The brightness of the Kawai cannot be beaten. But I will say, the softness of the Yamaha is truly beautiful as well. The Steinway is a nice mixture of both. All three are amazing pianos!
All are excellent pianos. One thing to keep in mind is that different pianists were playing these pieces on each piano, so it's not just a difference in sound quality but also in rendition.
The kawai has the cleanest articulations. The notes are the most "separate". Excellent for solos . The Steinway is warm, and blends with itself well. A wonderful jazz instrument. The Yamaha is Bright, so It'd my choice for a concerto or for playing with an orchestra.
I really can't decide between the Steinway and the Shigeru Kawai. I like the kawai because it sounds more natural, and it sound more stringy, if you get what I mean. It actually sounds like it came from a string, which is more natural. But I like Steinway for the opposite reason: it sounds more clear as music.
To be fair for everyone reading this, Kawai pianos do NOT sound like this normally. That specific Shigeru piano is unbelievable, but its only THAT model and maybe 1 other similar model. Its action is even better than the sound, its probably the best made but the rest of the kawai line is trash compared to the most basic ground level yahama or steinway.
@@owlacoustics3634 not sure what kawai piano class you are mentioning are trashes. For electric piano, i have been playing on CN and CA model, compare to the same price model and even higher Yamaha, i personally feel Kawai much better at Sound quality and touching. For Uprights, i have been playing on BL-model Kawai compare to U-model Yamaha, and i love Kawai, every Kawai pianos i've played is masterpiece. Though i haven't got a chance to play enough to tell which one grand is better, but definitely Kawai are not trash.
@@khanhphamngoc7651 sorry, I should specify cheap baby/parlor grand pianos, not digital or anything else. I didn't even know they made them, but I am a huge fan of the cost/sound quality of digital grands either way. That being said, the grand pianos that retail doe 5k-7k are bad, not mediocre, but flat out terrible sound quality. The action is okay, it got better after the 85's but even the old was pretty good, but the actual plastic sound those cheap 'Eonomy' grand pianos had were garbage. I own a kawai piano as my main piano, its a 2D and I love it, and before purchasing i played a TON of them. The shigaru was MILES ahead of all these crap ones. But thats just my opinion, everyone has their own sound they like, but I would be hard pressed to find someone who says that a shigeru doesn't sound incredible.
@@KevinR3i Did they buy themselves a low end kawai? I guess I don't understand your comment? My point was that shigeru kawais are good, can you elaborate on what your point was?
Yamaha is not as articulate, kind of murky. Kawaii is smaller on the first overtone, giving it a slightly nasal, brighter sound. Perhaps more articulate than the Steinway. Steinway, per usual, ends up being the happy medium. Combine that with their aggressive marketing, and you have the reason they're the most popular. Bluthner to me is what Kawaii wants to be but isn't. Lol. Bluthner, at least for now, is my favorite brand. Erard and pianos with the straight string construction ought to be made again for a slightly more intimate sound.
I think the Steinway simultaneously has beautiful tone, while somehow lacking clarity. The Kawai has amazing clarity while being a bit sharp in the treble. The Yamaha is nicely balanced, but it feels like something small is just missing and I can't put my finger on it.
In my opinion, it'd been more interesting to show the recordings without knowing the particular piano brand playing each time, then asking which piano sounds best and finally revealing the brand of each performance. That way it would be more objective.
You get totally different results. I've seen this on blind tests done in piano interest groups. Not knowing the name, and going by sound alone, a lot of people weren't so sure which piano was which, couldn't pick out a Grotrian from other pianos, thought Kawai's sounded like German pianos, thought Schimmels and Steinways were Yamahas and Yamahas were Petrofs. It's really interesting when people don't know the brand of the instrument and try to guess blind. And these were from people in the business, players familiar with a lot of different pianos, technicians and piano tuners.
Now you can find my first blind comparison of selected two grand pianos: - playing forte: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ENgNkS_g1G8.html - playing piano: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-apeEZz44cws.html
The conclusion is so simple! If you are into buying an instrument of this level (all of them are magnificent), and have the proper skill, you just have to try each at a sale house because otherwise you just cannot tell!!! Even if you listen to a million comparison videos you can't be sure if you don't play it yourself. (each has different touch response, depth etc) and remember that the voicing is so important!
