Disklavier

Hi All
In response to Mr Hutton's request for compelling reasons to stay DKV, I
can offer the following. I purchased a PianoDisc system in 1995, which was
subsequently upgraded to the current system. I sold it in 2002 when I
purchased my DKV. The Pianodisc was installed in a Yamaha G5 piano, making
both instruments look and sound very similar.

The PianoDisc worked well over the time I owned it. It proved very reliable
and gave a good performance. It plays Yamaha E-SEQ disk recordings (DKV
will not play PianoDisc recordings), but the CD system does not recognise
Yamaha CDs. There are a few shortcomings compared to the DKV, with the main
one being a lack of soft pedal. I designed and fitted my own, as I like
classical piano music, which nearly always uses soft pedal.

The control box is not as refined as the Yamaha versions, but it has all
the usual functions. You can do lots of adjustments from the control box,
it will accept a MIDI input from a computer, and will drive a MIDI sound
generator. The solenoids are larger than those in a DKV, operating from 40V
rather than the DKV's 100V. Some suggest the PianoDisc can play more softly
than a DKV, but this is probably wishful thinking.

So, I can offer no compelling reasons to stay DKV, except to say that I
prefer the sophistication of the DKV, the proportional pedalling, the
excellent recording characteristics and, of course, the soft pedal.
Peter Phillips
From Peter Phillips, Electronic Editorials NSW. Phone (02) 9773 4734,
mobile 0418 407 607, fax (02) 9773 9943. Website at
http://members.optushome.com.au/eleced/index.htm