I have had all three keyboards and currently I only have the CK-88 left. Don't ask yourself why, the answer is very simple. The CK-88 has a much more user-friendly and flexible interface than the SV-2 and it is also lighter. Although the SV-2 sounds very good, the rest, its weight and the lack of flexibility as a master keyboard disqualify it. The RD-88 is decent for the weight but you have to enter the menus to use its master keyboard functions. As for the sounds of the RD-88 vs the CK-88, it's two worlds. The CK-88 is superior in every category and cuts through the band's sound mix much more easily. Some will disagree but remember this is just my opinion. Make up your mind by testing all three. I did it, which is why I allow myself this opinion.
I have the RD88 and here's the deal, at least with the pianos. You absolutely have to go into the menu, EQ, change some other variables and it THEN it sounds pretty good. The playability is excellent and the sounds outside the piano are excellent. For piano I use Addictive Keys and Ravel VST's anyway. I would agree the Yamaha piano sounded the best. I like the Roland E Pianos better though.
Yes, was hearing that in the demos, not just the piano. It could benefit from some EQ, On the whole the RD-88 is a bit dark, warm and a bit lower mid heavy. So a bit more bit and air, and a bit less low bass & lower mid. Even more so with the EPs and Wurli than the Concert Piano. Although it did kinda suit the Clav sound, which I kinda preferred to the others (at least played solo, maybe not plucky enough in a busy mix). But, I've seen these on sale for as cheap as £600. That's a steal for an 88-key stage piano and MIDI controller that is a light, compact, keyboard with nice action with good strong speakers and is even actually quite nice, minimal and professional looking. The StudioLogic 88 Grand costs around the the same, is just a silent MIDI controller, it's too big, heavy and I don't even like the overly heavy action all that much - and the wood keys are a marketing gimmick.
Clear winner the CK61 best piano and string sound. Just swapped my Nord Compact, which has full size drawbars, to a Nord Stage 88 - the keys are awesome. Looking forward to gig with the NS 88 and on top the CK61. For rehearsal hands-on control on the CK 61. Many thanks Jack!
CK-88 if for NO other reason, the drawbars. (And the layout.) I liked the warmth of the Roland piano, and the Korg organ tone was nice, but fixed. And the basic configuration of the Korg makes it tough as a lower keyboard in a stack. But the CK-88 is now the price/performance leader. The action is balanced between piano and organ needs quite well.
Always. Sound design is a small part of being an effective keyboard player. Treble boost when you need to cut through the mix, back off the bass a bit to let the kick drum and bassist come through a little cleaner, etc. You may not like the end result of you play solo, but it will contribute to a better sounding performance. Of course, you can always save your solo sound as a separate preset for solos and your "part of the band" preset as its own preset, etc.
Jack you’re killing it with the piano licks! Thanks for the overhead camera, I’m gonna learn all those licks tonight 🤩👏🏾👏🏾 And by the way, I think the Yamaha and Korg are a tie but the Roland sounds iffy.
All three are great in their own way. I just got an RD-88 because I think it has the edge on sheer variety of sounds (3000!) and I wanted to fit with the Roland ecosystem as I have a Jupiter-X and a Fantom, among other Zencore gear. With so many tones, you will find something you like, and it offers so much more than just piano, EP, Wurlitzer, Organ, “Strings”. If you thought the piano was too dark or muddy or whatever then there’s another great sounding option. If you need controllable drawbars, a lot more control knobs, battery power, or the Bluetooth, obv it’s not the choice-or if you are mainly into a handful of traditional keyboard sounds. But otherwise, I think the others are more limited tonally. Plus, if you have other Roland Zencore gear the ability to share patches is a big plus.
If Yamaha would make a CK73 version with a keybed similar to the YC61 they would never be able to make enough of them. It would be an awesome keyboard with no equal.
I am a professional pianist and keyboardist and I play alot of music that is very dynamic and sensitive (mostly jazz) but also piano bar, etc. I have used rolands for the past 8 years and recently I decided to buy the CK88 and give it a shot because the built in piano sounds sounded great in video demos and the built in organ drawbars and other features and easy to set up splits/duals really impressed me (also the fact that it was under 30 pounds - when I'm on the go that is a must). But I unfortunately have to say upon using this keyboard for a few gigs now, that the action just isn't up to par. It's very platicky and springy and even when I adjust the touch velocity it still feels this way. I have studied piano technique for a very long time and this keyboard forces you at times to "dig in" in a way that is tiring on the wrists. Also when holding certain chords in rest position, it feels like some of the keys are pushing up against my fingers which should never be the case. So overall I would say it's a great idea and overall nice design that's very user friendly but the action is VERY disappointing. I unfortunately would not recommend this keyboard to professional pianists and that's a real damn shame because everything else about this keyboard is fantastic. I expected better from yamaha, seems like they cut corners and whats even more ridiculous is that the cheaper home style keyboard models they have made such as the P-125 and P-45 have MUCH BETTER action and the CK is supposed to be higher tier! Well certainly doesn't feel like it. Very disappointing work from Yamaha.
P-125 was heavy, but sounded good even with built in speakers for home use. The action was a bit heavy for my liking, but very playable. I almost bid on a used one because I missed mine. Much better build quality than these new ones, but it was also more expensive.
Your comment instantly made my desire of buying the CK fade away... It seemed perfect in every way but if the action is bad everything else loses importance.. Thank you for sharing though.
The older Yamaha home pianos like the p45 have fantastic action. Unfortunately it seems that most newer 88 key keyboards have inferior keybeds, probably for cost reasons or something. At least this has been my experience
I ended up buying the RD-88. The piano sound issues were simply solved by using some EQ and it’s really great now. The Rhodes sounds are 100% perfect out of tue box. For Wurlitzer and Clavinet, I got the EXZ011 expansion and they’re really good now. It’s got sooo many additional sounds. But what really made the difference: -Fully customizable midi control of the 8 knobs etc. The others don’t have this at all -Really good keyboard -Price -Dimensions/weight Really happy now. Recommended.
Cheers Jack - the back to back comparison was super helpful. Sure the physical feel of keys and accessibility of interface are features, but on a sound by sound A/B basis, I came to the same decision - the CK88 organ sound is KILLER!!!
