YAMAHA CK vs STUDIOLOGIC NUMA X PIANO - Which has BEST PIANOS? 

I liked the CK for most of the Acoustic Pianos and EP's sounds... The Numa have good sounds, but CK sounded better to my ears. Now, i liked the design of Numa pretty much ❤

When I can compare live (me playing), I always prefer model based over sampling. There is something more human in dynamics and depth. One thing for me is sure: the Numa Piano is wonderful in its best version. GT with new keybed, it's marvellous. Maybe the best keybed for digital piano ever built. I tested recently in my favourite shop.

Studiologic sounds less artificial as piano. More dense tone with a similarity of sympathetic resonance.

The saloon patch on the Numa compact sounds like a good rag time piano

Thanks for another useful video Woody.

Studiologic ❤❤

Ps. The numa is the better sounding pianos imho

i would say physical modelling is the way forward , both sound fab!...,however i would buy the CK over the Numa

Wow, the Ep on numa are so freaking good and authentic 🎧mechanical noises takes it to another level. Imo only upright sound on the Yamaha is better than numa

Tough call, but great playing Woody! In some cases and songs I thought the CK sounded better, and in others the Numa suited it with more apparent resonance at times. Definitely not enough to swing the decision, which for me lies with the CK for its versatility as a MIDI controller and audio interface.

Thank you Woody for all your videos… very inspiring and usefull. Im the owner of a numax88 (not GT) since 6 months and it,s great gear with, imao, the best value at that price range. Most of all , fantastic piano touch and sounds ( few tweak on eq)… additional sounds are not revolutionary but useful. Interesting midi audio interface. I played the CK88… but don’t enjoy the piano touch, GHS is too soft, lack of rebond… sounds? Yamaha sounds, no surprise since many years… the « + » is the drawbars organ section, missing on numaX ( but organ sounds are also good). 👍🏻

It's always difficult to judge sound from a RU-vid video, when their compression is in play. Better to hear the sound straight from the keyboard itself. But that aside, I thought the Numa X sounded very nice, very warm. But my guess (and I might be wrong) is that the sound of the CK sits better in a mix. If you could make a video on that, that would be awesome!

Acoustic pianos on the Numa are not modelled, they're sampled and combined with modeled resonances. OTOH electric pianos are fully modelled. I wish there were more parameters to edit within the acoustic pianos, there're 4 only whereas Kawai offers 20, still a good job SL, I had it to test and liked the action a lot, used it as a MIDI controller mostly.

The Numa is surprisingly good... 🙂

I own a CK61 so confirmation bias should lead me down that path, but I think the Numa smashed it in every example. Nice playing chops, btw.

With samples, it’s always the case of “only as good as the sample sounds.” Where physical modelling you can sculpt the sound to your tastes.

They both sound good to me. I think some songs would sound slightly better on the Yamaha and some would on the Studiologic. They're different sounding, that's for sure, but I am not sure I would rate one higher than the other based on this demo. Can I have them both please?

Kinda hard to tell too much with mostly ragtime, but in regards to acoustic pianos, they sound completely different. Neither is bad. The SL seems to have way more depth and resonance. Need to hear more though, with different styles. The CK is pretty standard cheap Yamaha sounds. Zero resonance, very sterile/flat, and just like the P125 it sounds like its triggering 2 mediocre sounding samples/layers from the 90's. But on a budget, it does the job. As far as Rhodes, it sounds like the SL's Mark I is miles above the CK, which doesn't take much though.

The "Vintage Grand" is by far the best piano on the Numa because it uses extra samples for note on/off that none of the other Numa pianos have, yet you chose not to use it anywhere in this video. Invalidates the acoustic portion of the comparison for me, but sincere thanks Woody for all the great videos you constantly put out for us! The Numa built in 4 channel mixer for a mic and 2nd stereo keyboard, (or a bass/guitar) plus the better hammer action makes it a slightly better value. On the other hand, Yamaha sampled electric pianos can't be beat for authentic sound compared to the artificial sounding fully modelled Numa, however, the Yamaha CFX and Upright pianos sound a little too "perfect" for my tastes. YMMV. 🤔 Overall, can't go wrong with either model. 😉

Though Yamaha's pianos are ALWAYS great both in studio and live...the Studiologic sounds better to my ears...physical modelling has finest sound details and better resonance...both acoustic and electric modeling technology are mixed with samples, and wave shapes giving that very full and real effect...plus...if you get the Numa GT you can have the TP/400 WOOD Graded Hammer Action...

Studiologic is better.

