Top 8 Best Digital Pianos For Advanced Pianist
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Digital pianos are known as great tools to help new players learn without having to invest large amounts of money into acoustic models. However, the quality and value of digital pianos goes far beyond that single application. There are pretty complex models out there which are blurring the line between acoustic and digital tone.
Today we are going to show you our picks for the top 8 best digital pianos for advanced players. These are among the absolute best digital pianos you can find at the moment. After we go over them in detail, we will discuss this category further.Top 8 Best Digital Pianos For Advanced Pianist
| Image | Digital Pianos / Rating | Summary | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|
+ -  | Kawai ES8 Total of 4.88/5 | One of the most advanced portable digital pianos you can currently find | |
+ -  | Yamaha YDP184R Arius Series Total of 4.90/5 | One of Yamaha's most advanced and authentic console pianos available right now. | |
+ -  | Korg SV188BK Total of 4.78/5 | Korg's take on the portable digital piano which made quite some ripples. | |
+ -  | ROLAND FP-6 Total of 4.73/5 | One of the better sounding digital pianos in the compact market segment. | |
+ -  | Casio Privia PX-560 Total of 4.63/5 | A somewhat less traditional but still very capable console model from Casio. | |
+ -  | Roland F-140R Total of 4.60/5 | An awesome console package from Roland which features all the flagship goodies. | |
+ -  | Kawai KDP90 Total of 4.55/5 | A more traditional take from Kawai that still delivers flagship tier performance. | |
+ -  | Casio Privia PX-870 Total of 4.47/5 | A proper workhorse in the mid range packed with all relevant features. |
Kawai ES8
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When you reach a specific level of skill, your requirements and expectations change. Top tier digital pianos might be the only thing that actually gets the job done for you. Kawai ES8 is one model that will work in such scenarios. This is a portable, compact model that comes with 88 key Piano Sampling RHIII Graded-Hammer Action which offers authentic experience and feedback. With 256 note polyphony and Harmonic Imaging XL Sound Technology, you are looking at one of the best sounding portable digital pianos you can get at the moment. The samples they have used for this piano are impressive to say the least. You are looking at a very high level of authenticity. Overall, a top tier choice.
Yamaha YDP184R Arius Series
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If you're familiar with higher end digital pianos, you have most likely heard of Yamaha's Arius series. This is Yamaha's most diverse family of pianos, but also among the best they offer. Yamaha YDP184R sits at the very top of the food chain. You're looking at a console piano that packs a full 88 key Graded Hammer 3 action made complete by the simulated ebony and ivory materials. As far as direct feedback goes, you won't find a much better solution at this price. Software wise, Yamaha offers these with CFX Premium Grand Piano Voice that is essentially a complex sample library pushed through their Virtual Resonance Modeling engine. You also get all three pedals, which complete the entire experience.
Korg SV188BK
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Compact digital pianos are definitely a niche segment. That is even more true if we are talking about higher end models from this category. Korg SV188BKbrings everything you could possibly need in a compact model at a fairly competitive price. Their RH3 Graded Hammer Action can be found on Korg's flagship models, making this portable piano that much more interesting. Instead of focusing on just one piano voice, Korg went with three different ones. You are getting two grand pianos and an upright. All of these sound quite amazing with plenty of depth as well as detail in the sound. That's partially due to their very capable sound engine which pushes those samples to a whole new level of quality.
ROLAND FP-6
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Our list wouldn't be complete without at least one Roland model included. We have chosen the Roland FP-60 for this purpose because it is by far one of the most successful digital piano this brand has to offer. As you can tell, this is also a portable model which is a theme in this particular segment for sure. Roland's FP-60 features their PHA-4 keyboard with a very refined and complex weighted action and ivory feel keys. In terms of authenticity, Roland has pretty much nailed it. The sound processing capabilities are covered by Roland's well known SuperNATURAL sound engine. They've used this software across many different digital instruments in their offer with great success. FP-60 is definitely worth checking out.