They all have their strengths. Usually I like the (higher end) Roland stage pianos, but in this clip the piano sounded muffled and the Wurlitzer artificial. Yet I though the Rhodes was most convincing - especially that low note which seems to be better than the others. I have seen clips of the Korg where the Wurlitzer sounded thin and artificial, but here it sounds good. Just goes to show that it’s probably best to check out the keyboards yourself, because you’ll be able to judge the feel and different piano / Rhodes / etc patches, and make EQ adjustments. Only then it’s possible to decide which is best for you.
For me, the CK88 is the winner. The SV2 a fairly close 2nd and the RD-88 some way behind. The only patch I thought the RD may have taken top spot, was the Clav.
I think the Roland had the best sounds but the front interface of the Yamaha is best. I mainly want to use it to practice at home/use as a midi controller for creating soundtracks in Cubase. I’m not looking to get creative with the sounds just want great sounds out of the box and Keybed so Roland probably good choice for me
You can totally tell that by the playing alone, Jack likes the SV-2's feeling the best. To me the CK88 sounded the best and the most realistic. The Korg sounded great but some of the sounds are not very real even though they sound very musical. The Roland is definitely the odd one out.
Yamaha for me in theory, for the built in organ control. Goods sounds. Light. But the Korg could win me over with it's pleasing physical look, retro controls and action.
Jack! I was all set earlier this year on saving up and getting a Yamaha YC73 because to me the pianos and the organ controls are just simply astounding. But, the big bummer for me was the fact that I was restricted to 3 sounds and couldn’t do any of my ideal 3-patch setups like E. Bass or Synth Bass, and then Piano/Pad. I also was apprehensive to spend north of $2000USD knowing it wasn’t fully what I wanted. Then the Yamaha CK 61/88 came out and said “your prayers have been answered”. Funny enough my circumstances have turned to good fortune and I also recently picked up my Nord Stage 4 88. However, I’ll still be using my Yamaha CK88 for most gigs I do and it comes down to the facts you pointed out with this shootout. Out the box, the Rhodes/Clav/Organs/Stage Pianos are a class above the competition. Though I too am not the biggest fan of the GHS keybed, it is a familiar feeling knowing I’m getting those reliable quality sounds without much tweaking/adjusting required and it will get me through most any gig. I’m so glad I discovered this channel earlier this year and thank you for all the work you do for our keyboard nerd community! Play on, Jack!
Just got my ck88, i was surprised that it doesn't have a built on rythym drum machine like other Yamaha products, still learning to use the synthesiser aspect that allows modification of the sound voices. 😊
Chose the CK88 hands-down to complete the rig. Already had used Kingkorg for lots of synth, above used Roland VR 730 for Hammond and synth, above almost 2-years-new CK88 midi'd to an SH01 module for occasional synth only when needed on an old 3 tier Ultimate stand as none of them are heavy. CK acoustic pianos are very good. Respect to those accomplished on piano who balk at the keybed and I at least partially agree, but feels fine enough for me as I'm no Liberace, instead just had some piano lessons as a kid and slowly self taught and have had other boards over the years. Keybed feels good for AP and great for EP. Like many I'm sure I learned enough about programming a synth and learned everything organ on my own. I'm a guy still learning and playing lots of easier-ish classic rock and some oldies using some AP with a lot of Hammond and Vox organ, synth, and EP. Love the CK for AP and EP and was the foremost reason for getting it. The seamlessly perfect Reface Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos are fantastic and hard to beat on the CK. Now I can play Sheep and it sounds real. Other sounds like synth, horns, strings, brass, vox seem good on any board anymore, just tweak as needed. Vox combo organ on CK can sound very Doorsy by switching virtual amps, add a bit of lots-to-choose-from distortion and reverb. CK panel easy to work with. CK and VR have drawbars and all else for Hammond. Farfisa too buzzy and use the VR combo organ for Farfisa but not Vox as I use the CK for that. CK Ace Tone and Yamaha combo organs good. Hammond sound for me is great on both CK and VR, I can play on CK if needed, but had VR first and is still physically easier for me to play because of the semi weighted waterfall keys. Leslie better on VR than CK, but run both VR and CK through separate Korg g4s as overall Doppler effect still seems better to me than the boards themselves. Anyway, just look at what you get for the price with the CK. It's THE 88-key I was looking for ALL things piano plus organ and more. Now have the perfect classic rock/oldies/80s keyboard set-up and they all do their thing well. Wouldn't be possible for me without the CK completing the classic rock rig without breaking the bank. Retiring soon, job took me away from keys for years, time to get good, have some fun, and find some cool old dudes to jam with. Love my CK! Cheers!
I bought the CK88 and tried to love it. I only liked it. Some of the acoustic pianos seemed harsh and even sustained! Just couldn't hack it. The keybed itself was good enough.
It was EQ'd weird, likely a mistake in the setup somewhere. It sounds better and much closer to the Yamaha in person, except for the super lo-fi strings.
I have the SV-2 with the speakers- while they're great, they are a bit dark sounding. There is a big difference between the tone coming from the speakers, and using the line outs. So keep that in mind. Some of the grand piano tones get really muddy through the speakers but sound great when recording. And I got the SV-2 specifically for an instrument that requires no menu diving or shaping. It has great tones right out of the box and you can EQ/effect them a bit, but it's plug-and-play.
They all sound different through shoddy onboard speakers versus quality line-outs. It's unavoidable. If you want good onboard speakers, you spend $6000-$20000 on a killer Yamaha Clavinova. You won't be gigging with one of those huge digital pianos ever, though.
This is the third video i watch on this channel where i have to question about the audio quality being fed in the video. I don't remember the Roland piano sounding that muffled and muddy at all. Pretty much every video i watched about the RD-88 sounded different!
I had the SV2, and while the visual and the action is premium, the sounds are not that amazing compared to others. Plus it’s very limited in terms of editing on board. The software is not that great too. For that price and that limited amount of sounds, if action and visual is not your prime concern, I would go with something else.