Nice review Woody (defo Numa X as I have the flagship GT 😁👍🎹💥). Ps. gain drops out on audio mid way through, if you are able to UL again re-mastered? 🍻🙌

The Numa acoustics sounded more "musically pleasant" to my taste, generally a warmer more lower and mid eq bias than the perhaps too edgy and bright Yamaha. Not necessarily better or more realistic, but more pleasing to my instrumental liking. The Numa wasnt quite as detailed in recreating all the variety of timbral nuances in Rhodes sound; the CK samples had a realism edge there, but I recognized a little group of Rhodes sample notes in upper mid keyboard that had an extra tine chime way above the other notes - exact same location as on my YC61 with same phenomenon, the CK's samples share the same names and sounds as YC (including numerous timbral and volume variances in certain notes that stand out in single note soloing.) Great playing, as usual - but like most other keyboard YT demoers, I notice an unfortunate lack of playing any appreciable amount in the top 2 octaves, you play mostly bass and mid, where digital keyboards are at their best. I'd like to hear, on all your keyboard and vst demos, a lot more time focusing in on the top 2 octaves, which to this day is the weak point of many digital hardware and software real instrument recreations. For example, I've heard demos of the pretty awesome sounding Viscount 70's Keys Rhodes/acoustic keyboard, where they played just for a quick few seconds in the top octave, and it sounded kind of thin and possibly losing some fidelity to the original Rhodes top octaves sound. You should obtain a real Rhodes and put all these keyboards against that, giving some time and comment on the top 2 octaves.

Prefered NUMA StudioLogic! BIG Armonics!!

Thanks very much for the comparison since all of these things take an effort to produce, and BTW, very nice playing of 'The Entertainer'! That having been said, other than the first acoustic piano comparison comparing Yamaha's, the others were comparing 'apples to oranges'. Yes, there are many differences between the two instruments, but I think you might have done better in that respect. I think, listening to this video, that the Numa X Piano sounds more realistic as far as duplicating acoustic piano sounds. This surprises me, frankly. I think, AFA electric piano sounds, that Yamaha wins except for possibly the Wurly sounds.

Really useful video thanks, but what about the download pianos for the Numa? Be great if they were included, some users report that they are way ahead of the factory sounds - personally, all I want is one really nice piano sound and I'm very interested in the Steinway B tape recorded sample.

Both boards sound great. Maybe a little more resonance with the Numa and more dynamic control with the Yamaha. I have a cp73 and sounds are very close if not identical to the CK.

As played, I thought the Numa won every time--but either one would sound GREAT in a mix, and the CK is more versatile (as I understand it).

I hope you get ahold of the Numa se x

Excuse, could you please be so kind to give more information about setting you used for CK 88 ? The Keyboard touch is Normal, Hard or Soft ? Also, did you change the Cut Off and Resonance ? If so which value ? Did you use the compressor ? If so, which value ? Sorry for all these questions but I bought the CK 88 and I find the sound very closed, it seems doesn't exit and I am not able to play , to express I mean, when your sound is so good. Thank you.

Well,I think that NUMA's piano is better...🙄🤔 Maybe I'm wrong...😁

About the sounds, I lked Numa X better. But Yamaha's interface and pannel look more suitable and user friendly to me. Great comparison, as always! Cheers. :D

Find the Studiologic way Better sounding. Plus more layering options.

Your piano skills are excellent. Both sound good. Yamaha is a bit more gritty.

With the Numa you only played one Steinway (GerGrand), and a Yamaha (JpnGrand). It also has another Steinway, a Fazioli, and a Bosendorfer (UsaGrand, ItaGrand, AusGrand). So I say you didn't pick the more interesting ones. Anyway, the Yamaha has the typical clear and static yamaha sounds, personally I don't like it. The Numa has more realism. Idk what you did to destroy the Rhodes sound EP-Mark1, it's not supposed to sound like that.

What happened to the level? When you got to the EP sounds, the level dropped? I like the Studiolog8c better!

The Numa sounds better but there is clearly more reverb on the sound than the Yamaha, so it’s hard to tell how much the nicer sound is due to that or due to the samples

the only piano the superior piano on the CK was that gorgeous U1! WOW. The Numa is the hands down winner.

I think SL is clearly superior regarding sound.

Numa has more character..i prefer that in music production..maybe also in most enviroments :)

I am an organ guy through and through. I wonder though if the action isnallroght on yamaha Jesus 1500.euros for an entry level action? That is asking a lot

CK

Merci, chaque instrument a ses song, mais personnellement je préfère le Yamaha CK. Le song est plus claire et mieux agréable à l'oreille...

Yamaha sounds good as always, but I can't hate the Numa, especially that you can get some of their sounds for free. BTW Woody, the Rhodes sounded like there was a widening plugin put on them, not sure what happened?

