FLKeys Lachnit MK23

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I'm in a similar situation as @porco_rosso and understand him pretty well. While I basically agree with you that technically other people's problems are their problems, this can lead to everybody just doing what they want and when they want because it will be me sleeping late in the morning (which is what I do since I'm a night owl) and being mad at people making noises without any consideration. I mean, as simplified as it may seem, I try to follow the good old Confucius' advice of "Don't do unto others what you don't want done unto you."

But I'm also working towards moving into a house (outside the capital) where I can have an acoustic piano.

Deleted Your description shows a certain unhealthy character trait: You make the problems of strangers your own problems.

IMHO it's called empathy and it's a good trait to have.

FWIW, I lived in Europe for many years and it's common to know (and worry) about these details. And being limited in the noise one can make, way more than you say in your message. It is pretty common to have such limits sometimes as tacit agreements, sometimes as strictly enforced rules (and anything in between). The "quiet hours" in one place I lived were 16h per day!!!!

As I told @porco_rosso it was unnecessary to post these details on the forum, on that I agree with you, he could have simply said "neighbors" and that would have been enough

n-player "Random guy on the internet" linked above has reasonable credentials:

Ok, thanks for clarifying (it was not clear to me he has those credentials).

In any case, my bandwidth vs latency objections still stand.

RIP it's a good trait to have

It's really bad for your own mental health to make your neighbor's problems your own problems. And by robbing yourself of proper piano practice, you won't improve any of these people, who made their own bad life choices and suffer the consequences. These are not your responsibility.

RIP As I told @eddiepiano it was unnecessary to post these details on the forum

It's not about posting such details on a forum, knowing that much is already completely wrong and calls for counseling. And buying a house won't change anything about that, you're just going to pick up all the problems of your suburban neighbors as well. Don't do that!

Deleted It's really bad for your own mental health to make your neighbor's problems your own problems.

And who told you that? Being empathic or non empathic are personality traits that have almost nothing to do with mental health. Being empathic and attempting to be the opposite, or vice versa, that is what is more probable to cause mental struggles. There are tons of research on the good effect of empathy on mental health, and there is also a even larger TON of research of lack of empathy as hallmark of a myriad of mental disorders.

I agree that high levels of empathy are known to be correlated with anxiety disorders (btw, this effect is normally observed in empathy towards family members or significant others, not towards neighbours) but there is nothing wrong with having normal expression of empathy throughout life. And it is far more difficult to be overempathic than it is to be over apathic.

Deleted Your description shows a certain unhealthy character trait: You make the problems of strangers your own problems.

Joe, being aware of your neighbors' general lifestyle habits is usually unavoidable when you live in such close proximity (the same building), unless you're completely antisocial. Wanting to be considerate is a sign of good mental health (IMO).

God Bless,
David

Deleted Hey Joe,

thank you for being concerned for my mental health. As someone who currently works on his master thesis in psychology I just want to say that this kind oversimplified intuitive everyday "Küchenpsycholgie" (kitchen psychology) without any empirical evidence backing up your claims is not helpful at all. And maybe add that you shouldn't make general assumptions about someone mental health online with a very small snapshot of someones life and give advice on this basis. I can assure you that I am very fine. 🙂

Aprt from that I can just agree David B, vagfilm, CyberGene, and RIP.

As a social being that lives in the same house as my neighbors how can I be not aware of the general living situation of my neighbors? When I rented the Hailun upright I was playing up to 2 hours everyday, sometimes in the mornings between 10:00 and 12:00. Soon the policewoman asked if I was the piano player and asked very friendly if I could play in the afternoons, as she works nightshifts and has to sleep in the mornings. That's a very appropriate question to ask - and of course I don't want to wake her up everyday. And how I would not notice that there is a newborn baby above me or that the boy living in the apartment under me has at least an early stage of a conduct disorder? I don't in any way make the problems of them my problems or share my life in any other with them. But I am just considerate and I due to my experience with the Hailun acoustic upright I know I couldn't fully enjoy it when 8 other units can listen to every note I play. They are just freaking loud. But that's really okay for me, I really don't wish for an acoustic right now.

And why is it a miserable life choice to be as policewoman or to get children…?

HZPiano Hello,

Gamma1734 (who not yet made it over here as it seems), if I understand correctly, solely uses his Kawai Kx00 upright as his MIDI controller -- and loves it that way.

Cheers and happy acoustics,

HZ

Yes, he is using a Kawai E-200 ATX3-L. I think he mentioned somewhere that he had a Kawai CA79/99 or 79/98 before and struggled with the action.