The SV2 sound is top, but RD-88 would let me import custom sounds made in my MC-707, so that's the one for me. But my good ol' Juno-DS61 is all I really need. 🤣
Jack I know you love nord but it’s time to do a straight up comparison video between the electro 6 and and the Ck61. Show the people the value that you get out of the CK.
Electro 6D vs CK61. You can tell Yamaha studied the Electro 6D keyboard and listened to the feedback that its users were giving Nord and then got back into the fold by releasing the CK61.
Would be interesting to see comparison with Roland VR09 and VR730, although they've been around for a while, suspect organ might be better compared with CK sampled organ, although piano and other voices not as good?
Those boards are old, and the pianos are now a little dated for their price points. -Also, CK is abandoned- , YC is the way to go. It has most or all of the same sounds anyway. edit: I think the CP is the abandoned one
In general I liked the Yamaha, then the Korg, and last was the Roland. I was surprised the Roland wasn't even close to me especially the piano was muffled sounding. I'm thinking of getting the small Yamama CK only twelve pounds and has speaker great little keyboard for practice anywhere or to quickly try out an idea.
Excuse me for Yamaha CK 88 could you please be so kind to give more details about Acoustic Piano setting ? Did you change cut off and res , if so at what level ? Did you change internal Eq or just use those three knobs on the right ? What about compression ? And also did you modify attack and resonance ? Sorry for all these questions but for me it is so difficult to set the keyboard to have a good sound like yours, there are too many parameters. Thank you.
My CK88 will be here Wednesday. I currently play a S90 ex so I’m hoping it sounds as good. I have an FP 8 and alesis but nothing beats the Yamaha piano. I think I made a good choice but we’ll see
I don't see how the SV2 fits into this line-up as it's clearly in another price bracket. RD88 is 1199 euros, CK88 is 1525 euros but the SV288 is 2599 euros which really makes it more of a competitor for the CP88/YC88 and RD2000 rather than the CK88 and RD88. Then again, Korg doesn't really have anything to compete directly with either the RD88 or the CK88 so I can understand the comparison in that respect. Having said this, that CK88 is a really compelling for the price. I've been looking for a long time for a board that offers the features of both a stage piano and a studio keyboard and I believe Yamaha have created something unique in this respect.
I tried these in person, the SV2 kills the other two in sound quality as far as their main piano presets. RD-2000 is old and thoroughly beaten by everything you mentioned in terms of sound. It is overdue for a "version 2” with higher-fidelity sounds.
Is it possible for ck88 to connect it to a Bluetooth speaker to listen to it through the Bluetooth speaker? Also can you use the drawbar faders with other sounds except organs?
Love the format! Seems they all have their strengths. I am very curious which cuts through in an ensemble the best in a live context and which are easy to tweak for that context with EQ, etc, particulalry for the accoustic pianos. I am also curious about the upper register. I am currently using a different product and I really like the midrange, but the upper register seems to get lost in the mix for my favorite live piano which is a 9' grand, in context of mixing with drums, bass, and sax. Very very curious about the Numa X as well.
All of the keyboards in the video cut through a mix really well if you treble boost them. Stage pianos have tone controls so players can each adapt the sound to their particular situations.
I believe the audio interface on the RD88 is significantly better than the CK88? it has a higher resolution, which means that if you are going to use the instrument to record music in studio, the Roland RD88 will have a superior sound quality if recorded using the integrated audio interface....
Quarant'anni fa ho posseduto un piano Rhodes 73 e un organo Pari elettromagnetico (Hammond clone) con Leslie 760. Tutti strumenti disgraziatamente venduti. In questi ultimi anni sono andato alla ricerca di uno strumento che li emulasse e entrambi. Il ck88 ha queste caratteristiche con l'aggiunta di altri buoni suoni di base, buona tastiera, altoparlanti interni, prezzo relativamente contenuto. È chiaro che il ck88 è stato progettato per essere leader del settore. L'ho acquistato. In particolare riascolto il mio vecchio Rhodes con il sound set 3.5 + fhaser effect.
thanks a lot for that video !!!! yamaha piano sounds seem amazing but what do you think of the action keyboard GHS ? every where, everybody say that it s hawfull and they say that the rd 88 is far above.... it really a problem to play piano jazz pieces ?
Sorry one question: For the Yamaha CK 88 Piano which keyboard touch did you use ? Normal, Hard or Soft ? I ask you as I've just bought it but the sound seems really closed, it doesn't come out, while your sound is so good.
Any chance we'll see the Studiologic Numa Compact 2X in any comparisons? It looooks like one of the most affordable stage keyboards out there, and I'm curious how the sounds stack up to the competition!
I own one and must say i was happy to have it when travelling: For 7kg, you have 88keys ! However, they are waterfall, so not weighted, the quality of the sounds is not great, neither are the controls ! My drawbars don't answer anymore after 3 years... Still, I was using it with keyscape in a piano bar setting and I must say it was awesome to have 88 keys with just 7kg and a mac to carry. Yet it couldn't be compared with these keyboard (I own an NS3 88 and a YC61)
Yamaha is hands-down #1. Korg is a close second though, that SV2 sounds so sweet, and I would happily have one. Not really a fan of the Roland at all, though its Rhodes sounded fine.
@@pickyyeeter My JD-Xi sounds better than the RD-88? I doubt it. And there are plenty of YT vids that underline my point, not to mention all the other people who mention the muffled sound in this comments section.
No, it’s a new sample (same as in CP/YC) and much better than those in the motif. I have compared them directly. Those newer Yamaha Rhodes samples are the best you can get in current hardware.
@@1970piano I’ve played the YC88 and CP on several occasions, and it’s all too familiar to me. It’s just old samples hidden beneath VCM modeling effects, all of this tacked on top of the AWM2-engine from the late 80s, at premium prices.
@@robinwindsrygg9568Did you play them side by side, like i did? I had a motif and a Montage for more than a week together with the YC73. The Rhodes in the YC are definitely not the same and they are much better.
Jack makes them all sound great, and the ck sounds the best. The sv2 is more enjoyable action/keybed in my opinion. I was very disappointed in the ck88 when I tried it this week. Why did Yamaha use their cheapest action?!? The 61 was fun to play organs and eps on, but I want more than 61 keys. Maybe they will release one someday. The dynamic range was also very limited.
