Nord User Forum

drparticle wrote:Another possibility: Buy a Kawai MP7 - it's about the same price as the VPC1.

I recently bought an MP7 to replace the NP88. I also play at home for personal enjoyment. The NP 88 keybed noise was a distaction when playing quietly – After trying several keybeds - the MP7 was the one I preferred. I couldn’t find an MP11 to try – too large for my room anyway.

I can offer this report after three months with the MP7 in my living room [MP7 --> Onyx 820i --> Focal CMS 65 - pair]:

What I like:
- The keybed is MUCH quieter than the NP88.
- I get more expression from the MP7, maybe this is the benefit of the triple sensor. Playing trills improved immediately. I have more range to my playing. For someone at my intermediate level, I got an instant improvement in technique.
- The sound is very faithful to a piano sound. It’s far from perfect, but certainly more than enough for home playing.

What I don't like:
- The key surface is very smooth(?) - my fingers slip off the black keys when I'm playing fast & light. This is going to take some adjusting.
- The key-stroke is shorter than the NP88 - i.e. when you push on a key, it doesn't travel as far. At first, my hands were a little sore, as the bottom of the stroke was coming too soon. Now I have adjusted and it seems normal.
- The range of piano sounds is limited - the Nord system has a much wider choice of sounds from many different pianos. The MP7 is based on just two (I think) Kawai pianos. The sound variations are mostly different mic positions, etc. The Nord grands (Lady D, Imperial) & uprights (Black, Queen) are just amazing with the right outboard audio.

Sorry to go on about a non-Nord piano. I still have my NP88 and will now use it for playing away from home, jamming with friends.

drparticle wrote:to maxpiano & carbonrod,

I had a strong interest in the VPC1 & software-piano approach. But, I couldn't find a VPC1 to test drive. Best of luck in selecting your next piano.