will need to be regulated over time. The NU-1 offers a lot of premium
features not found on other hybrid/digital pianos but at an added cost of
about $3000 to $4000 more than the other pianos in this list. This is a piano
someone would buy who could live without an acoustic upright and much
rather enjoys the perks of a digital piano.
Pros
-Fully functioning upright piano action, wooden keys
-Sound sampling from CFX 9 Concert Grand
-Active soundboard and two pairs of powerful speakers (40W) project a
realistic sound

-Design most closely resembles upright piano

Cons
-Expensive
-Action will need regulating over time
-Fewer bells and whistles compared to other digital pianos (eg. Fewer voices,
no split/dual voices)

Kawai
MSRP: $7200

CA97

Summary
Like the Yamaha CLP-545, the Kawai CA97 is your typical intermediate grade
digital piano. It has wooden keys but no hammer component, has 6 speakers
(but are the smallest on this list) and has piano tones sampled from the SK
lines of grand pianos. It has a slight edge over the CLP-545 in that it has an
active soundboard, which helps the speakers project a more natural sound.
The Casio has the edge in terms of sound sampling and touch, but since I
have not personally played the instrument, it is hard to say which of the
Casio or Kawai delivers the sound better.
Pros:
-Wooden keys and let off
-Sound sampling from SK-EX Concert grand piano
-Active soundboard (with transducers) and speaker combination projects a
more realistic sound than only using speakers

Cons:
-No hammers
-Sound sampling is sub-par compared to CFX o Bosendorfer in CLP-545 (user
testimony)
-Action is not as sophisticated compared to the Casio GP-300 or Yamaha NU-1
-Expensive, given whats being offered

Samick Ebony Neo

MSRP $5999
Summary
The Ebony Neo is Samicks take on the hybrid digital piano. The piano is
furnished in an elegant cabinet that very closely resembles an acoustic
piano. The keys are weighted, however it lacks escapement and they are
made completely from plastic. A passive soundboard aids in sound projection
(it amplifies the sound coming from the speakers without electronic aids) but
does not measure up to an active soundboard as in the Kawai CA97, which
uses transducers. Speakers are of unspecified size and are the weakest in its
class. Overall it is probably the most attractive of the pianos on this list, but
lacks the hardware and technology to keep up with the alternatives.
Pros
-Full sized passive soundboard to aid in sound projection (no transducers as
in the Kawai CA97)

-All digital controls can be hidden with cover to make it look as close to an
acoustic piano as possible
-Attractive cabinet
Cons
-Plastic keys
-No escapement in the action
-Weakest speakers in class
-No sound sampling from quality grand pianos

Roland
HP605
MSRP $4300
Review: http://azpianonews.blogspot.ca/2015/12/Roland-HP603HP605-LX7-LX17-Digital-Piano-REVIEW-New-Lowest-Price-PhysicalModeling-.htmlcasio GP300
Summary
The highlight of the Roland HP-605 digital piano is its sound production,
which they call SuperNATURAL piano modelling. It is remarkably different
from what is conventional in the industry in that the sound is recreated
instead of replayed the result is a richer, more complex sound, complete
with overtones that are impossible to achieve via the typical digital piano.
The keys are made from a combination of plastic and wood instead of all
wood in most higher end digitals; in Rolands words, a combination of both
is best suited for a digital piano because wood tends to warp and change in
volume due to changes in humidity. One reviewer (AZPianoNews) remarked

that though the Yamaha NU-1s action is much more authentic to an acoustic
piano, the Roland HP-605s action behaves a lot more like a grand piano
action (the former uses an upright console action and the latter has
somewhat of a grand piano action design and has escapement).
AZPianoNews remarked that the escapement in the HP-605 is more refined
and authentic than in the Kawai CA97.
Its speaker system is average compared to the other pianos on this list and it
does not have a soundboard to help project the sound. The HP-605 has many
bells and whistles, boasting the largest collection of tones (307) and other
features that can alter Lowthe voicing of the piano (duplex scale, damper
resonance, soundbard type etc.). In summary, the HP-605 is an appealing
piano for the pianist looking for lots of tones and digital features, and a
decent quality key touch. Its also the most affordable of the bunch at $4300
Pros
-SuperNATURAL piano
modelling sounds are
recreated instead of
replayed for better
sound production
-Has three way, six
speaker system
-Partial wooden keys,
escapement
Cons
-No hammers in the
action
-No integrated
soundboard