-Forget CK, Yamaha is abandoning it. Grab a YC if you want a Yamaha. It, too, has the CFX piano and more.a- SV2 has the best sound of all, in my experience. edit: I think the CP is the abandoned one, my mistake But RD-88 runs Zen-core and I can add custom sounds to it that I design on my MC-707. I would go for that one if I needed an 88-key keyboard. Though I love that SV2 sound more. But my aging Juno-DS61 gets the job done and done well when I need to perform. Its feature set is killer as is.
@@thesoundsmith I agree, in terms of sound Roland does sound "warmer" as in lower frequency. Bright sounding is more high pitch I thought, I could be wrong. Lol
The setup was messed up, RD-88 didn't sound like it should. RD-88 should have been about as bright as the Yamaha. SV2 is a little warmer and fuller in person.
Something was indeed very wrong with the RD-88 settings, these salesmen goofed somewhere. But the strings were shamefully, jarringly 1990s despite the bad EQ, though. just wtf
I experienced a problem with some of yamaha keyboards in the past and I wonder if the CK88 and RD88 have the same problem. The issue was that when playing with any voice/sound (organ, strings etc) and pressing and holding the sustain pedal it causes the volume to increase and completely distort whatever is being played. Except when playing piano sounds. Before I buy either Rd88 or ck88 do you know if they have this problem?
I have the Yamaha CP88 and has that sustain issue as you've mentioned. I called Yamaha and they said it's by design so I turn off sustain to that zone. Interestingly, I own a Yamaha P515 and the strings do fade when sustained... Go figure.
The Yamaha was the winner to my ears the Roland piano and organ voices sounded muddy to me. This seems to be a thing with Roland. I’ve owned two Roland’s and five Yamaha keyboards over the years.
There are a bunch of strings on the CK, some great, some so-so. But you'll find something useful. Strings, acoustic guitars, acoustic bass, a couple choirs and some pads are nice. Most of the rest sound too GM-y. I'd like 1/3 the sounds, but with 3-velocity-layer high-quality samples. This is not a box for the studio, it's a box to GIG on, and in a live gig, subtleties are left in the dust. This IS the gig machine for 2023.
Korg sounds thin and synthetic, can't decide between the Roland and Yamaha because the Roland sounds so much softer so maybe select a different piano sound
The Roland is EQ'd really weird to begin with, they did something wrong in their setup. (A common occurrence for these folks, unfortunately.) Now your speakers probably need EQ correction if the SV2 sounds thin and synthetic, lol
I have had all three keyboards and currently I only have the CK-88 left. Don't ask yourself why, the answer is very simple. The CK-88 has a much more user-friendly and flexible interface than the SV-2 and it is also lighter. Although the SV-2 sounds very good, the rest, its weight and the lack of flexibility as a master keyboard disqualify it. The RD-88 is decent for the weight but you have to enter the menus to use its master keyboard functions. As for the sounds of the RD-88 vs the CK-88, it's two worlds. The CK-88 is superior in every category and cuts through the band's sound mix much more easily. Some will disagree but remember this is just my opinion. Make up your mind by testing all three. I did it, which is why I allow myself this opinion.
SV2 is also the most awkward keyboard to transport ever. They need handles and a flat top to place laptop, controllers etc
I bought the CK88 and absolutely love it. Mic inputs Bluetooth, great user interface and drawbars. Boom
May I ask where did you purchase the CK?
Is it possible to connect it to a Bluetooth speaker to listen to it through the Bluetooth speaker?
The latency would be annoying. Plug in a 3.5mm instead
To my ear, Yamaha was the overall winner, but Korg's Rhodes & Organ were great!
Agree
But Yamaha‘s Rhodes is very good too, i must say.
I have the RD88 and here's the deal, at least with the pianos. You absolutely have to go into the menu, EQ, change some other variables and it THEN it sounds pretty good. The playability is excellent and the sounds outside the piano are excellent. For piano I use Addictive Keys and Ravel VST's anyway. I would agree the Yamaha piano sounded the best. I like the Roland E Pianos better though.
no excuses for lame ass sounding stock piano. If the piano is fvcked up then you should not buy it in the first place.
Yes, was hearing that in the demos, not just the piano. It could benefit from some EQ, On the whole the RD-88 is a bit dark, warm and a bit lower mid heavy. So a bit more bit and air, and a bit less low bass & lower mid. Even more so with the EPs and Wurli than the Concert Piano. Although it did kinda suit the Clav sound, which I kinda preferred to the others (at least played solo, maybe not plucky enough in a busy mix). But, I've seen these on sale for as cheap as £600. That's a steal for an 88-key stage piano and MIDI controller that is a light, compact, keyboard with nice action with good strong speakers and is even actually quite nice, minimal and professional looking. The StudioLogic 88 Grand costs around the the same, is just a silent MIDI controller, it's too big, heavy and I don't even like the overly heavy action all that much - and the wood keys are a marketing gimmick.
I'd go with the Yamaha. Lighter, great sounds and awesome controls.
Clear winner the CK61 best piano and string sound. Just swapped my Nord Compact, which has full size drawbars, to a Nord Stage 88 - the keys are awesome. Looking forward to gig with the NS 88 and on top the CK61. For rehearsal hands-on control on the CK 61. Many thanks Jack!
Just ordered my CK-88. Can't wait!! 😎🎹👍
CK-88 if for NO other reason, the drawbars. (And the layout.) I liked the warmth of the Roland piano, and the Korg organ tone was nice, but fixed. And the basic configuration of the Korg makes it tough as a lower keyboard in a stack.
But the CK-88 is now the price/performance leader. The action is balanced between piano and organ needs quite well.
I've seen other videos where the Roland RD 88 sounds incredibly good. I think each brand needs its own sound equalization
Always. Sound design is a small part of being an effective keyboard player. Treble boost when you need to cut through the mix, back off the bass a bit to let the kick drum and bassist come through a little cleaner, etc.
You may not like the end result of you play solo, but it will contribute to a better sounding performance. Of course, you can always save your solo sound as a separate preset for solos and your "part of the band" preset as its own preset, etc.