Leera Pniki you are a 100% right on that one! Seems almost everyone here has a "favourite" brand and some will defend their choice to the death : - ) There is NO consensus here on the BEST piano. Reason is simple - even the BEST playback systems CANNOT be faithful to the original sound; especially piano. So peoples' opinions are not only subjective but skewed as well. IF one is really objective, then one cannot be "married" to a certain brand here on RU-vid! IF one has a predilection for a particular brand then fine for sure but STILL try it before buying. I know I'll be dissed for saying this by purists but MOST players who want to play for enjoyment for themselves and friends and don't have a piano playing career ahead of them are quite frankly better off with a GOOD quality electronic piano that will last a very long time without the need for tuning and maintenance etc etc. An acoustic does sound more "real" for sure but like you mention above, "and have the proper skill" (and most people don't - I certainly don't) then one can learn and have a LOT of fun on a good electronic keyboard that are more and more realistic sounding with every advancing year. If one has the budget and space for a good quality acoustic regardless of skill level then by all means one should go for it but its not worth making tons of sacrifices for. Happy playing!
You lose so much of the nuances and overtones of the sound, the experience, how they project, hearing them on youtube. These pianos sound way, way better in a hall live, where they belong. And you're right. It's not really about the brand. If it is a fine piano, they all can sound spectacular, and they all have a unique quality to the piano. The brand is more the guideline of general characteristics, but the tuner/technician who voices the piano has a lot to do with how it sounds. And of course, the musician playing it.
The Steinway and the Yamaha are predictably what you'd expect. The Shigeru Kawai, in my opinion, was the best overall. Notwithstanding, tone regulation can make a mole hill into a mountain, and visa versa.
It is a bit like red wine. We can't stop thinking about the label and country, traditions. Tasting should be blind in black glasses, not seeing the bottle. But we are not objective . We also listen with our eyes. These are all fabulous grands. Which one is the better depends on the pianist, the genre, the environment accoustics, the audience and our prejudices. It makes no sense pointing one out beeing better. They are all fabulous. Some are easier to play, than others more prestigeous difficult to controll and repeat accurately alike again. Is it a better piano because it is more difficult to play, or worse because it is easily played and brings out the best in every player. All of them have an enormous dynamic. Don't forget the Fazioli and the Bösendorfer. It it surprising that the Fazioli has managed to squeeze in at the absolute top brands on a very conservative market., while others are considered 2nd class. I adore the Fazioli - too, but I can't and won't pick one before the other. There are new materials very strong and rezilliant to humidity, heat and so on. But who dares to challenge the traditions. Shigeru Kawai dared - but they fight traditions and suffer the reputation beeing both japaneese and beeing built with 'synthetic component-parts'. Many years ago someone crazy built a concrete piano somewhere in Germany - Köln? maybe, I don't remember. It was highly praised, but suffered from other problems than wood, Once the Rolls Royce was considered the best car on earth. It may be the most expensive - but is it the best car? It breaks down more often than a Toyota beeing more reliable too (according to my simple knowledge - I may be wrong). Listening to these fabulous pianos for a comparison on a computer is a crime even on headphones or at the stereo. You need to hear them in reality. Then judge no matter what your neighbour says. Even if you are not an expert I think you will be surprised. You may end up with a handfull of best 'redwines' you prefer. It is true too, that you may have a Bösendorfer sampled onto a good keyborad with really good keys, it will have a stunning effect. It sounds really great, but the dynamics will never be near the original, and the amp and the loudspeakers will further narrow the sound window. With an expensive keyboard though you will get a very fine experience and a deep and rich sound with a lot of overtonews not possible years back. For Joe average and many fine musicians this will be quite a dramatic taste and lift into heaven . not possible a few years back for people not having 250-300K to spare and a concerthall at home.
I find Steinway very consistent, as it is here. Rounder, purer, clearer than Kawai or Yamaha. I love its tone colours and big ringing resonance. I find Yamaha sound brittle in general. But I like their key construction for sturdyness.
@Andrew Yu Young Earn and the opinion of the great majority of serious classical piano players throughout the last century through today. They can have any piano they want.
One of the best sound comparisons. The digital pianos record their sounds from those *very expensive grand pianos.* All have a different sound. In the digital version, the sound can be also modified to sound as we like it.
I couldn’t afford either of these concert pianos. If I could, they wouldn’t fit. I say, take away the names. Also, go and play and listen for real. I did. My wife did too, she’s not a pianist. I thought the K.Kawai was unbelievable compared to the other two. I invited my wife to come listen. She said nothing. On the way home, about 45 minutes out and 45 minutes to go I asked her, “well, white did you think?’ She muttered three words: “It was incredible!” So, why didn’t’t you say anything? She replied, “I was afraid you’d buy it.” This is a true story that happened three years ago, almost to the day. Two weeks later we ordered it. Best music related decision of our lives. My piano instructor, world known, owns a Steinway and has performed on every continent (except antarctica). He does various gigs in highly talented venues. Last year he played a KAWAI RX semi concert grand (nearly half the price of his Steinway). He came to my house to play my Kawai (a smaller 5 and a-half foot model). He still remarks about the bass and how fabulous it is. He doesn’t understand how KAWAI can do it. It was then that he remarked that the KAWAI RX he played was the best piano he has ever played.
