Disklavier

I just heard from a Disklavier salesman over the weekend that the Mark I
(with separate add-on tone generator not included in control unit) solenoids
are different than those on the latest Mark III.

He stated that many people have been unhappy with how quietly they could
have their Disklaviers play because the solenoids are louder, and the piano
just won't play as quiet as a new Mark III.  Is this anyone's experience
with the older Disklaviers?  Is the piano too loud to have playing in the
background for party conversation in the same room (5' 3" C1)?

Also, he stated that the older solenoids would never be capable of playing
the Cue Time music or wiggle themselves as instructional aids (Pianosoft
Smart) because of the older solenoids.  I thought I could just upgrade my
control unit in the future to the CD type, because the innards are the same
since the beginning.

Has the fiber optics changed at all between a Disklavier produced in 1997
(Mark I) and the latest Mark III's?

Thanks for any information you can shed on the subject.  I tend not to trust
salesmen completely, especially when they're trying to talk me out of
purchasing a used one for $6,000 less than new.

John W. Gewartowski 
Sr. Product Support Engineer, Product Technical Services 
Tyco Healthcare Retail Group 
610-878-3423