@Jason75913 well said family
Jack you’re killing it with the piano licks! Thanks for the overhead camera, I’m gonna learn all those licks tonight 🤩👏🏾👏🏾 And by the way, I think the Yamaha and Korg are a tie but the Roland sounds iffy.
All three are great in their own way. I just got an RD-88 because I think it has the edge on sheer variety of sounds (3000!) and I wanted to fit with the Roland ecosystem as I have a Jupiter-X and a Fantom, among other Zencore gear. With so many tones, you will find something you like, and it offers so much more than just piano, EP, Wurlitzer, Organ, “Strings”. If you thought the piano was too dark or muddy or whatever then there’s another great sounding option. If you need controllable drawbars, a lot more control knobs, battery power, or the Bluetooth, obv it’s not the choice-or if you are mainly into a handful of traditional keyboard sounds. But otherwise, I think the others are more limited tonally. Plus, if you have other Roland Zencore gear the ability to share patches is a big plus.
If Yamaha would make a CK73 version with a keybed similar to the YC61 they would never be able to make enough of them. It would be an awesome keyboard with no equal.
They won't. If they do, then their YC won't sell
I am a professional pianist and keyboardist and I play alot of music that is very dynamic and sensitive (mostly jazz) but also piano bar, etc. I have used rolands for the past 8 years and recently I decided to buy the CK88 and give it a shot because the built in piano sounds sounded great in video demos and the built in organ drawbars and other features and easy to set up splits/duals really impressed me (also the fact that it was under 30 pounds - when I'm on the go that is a must). But I unfortunately have to say upon using this keyboard for a few gigs now, that the action just isn't up to par. It's very platicky and springy and even when I adjust the touch velocity it still feels this way. I have studied piano technique for a very long time and this keyboard forces you at times to "dig in" in a way that is tiring on the wrists. Also when holding certain chords in rest position, it feels like some of the keys are pushing up against my fingers which should never be the case. So overall I would say it's a great idea and overall nice design that's very user friendly but the action is VERY disappointing. I unfortunately would not recommend this keyboard to professional pianists and that's a real damn shame because everything else about this keyboard is fantastic. I expected better from yamaha, seems like they cut corners and whats even more ridiculous is that the cheaper home style keyboard models they have made such as the P-125 and P-45 have MUCH BETTER action and the CK is supposed to be higher tier! Well certainly doesn't feel like it. Very disappointing work from Yamaha.
P-125 was heavy, but sounded good even with built in speakers for home use. The action was a bit heavy for my liking, but very playable. I almost bid on a used one because I missed mine. Much better build quality than these new ones, but it was also more expensive.
Your comment instantly made my desire of buying the CK fade away... It seemed perfect in every way but if the action is bad everything else loses importance.. Thank you for sharing though.
The older Yamaha home pianos like the p45 have fantastic action. Unfortunately it seems that most newer 88 key keyboards have inferior keybeds, probably for cost reasons or something. At least this has been my experience
The action on the CK88 is a compromise. It is a bit shallower than some, but that does mean organ and synth is easier
The yamaha details and clarity is amazing
I ended up buying the RD-88. The piano sound issues were simply solved by using some EQ and it’s really great now. The Rhodes sounds are 100% perfect out of tue box. For Wurlitzer and Clavinet, I got the EXZ011 expansion and they’re really good now. It’s got sooo many additional sounds.
But what really made the difference:
-Fully customizable midi control of the 8 knobs etc. The others don’t have this at all
-Really good keyboard
-Price
-Dimensions/weight
Really happy now. Recommended.
Cheers Jack - the back to back comparison was super helpful. Sure the physical feel of keys and accessibility of interface are features, but on a sound by sound A/B basis, I came to the same decision - the CK88 organ sound is KILLER!!!
to me too
CK has the Reface CP/YC engines and more. Clear winner!
They all have their strengths. Usually I like the (higher end) Roland stage pianos, but in this clip the piano sounded muffled and the Wurlitzer artificial. Yet I though the Rhodes was most convincing - especially that low note which seems to be better than the others.
I have seen clips of the Korg where the Wurlitzer sounded thin and artificial, but here it sounds good.
Just goes to show that it’s probably best to check out the keyboards yourself, because you’ll be able to judge the feel and different piano / Rhodes / etc patches, and make EQ adjustments. Only then it’s possible to decide which is best for you.
For me, the CK88 is the winner. The SV2 a fairly close 2nd and the RD-88 some way behind. The only patch I thought the RD may have taken top spot, was the Clav.
I think the Roland had the best sounds but the front interface of the Yamaha is best. I mainly want to use it to practice at home/use as a midi controller for creating soundtracks in Cubase. I’m not looking to get creative with the sounds just want great sounds out of the box and Keybed so Roland probably good choice for me
You can totally tell that by the playing alone, Jack likes the SV-2's feeling the best. To me the CK88 sounded the best and the most realistic. The Korg sounded great but some of the sounds are not very real even though they sound very musical. The Roland is definitely the odd one out.
I almost can’t stand Rolland tbh, i don’t even know why lol
Yamaha for me in theory, for the built in organ control. Goods sounds. Light. But the Korg could win me over with it's pleasing physical look, retro controls and action.
Jack! I was all set earlier this year on saving up and getting a Yamaha YC73 because to me the pianos and the organ controls are just simply astounding. But, the big bummer for me was the fact that I was restricted to 3 sounds and couldn’t do any of my ideal 3-patch setups like E. Bass or Synth Bass, and then Piano/Pad. I also was apprehensive to spend north of $2000USD knowing it wasn’t fully what I wanted. Then the Yamaha CK 61/88 came out and said “your prayers have been answered”.
Funny enough my circumstances have turned to good fortune and I also recently picked up my Nord Stage 4 88. However, I’ll still be using my Yamaha CK88 for most gigs I do and it comes down to the facts you pointed out with this shootout. Out the box, the Rhodes/Clav/Organs/Stage Pianos are a class above the competition. Though I too am not the biggest fan of the GHS keybed, it is a familiar feeling knowing I’m getting those reliable quality sounds without much tweaking/adjusting required and it will get me through most any gig.
