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rabin
Published on 08/31/04 at 14:21
Digital piano
10+ octaves, 88 keys
Weighted keys, Touch Response technology -> double- scapement action simulation
32-note polyphony (16 in stereo)
Instruments: 6 (grand piano, upright piano, electric piano, harpsichord, organ, strings)
Connections: MIDI IN/OUT, AUX Phono IN (L, R), 2x headphones, pedal
Functions: volume, demos, +/- 0.8% tuning, transposition, piano feel, digital reverb, midi channel selection, local control, 2x pedals
Loudspeakers: 2 x 15 W 12cm x 2
Other: 70W, 86 lbs., 138.7x98.3x43.5cm, music stand, AC cord, around $1500 in 2001, new.
UTILIZATION
The keyboard is fabulous!
From all the digital pianos I have been able to test (a dozen from different brands), this one is indisputably the best. It replicates all tactile sensations of a real piano. The keys are not only weighted, but the different resistance degrees, depending on the force with which you press the key and the attack, reproduce the exact sensation of the double escapement mechanism of a real piano. Moreover, the ballasting is spread across four zones along the piano: The key touch on the bass cleft is heavy and it gets lighter as you move to the treble. (see the official brochure for more details)
The functions are rather basic but effective. Besides the keys, there are only two additional buttons, which gives the piano a sober look, not packed with thingamajigs. All functions are carried out with the keyboard, by pressing the Mode or Sound button and, sometimes, the pedal.
Transposing the piano is done in a matter of seconds: You simply have to press Mode and the key corresponding to the key required. It is also possible to fine tune in 0.8 hundredth of a Hz, to play with other, not tempered instruments!
Midi channel selection is done in the exact same way (Mode+key marked 1 to 16). Also adjustable are the keyboard itself (heavy, normal and light) and the digital reverb (On/Off). The same principle is applied to switch from one instrument to the other. And you can also select two instruments simultaneously. And you can obviously adjust the volume with a wheel.
To sum it up, it has a nice selection of well-implemented functions.
SOUNDS
The sound of the grand piano is magnificent. The reverb transports you to a concert hall next to Rachmaninoff. Every section of the piano is impeccably polished, both in terms of feel and sound, which are very realistic from highs to lows. I am as fond of it as I am of the Yamaha baby grand on which I learned to play. The other instruments are of very good quality.
The electric piano is great. It replicates exactly the one used by Ray Charles, where the sounds changes depending on the pressure you apply. Yeah-Yeah Baby. Instruments are multi-sampled with the Dynamic Acoustics PCM sampling system.
The only sound that is a bit crappy are the violins, but I have never found one that pleases me.
The only defect, rooted in the amp, is an almost imperceptible background noise, which does not vary with the sound level. (oh, yes, I had to find a defect!). I noticed it only two years after having bought it, in the middle of the night, when everything is really silent. So it's not really a defect.
OVERALL OPINION
I am really satisfied with it after 3 years of use. It's excellent at what it is supposed to do: Replace a real piano. I would buy it again without hesitation, especially given its price. My sister, who tried dozens of pianos in many stores, ended up buying it, too (in 2002).
The SX-PC25 is an ideal instrument for an apartment. You sill certainly not find lots of features, but the ones implemented are very effective. I have recently completed it with a Midi controller and my notebook.
If you don't need hundreds of features, but rather a "true" piano, the SX-PC25 is the best!!
Pros: Perfect feel, fabulous grand piano (and E-piano), adjustable fine tuning, incredible value for money.
Cons: Not many features nor instruments
Link to the official brochure: http://www.technics.com/pdf/pc25.pdf
10+ octaves, 88 keys
Weighted keys, Touch Response technology -> double- scapement action simulation
32-note polyphony (16 in stereo)
Instruments: 6 (grand piano, upright piano, electric piano, harpsichord, organ, strings)
Connections: MIDI IN/OUT, AUX Phono IN (L, R), 2x headphones, pedal
Functions: volume, demos, +/- 0.8% tuning, transposition, piano feel, digital reverb, midi channel selection, local control, 2x pedals
Loudspeakers: 2 x 15 W 12cm x 2
Other: 70W, 86 lbs., 138.7x98.3x43.5cm, music stand, AC cord, around $1500 in 2001, new.
UTILIZATION
The keyboard is fabulous!
From all the digital pianos I have been able to test (a dozen from different brands), this one is indisputably the best. It replicates all tactile sensations of a real piano. The keys are not only weighted, but the different resistance degrees, depending on the force with which you press the key and the attack, reproduce the exact sensation of the double escapement mechanism of a real piano. Moreover, the ballasting is spread across four zones along the piano: The key touch on the bass cleft is heavy and it gets lighter as you move to the treble. (see the official brochure for more details)
The functions are rather basic but effective. Besides the keys, there are only two additional buttons, which gives the piano a sober look, not packed with thingamajigs. All functions are carried out with the keyboard, by pressing the Mode or Sound button and, sometimes, the pedal.
Transposing the piano is done in a matter of seconds: You simply have to press Mode and the key corresponding to the key required. It is also possible to fine tune in 0.8 hundredth of a Hz, to play with other, not tempered instruments!
Midi channel selection is done in the exact same way (Mode+key marked 1 to 16). Also adjustable are the keyboard itself (heavy, normal and light) and the digital reverb (On/Off). The same principle is applied to switch from one instrument to the other. And you can also select two instruments simultaneously. And you can obviously adjust the volume with a wheel.
To sum it up, it has a nice selection of well-implemented functions.
SOUNDS
The sound of the grand piano is magnificent. The reverb transports you to a concert hall next to Rachmaninoff. Every section of the piano is impeccably polished, both in terms of feel and sound, which are very realistic from highs to lows. I am as fond of it as I am of the Yamaha baby grand on which I learned to play. The other instruments are of very good quality.
The electric piano is great. It replicates exactly the one used by Ray Charles, where the sounds changes depending on the pressure you apply. Yeah-Yeah Baby. Instruments are multi-sampled with the Dynamic Acoustics PCM sampling system.
The only sound that is a bit crappy are the violins, but I have never found one that pleases me.
The only defect, rooted in the amp, is an almost imperceptible background noise, which does not vary with the sound level. (oh, yes, I had to find a defect!). I noticed it only two years after having bought it, in the middle of the night, when everything is really silent. So it's not really a defect.
OVERALL OPINION
I am really satisfied with it after 3 years of use. It's excellent at what it is supposed to do: Replace a real piano. I would buy it again without hesitation, especially given its price. My sister, who tried dozens of pianos in many stores, ended up buying it, too (in 2002).
The SX-PC25 is an ideal instrument for an apartment. You sill certainly not find lots of features, but the ones implemented are very effective. I have recently completed it with a Midi controller and my notebook.
If you don't need hundreds of features, but rather a "true" piano, the SX-PC25 is the best!!
Pros: Perfect feel, fabulous grand piano (and E-piano), adjustable fine tuning, incredible value for money.
Cons: Not many features nor instruments
Link to the official brochure: http://www.technics.com/pdf/pc25.pdf