Kawai MP8

full keyboard
weighted keys


UTILIZATION

The manual is clear, but the setup is not easy to get right.

SOUNDS

The sound is fantastic. I usually use the grand piano only. I like it and always get positive feedback after a performanc.

OVERALL OPINION

I played every digital piano I could locate within four states. The Kawai MP8 is the one I choose to play. It is a great sounding "grand piano." The drawback is the wood construction for the weighted keys. It makes the unit very heavy and that becomes a problem if you travel a lot to play. Even though it is difficult to transport, I would still choose the MP8 Kawai exclusively for the realistic touch.

-88 Notes
-beaucoups sounds and all triturables
-connectique complte (noon, USB, jack output (L / R), XLR output (L / R) on stage very apprciable becaufe more DI box, pedal expression, sustain and una corda ...

USE

-keyboard of excellent quality I am a pianist, so I used to play on real wooden keys with weight and all the feelings that go with it ... I have not tried his "rival" The Roland 700SX, which must also be a sacred beast race, because for me most was this wooden mechanical.
-two Mollettes bend and vibrato for lovers of the electric band or Joe Zawinul ...
-The Configuration is quite simple, if we take the time to explore the possibilities of mp8 for effects and soundboard simulations for piano sounds, which are also very well conus.
-For What MIDI is very convenient, 4 zones with the volume knobs (for internal or external sounds), so it's convenient as I did noticed prcdemment.
clear manual (but in English ...)

SONORITS

The sounds and effects are well conus, piano sounds trsralistes the Rhodes also in terms of other sounds I do not use them, but are generally good (there was also a good drum set ...)

See characteristics on page Kawai https://www.kawai.de/mp8_en.htm
It is very complete, still details to be perfect:
- No headphone output with dedicated volume control (but it is common to all the digital pianos I believe, and many hi-fi amplifier does not have; That said that listening to headphone should be exclusive with one listening on speakers?
- Pedal block provided contains only two pedals ... (Physically Kawai designed the block with three pedals, but only two are installed ...
No problem with the weight & size of the machine, I use quasi-fixed bad it's so deep, however, with the cables at the back there is more than 50cm from the wall - but the internal mechanics must take a little space ...

UTILIZATION

-> The keyboard of course ... from around the piano, I can only praise the work done by Kawai on this point, however, the keyboard is a bit heavy ... (It's a matter of taste of course) and requires a break (what a fright the first day when some keys did not go back correctly on ppp passages!). Finitition keyboard OK, nothing more (the keys are not all aligned, highly visible in raking light, but without any effect on the game - for sure that this mechanism is different from the blocks molded platic with millimeter accuracy of Other productions!)
Another point: the keyboard is very noisy! This is obvious when playing off camera (ok, little interest), but also when playing with headphones (for other people in the room!). No worries, however, with small speakers, the sound is completely integrated with its "global" (or even closer to that of an acoustic piano?)
Settings are set at the factory touch too "exaggerated" I think (I would have four positions between "Normal" and "Light" to find my preference, other positions are "grotesque", and for now I can let me make a profile "User" to me is - again the curve generated by the MP8 is too exaggerated)

The general interface is very simple, say it is finally in my logic. All buttons are bright, is very convenient and makes up a small display.
I liked the digital dials + / - rather than Button (bcp faster!) For menus & values. Ditto for the 4 assignable knob: they are "absolute" so when you touch it they instantly take the value corresponding to the position of knob; Outside the previous value of the parameter (before it touches the knob) could be quite different and if you just do a "little extra" on a parameter, it must be done first press a button to see the numerical value present on the screen, turn the knob to find that value and do little more. I think that other brands use "Vpod" (or sth like that), ie a free digital knob stop allowing the knob always set correctly in relation to its current value;

Otherwise, little misadventure: The firmware upgrade required to go through the MIDI ports rather than USB (crash, complete machine, with no possibility to go back!). Handle with care.

SOUNDS

In terms of sound: I use the piano only qq first ... I toured the 256 sounds "to play", to say the they are usable ... My use is limited solely to use as a replacement of an acoustic piano, so I'm not interested in other sounds.
For piano, simulations of sympathetic resonance & tables resonances are very realistic (and adjustable), but they are "exclusive" when you come out of a passage with the pedal (ie with the simulation of the soundboard ), it does not keep the harmonics on the buttons ... is again a small detail, but it means a bit of Bartok's example ...
The coupling touch / sound is nickel, it took me very little time to find my feelings as a pianist and enjoy playing. The keyboard makes even heavy simplest interpretation of an acoustic piano, but beware of the return on an acoustic, you have to "relearn" to play dpi.

OVERALL OPINION

- I use it for two weeks now, Here we go (hopefully) for a long time!
- In + +: the feeling of playing an acoustic piano. Perhaps the look too, but it is matter of taste;
- En -? (For my own use) see the above points, maybe even have a keyboard similar to a pian ... and some details of ergonomics.
- Very few tried digital piano -> Yamaha keyboards with wood (too expensive!), Kawai Series AC (the same keyboard, with amplification, however, ugly ...)
- Value / Price Ok for me.
- I do it again the same choice without hesitation;

Everything has been said ...

UTILIZATION

Here is the main strength of MP8: touch ... It may seem very heavy (the heaviest I've played so far) the first day but you get used quickly, it allows a fine in the game after it is a matter of taste.
I tried a lot of competitors (P120 yamaha, roland 700 SX ...) but it's the only one that really suited me on this point (decisive factor in my purchase)

SOUNDS

The MP8 is perfect for the piano, later, to compose, it is better to join an expander or a few plug-ins:

Basically:

- Pianos: Excellent (I do not agree with the previous opinion, I find the 2 Concert Grand as good as the other one)
- Bass: Excellent (one fingerslapbass enough to eat!)
- Electric Pianos: average
- Guitars: no
- Organs: none
- Pads and strings: how
- Vocals: Not bad

OVERALL OPINION

The MP8 is perfect if you will, like me, a keyboard touch wood used impeccable as well as playing piano as a master keyboard for applications Home studio.