I’m so glad I discovered this channel earlier this year and thank you for all the work you do for our keyboard nerd community! Play on, Jack!
I think the CK88 wins, despite me being a die-hard Roland fan.
Just got my ck88, i was surprised that it doesn't have a built on rythym drum machine like other Yamaha products, still learning to use the synthesiser aspect that allows modification of the sound voices. 😊
Please have Mike Patrick demo the CK!!!
An excellent approach to compare them
Chose the CK88 hands-down to complete the rig. Already had used Kingkorg for lots of synth, above used Roland VR 730 for Hammond and synth, above almost 2-years-new CK88 midi'd to an SH01 module for occasional synth only when needed on an old 3 tier Ultimate stand as none of them are heavy. CK acoustic pianos are very good. Respect to those accomplished on piano who balk at the keybed and I at least partially agree, but feels fine enough for me as I'm no Liberace, instead just had some piano lessons as a kid and slowly self taught and have had other boards over the years. Keybed feels good for AP and great for EP. Like many I'm sure I learned enough about programming a synth and learned everything organ on my own. I'm a guy still learning and playing lots of easier-ish classic rock and some oldies using some AP with a lot of Hammond and Vox organ, synth, and EP. Love the CK for AP and EP and was the foremost reason for getting it. The seamlessly perfect Reface Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos are fantastic and hard to beat on the CK. Now I can play Sheep and it sounds real. Other sounds like synth, horns, strings, brass, vox seem good on any board anymore, just tweak as needed. Vox combo organ on CK can sound very Doorsy by switching virtual amps, add a bit of lots-to-choose-from distortion and reverb. CK panel easy to work with. CK and VR have drawbars and all else for Hammond. Farfisa too buzzy and use the VR combo organ for Farfisa but not Vox as I use the CK for that. CK Ace Tone and Yamaha combo organs good. Hammond sound for me is great on both CK and VR, I can play on CK if needed, but had VR first and is still physically easier for me to play because of the semi weighted waterfall keys. Leslie better on VR than CK, but run both VR and CK through separate Korg g4s as overall Doppler effect still seems better to me than the boards themselves. Anyway, just look at what you get for the price with the CK. It's THE 88-key I was looking for ALL things piano plus organ and more. Now have the perfect classic rock/oldies/80s keyboard set-up and they all do their thing well. Wouldn't be possible for me without the CK completing the classic rock rig without breaking the bank. Retiring soon, job took me away from keys for years, time to get good, have some fun, and find some cool old dudes to jam with. Love my CK! Cheers!
CK88 all the way !
I just purchased a CK88 from watching this video!!!
I bought the CK88 and tried to love it. I only liked it. Some of the acoustic pianos seemed harsh and even sustained! Just couldn't hack it. The keybed itself was good enough.
It should have tone controls like any other stage piano. Harsh sound through the TS line-outs in the back?
Yamaha best overall, except clav, which goes to the Roland. For some reason, the Roland overall sounded dull and muffled.
It was EQ'd weird, likely a mistake in the setup somewhere. It sounds better and much closer to the Yamaha in person, except for the super lo-fi strings.
I have the SV-2 with the speakers- while they're great, they are a bit dark sounding. There is a big difference between the tone coming from the speakers, and using the line outs. So keep that in mind. Some of the grand piano tones get really muddy through the speakers but sound great when recording. And I got the SV-2 specifically for an instrument that requires no menu diving or shaping. It has great tones right out of the box and you can EQ/effect them a bit, but it's plug-and-play.
They all sound different through shoddy onboard speakers versus quality line-outs. It's unavoidable.
If you want good onboard speakers, you spend $6000-$20000 on a killer Yamaha Clavinova. You won't be gigging with one of those huge digital pianos ever, though.
Yamaha with the win here for sure.
This is the third video i watch on this channel where i have to question about the audio quality being fed in the video. I don't remember the Roland piano sounding that muffled and muddy at all. Pretty much every video i watched about the RD-88 sounded different!
Korg sv2❤❤❤❤❤SUPER
Korg...all the way :)
I had the SV2, and while the visual and the action is premium, the sounds are not that amazing compared to others. Plus it’s very limited in terms of editing on board. The software is not that great too. For that price and that limited amount of sounds, if action and visual is not your prime concern, I would go with something else.
Have to agree. The Korg sounds amazing. As a Rhodes and Clavi owner it really nails those two!
The SV2 sound is top, but RD-88 would let me import custom sounds made in my MC-707, so that's the one for me. But my good ol' Juno-DS61 is all I really need. 🤣
@@Jason75913 I love the Juno too....nice.
Jack I know you love nord but it’s time to do a straight up comparison video between the electro 6 and and the Ck61. Show the people the value that you get out of the CK.
Just put 'em both on a scale... Especially the 88-note keybeds. I love my studio Nord, but will not gig it out.
Electro 6D vs CK61. You can tell Yamaha studied the Electro 6D keyboard and listened to the feedback that its users were giving Nord and then got back into the fold by releasing the CK61.
They all sound great, just different. Each one is serviceable. No problem.
Nice job . . . straight to the point - - - overall imo . . . CK 88
Excellent comparison!
Would be interesting to see comparison with Roland VR09 and VR730, although they've been around for a while, suspect organ might be better compared with CK sampled organ, although piano and other voices not as good?
Those boards are old, and the pianos are now a little dated for their price points. -Also, CK is abandoned- , YC is the way to go. It has most or all of the same sounds anyway.
edit: I think the CP is the abandoned one
Great video tutorial ! your opinion is very important for me !
In general I liked the Yamaha, then the Korg, and last was the Roland. I was surprised the Roland wasn't even close to me especially the piano was muffled sounding. I'm thinking of getting the small Yamama CK only twelve pounds and has speaker great little keyboard for practice anywhere or to quickly try out an idea.
The RD-88 was EQ'd really weird in this video, otherwise it should have been fairly close to the Yamaha in sound quality.
For most of the sounds demo'ed here: 1. Yamaha CK, 2. Korg SV, 3. Roland.RD. Except for Wurli (1. Korg, 2.Yamaha, 3.Roland), Strings (1.Korg, 2. Roland, 3.Yamaha), and Clav (1.Korg, 2.Yamaha, 3.Roland).