Thanks Bel so much for making this video. Before watching this, I am a Yamaha fan. After blind listening, I found out I love the clarity and bass sound of SK but I am truly in love with the mellow and musicality of Steinway.
I know there are some differences between these three brands,but actually I couldn't find which is the best one. Each piano has it's personality and you cannot put the superiority or inferiority.
In a concert hall while listening to a top notch classical performer, one would be so taken by the beauty and expression of the performer that piano brand differences would be minimized.
Nah, a cheap vintage working condition Steinway still sounds richer and more harmonic than those kawai/Yamaha. Steinway is levels above. I have tried many kawai and Yamahas, they all lack something. Each individual key sounds pretty nice but when playing as a unit, they are underwhelming.
This is one of the best comparisons I've heard yet. Would have been nice to see video of the performance and see mic position but this sounded similar enough in position and dynamics etc to get a good feel. There we aspects of each piano I preferred over the others. Thanks for putting this together and posting!
These are two, truly magnificent pianos. The Shigeru Kawai and Steinway. Such a close tie for first. The SK has a clarity above the SS but the SS seems to blend its notes more warmly. Neither are brassy or bright, and I personally like that. The other thing is the voicing. I read that if you purchase the upper end SK, after several months a technician from Kawai will come to your home for your preferable voicing. It is $200,000 but that is a still a nice feature. Most SS I have heard are a bit less rich / romantic han the one displayed here. If I had the big bucks, it would be a tough choice. I know SS owners and understand that they do need a bit more maintenance, but that would be a drop in the bucket if you could afford one - and the home to house it. Depending upon the piece being played, my preference would toggle. SS is the traditional best. SK is the best modern piano. SS has the name, especially in the West. Either way, competition is good. These two just keep getting better. One nice thing about Kawai is that for $6,000 - $12,000 you can get an affordable digital hybrid that feels and sounds magnificent. Not a substitute for one of these two, but, if you do not have one or two hundred thousand, they are worth trying out and listening to.
Personally I find that all three have bright and clear tones (particularly the yamaha), but the Steinway seems to have a floatiness.. Each note seems to marry better with one another. A rather crude description but to my ears that's where the beauty is. I guess it's all relative to what each person enjoys, I love the romantics and find Steinway takes me there. Great video BTW. 👍😊
I agree that Steinway marries their notes more than others, but to my ears that makes it sound too "muddy." So I prefer the brightness of the Kawaii because I like the cleaner sound. btw, the Yamaha in this video seems a bit muddier than is typical for Yamaha. Not any better or worse, just personal taste.
I'd rather have a warm sound even at the expense of some clarity. Also, Steinway pianos and also other American pianos like Mason have richer sound with more harmonic sound. Yamaha pianos usually have a thinner sound.
The Kawai and Yamaha used here aren't the usual Kawai's or Yamaha's. They are hand-built, top-on-the-line pianos built in a different factory to uncompromised standards. There may be more hand-crafting in the Kawai and Yamaha than the Steinway. And, I've played maybe 100 Steinways. They are all over the map, very inconsistent pianos. Some are dreamy, some dreary, some harsh and brittle.
I used to play several different new Shigeru Kawais every week for about an hour at a dealer near me. Usually there were 5 examples in the same room of different lengths. The one thing that was very evident....the tuning and adjustment of each made a huge difference....perhaps more than the differences between the different instruments. In one case I was there when a factory technician came to the US from Korea to completely adjust the longest concert Shiguru Kawaii model. It took about 3 hours. I had previously played that piano which was in very good tune but evidently the adjustments that technician made took it to the next level. So much was improved it was like a completely different piano. I suspect that any of these three pianos is capable of adjustments to change their character to suit the whims of an individual musician and optimized for a specific venue. I have heard that while Steinway has always been the gold standard, they have lost that as other pianos have improved. The Chopin competition has seen most musicians favoring the new Yamaha over the Steinway. Yamaha is now partnered with Bosendorfer so perhaps they are sharing ideas and designs. I never cared for the older Yamaha concert grands but they are VERY good now and at or beyond Steinways. There are also some very good German pianos one should consider.