Casio Privia PX-560
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Casio is definitely among the names that dominate the entire digital piano market. This brand is present in all segments although they are arguably the strongest in the upper mid range. One of the models you will find there is the Casio Privia PX-560 as well as other Privia models. This is not a traditional looking piano, although it meets and exceeds all of the criteria necessary to be on our list. It comes with a good weighted action that feels refined and accurate, it features all three pedals and comes with a really good sound engine that is capable of processing the recorded samples with plenty of agility. Despite being a standard console unit, it is more than compact.
Roland F-140R
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Next comes another Roland model. This time around it is the F-140R with its beautiful console that offers stability as well as a more traditional feel. What makes F-140R so special is the fact that it brings that same flagship SuperNATURAL engine as well as the well respected and popular PHA-4 action. Where this piano steps away from the traditional path is the selection of additional tones and sounds it comes with. Aside from the awesome grand piano samples, you can choose from almost 305 different presets. That makes it a very agile model to have. With its built in speakers, F-140R is also a great choice for those who are looking to get good volume and sound quality overall.
Kawai KDP90
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The first Kawai piano we showed you was a compact, modern unit. The one we are looking at here represents a more traditional side of Kawai's offer. It is a console piano that has vintage look to it. The keyboard comes in form of AHAIV-F Graded-hammer Action, which has proven its worth numerous times by now. Despite packing a somewhat underwhelming 192 note polyphony, this Kawai is perfectly capable of delivering dual and four hand performance with no lag or issues whatsoever. That is partially thanks to the Harmonic Imaging Sound Technology. Being a console piano, it comes with all three pedals. Overall the entire thing feels very well put together. Additionally, it also features a number of practice tools.
Casio Privia PX-870
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Last but not the least we have another Casio Privia model for you to check out. This time around it's the PX-870. In all ways that matter this is a very capable digital piano. What makes it especially interesting is the fact that Casio has managed to put together a model that features their flagship weighted hammer-action, ivory and ebony texture emulation and their proven sound engine. All of that in a digital piano that is affordable by many standards. Thanks to its 4 built in speakers, you can actually use this model for gigs and live performances in smaller to medium venues. If you're an advanced player who's looking for a good model on a budget, this is it.
What Defines Digital Pianos For Advanced Players?
When most people go out looking for a digital piano, they are going to choose a model that fits their needs. Those who are just starting out will most likely focus on the budget digital piano segment, while those who have years of experience might need something better. Once you put a few years of practice and performing under your belt, chances are that you will develop your own taste. This isn't something unique to digital pianos. On the contrary, this approach is applicable to just about any activity that requires specialized equipment and devices.
Every Digital Piano Is Different
This is one thing you need to remember. When you decide to invest into a $1000 digital piano or something even more expensive, you will quickly find out that each brand has their own way of doing things. We aren't just talking about the looks either. These subtle differences and unique signatures are present in both hardware and software.
Actions
On the hardware side of things, actions are going to play the biggest part in your process of choosing a digital piano. It isn't about which brand offers a better action. When you have made a decision to invest a sizable amount of money into a digital piano, all of the actions in your price range are going to be good. However, they will feel differently. It's all about the felt feedback. Some actions are smoother, some are more aggressive and tactile. You need to figure which one better suits your playing style in general.
Software and Samples
As always, the other side of the equation is always going to be the software. If there is an area where digital piano manufactures are duking it out the most, it's the sound engines. Every brand has their own piece of software that is meant to extract the most out of the hardware but also the samples they have recorded. Different sound engines have a different way of manipulating said samples, which allows you to express yourself in different ways.
Samples themselves matter as well. For the most part, if you stick with the well known big name brands, you will run into pretty impressive samples which consist of multiple layers and are quite authentic. If you are looking for the best piano for advanced players, we definitely suggest that you should focus on finding a model that offers good acoustic piano samples. You can do yourself a favor and disregard any other presets or voices unless you specifically need or want them.
Conclusion
Advanced players have an already established taste. That is the perk of spending plenty of time practicing. In most cases people of this skill level will require more advanced models and designs which are often held to higher standards than most digital pianos out there. We've done our best to find pianos which offer the necessary performance and bring the necessary hardware to qualify for our guide. No matter which one you go with, you won't be disappointed. Additionally, some of these are quite affordable considering how complex and specific some of these pianos can be. Most importantly, they work.
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