Best digital piano or controller under $500 - portable

Del Vento

In the last several years I "climbed" the quality/cost ladder of digital (and acoustic, FWIW) pianos, so I am currently unaware of what's available in this price range. Sooner or later (hopefully sooner), we will be back travelling and I may want to get an instrument in this range for that. What is the best portable (by that I mean non-forniture) digital piano in this piano range? Given that I am quite satisfied with FluidsynthMIDI on my Android phone, a controller such as the Kawai VPC 1 would qualify (of course it doesn't price-wise).

In a ideal world, this instrument would have a great action, be very light for transport, fit the trunk of a sedan car (which means, either foldable or splittable in pieces) and run on batteries and/or USB power (like the VPC). In the real world I understand that having all of these is impossible, so there will be compromises and and not a single "best". Which ones? Let's the discussion begin!

Kawai VPC 1 - honorable mention, but disqualified 😀
- cons: greatly out of the price range, even if bought used (if you can find one second hand)
- cons: does not fit the trunk of most (all?) cars
- cons: relatively heavy
- cons: no speakers hence no line-in (I am not putting "no piano sounds", since that is fine with sounds from the phone, but no speakers means that's "headphone only" instrument)
- pro: one of the best action in a portable instrument (arguably only the MP11 is better)
- pro: no need for power

Drew-r

Del Vento

Somewhat like Joe said …. answering your stated requirements may be a short list; here’s mine.

Just in case you missed it, here it is again.

😉

In all seriousness, under $500 pretty much takes all of the big three - K Y R - off the table for consideration unless you are willing to accept a used item, which puts a lot of stuff back on the table, some of which you might find acceptable.

Assuming a new DP, you are basically asking which low-end Casio is the best recommendation given your other requirements.

Deleted

These threads used to be about "piano under $1000", but notice how the new mark is now "under $500". This is called the race to the bottom. Soon we will be at "piano under $100".

The Yamaha P-121 fits into the trunk of a sedan, but it's $899 MRSP.

Del Vento

Thanks guys. So let me summarize:

the one leading the race so far appears to be the SL73 -- how is the action? really weighted or spring-based?
The Yamaha P-121 is a good runner-up. Good action, and smaller size, even though at a slightly higher price
More info on the other contenders, namely P45, CDP-S100 and GO piano?
Anything about the ones which fold or disassemble?

Deleted These threads used to be about "piano under $1000", but notice how the new mark is now "under $500". This is called the race to the bottom. Soon we will be at "piano under $100".

The under $500 category has always existed and caters to the real beginners, which we want to attract here at PC 😀

Personally have a great acoustic grand, an NU1 and I am building a DIY NV10-like hybrid (for which I ponied up a lot of "sweat"). This one is for the occasional road trip, and that's my budget for the use case. A rubber keyboard might have done it, if it weren't that they are rubbish… I was also hoping for the ones which fold/disassemble.

In any case, fear no more: in case nobody will start, I will also start the other under categories (1 grand, 2 grands, 3 grands and 5 grands: sorry for using the slang and not the dollar sign: the forum gets mad if there are too dollar signs so close)

Drew-r

Have you looked at Roland GO Piano?

Frédéric L

Drew-r Have you looked at Roland GO Piano?

I would prefer a Casio (CDP-S100) or Yamaha (P45) which have hammer actions.

Del Vento

Frédéric L I would prefer a Casio (CDP-S100) or Yamaha (P45) which have hammer actions.

I'd have expected at least some discussion about either or both, but it sounds people were satisfied with your simple mention? Anybody who has used either? Compared with the P121, besides the obvious (i.e. number of keys)?

Gyro

Any keyboard instrument will do.
It is a fallacy to believe that we need
hammer actions, weighted keys, and
advanced sound processing features
like hammer noise and case resonance.
You can even play a silent piano like the
Virgil practice clavier. Spending more
than $500 is the work of marketing
departments.

oshogg

Another vote for Yamaha P-121. It is for sale at $629 at sweetwater in USA. In Thanksgiving, it may get even lower.

Osho

oshogg

In purely controller category, SL73 is good. Exactly at $499 now.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SL73Studio--studiologic-sl73-studio-keyboard-controller-with-hammer-action

oshogg

Del Vento the one leading the race so far appears to be the SL73 -- how is the action? really weighted or spring-based?

I had SL73. For me, the action was pretty good. It is a weighted action (not spring-based). I would say the action is similar to P-121 with a slight edge for P-121 action. I sold SL73 and bought P-121 because I was tired of having to use VST in hotels.

Osho

oshogg

Del Vento the one leading the race so far appears to be the SL73 -- how is the action? really weighted or spring-based?

Osho

oshogg

Del Vento More info on the other contenders, namely P45, CDP-S100 and GO piano?

I was considering GO piano - but it has a spring action and I wanted at least weighted action.

Osho

CyberGene

I owned a SL73 and sold it. A very heavy action. Not bat but just awfully heavy. I wouldn't recommend it. You may like it, I don't know.

EB5AGV

I have an SL88 Studio which I guess is the same action than the SL73… if so, it is night and day compared to my VPC1. And even my former Yamaha DGX660, which used the same GHS action than the Yamaha P125, was IMO better. But YMMV!

PS: I got my SL88 barely used for 200€. So I keep it as an auxiliary controller, just in case I need something more portable than the VPC1

CyberGene

I also prefer the Yamaha GHS over the Fatar TP100LR.