Exactly. What some listeners may not realize is that, now 5 years ago as I write this in Jan 2020, the Yamaha was the most chosen piano at this Chopin competition. There's one this year and we'll see which piano is most chosen. Yamaha, then Steinway, were most chosen. Not many chose Fazioli or Shigeru. But at other competitions Fazioli is often chosen and in some the Shigeru is. Also, there is a Yamaha that is only for the European market, the SE upright series, that uses Bosendorfer bass strings. This CFX piano uses European wires, European spruce wood, German sourced wool hammers, and while it differs from Bosendorfer in construction, design and tuning, there is definitely shared ideas and designs between Bosendorfer and Yamaha now. And Yamaha has brought some of the CFX refinements to the CX series. The new Yamaha CX sound different than the discontinued older C-series. As for German pianos, I like Grotrian-Steinweg. And, when not too bright, C. Bechsteins are wonderful. Also Steingraeber and Sons make superb pianos. I also like August Forster.
I find with Steinway, it's become the sound we associate with concert (Classical) music. I think with Yamaha, that's true too to some degree with other forms of music. So, we tend to compare everything to Steinway. Steinway is the standard, but is it because it is best, or is it what we're used to and like best? I don't know. I know we grew up listening to the music and others just aren't quite right for some of us. But, when you adjust to hear other instruments play the repertoire and get accustomed to their aural perspective, then Steinway is one of the piano sounds that can be used for concert music. It take time. For awhile, I couldn't get into almost any other piano than Steinway or say Bechstein or Borsendorfer playing Classical, but more and more, some S Kawai and CX or SX Yamahas and other makes sounded fine playing it. I love the Steinway sound, but I love the S Kawai and CX Yamahas as well. But I adjust to all but the Steinway, it's still home for what I'm used to.
Kawai had such soul and rich warmth still possessing clarity . The Steinway was warm but somehow not as deep as the Kawai . The Yamaha was nice but of the 3 somehow more mechanical mid everything compared to the two others. When I didn’t look at what brand was playing I’d sometime confuse the Steinway and Kawai but the Yamaha had an upper brightness that I wasn’t as in love with as the Kawai and Steinway. All were exceptional but my picks are 1. Kawai 2. Steinway 3. Yamaha.
That's funny, I find Yamaha to be the thickest and almost with a retro grand piano sound. The Yamaha did sound quieter on this recording, however. The Kawai is crystal clear, I agree with that.
Steinway - Warmer, more muted Kawai - Bright, perhaps a little too bright for my taste Yamaha - Bell "like", (actually my preference). I suppose that's why all of these great instrument manufacturers are around. They craft an instrument to suit varied tastes.
Tuong Khang EXACTLY how I perceived them with exactly the same words. The in-the-middle between warm and bright really helps the Kawai give warmth, depth and clarity at 7:08. Very impressive! But then, at 9:52, the Kawai blew it with too tight of a bass, while the Steinway came in like an angry boss!, but a bit tame in the treble (disappointing) compared to the pristine beauty of the Kawai treble (I wonder how much is attributable to how the pianist struct the treble notes at each moment. perhaps a firsthand comparison at a piano dealership is the only way to know for sure), and the Yamaha a kinder yet dishoveled boss with a strong, clear treble. The Kawai Is best on 85% of the material; however, for long listening, I'd go with the warmth of the Steinway overall. Anyone of them would be a fine addition to any home.
Yamaha has powerful bass and high treble. Treble is too sharp for my ears. I prefer European and American piano sound. I have handmade upright Seiler. Which has a focused tone, but it's not harshly sharp as the Yamaha in the treble.
since i play keyboard/synthesizer, i hear all the frequencies. just like training my ears u know. not just these three brands, but in all piano brands, i can say that i deeply fall in love with Steinway's sound. even the old upright models make you feel great. the best piano in the world.
Dear Sina R.M.S. , while you're correct in your regards to training the ears, and please take this with all due respect, I believe it would take many lifetimes to attain perfection in aural expertise, that being said... ...you have a long way to go. As does everyone else. Preference is merely a personal matter. We all have our own.
Sebastian-Benedict Flore I think he meant that none of them sound better than the other, that it all comes down to taste, which it does. In fact I’d argue it doesn’t only come down to taste, but also what it is you’re performing. Some pieces might benefit greatly from the clearness of the Kawai, others might benefit more from the usual brightness of a Yamaha. This happens a lot on violin and other string instruments. The players generally have multiple bows that produce different timbres and colours, and use each for different kinds of music
Wow! The Shigeru Kawai sounds amazing. It's mellow and nice. I'm curious what the "touch" and response in the keys is now. That's been the biggest thing that I've noticed with Steinway's and high-end Yamaha's. The keys are much more responsive than other pianos.
Usually, the more expensive the piano is, the more prep goes into it, both at the factory, dealer, and clients- home, studio, concert hall, etc. And usually with pianos, you get what you pay for.
