I want a new camera.

[vince]

Nikon.
Yikes.
I would love to have one.
May I ask which one you chose, vince?

D90 with 18-200 Nikkor and 11-16mm Tokina lenses. It's a bit of a splurge... A D40 is a fine machine as well. But I am no longer paying $500 a month for a university education. So....

 

[B_Hickboy]

Check my gallery for one of the world's cutest dog.

 

[nudeyorker]

Check my gallery for one of the world's cutest dog.

Very cute!

 

[B_Hickboy]

One more...

 

[nudeyorker]

One more...

It appears your dog likes to be photographed as much as mine. I know that look!

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

D90 with 18-200 Nikkor and 11-16mm Tokina lenses. It's a bit of a splurge... A D40 is a fine machine as well. But I am no longer paying $500 a month for a university education. So....

Seems to be a superb value, vince.

Check my gallery for one of the world's cutest dog.

One more...

A dog and a pig.
You're quite the NatureBoy, Hix.
Actually, the dog looks very cute.

 

[maxcok]

(It actually has a grand piano keyboard, and has, among other things, speakers that send sound directly to the pianist, so that you get some of the physical sense of playing an acoustic piano. This goes waaay beyond anything in the Clavinova series, for example.)

I'm curious about your criteria. Why you would prefer this over an acoustic piano?

Have you played one to sense what it feels/sounds like?

 

[tripod]

Where are the goddamn fuckin' pics?

 

[B_Hickboy]

Where are the goddamn fuckin' pics?

They're coming. It's rained just about 3every day since camera got here.

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

I'm curious about your criteria. Why you would prefer this over an acoustic piano?

Because it effectively is an acoustic piano.
The keyboard is an acoustic keyboard, the sound radiates back to the pianist just like an acoustic piano does, and the overall sound is not merely like an acoustic piano's, but a very high-order acoustic piano.
Plus, it is relatively small (I played the upright, but the grand is also small), and can be played entirely through headphones so one avoids disturbing neighbours in a thin-walled apartment building.
(It is also, given the excellence of the instrument, quite inexpensive, though far too dear for Rubi's current budget.)

Have you played one to sense what it feels/sounds like?

Yes.
And the keyboard was indeed a true acoustic keyboard, though perhaps slightly on the stiff side. (I assume this sort of thing is easily regulated.)
The sound was just like an acoustic piano.
Somehow, they must have overcome one of the main disadvantages of digital pianos ... the fact that overtones do not meld with each other, as they do on an acoustic instrument.
You should try one, max ... if you're a pianist.

 

[Novaboy]

You know that there's a G11 now, don't you?
It has actually fewer pixels than the G10, a fact that may actually confer a slight edge in sharpness for reasons I haven't quite grasped yet.
Both superb cameras, I'm sure.

I upgrade to the G10 for this reason. There was too much noise because of the high mega pix of the G10. Apparently it was too much for the sensor ( I don't really get it either). The G11 takes amazing pictures that are super sharp and clean. At 10mpix it is plenty big enough for cropping and enlargements. It also has a flip out screen that is great too. I'm a Canon man all the way and always have been. I've thought of going back to a digital SLR, but I've become very spoiled not having to lug around all my camera gear.

 

[maxcok]

Because it effectively is an acoustic piano.
The keyboard is an acoustic keyboard, the sound radiates back to the pianist just like an acoustic piano does, and the overall sound is not merely like an acoustic piano's, but a very high-order acoustic piano.
But the sound is digitally produced, yes?

Plus, it is relatively small (I played the upright, but the grand is also small), and can be played entirely through headphones so one avoids disturbing neighbours in a thin-walled apartment building.
And that is a major criterion, i.e. your living situation?

(It is also, given the excellence of the instrument, quite inexpensive, though far too dear for Rubi's current budget.)
I will start a collection drive if you can appear pitiful.

Yes.
And the keyboard was indeed a true acoustic keyboard, though perhaps slightly on the stiff side. (I assume this sort of thing is easily regulated.) :mischievous:

The sound was just like an acoustic piano.
This is the thing I wonder about. Does it have the resonance, the vibration, the color, the soul if you will?

Somehow, they must have overcome one of the main disadvantages of digital pianos ... the fact that overtones do not meld with each other, as they do on an acoustic instrument.
Very clever, the Nipponese.

You should try one, max ... if you're a pianist.

I am actually, currently with a glut of pianos. You are too, I guess?

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

But the sound is digitally produced, yes?

Yes, but if you were blindfolded and sitting six feet from the piano, you would never know.
(Oh maybe you would. I wouldn't.)

And that is a major criterion, i.e. your living situation?

