Kawai VPC1

This was the keyboard ( instrument with Pianoteq 4) I have been waiting for!. When playing the upper keys there is 'just' enough room so as not to hit the back, this requires a good technique but not 'an issue!?! ( Mozart and Beethoven fingering here). The key surface(s) are a good and the weight, balance and speed are 'there'!!! The three sensors allow a 'no stress ornament and trill situation' for the perfectionist. This is my new 'instrument'. Thankyou Thomann and your team! ONE YEAR ON ...AND the keyboard is going strong with no failure to any of the keys at all. After my first review above I have settled down and can be more balanced here. There are small niggles that many uses have stated, the curve top is something that can be worked around using larger rubber risers for example, and the music rack is best replacing with a floor stand, the rack, even if it was made better is too low for sight reading anyway. But back to the keyboard, and this applies to ALL similar products(inc digital piano) the action does not become lighter when using the sustain pedal as on an acoustic, obvious point but be aware if you use the pedal as a comfort to make playing easier, it WILL NOT do that on this(or any)master keyboard. With that mind I would say the action is of average weight. Overall a very good product.

I bought the VPC1 for one specific reason only: the touch. As a classical pianist (hobbyist) I really need something that is close enough to a real piano that you can actually play the instrument the same way. Hammering a plastic synth probably just harms your technique. I've been happy playing and practicing classical piano for two years now with my VPC1.

Pros:
- The touch. Probably the best you can get (until Kawai comes up with improved version) and probably one of the only keyboards that comes even close to being helpful for practicing serious piano repertoire.
- price-feature-ratio. No "fancy extra features". Though somewhat expensive, you're only paying for the keys and with this product that's what you should be looking for anyway.

Cons:
- Weight. It weights a lot and a isn't really an option if you have to bring your own intrument to gigs.
- Lack of (midi) features. There's only the power button and since you have to connect it with a computer and a software instrument anyway, I would have expected even some buttons to control the software instruments (why settle for imitating regular piano experience when you could have more?). Some subtle buttons wouldn't even have harmed the "classical look".
- The curved top surface. This really annoys me since I like hoard sheet music and other stuff on grand pianos etc. and the curved surface really prevents this. Now you just have to find another solution for your laptop and extra stuff.

Conclusion: For pianists who really care for the touch only. You can get a cheap synth for the other stuff anyway.

Excellent product and excellent price for a great quality keyboard. I use it exclusively for composition, and sometimes for playing classical tunes just for fun.

its greatest quality is its touch, and the different nuances it allows to give to performance, as well as its manufacturing quality.

I have it since one year now, i produced several piano tracks for MusicScreen (royalty free music library), and some soundtracks for 3 short films. Most of the time, when i want a classical piano style, i use it with the ivory VST, specially with the Steinway D or the Bosendorfer. For jazz work i use the VPC with the Ravenscroft 275.

Inspiration is the most crucial element when it comes to composing and producing music, and after 20 years of making music, i realized how much the action of the piano keyboard can influence our creative process, and can help us capture inspiration when it's there.

This keyboard is really really very inspiring. when i unpacked it, i used the velocity curve provided for the ivory VST, and I was directly seduced.

I used few keyboards in the past: Korg ProX, Roland JV 90.. and the VPC1 is far above in terms of quality and fun.

I have a Yamaha u1 that's great for what it does..and I believe it's still realistically difficult to replicate the feeling of an acoustic one.. but this comes close... it feels close to a concert piano, the let offs and hammer sensation are very interesting, and allows you to practice without thinking all the time " this keyboard sucks"!
with Pianoteq or even better -ivory ii (the bosendorfer and the Yamaha are acceptable) the steinway is out of this world - it's so amazing, that I feel I'm listening to bill Evans, but the sound it's coming off my fingers!
If you don't mind using it with a computer, way better in my opinion than a lot of more expensive keyboards.

I tried many keyboards, and played many real pianos, grands and such.
Most of the keyboards I tried, such as Yamaha semi weighted, Korg the same, or Studiologic hammer action, none of them has such a detailed control over what you do. The Key sensibility and its curve has a crucial impact on the sound. It is all matter of taste but the VPC 1 gives you enough control to find your own sound.
If you combine it with the Pianoteq pianos that I found incomparably the best piano emulator, actually mostly way better than the real untuned non balanced pianos you mostly likely meet.
Sure you need a good pair of speakers that cost about the same prices as this keyboard but, with such setup you'll have a incomparable piano with stable strong sound of your choice with controllability you would hardly find under this budget even on real piano.