To my ears the Kawaii sounds a little tinny, the Steinway is bright in the mids with a resonating bass, and the Yamaha is pretty mellow throughout, but lacks boldness in the bass when compared to the other two. I don't think one is necessarily better than the others; each will have a tone and construction that will appeal to different people. Personally, I love the action on Yamahas a little more than Steinway. But I also think the resonance/blending on Steinways--and Bosendorfers--are the stuff dreams are made of.
We usually hear Steinway in most of the recordings so it may sound more familiar, as like the piano reference. But for trying them in a store, i liked Steinway and Shigeru, disliked the Yamaha, and absolutely fell in love playing the Shigeru 😍
1. Shigeru Kawai (very rich tone, both bright and deep, as well as interesting all at the same time. Kawai concert grands are consistently good.) 2. Steinway (close second--This is a good Steinway. Steinways require a lot more individual voicing and attention, not as consistent.) 3. Yamaha (this is a disappointing instrument in the video, but I have not been happy with any concert Yamahas that I have played.)
@Konstantin Ridaya I love the Yamahas. CF class, SX comes close especially the S7X and S6X. But even the S3X is fabulous. CX is a considerable improvement over C-series. I do like Shigeru, too, new models are brighter than older ones.
I've heard 2 of 3 of these very fine piano played live on numerous occasions in New York City. These two are the Hamburg Steinway D and the Yamaha CFX. In NYC, Steinway has headquarters that provides pianos to its artists and a lot of pianos in venues as does Yamaha. I've heard a smaller version of the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX, the SK7 live in a church and in a music school. youtube takes away some of the resonance of these pianos, but particularly for the Yamaha. You can not determine the quality of tone of these pianos from youtube. You just can't. People may like or prefer one or the other but there is no "winner" here. Both the Yamaha and the Steinway have huge differences from piano to piano and venue or hall to one another. The Yamaha in particular sounds vastly different in terms of how it is voiced. I've heard both jazz and Classical played on these. All three pianos are versatile and can play both styles well. Note: the Steinways I've heard in jazz venues are NY Steinways, not Hamburgs. The Hamburgs have been in big concert halls. It's like the difference between steak and lobster dinners in a fine restaurant. These pianos are different. Steinway is the oldest design and very traditional, but has been tweaked over the years. It has a full-bodied sound with a singing treble, rather highly projected upper treble and blends sounds. The Shigeru has a refined, clear and singing quality with good projection and sings in all registers. The CFX has a very varied and colorful range of tones, more of lighter-bodied character yet with a strong bass. Somehow the treble projects strongly even though it's thinner. The tones bloom most on the Yamaha. So, it's I just enjoy the different qualities of each piano. All three are comparable, all slowly hand built. I can't say objectively one is "better" than the other. Overall, I just favor the Yamaha and Steinway for different reasons, but there's not a thing wrong with the Shigeru. I like seeing it because I see it far less than I do the Yamaha or Steinway.
There's a lot of difference between performances. In some cases it also sounds like they're mic'ed from varying distances(?) The Yamaha CFX was the one most chosen by the contestants at the competition.
Exactly. So I find it interesting that so many people are saying the Yamaha isn't as good as the others yet the competitors chose it more than the others. And the Shiguru Kawai wasn't chosen by many competitors. The Steinway and Yamaha were close with the Yamaha being the most popular piano in the competition. And when you hear the full performances, not the snippets, it sounds magnificent.
I agree. I do think people commenting are going by the Kawai and Yamahas they are aware of rather than these fine instruments. The Shigeru is more rare than the Steinway, only 20 a year are built. And I think it is more expensive than the Steinway. The Yamaha CFX is acclaimed for having a tone much different than Yamaha's previous pianos, yet a lot of comments say that it sounds like a typical Yamaha. It totally does not sound like at typical Yamaha and its set the standard for a new direction of tone Yamaha is taking in its grand pianos introduced after 2010.
Siger Kawai piano was most beautiful, and I felt an overtone to resonate. But a keyboard of middle-pitch range felt that an overtone higher harmonic was too big. When there is corrected, I think it's perfect.
Please give me the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX Concert Grand!!!! It is the most beautiful of the three instruments being sampled here. Also, we are hearing different performers playing these three pianos. That makes a difference also. But, the Shigeru Kawai is so crystal clear and brilliant I would take it over the other two in a heart beat! What a joy it is to hear. I forgot to mention, I detected a slight off pitch of a few notes in the Steinway. That shouldn't happen. But, not many humans can detect off pitch as small as a few of us can. So, no fault there, to be honest. It just popped up when I was listening closely to certain notes. Pianos are one of the most difficult instruments to get and hold perfect tuning. Tuning a piano is a real artform.