Yes, but I think I could be content with this piano in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.
Which is to say, the compactness of the pianos helps, but there is no real compromise on sound quality.
(But, to be frank, max, I am a little hesitant at this point ... I heard good things about this piano, the demonstration on the website impressed me, and my ten minutes of doodling on an actual instrument left me impressed ... but I don't know what I would think after two hours of tickling ivory. I might start to notice some slight deficiencies. But not great ones ... this instrument is far better than the Clavinova, for example.)

I will start a collection drive if you can appear pitiful.

I will just open my bank book, max.
That creates the illusion of a begging bowl of infinite depth.

This is the thing I wonder about. Does it have the resonance, the vibration, the color, the soul if you will?

For me, the answer is Yes.

I am actually, currently with a glut of pianos. You are too, I guess?

A sort of pianist, though my technique is sorta in ruins right now (and was never that good ... but I had good tone and communicated well).
No glut of pianos though.
Nope.

 

[midlifebear]

So, I can keep my 8.5 foot 1953 Baldwin in the dry, even temperatures of Northern Nevada? It costs $700 to have a real live piano tuner to come out from Reno or Vegas (doesn't matter) and keep the monster taut and the bass keys not sounding too muddy at least once a year. The blind guy from Reno does the best job, but doesn't drive (obviously).

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

So, I can keep my 8.5 foot 1953 Baldwin in the dry, even temperatures of Northern Nevada? It costs $700 to have a real live piano tuner to come out from Reno or Vegas (doesn't matter) and keep the monster taut and the bass keys not sounding too muddy at least once a year. The blind guy from Reno does the best job, but doesn't drive (obviously).

I always heard that you had a big baldwin.
That you "keep the monster taut" shows instinct, pride of ownership, and the fruits of good livin, mlb.

 

[maxcok]

Yes, but if you were blindfolded and sitting six feet from the piano, you would never know.
(Oh maybe you would. I wouldn't.)
Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't. The much larger concern to me is what does the player feel and hear?

Yes, but I think I could be content with this piano in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.
Which is to say, the compactness of the pianos helps, but there is no real compromise on sound quality.
(But, to be frank, max, I am a little hesitant at this point ... I heard good things about this piano, the demonstration on the website impressed me, and my ten minutes of doodling on an actual instrument left me impressed ... but I don't know what I would think after two hours of tickling ivory. I might start to notice some slight deficiencies. But not great ones ... this instrument is far better than the Clavinova, for example.)
Two hours is nothing in terms of satisfaction or lack thereof. I would be thinking in terms of two years minimum, if not two decades.

A sort of pianist, though my technique is sorta in ruins right now (and was never that good ... but I had good tone and communicated well).
This seems apt, and not surprising.

I may have some thoughts for you, though rather too esoteric and nuanced for open forum I think. Maybe for pm even. Perhaps when we have time we can talk if you like.

 

[maxcok]

So, I can keep my 8.5 foot 1953 Baldwin in the dry, even temperatures of Northern Nevada? It costs $700 to have a real live piano tuner to come out from Reno or Vegas (doesn't matter) and keep the monster taut and the bass keys not sounding too muddy at least once a year. The blind guy from Reno does the best job, but doesn't drive (obviously).

Ohmigod, I have a Baldwin too. I love my Baldwin. Not as big as yours, no surprise again. Though it is quite beautiful and has a lovely patina. A 'family piece' as they say, so I've had it all my life, and it's been well cared for over the years. It's been much played and played well, and only seems to improve with age. I am very selective who I allow to play it, though if they are a particularly fine player, I will let them play for hours and lose myself entirely in the experience.



p.s. I trust you have some sort of humidifying system for that baby in the dry desert?

 

[D_Gunther Snotpole]

The much larger concern to me is what does the player feel and hear?

A sensation that he could easily get from an acoustic piano.
The keyboard is that of an acoustic grand; presumably, it will allow any speed of trilling, for example.

Two hours is nothing in terms of satisfaction or lack thereof. I would be thinking in terms of two years minimum, if not two decades.

Well, sure.
But I would know easily within two hours if I could enjoy myself with a given piano and would have a strong sense of whether it would limit me.
Once Artur Rubinstein ... in, I believe, his eighties ... went to the Steinway showroom in NYC where someone had half a dozen or so pianos for him to test.
Rubinstein tried the first piano and immediately exclaimed that this was the one he would use.
Never even tried the others.
Now, I am no Rubinstein ... but for that reason am probably less finicky about such matters than he would be.

I may have some thoughts for you, though rather too esoteric and nuanced for open forum I think. Maybe for pm even. Perhaps when we have time we can talk if you like.

Carrying a choad for a cute lil' Bechstein, max?
That's not esoteric ... that's glorious.

