MacMacMac After Steinway I think M&H is the last of the quality grand piano manufacturers.
I would argue that M&H is the best and not because I have it (rather, the other way around). The difference is relatively minor, compared to the different approach to sound that European and Japanese manufacturer have, so much so that some people cobble together all these under the "American sound".
dore_m I love the thick tenor of an American piano....
This is in fact the main characteristic of Steinway, M&H and the few good Baldwin and Chickering remained (sadly not many). So much so that the best M&H pianos have a sound often referred as "dark" if not "very dark" (compared to the "bright" Yamaha and "sparkling" European instruments).
CyberGene I heard the Ravenscroft name for the first time only after the eponymous virtual piano was released
Ditto.
Sadly there is no competition these days. So much so that for the non-connoisseur Steinway is synonymous of piano in America. Yamaha is a very distant second. Everything else is rounding errors in number of instrument sold and seen around. I think that M&H is about 1/10 the size of Steinway if not less.
Lots of interesting information can be found at https://www.pianobuyer.com/acoustic-piano-database
Joannchr even if they are small companies as competition is a necessary context that encourages innovation.
There is no innovation in the acoustic piano industry anymore. The sector is extremely conservative.
Joannchr Apparently , on recent grands , they use composite materials for the action mechanism which for sure must influence the sound
Actually is the other way around. They designed these composite material actions to keep true to their sound, ease the maintenance and regulation, and extreme stability of such. I spoke to two enthusiast piano technician who really love these actions and how they can regulate them to the exact request of the artist.