Thanks for this comparison! Good to hear these different makes on the same stage. Grew up on a Yamaha grand and they’re ok pianos but I never find them inspiring. Always loved Hamburg Steinways but only the B and D models. Going to buy a Shigeru as I personally think they make better smaller grands for the home and are more consistent and stable.. As for these concert grands I lean towards the Steinway..
I’ve always felt the Kawai handled the treble better than the Steinway… I don’t know why but the Steinway just always sounds slightly less pretty. Absolutely beautiful piano, don’t get me wrong, far nicer than my own but if I had the money to choose I’d pick the Kawai.
I can certainly hear the differences on my laptop speakers. I find Steinway the most refined, rounded and together, Yamaha comes in second, and Kawai third. If I can have only one piano out of the three, I'd definitely pick Steinway!
it's not about '' sound quality comparison , it's about different colour . each piano have his own colour . just like harry potter , you have to choose your magic wand .
There's a YT film "Is Shigeru Kawai a fake Steinway" ... Bohumir Stehlik says there theese instruments are Identical (a board mainly plus some wood construction) Anyway all three are Excellent ! For my home instrument I choosed Kawai es-520... what a times ... for a fistful of dollars you have brilliant instrument ... 99% comparable to original SK-EX ...
All three are fabulous piano's but for me the steinway has more soul and warmth in this comparison. But of course instruments do vary dramatically within their own brand, particularly depending on how well voiced and finished they are.
Now you can find also: - Fazioli v.s. Kawai ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-GB2b1Uhwp9g.html and my first blind comparison of selected two grand pianos: - playing forte: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ENgNkS_g1G8.html - playing piano: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-apeEZz44cws.html
I listened. Got the forte wrong and the piano right. Big difference when you don't see the name on the fallboards. The responses should be interesting.
Yamaha makes different levels of instruments. Most people hear the mid-level C and now CX models (grands). But there is sthe higher S and now SX level and the highest CF models. This is a CFX, a 9-foot CF concert grand. IT has since been updated from this model.
It sounds to me like the Yamaha is mic'd up differently than the others, at a cost of making the Yamaha sound thinner than I recall it being in performance.
It’s interesting how different people interpret the voicing of the three pianos differently. To me: - The Kawai sounded warm, well rounded and deliciously deep - The Steinway sounded extremely balanced, almost to the point of boring perfection - The Yamaha sounded kind of one dimensional, which disappointed me. My preference is all the cases was the Kawai. The Steinway sound, to me, is controversial because on the one hand it’s basically the “perfect” sound that you would expect to hear, so it’s also on the other hand kind of boring. I don’t know if that makes sense to people. The best analogy I can think of is that some of the best road racing bikes are stable and don’t feel twitchy or fast, so you don’t realize how well you’re performing until you look at your stats and are blown away by how fast and nimble your bike was. The Steinway is kind of like that, and I suspect many people will choose the Steinway, with its easy balanced sound, as the best. I guess I want a twitchier, more exciting feeling road bike that exudes a little more passion, and the piano that matches that feeling, to me, was the Kawai.
The Kawai sounds amazing. But I feel that the Yamaha has a drier sound, which tells me they were recorded in different rooms, room ambience can change the sound of a recording, and the microphones don’t sound like they were placed in the optimal position on the Yamaha, at least compared to other recordings I’ve heard from the Yamaha. The Steinway sounds really nice. As far as this video recording’s sound I like the Kawai the best as far as the frequency range as a whole, I think the bass sounded cleanest and best through the recording from the Yamaha, the midrange on the Steinway was stellar. But I think this is more of a comparison of recordings rather than the actual pianos themselves. Either way, all top end pianos, all top end sounds, just gotta pick your flavor!
@@KevinR3i I wasn’t sure if you were replying to my original comment or to someone else on this thread - I didn’t want to be presumptuous - but if you were replying to me I greatly appreciate the thoughtful and kind comment! That was so nice!
I was able to play several Yamaha, Kawaii, and Steinway and Sons pianos while I went out shopping last week. And for me, I preferred Steinway and Sons because of the warmer tone and how easy it was to play. I think the Kawaii was the hardest to play (because of the pressure you have to put in hitting the notes) but I don't really remember because it was a while ago. However, really loved all of the pianos I was able to play and they all sounded beautiful.
What particular Yamaha and Kawai did you play? Because this is a comparison of the highest-level Yamaha and Kawai, not their mid-level pianos. If you are going to compare Steinway to Yamaha or Kawai, you must compare Steinway to CF-level Yamaha, not C(X) or lower, and Shigeru Kawai, not conservatory level Kawai (GX or RX). That's not a fair comparison.