EDIT: The more I think about this, the less certain I am that you will find a Yamaha Avant Grand piano to your liking.
I am not fussy. I need something that reaches a certain level, and beyond that, I am just fine. A less responsive piano can even be the occasion of achieving a stretch of my capabilities.
My sense is that your relationship to pianos is that of an audiophile to sound reproduction equipment.
There is no 'good enough.'
Seeking fine edges of improvement is a source of satisfaction, and the journey is as or more important than the destination.
In which case, while I still suspect you would find the Avant Grand a leap forward, you might not personally wish to play it year in and year out.
But I dunno.
If you get a chance to play one, max, please do by all means ... and let me know what you think.

 

[maxcok]

A sensation that he could easily get from an acoustic piano.
The keyboard is that of an acoustic grand; presumably, it will allow any speed of trilling, for example.
Yes, but the keyboard is only the end of the chain. The feel and responsiveness of an instrument - the action - depends very much on a complicated mechanical linkage of keys, pins, levers, hammers, felts, strings, and so on. I'd be very surprised if they were able to reproduce that convincingly, the nuances being so different even from one acoustic piano to the next.

Well, sure.
But I would know easily within two hours if I could enjoy myself with a given piano and would have a strong sense of whether it would limit me.
Once Artur Rubinstein ... in, I believe, his eighties ... went to the Steinway showroom in NYC where someone had half a dozen or so pianos for him to test.
Rubinstein tried the first piano and immediately exclaimed that this was the one he would use.
Never even tried the others.
Now, I am no Rubinstein ... but for that reason am probably less finicky about such matters than he would be.
Or perhaps a very experienced player of many intruments, a premiere virtuoso in this case, a Chopin specialist no less, would readily assess the constitution, the quality, the versatility and fine nuances of an instrument over a less experienced player. I am a very sorry golfer f'rinstance, and I could not tell the difference between a good club and a great club if my life depended on it. Tiger Woods would know in an instant. (one of my most cherished vinyl as opposed to digital recordings, the complete Rubenstein Chopin Nocturnes, has carried me to my dreams many a night)

I had a similar experience purchasing one of my instruments. After playing dozens all over the city, I sat down at an old upright grand in an antique store, and I knew in less than a minute it was the one. To be sure, I played it for a couple hours and came back the next day to play it again before I committed myself. They did not seem to mind.

Carrying a choad for a cute lil' Bechstein, max?
That's not esoteric ... that's glorious.
I may be missing sumpin here, though (I think) I know what a Bechstein is. This may be too abstruse for poor obtuse Maxcok.

EDIT: The more I think about this, the less certain I am that you will find a Yamaha Avant Grand piano to your liking. No way to know without the experience. My guess is I would be impressed, but for them dang esoteric reasons still find it somewhat lacking in satisfaction compared to a 'real' piano'. There is the natural vibrational quality of the wood, the strings, the metal, all those mechanical elements to consider. Hard for me to imagine that could be reproduced digitally in a way I would find satisfying. Then there is that whole soul of an instrument thang I alluded to . . . .
I am not fussy. I need something that reaches a certain level, and beyond that, I am just fine. A less responsive piano can even be the occasion of achieving a stretch of my capabilities. I strongly disagree. A player can be no better than the quality of his um, instrument. A less responsive one is definitely a hindrance, and the worst impediment to getting better.
My sense is that your relationship to pianos is that of an audiophile to sound reproduction equipment.
There is no 'good enough.' My relationship is as I said, more esoteric and nuanced than can easily be described here, and entails much more than the sound quality. And there most certainly is 'good enough'. I quite love two of my instruments, each for different reasons, though they are hardly of concert quality.
Seeking fine edges of improvement is a source of satisfaction, and the journey is as or more important than the destination. The second half I believe to be true in most, if not all things. The first half - are we possibly perfectionists? As far as the modern piano is concerned, I personally feel it is perfect already and cannot be improved upon, though it may be reinvented for a new age. In fact, all things being equal, I much prefer older instruments over newer ones.
In which case, while I still suspect you would find the Avant Grand a leap forward, you might not personally wish to play it year in and year out.
But I dunno.
I dunno either. I suspect I would enjoy playing it year after year, for the sound quality if nothing less. I also suspect I would find it lacking for them esoteric reasons. At any rate, it's a moot point, as I'm kinda full up on pianos at the moment and can't imagine adding another one. Not to mention the checkbook. If you get a chance to play one, max, please do by all means ... and let me know what you think. I shall indeed. I'll let you know when I run acrost one. Surely they have them in NashVegas. Dey's alota myusishuns dere.

This may be the perfect thing for you, if not for me, my criteria being somewhat different probably. Nonetheless, I may suggest other more affordable options to consider before you sign that check, not that you seem in a hurry.

*(recalls earlier comment how subject is too nuanced and esoteric for open forum, wonders if people are bored out of their skulls yet)*

*(wonders if there has ever been a piano thread on the big dick site)*

*(observes how much more pleasant this is than the knee-jerkers over yonder)*

 

[B_Hickboy]

OK, I'm in. I want a new piano, too. My little m-audio midi controller and softsynths is not cutting it.