NUMA X for studio and CK 61 for a portable.

Hi Woody I’m looking to buy one of these boards but can’t find a shop which has both available to try. How would you compare the action of these boards? I’m primarily looking for a good realistic piano action. Thanks Jon

To me, it's a bit of a moot point, as I have a Roland RD-2000 (that won't be being replaced any time soon.) If you hadn't put captions on them, I wouldn't have known which was which - especially as they were both being played from the same keyboard.

The Studio Logo Numa x sounds better.

I always judge pianos by their decay aliasing/stepping in the mids & bass. The rounder the tone the more authentic. Most companies are good at top end where damping isn’t modelled. Only then does my empty wallet take over. Honestly, I’d take the Yamaha for practice and bar gigs, and my Nord grand for the stage. Wish the CK had a professional power brick with a Euro lead instead of the jack.

How does their respective keybeds feel, I have a Yamaha YC73 and a Kawaii MP7SE.

Great but how about wooly bully watch it now

NUMA is much reverb

Studiologic. Just sounds like you are there.

How are the speakers?

Closet yo 2:37 sound disappears

As a CK and 78' Rhodes owner, the Studiologic sounds superior.

studiologic is italy good product!

My brain says Yamaha but my heart says Numa.

Any digital piano is worthless without extensive editing and control over the sound. Comments like warmth or too brittle or doesn't sound like a piano are common mistakes to listen for when equalization, filters, and key articulation to sound engine can fix this very easily. IF you are a master of the keyboards, then it is not possible to hear a piano on RU-vid and know which one is better. AND, the faster you play a piano the more all of the digitals sound alike; when all you are hearing is the first 300miliseconds of a sample then you haven't heard the piano at all yet. The sound system or headphones you are listening to the RU-vid video on will cause the sound to wildly change from what sound system the manufacturer used to build these pianos. And ALL and I mean ALL built in speakers on these Dpianos are crap or worse than crap and should never be used to compare pianos. I had to finally give up and buy some Dpianos and work with them for months to determine how good any are. Currently I am comparing the Roland RD2000's modeled Vpiano, the Kurtzweil PC4, the Yamaha P515, Yamaha DGX670 sampled Dpianos. The NumaX may be the next one. The RD2000 has the most beautiful sympathetic resonance I have heard yet, and the cheap priced ALL NEW Yamaha DGX670 (nothing resembling any of the last DGX series) may be the best Dpiano at any price! After over 35 years of playing digitals at home and 55 years of playing acoustics, digital hardware may be finally getting good.

Numa X sounds much more realistic.

I prefer Kawai. Kawai pianos put more efforts in making their pianos a little better and not out of just plastic and nothing competes with their rh3 action.

🎉🎉🎉🎉

Can anyone confirm that the electric pianos of the new CK boards sound as good or have the same essential character as the eps of the Yamaha Reface CP? It’s hard to tell over RU-vid, and there don’t appear to be any side by side comparison videos.

The electric piano on Yamaha sounds good to me

The Numa has better overall sound. I did have one of these on order for over a year. StudioLogic just couldn't deliver. I got a Dexibell instead which is ok but to be honest I'm very disappointed in it.

Let's don't say which is better,which one you will buy if you only can afford one??

Well, now I wish my Yamaha had the s700...

Not too sure why Singapore don't sell the NUMA. It's solid and much cheaper than Yamaha. V sad

Both instruments use samples of real pianos and the ability to shape them with modelled effects and filters.

I prefer the Numa, the Yamaha is too coarse.

Studiologic the sound is better

To my ears, the Yamaha is better overall, it sounds more ‚alive‘. The Yamaha piano is fuller and the Rhodes are smoother and better balanced. The bass of zhe Rhodes of the Studiologic sounds a bit harsh. Thank you for the comparison!

Numa wins all.

Tough shootout. I'll take the YAMAHA.

Numa X suena mejor creo yo

I didn't hear any difference. Yamaha sounds more habitual(used to) while Numa sounds like it trying to experiment(but it's only about acoustic piano presets. on ep side no difference at all)

I'm gonna be the odd one out and say the Yamaha sounds better than the Numa to my ears. The Numa sounds a bit muddy.

Yamaha don't even stand a chance this time... It looks like the sound engine is borrowed from some cheap chinese company like medeli, or like they are using a very old sinth engine

Numa is the winner

Numa X has a I pad Plugin you can literally plug your ipad up to the CK Via Midi 2.0 & play the Sounds from the ipad through the keyboard withough an interface. 👀🫶🏿🫶🏿. OK BYE🤣

StudioLogic is better