Thank you for this! Very helpful. If you do ever decide on the best way to cope with the volume issue, do let us know!

Great video, thanks! I'm torn between Kawai K300 with aure 2 (it functions as a digital piano) or NV 10S. I got a question about whether the key touch feels like that of an acoustic piano.

Thank you for sharing your perspective with the community-I truly appreciate your insights! I found it very interesting, as I hadn’t thought deeply about why I need to practice again almost every piece without headphones before playing it out loud for my family or any other audience. Your comments made me realize the importance of this, and I completely agree with your points. Whenever I feel confident with a piece and want to perform it for family or friends without headphones, it seems to feel different, often resulting in concentration lapses and hitting wrong notes. The new dynamic range and unfamiliar setting tend to make me nervous, which affects my playing eventually. I’ve had a Kawai CN-33 for many years and plan to upgrade this year, but I’m torn between the Novus NV5S and the K200 ATX4. The K200 could potentially lead to issues with my neighbors, as their living room is adjacent to mine. Also, buying the K200 and then mostly using headphones, only to later practice again in acoustic mode, doesn’t quite justify the extra expense, in my opinion. For this reason, I’m leaning towards the NV5S-even though it’s a concert grand experience without strings, relying on upright mechanics. The NV10S, unfortunately, is out of my budget and wouldn’t fit in my space. Thanks once again for your honest feedback. It’s incredibly helpful and adds valuable insight into what to consider when choosing and playing a piano, whether it’s a grand or an upright 👍 I‘m from Germany, sorry for any mistakes that might make my thoughts hard to read/understand 😉

great point!

Song @ 20:01 ?

Hey iam a Student and at the moment im playing a digital piano (yamaha), which costed around 1000 when i bought it... But now (3 years later) i want to upgrade, because izs really horrible to play something like the pathetique by beethoven on it. Now i hope you could recommend me whether an acousntic piano, a hybrid upright piano or something like the nv10s is the best option for getting better? PS: sorry for my english - not my mother lenguage

I think you hit the nail on the head! I often wonder whether higher quality digitals of this calibre should have a volume setting that indicates that it's closest to that of an acoustic piano...

Great review! Love the side by side sound comparison - best on the web!!! Still looking at all the reviews...but my decision is made ...I'm currently waiting for my X20 delivery!!

Great insights thanks Alex

Best Video EVER on that topic!! Thanks so much!!

Quite the collection, Tks for sharing 🤙

Alex, do you feel like the 16" fret radius is harder to play than the Taylors 12" radius? I can't find any videos on comparing the two. I just ordered at x30 jumbo, but have never played the guitar and was wondering if I made a mistake. I also have smaller hands. Thank you

As good as the hybrids are, nothing can replace that soundboard. The Kawai CA-98/99 has an interesting take with a soundboard with a transducer that I think actually does a better job than the hybrids.

Excellent video. Thanks to you, I just put in my X20 order :)

Both great, but a nod to the Emerald, for me. You have the best reviews I seen, for a variety of reasons. Very well done.

Good review. From piano technical and interpretative perspectives, it's the kind of feedback that piano manufacturers, teaching institutions, music teachers and piano technicians should be taking note of.

I really like the analogy with the deer on the wall.

Very insightful and important. It’s the settings of the piano that one has to modify.

Impossible to get any sort of feel for either guitar when your Twin Brother is a much better Player than you. Should have swapped over guitars so we can see each guitar played by each Player.

Really thoughtful and informative review! I really appreciate the effort you put into the presentation. Listening with JBL headphones that I listen to hundreds of guitar demos, the Emerald definitely fell short sonically compared to the wood guitars. I think it’s a beautiful guitar and it definitely has its place in the music world, perhaps for someone who gigs a lot in a variety of environmental conditions. But I would not spend that kind of money for a guitar with those sonic deficiencies when played acoustically. Still I would love to play one in person to hear it for myself! Thanks again for creating such professional content, it was extremely well done!!

Im definitely getting and emerald; either the X-20 or X-30; I’m 6’8” so leaning toward the jumbo, but It’s really hard to buy without trying; and thoughts comparing playability and comfort of these two?

Im definitely getting and emerald; either the X-20 or X-30; I’m 6’8” so leaning toward the jumbo, but It’s really hard to buy without trying; and thoughts comparing playability and comfort of these two?

I can empathize with your frustration. I had the same experience when I bought the Yamaha N1 Avant Grand. Really good, but not the same as an acoustic grand piano. I've been trying to improve it with headphones and samples ever since. The best experience for me is “Noire” from Native Instruments, with beyerdynamic DT 1990 pro Headphones. However, the piano is not optimized for playing external samples, so you have to experiment with the velocity. It's all a lot of work and very nerve-wracking. I look forward to the day when I have a house or apartment where I can play an acoustic grand piano (preferably a used steinway) without any problems.

Thanks for the review! A little hack to turn down the volume on acoustic grands: take out the music stand, close the lid completely and put the stand on top. Big difference. Most stands have felt gliders, so you don't damage the piano finish.