TomLC I wonder if you could buy a 10 yr old K200 silent piano to use with a VST for 5000€?

Maybe I will rent a Kawai silent piano, but honestly a part of me kind of wishes not have to deal with these big, heavy, unmovable instruments.

Maybe there is some confusion here about empathy versus sympathy. Generally, empathy appears to be highly useful for peaceful co-existence with others, whereas sympathy tends to lead people into wild mood swings that IMHO are not healthy in the long run. To the best of my understanding eddiepiano's story is clear evidence of empathy of the very best kind.

CyberGene But I'm also working towards moving into a house

I did that, and I can fully recommend it. There is a flock of birds that make a lot of noise early in the morning, and again in the early evening, but unlike my previous neighbours they don't throw endless parties at night, and they never stomp their feet like madmen. 😃

David B Joe, being aware of your neighbors' general lifestyle habits is usually unavoidable when you live in such close proximity (the same building)

This amount of detail is what you share with a small group voluntarily gathering, not with random tenants your landlord placed next to you.

porco_rosso I was playing up to 2 hours everyday, sometimes in the mornings between 10:00 and 12:00. Soon the policewoman asked if I was the piano player and asked very friendly if I could play in the afternoons, as she works nightshifts and has to sleep in the mornings. That's a very appropriate question to ask

And a very appropriate answer to that is: "No!".

Sometimes you just have to say No to people. 10am is not 10pm. You can't just disappear to always make every stranger happy, who happens to live next to you. If you choose to move into a high density residential setting, you get common quiet hours, you get noisy children at day hours, and you have to deal with it, and others have to deal with you living a life as well.

Deleted And a very appropriate answer to that is: "No!".

Yes it is, that's right. I know they are person who would say this, and they have every right (literally) to do so. But that's not me, and I am ok with this.

On-Topic: Reading gammas post about the action problems with the E-200 in the P515 thread I think now about trying it with Kawai VPC1 once again. I always use VSTs, play >95% of the the time with headphones, the action feels good, it's beautiful and simple, relatively affordable, easier transportable than a furniture dp. And how could be an action that allows performances like this not be good enough for me? 😃

Joe: we can agree that you are not an empathic person. Honestly, that was kind of known well even before the hijack of this thread... Nothing wrong with that, as long as you and others are ok... What I fail to understand is why you care so much about eddie's mental health while proclaming that caring for others well being is not healthy for you...

porco_rosso On-Topic: Reading gammas post about the action problems with the E-200 in the P515 thread I think now about trying it with Kawai VPC1 once again. I always use VSTs, play >95% of the the time with headphones, the action feels good, it's beautiful and simple, relatively affordable, easier transportable than a furniture dp. And how could be an action that allows performances like this not be good enough for me? 😃

I just ordered one, it should be here by tomorrow. I'm very excited. 🙂 The 3000€ saved compared to the NU1X will go to the "Hybrid Controller / Silent Grand Piano" Fund. 😉

porco_rosso Well, well. Hope that turns out satisfactorily for you!

I do not remember what made you sell your VPC1 the first time around?

Cheers and happy actions,

HZ

PS Will it come from Burgebrach?

The first time I had it it felt a bit heavy for me, and I was not 100% satisfied with the velocity response in the lower velocities and the rather short pivot length... But on the other side in general I loved the overall solid feeling, smoothness and speed of the action. The FP-30 feels like a clacky toy compared to the VPC1. When I sold it (to my prof, who had looked for a VPC1 for a while - what a coincidence!) I had second thoughts, but I got exactly the same price I paid, so I had not lost anything. After owning the NU1X and playing more often on the Bechstein Grand of my teacher again (due to corona the lessons were online often) I realized that a) the FP-30 makes it too easy to play in the ppp - p range for me so that the response of the VPC1 might be better / more realistic after all and b) I also got used to the rather short pivot of the NU1X keys. I will try to play the VPC1 now exclusively for two weeks and give me time to adjust my playing to it. Watching and listening all the amazing virtuosic performances with the VPC1 on youtube, even by professionals, made me realize that the VPC1 is definitely more than good enough for my amateurish playing and the fault must be with me. 🙂 Apart from that I just love it's aesthetics and simplicity.

No, from Schongau. 😉 Burgebrach had them yesterday - but today the VPC1 only available in 5 to 7 weeks again.

Edit: Looks like I got the last one / one of the last ones in Schongau too.

porco_rosso The first time I had it it felt a bit heavy for me, and I was not 100% satisfied with the velocity response in the lower velocities and the rather short pivot length...