Well, all three of them kept me smiling while watching the whole video If I have to choose, then I'll go for steinway but shigeru kawai was quite different from what I thought based on my kawai - amazing
This is from a Chopin competition. A this particular piano competition, the piano most chosen by the contestants most was Yamaha, Steinway and Shigeru Kawai. And not close, most chose the Yamaha, close was the Steinway, not many chose the Shigeru Kawai.
Kawai is fuller and colorful, Steinway has pianistic metal, vibrance & contrast, Yamaha is more leveled and the colors and vibrance "aldente" as to give a musical pureness. Honestly they are all great mistresses. I would sleep with each one and explore every aspect of their uniqueness!
1. Steinway 2.yamaha 3. Kawai All of them sound good and I was suprised by both Yamaha and Kawai. But when it comes to Steinway, that’s the king ! It sound richer, warmer, rounder, plain... IDK how to explain... resonance.. harmonics. Still, I like the Yam that is very clear.
Kawai has been improving their sound quality. They are getting to the best. The rich sound is very close to S & S. But still, if you are not wealthy , Kawai is the best nowadays
Yamaha as well. In fact, both are pretty similar in how they continue to strive to improve their pianos. Unlike others, I don't see Steinway as the standard other pianos must match. Kawai and Yamaha's top pianos are world class, as good as the fine Germans in my opinion. Just different.
They all sound different, but all great. In each sample, it's a different piano that I like the best. Wouldn't mind having either of those standing in my living room 😂
Danbo_de_Piano_Part_Deux You talk like a fanboy. For me this comparison is rather meaningless, because individual differences are huge, and more so among the Steinway pianos.
Oystein Soreide my opinion was on the sounds i heard in this recording. it is 100 percent subjective and if i heard a better different yammy or ss vs the same sk i would likely say i liked the other better. i appreciate your remark and giving me a chance to explain my opinon more. generally i like sk better than ny ss, however i have found myself liking a few german ss a lot more than any asian piano i have heard or played, including the just over half a dozen sks i tinkered with (actually one of my most favorite pianos i ever , i mean ever ever, i played was an early 2000's era Charles Walter approx. 6 footer the local steinway house down the highway had....wow i loved going in, walking past the several nice model Bs they had and exploring everythhing that mahogany Charles Walter had, Fandrich really helped design something special when he collaborated on that instrument...i may buy-hope to buy one someday if i cannot find a bargain on a minty used skiii, i would definitely call myself a CW fanboy, at least until i find myself not liking the sound or playing experience any more, it [that particular cw instrument] was every bit as nice as a new estonia concert grand i fell in love with at a competing dealer's showroom floor near by/up the highway, that i was allowed to test drive a few times . as for ss , in particular euro ss ie model c is a beautiful beast and a dream instrument, i only played 3 (sp far) but each was special, seemed better balanced than b or d (including an early 80s german d i got to know for a recital i did, but that d did have am almost unbelievable limitless amount of horsepower, i mean the more i layed into it the better the sound got, even with not so great hall acoustics or conditions . have also been smitten with a few (not many, i have only seen 5 in the wild) steingeaeber i have played and preformed on those were all every bit as nice as sks i played but also 2x +.as expensive. so generally i color myself a fan boy of each individual instrument i get the privilege and pleasure to play on that i enjoy and become a fan of. in this recording, the 3 are definitely fine world class pianos, but i just leaned to sk more as i generally prefer their sonic characterist8cs and quality [i tried using the best noise isolating earbuds i have] . you can totally like the others more that is cool with me, doesn't make me more or less right or you wrong etc. we can both play in and share the same sandbox, no worries, its a big playground. again, thanks for your remark and letting my unpack my opinion a bit more as i was mainly having fun with the futurama money meme language. cheers! and merry christmas and happy holidays :) //ddp
I agree. I just go by the individual piano, people are way too taken by the name "Steinway" IMO. Stuart and Sons, Steingraber and Sohn, Bluthner, Grotrian-Steinweg, vintage Baldwin, Yamaha's handcrafted line, Shigeru Kawai, Bosendorfer, all of them can make wonderful pianos, and all pianos vary with Steinway possibly varying the most from piano to piano. Steinway is one of the great pianos, not the only one.
A tough decision I think. Here the Steinway is sweeter, SK sounds greater. In 1:40 I do prefer SK over the 1:55 Steinway. But I strongly prefer the Steinway 0:13 over the SK 0:01... Listening through my trusty reference headphones. (Actually, it's a lot about the intonation of the hammers, it's possible even to make the Yamaha sweeter than the Steinway working on the hammers... Once I played a top Hamburg D, that it was so bright, so bright, just horrible... As well, there's a wonderful Kawai RX6 that I recorded, totally sweet and balanced, lovely... So, the intonation matters a lot!)