Buy decibel meter, take recordings at your lesson, match the digital/hybrid piano to the recorded measurements from your lessons and then never touch the volume knob again.

Wow. You pretty much hit the nail on the head. I practice on a decent keyboard with a decent keyboard action (Roland PHA-50). And I put the time in. I work hard. But when I get in front of my instructors million year old, dumpster-find Young Chang grand it takes me a good 30 minutes of our valuable time for me to stop sounding like a toddler. I have the space for a grand piano. I could do it. There’s a 1971 Kawai KG-2C down the road from me for $6000. But I’m nervous about the maintenance of an old acoustic. But I want the real deal! I don’t know what to do!

I just bought this instrument and I'm really disappointed, you can't get the dynamic beyond mezzoforte and the repetition is Iame

Dude, i ve got to get one of those ... i m 67, not much time left

I also practice on a digital piano and I came to the same conclusion. It’s near impossible to really learn and practice control of the dynamics.

excellent and very helpful video. I agree - both awesome instruments each with their own character !!

Great video. I bought a brand new Kawai GL10 in 2022 to get back into serious piano playing after a few years break. I play a lot of Chopin, Schumann and Brahams. After a few months, I desired more bass. I live in a small Aprtment so I was considering this Kawai NV10S and went to play it. It was okay. I ordered a Kawai GL30 factory order from Japan. When the brand new Kawai GL30 arrived a brand new Kawai GX1 also arrived. I went back and forth all afternoon and decided to come back a few days later. A brand new Kawai GL40 had arrived. So I went back and forth between all of these options and ended up upgrading from the GL10 to a brand new Kawai GL40!! The GL40 may be large for my small one bedroom apartment but it has such a beautiful bass that I couldn’t pass it up. Plus I negotiated 43% off MSRP. I think I got a very solid deal. When I get a bigger place my dream piano is the Shigeru Kawai SK3 🤩

Great tutorial but maybe you don’t need to sing every time you strum so we can hear what you’re playing better? Your voice is great tho ❤️

Sable sounds more "open"!...

Great reference review to reality! Thank God there is at least some "flat dynamic" music like Bach's Inventions and Scarlatti Sonatas! At least when the volume is chosen well. Am I wrong about that? And of course, also when volume is chosen well, we might always choose to indeed disturb the neighbours, can't we? Thanks for your smart considerations anyway! Something of reality is of course also the aspect of dealing with different instruments and rooms along the many hours of practising respectively concertperformance. Perhaps it needs a flexible and accurate mindset of actively be aware and respond to these many parametres while studying or while performing. Setting volume at home on a digital instrument as one of the issues to consciously deal with. Consciousness over all these matters may solve the problem, I suggest?

It's ridiculous to review anything without mentioning price, especially these things that cost thousands. A little less "guitar snob", a little more sense, OK? "Look at me, I've got a bunch of expensive guitars!" isn't helpful.

Wood still sounds much richer and has more character. I can hear a lot more detail in your playing style. I still think carbon fiber is a niche use case centered around travel and convenience, not tone. I still want one, someday, when I have 4 grand to spend without blinking. Great video and thanks for the effort!

Fantastic.. Thank you. I have subscribed. Glorious cat!!

Great tutorial 👍🏻

This is the first review video of any piano I’ve seen that is worth watching. All store videos never ever say anything bad about one piano or another. They never compare with important facts to dissuade. Because they are dealers and have to sell….always one “great” piano vs another. So thank you for that. I’m torn about what piano to get for my 11 year old who is in conservatory in Europe for piano. His teachers insist on an acoustic. He currently has a crappy digital. I was thinking it may be easier to get the Novus. But your inciteful review has made me realize why his teachers are right. Plus, his school is competitive. He needs the right tool. Problem is I’ve tried the Kawai gl40 GX2 and Shigeru sx2. And there is no comparison with the expressiveness of the Shigeru. So it looks like I’m in for a second mortgage soon!

My experience is to measure the loudness of an acoustic grand then sit back at your digital piano and match the volume knob to that specific measurement.

Precisely.

That is what I need it to hear. Thank you!

😂😂 love it

I played this piano while on a holiday in Malaysia last Christmas and I immediately fell in love with it. The sound is so crisp, and the keys felt awesome! Loved it especially when connecting the headset which is very cool if you live in an apartment building.

Great review, all your points are valid, digitals have the advantage of the headphones and not upsetting the neighbours and flatmates, all hours, thanks for sharing

what's the guitar at 18:35??? I think I want that one. Taylor?

Selling my X-30,2021 model, great condition,UK based.

Music major dilemma! Good luck. Rooting for you 100%.

Clark keneth

Excellent comparison video. A very practical, thorough and honest review covering all the features that matter for any potential purchaser. The sound comparison was the best I have seen. Too many guitar reviews show off the skills of the guitar reviewer rather than the instrument itself. Great work! I sincerely hope you do more reviews and comparisons.