😀

porco_rosso Apart from that I just love it's aesthetics and simplicity.

That is really true.

porco_rosso I will try to play the VPC1 now exclusively for two weeks and give me time to adjust my playing to it.

Looking forward to hearing your new impressions!

Hello,

Lucky you, then. And thanks for the explanation.

porco_rosso the FP-30 makes it too easy to play in the ppp - p range

I noticed that too on my PHA-4, at least compared to some acoustic upright pianos. In fact I wrote that somewhere here in the last few days (but where exactly?). Currently, that isn't a problem for me, I even welcome it. May lead to some adjusting/re-learning when I upgrade to a higher-quality action. Or perhaps not that much. We'll see.

Cheers and good luck,

HZ

The VPC1 arrived already an hour ago. I haven't turned it on yet because it's still very cold from the transportation.

But I recognized already two QC issues:

1. the right pedal is not okay. Its very noisy und it goes up very slowly… The middle pedal and the left are okay. Maybe I can use the middle pedal as the right pedal until it its fixed / the unit is changed.
2. Somehow they action isn't put right in the middle of the keybed. The gap to the case on the right side to the highest key is very wide. But it's not a cosmetic problem: The lowest key is on the left touches the case resulting in friction when pressing the key. That's not an urgent problem as I play this key almost never but it's not nice either.

Hello,

porco_rosso two QC issues

This is unacceptable. Did it come from a reputable dealer? Does the box show any indications of mishandling?

I'd say return it for a new unit or a full refund; choosing a different supplier if needed.

I wish you better luck than all of this.

Cheers and… better luck,

HZ

Yes, it did come from a reputable dealer (kirstein). The box doesn't show any indications of mishandling (DHL freight). One of the styrofoams inside was cracked, but I don't think that it had any impact, it was still in the right place. These two issues seem like factory QC issues.

I played it now for an hour.

My first impression: amazing. Really. I don't know why - but it's better than my last unit. The playability from ppp to fff is excellent. I played with the Pianoteq curve (green). I have none of my last issues regarding the velocity response in the lower range. The pianissimo range is very controllable - also for arpeggios and repitions near the fallboard. The "short" pivot is not a problem at all. The keys feel superb. The action feels fluid, smooth and fast. And so solid. Not too heavy at all. It doesn't feel "springy" like the Roland, Casio and Yamaha actions i played the last weeks. I hope thats not the honeymoon - but I hope not, as I was a bit disappointed at first because of the QC Issues. Now I don't want to send this VPC back. 😃 The right pedal works fine, just sounds and feels bad. But I mailed the dealer, I hope we can solve these two issues without returning the unit.

My VPC1 has also some weird weighting / velocity output issues (maybe you are familiar with this thread at the modartt forum: https://forum.modartt.com/viewtopic.php?id=6886)

For example the tenor region is louder than the neighboring areas.

The QC is fucked up at Kawai. Just look in the CA79/99 thread at pw…

Beside from the QC issues: At first the VPC1 felt great, but after extensive playing for five days I realize it just isn't for me. I Like the Roland FP-30 better. When playing the Roland with Pianoteq I feel almost I have a real, breathing instrument under my fingers. My playing just translates very good and the velocity response is so accurate. It's more crisp and you get more feedback from the action. The connection between the action and the sound is great. That was even more case for the NU1X too.

When playing the VPC1 I have the feeling of pushing buttons that look like and are aligned like piano keys, but somehow the connection is not there, there is no proper feedback. It is not a latency issue - it's the same for both keyboards.

Also the keytops (which feel good) are slippery as fuck! I never played a piano where I had such grip problems. The pedal unit is a joke. Even without the defect the other two pedals feel awful.

And: Pianoteq sounds great with the FP-30 and NU1X - but somehow not as good with the VPC1. It's too bright and metallic and adjusting the velocity curve I can't get it feel and sound natural, it just doesn't sound as good as it could. I think the wide range of different opinions in Pianoteq may be caused by the fact that Pianoteq may differ in sound and response from keyboard to keyboard like no other (sample based) VST.

So now I will either:

• stay with the FP-30
• try the RD 2000 / some other Roland with PHA-50 (why is the Kiyola KF-10 so expensive?)
• or go completely insane and try the Lachnit

Btw. my main concern regarding the Lachnit is that it is a small company (without proper service network?) and it is possible that it doesn't exist in a year or two… what to do if there are problems?