Hungry4Road, exactly. Pianos aren't like cars. The same models can sound very different as you go from one to the other and they are customizable due to how a technician can make them sound. I've heard bright, jarring, strident Bechsteins and Bosendorfers and mellow Kawais and Yamahas, it's all in how they are voiced.
It's hard to decide between the S. Kawai and the Steinway. The Kawai has a lovely lush mid-range and treble while the bass is deep and strong in the Steinway. The sustain is also nice and fluid for both the Kawai and Steinway. As for the Yamaha, it sounds like the tone turns harsh with lots of distorted noise when played hard. Most people like the Yamaha action which lets them play with great agility. Not sure about the other brands.
For recording studio, Yamaha is mostly an instrument of choice. Probably because the sound is not too heavy on lower registers so it's easier to tweak on the mixing board. But, for direct sound with no electrical tweaking at all in a very fine Opera hall, Kawai should be the best choice. For Steinway... it's a fine instrument with powerful brand image that no one dare to argue.
@@mathias4060 Me too, by far. The Steinway sounds balanced across the board, and more direct in sound if that makes sense. the Kawaii is rich and throaty and glorious here.
I firstly watched the video trying to get the differences and it does seem kaway is clearer, steinway warmer and yamaha brighter. But then I skipped in a random middle point of the video (without watching), trying to guess which piano was playing. I could guess none of them. Maybe it’s only the name that change our perception
The Yamaha is not brighter. In that particular competition, 2 of the finalist switched from the "darker" Yamaha to the "brighter" Steinway because the Steinway projected over the orchestra better. The two were Eric Lu and Kate Liu.
They all sound great and if just listening without watching be hard pressed to pick them out visually precived impression plays a big part of what a individual hears
I think how "warm" a Steinway is depends on the instrument. some can sound shrill and some are brilliant and sonorous. Kawais can be bright or dark or medium. Yamahas, depends on the level. The upper levels vary in warmth and color.
And at this top-tier level, each individual, hand-crafted piano is unique. One Steinway Model D sounds different from another, and the same for the Kawai and Yamaha.
I'm somewhat of an audiophile, and my system can convincingly replicate live performance. I've tailored the drivers individually with physical alterations to clean up harshness and the placement is perfect for realistic bass. The midrange and tweeters are not in the cabinet, but specifically placed elsewhere along the plane through much trial and error to eliminate harshness. They are painstakingly adjusted with L-pads until human voices sounded realistic. Based on hearing these pianos on this system which is the next best thing to hearing them live, I pick the Kawai. It is a richer and warmer sound. However, I think it is fair to point out that depending on the choice of music and the interior it's played in, either of these three could be suitable. I heard strong points in all three here, with certain passages.
Yamaha is pretty much the best piano you can get in terms of engineering design, materials (they even use graphite), and construction. Japanese are regarded universally as truly masters on carpentry techniques, having constructed wooden Buddhist temples still standing after1000 years. In terms of sound is all about the taste of the pianists. All pianos al tuned pretty much the same. Overall sound quality is a combination of woods acoustics, low friction mechanisms and pianist skills.
That's not the case at all. In terms of sound, if anything, the Yamaha is moving toward Bosendorfer, whom they purchased several years ago. The Yamaha doesn't go for the high-overtone and larger sound of the Steinway, it goes more towards a Bosendorfer type of fundamental sound. And, in doing their research for this particular series of pianos, the CF-X series, Yamaha studied Bosendorfer, not Steinway, pianos very closely and even use some of the same-sourced materials. Yamaha has departed from the S4 and S6, which had some similarities to Steinway. But even that's changed in their new SX series, which uses a Yamaha technology of aging wood quickly to get a vintage sound. Kawai also is more of a refinement of its own signature sound that is based on the EX grand, definitely having a different character than Steinway's. In terms of playability, they are quite different as well. Kawai's action is quite unique in the materials they use and the feel of their action. They've spent a lot of time and research on using alternative materials to wood in their actions. Yamaha is known for their action in the concert grands, and this is a culmination of their own works and all of their own material choices in hammers and the mechanisms that go with creating action in pianos. German Steinways use a form of Renner action, this is a different feeling action from Steinway. These are 3 distinctive pianos with Steinway being the oldest design of the three.
Balance. Balance, balance, balance. Steinway, hands down. Steinways sparkle when they need to, and thunder when they need to...unfailingly, right where the great composers intended.