Excuse me for Yamaha CK 88 could you please be so kind to give more details about Acoustic Piano setting ? Did you change cut off and res , if so at what level ? Did you change internal Eq or just use those three knobs on the right ? What about compression ? And also did you modify attack and resonance ? Sorry for all these questions but for me it is so difficult to set the keyboard to have a good sound like yours, there are too many parameters. Thank you.
My CK88 will be here Wednesday. I currently play a S90 ex so I’m hoping it sounds as good. I have an FP 8 and alesis but nothing beats the Yamaha piano. I think I made a good choice but we’ll see
I don't see how the SV2 fits into this line-up as it's clearly in another price bracket. RD88 is 1199 euros, CK88 is 1525 euros but the SV288 is 2599 euros which really makes it more of a competitor for the CP88/YC88 and RD2000 rather than the CK88 and RD88. Then again, Korg doesn't really have anything to compete directly with either the RD88 or the CK88 so I can understand the comparison in that respect.
Having said this, that CK88 is a really compelling for the price. I've been looking for a long time for a board that offers the features of both a stage piano and a studio keyboard and I believe Yamaha have created something unique in this respect.
I tried these in person, the SV2 kills the other two in sound quality as far as their main piano presets.
RD-2000 is old and thoroughly beaten by everything you mentioned in terms of sound. It is overdue for a "version 2” with higher-fidelity sounds.
Is it possible for ck88 to connect it to a Bluetooth speaker to listen to it through the Bluetooth speaker? Also can you use the drawbar faders with other sounds except organs?
In my humble opinion the Roland is the best.
The organ was the worst on the roland IMO
@@jakejw4769 strings as well, almost SNES-lo-fi like
CK 88 Sounds real clean, the Korg coming in second - Is it an EQ configuration issue?
Love the format! Seems they all have their strengths. I am very curious which cuts through in an ensemble the best in a live context and which are easy to tweak for that context with EQ, etc, particulalry for the accoustic pianos. I am also curious about the upper register. I am currently using a different product and I really like the midrange, but the upper register seems to get lost in the mix for my favorite live piano which is a 9' grand, in context of mixing with drums, bass, and sax. Very very curious about the Numa X as well.
Buy a compressor/EQ.
Solved all your problems.
You're welcome.
Hey try the Ez keys, I have the EZ keys upright and makes me wonder why these keyboard companies don’t make a partnership and buy their samples
All of the keyboards in the video cut through a mix really well if you treble boost them.
Stage pianos have tone controls so players can each adapt the sound to their particular situations.
I believe the audio interface on the RD88 is significantly better than the CK88? it has a higher resolution, which means that if you are going to use the instrument to record music in studio, the Roland RD88 will have a superior sound quality if recorded using the integrated audio interface....
What do you mean when you say that "the roland feels like the odd one out"?
Which of those 3 had the best piano sounds?
Quarant'anni fa ho posseduto un piano Rhodes 73 e un organo Pari elettromagnetico (Hammond clone) con Leslie 760. Tutti strumenti disgraziatamente venduti.
In questi ultimi anni sono andato alla ricerca di uno strumento che li emulasse e entrambi. Il ck88 ha queste caratteristiche con l'aggiunta di altri buoni suoni di base, buona tastiera, altoparlanti interni, prezzo relativamente contenuto. È chiaro che il ck88 è stato progettato per essere leader del settore.
L'ho acquistato. In particolare riascolto il mio vecchio Rhodes con il sound set 3.5 + fhaser effect.
Gotta get your hands on a crumar 7 and 17 to compare
thanks a lot for that video !!!! yamaha piano sounds seem amazing but what do you think of the action keyboard GHS ? every where, everybody say that it s hawfull and they say that the rd 88 is far above.... it really a problem to play piano jazz pieces ?
Korg SV2 looks the best and that's the most important
Sorry one question: For the Yamaha CK 88 Piano which keyboard touch did you use ? Normal, Hard or Soft ? I ask you as I've just bought it but the sound seems really closed, it doesn't come out, while your sound is so good.
Notice that too so I put the touch to light. So much better for me now.
Damn who would have thought the CK88 would be better than all of those 😨
Any chance we'll see the Studiologic Numa Compact 2X in any comparisons? It looooks like one of the most affordable stage keyboards out there, and I'm curious how the sounds stack up to the competition!
I own one and must say i was happy to have it when travelling: For 7kg, you have 88keys ! However, they are waterfall, so not weighted, the quality of the sounds is not great, neither are the controls ! My drawbars don't answer anymore after 3 years...
Still, I was using it with keyscape in a piano bar setting and I must say it was awesome to have 88 keys with just 7kg and a mac to carry. Yet it couldn't be compared with these keyboard (I own an NS3 88 and a YC61)
Yamaha is hands-down #1. Korg is a close second though, that SV2 sounds so sweet, and I would happily have one. Not really a fan of the Roland at all, though its Rhodes sounded fine.
Yamaha CK-88🎹👍🏾🗿
Hey hey hey, cant wait for this. My opinion: Roland sounded bad. Korg and Yamaha sounded good.
I watched this hoping to be convinced to buy the CK88. I'm leaving needing to buy the SV2.
Yamaha gets my vote and will be my next purchase 😁
Why did the Roland sound so muffled? Something isn't right about the setup.
Maybe, just maybe... it's the keyboard?
@@pickyyeeter My JD-Xi sounds better than the RD-88? I doubt it. And there are plenty of YT vids that underline my point, not to mention all the other people who mention the muffled sound in this comments section.
overall the Yamaha wont break your back or your wallet..sounds great and has great functions ..a winner for me !! well done Yamaha🙂
You only demoed Wurlitzer EP on Korg. For sure Yamaha has excellent Wurly on board!
Can you do Yamaha ck Vs Roland Ds please
I’m just amazed at how long Yamaha have been able to get away with re-using the same samples and sound engines over and over again. They’re ancient.
Exactly what I was thinking, the Rhodes is like from the first motif
@@eddie1brazil I think so too. I own both the ES and XF, and, besides maybe some added nuances, this sounds more or less like the same old sounds.
No, it’s a new sample (same as in CP/YC) and much better than those in the motif. I have compared them directly. Those newer Yamaha Rhodes samples are the best you can get in current hardware.
@@1970piano I’ve played the YC88 and CP on several occasions, and it’s all too familiar to me. It’s just old samples hidden beneath VCM modeling effects, all of this tacked on top of the AWM2-engine from the late 80s, at premium prices.
@@robinwindsrygg9568Did you play them side by side, like i did? I had a motif and a Montage for more than a week together with the YC73. The Rhodes in the YC are definitely not the same and they are much better.
Thx u 4 sharing
well...are you sure you've played a wurli patch on Yamaha and Roland? that on the Yamaha in particular seems a Rhodes to me.
Love my SV2 but that Yamaha sounds great.
Have you tried out the action on the ck88?
I wanna know how it stacks up against the yc88.
Jack makes them all sound great, and the ck sounds the best.
The sv2 is more enjoyable action/keybed in my opinion. I was very disappointed in the ck88 when I tried it this week. Why did Yamaha use their cheapest action?!?
The 61 was fun to play organs and eps on, but I want more than 61 keys. Maybe they will release one someday. The dynamic range was also very limited.
-Forget CK, Yamaha is abandoning it. Grab a YC if you want a Yamaha. It, too, has the CFX piano and more.a-
SV2 has the best sound of all, in my experience.
edit: I think the CP is the abandoned one, my mistake
But RD-88 runs Zen-core and I can add custom sounds to it that I design on my MC-707. I would go for that one if I needed an 88-key keyboard. Though I love that SV2 sound more. But my aging Juno-DS61 gets the job done and done well when I need to perform. Its feature set is killer as is.
@@Jason75913 I'm trying to remember why I wasn't interested in the RD-88. I'm pretty sure I had seen it in quite a few reviews.
Of course SV 2 is the best among them👍🏻
It sounds like y'all put some odd sound settings on the RD-88 to get it sounding so muffled, boxy, and unbalanced.
Closing my eyes this sounded more like Korg vs the other two
Yamaha will always win
Love the yamaha and the korg sounds (I must confess I own the SV2S)
Disappointed with the roland sounds
Definitely Yamaha on the Rhodes and Wurlitzer and probably organ too! Roland strings
Maybe Roland rolled off some of the attack or the sounds are a bit filtered.... Yamaha & Korg both sound "brighter."
Funny, I thought in terms of the Roland sounding "warmer." on the pianos. Organ patch sux.
which is crucial to me in a live setting. Studio oriented it might be better, but these are meant to be stage pianos.
@@thesoundsmith I agree, in terms of sound Roland does sound "warmer" as in lower frequency. Bright sounding is more high pitch I thought, I could be wrong. Lol
The setup was messed up, RD-88 didn't sound like it should. RD-88 should have been about as bright as the Yamaha. SV2 is a little warmer and fuller in person.
I liked Yamaha the best! Roland sounds muffled... is that a setting?
I agrée 💯
Roland is just a company who refuses to leave the 1990's
@@moogman5 A nice, so they're retro :D
Something was indeed very wrong with the RD-88 settings, these salesmen goofed somewhere.
But the strings were shamefully, jarringly 1990s despite the bad EQ, though.
just wtf
Can you please play Rd 88- 338 sound under Other Scenes
Hey! What about Kurzeil SP7. What's your thoughts?
SV2 all day….altough I play a cp88 these days, ditched my nords due to the lack of feel I get from the keys.
The Yamaha is killing it, the Korg is a close 2nd (and gets all the style points), but the RD-88 sounds like its covered by a blanket (disappointing).
I experienced a problem with some of yamaha keyboards in the past and I wonder if the CK88 and RD88 have the same problem. The issue was that when playing with any voice/sound (organ, strings etc) and pressing and holding the sustain pedal it causes the volume to increase and completely distort whatever is being played. Except when playing piano sounds. Before I buy either Rd88 or ck88 do you know if they have this problem?
I have the Yamaha CP88 and has that sustain issue as you've mentioned. I called Yamaha and they said it's by design so I turn off sustain to that zone. Interestingly, I own a Yamaha P515 and the strings do fade when sustained... Go figure.
@@peterp3536 thanks Peter. In the end I bought the P-S500 yamaha.
That last laugh reminded me a bit on Dr. Mix...
Gotta go with the Yamaha.
Not the best strings, clav (or brass ) sounds but various CK pianos are compressed and EQd better than the competition here.
Korg is a clear winner to me on everything but piano but it’s not enough of a difference to go Yamaha. Their eps are always so boxy and thin sounding
Interesting that the Roland in this video sounds so bad as compared to many other videos on the RD88. ?
The only problem with RD88 is the keys, just too heavy for me. Ck88 sound very promising.
The Yamaha was the winner to my ears the Roland piano and organ voices sounded muddy to me. This seems to be a thing with Roland. I’ve owned two Roland’s and five Yamaha keyboards over the years.
Yamaha smashed on everything except strings but I'm sure that was just a weak patch
The muddy Roland sound made the strings quite warm imo
There are a bunch of strings on the CK, some great, some so-so. But you'll find something useful. Strings, acoustic guitars, acoustic bass, a couple choirs and some pads are nice. Most of the rest sound too GM-y. I'd like 1/3 the sounds, but with 3-velocity-layer high-quality samples. This is not a box for the studio, it's a box to GIG on, and in a live gig, subtleties are left in the dust. This IS the gig machine for 2023.
Yamaha and Korg shamed the super lo-fi strings on the Roland.
Don't forget to apply EQ correction to your speakers.
Korg sounds thin and synthetic, can't decide between the Roland and Yamaha because the Roland sounds so much softer so maybe select a different piano sound
The Roland is EQ'd really weird to begin with, they did something wrong in their setup. (A common occurrence for these folks, unfortunately.)
Now your speakers probably need EQ correction if the SV2 sounds thin and synthetic, lol
KORG is the best sounding keyboard here but the Yamaha will run off batteries! Roland have always had the edge when it comes to Rhodes sounds.