Thanks for this comparison. I was excited for the Yamaha when I first saw it, but the more I see of the Numa X, the better I like it. It seems to offer a lot for the money.
I recently tested a lot of stage keyboards. At the end I bought a Yamaha yc73. I can report that Numa X piano GT (the one with wooden keys) has the best keybed I ever tested. It's simply wonderful. I don't like to carry 88 keyboards on stage because they are too big to stay on a car rear seat. So I decided on YC73 because it is a good mix with a very good hammond simulation.
Great comparisson, as allways! But everybody forgets about Numa X 88 ( not GT ). If you really need your 88 keys to be light and portable, this is 14 kgs. The TP110 keys feel so much better than the Yamaha. And a more powerfull controller.
Thanks for your reviews! I bought the Numa GT 88key a few months ago. So happy with my piano! Best key feel I have ever had on a stage piano. The Yamaha CK 88 was the other one I was considering, but the keybed on the Yamaha is clearly not as good. For me the organ did not matter so much and I don't intend to lug it around often so weight is not a huge issue.
I have the NumaXPiano 73 as yours and for me the Fatar TP110 keybed...is simply one of the best in the market, a lot better than the keybed mounted in the CK. Regarding the sounds is a matter of personal taste but if you want more...there is always the iPad anyway 😂
I would love to see this released as a "simple" MIDI controller keyboard. I have no need for the built-in sounds or the digital mixer. I have not read a single bad word about the key action and 73 keys would be perfect for my live gigs.
@@federicovalmassoni3827I’ve played the Numa X 73 twice in a music store. I also thought the action was very good, but also noisy, something that another popular RUclips reviewer has noted. But beyond the thump-thump noise that you might expect in a digital keyboard, there was also an unusual metallic clang in the higher register of the keybed. And I’ve read a couple of other reviews by owners who mentioned this. Anyway, as an apparently contented owner, could you comment in a bit more detail about your experience with the keybed, now that a little time has passed. Thanks for reading.
@@stanley5394 Frankly I can confirm what you noticed but....I always play with headphones 🤷🏼♂️😂 so at the moment the keys noise is not a matter for me. Anyway I continuously find the piano sound so exciting 😍 and the action is one of the most expensive on the market 👍🏻.
The endless rotary knobs is THE way to do this. Had the CK88 and issue is switching between presets is a pain because parameters jump when you touch a knob and you forget what it’s actually set to. Ironic that the “piano” has aftertouch and the “keyboard” doesn’t. The CK88 right speaker began rattling within a month, just using piano sound that comes with the device, not layered sounds or blasting music through it. Just had the gain up a little because they’re anemic without it. The replacement had the board that the mod wheels connect to begin rattling within 2 weeks (the wheels feel like the cheapest thing on the product by far, not enjoyable to use at all). So I concluded the CK are under-built and not going to deal with a failing product two years from now. Not for that price. It sounds good and UI is very intuitive but the physical product is lacking, extra annoying they put the old GHS action then release a new improved action within 6 months for other piano products. Not impressed. Edit: so ironically too, the main standout feature of built in speakers was the main downfall for me on two separate units. The action compared to a CP is, even as a novice, noticeably heavy and sluggish.
Thanks for the new video Woody. Ah, so the CK only has 3 zones and the Numa has 4 zones. I quite fancy being able to layer the bottom end of a stage piano - something normally not possible with just 3 zones. While the Numa does has aftertouch and a firmer action, it doesn't actually have a graded action. So I dunno which action I'd prefer. A rapid arpeggio test might have tripped up the GHS. I certainly find that it does on the P-45, but the P-121/125 GHS action feels a bit quicker. I believe there is also a Numa 88 with the same TP-110 action as on the 73 model. And then there is the 88 GT version with a graded action and wood keys.
@@WoodyPianoShack Numa 2X is great because of the aftertouch, drawbars, and speakers as well but the key feel and the actual plastic material throws me off. I got the NumaX88 by the way and I couldn't ask for more. the feel is out of this world!
Thank you for the review. The Yamaha CK looks nice at first glance and will certainly find its interested parties, but it is more of a toy, albeit a pleasant one. Studiologic NUMA X Piano has more options, even with regard to loading additional sounds from the manufacturer's website, which is not possible with the Yamaha CK. The four layers of NUMA X Piano, which can be freely mapped to the keyboard, are also better. Yamaha CK has 128 note polyphony, NUMA X Piano has 300 note polyphony.
It seems like a very interesting keyboard from a minor manufacturer, though at a $300-500 uptick over the analog Yamaha would be enough to put it in a price class above (though both are way above a noob like me). An immediate concern I have looking through its website is that neither the site or manual seem eager to tell me what those 200 sounds it does have include - the site *implies* there would be disproportionately biased towards various kinds of pianos, but what else is there is unclear.
@@kosomolsk Hello, a list of all sounds can be downloaded from the manufacturer's website. NUMA X PIANO --> support --> PDF file numaxpiano MIDI maps. ruclips.net/video/rAkuk2O0qbA/видео.html
If drawbars are important to you, the CK is the only option. I have the Numa Compact 2X as well, and while I love the sounds, the short keys gave me a VERY embarrassing evening when I could NOT play in time because where I place my fingers there was no leverage and the keys would not depress. THIS is not that keybed, my point is I preferred that organ to the CK, but as a gigging machine, factor in the option of having drawbars control.
Don't forget the Roland RD 2000, that is also a great stage piano, and you can do a lot of things with the eight layers, +8 internal layers, and eight external layers.
At the moment in my 2-tier setup I am using the Kurzweil SP6 (which I think IS very much in price/performance range of these), with a MODX6. I am looking hard at the Numa due to aftertouch, although the other little tool in my rig is the Voce V5 drawbar module through a Boss RT20. I am growing to like the Kurzweil but there are things I do like better on both of the keyboards you reviewed here. Always love your content and enjoy that Scott Joplin!
I was just going to comment about him not mentioning Kurzweil, their gear has always been my favorite. The PC4 and K2700 are some of the best keyboards on the market.
High five 🖐 Team Kurzweil here. I've got the same boards except I have longer version of Yamaha (MODX7). I'm not really using it to its full capacity as I didn't do deeper editing of the patches. Recently added Kurzweil SP6 because I wanted to have "normal width weighted 88-key" and wanted to grab one of the last units before SP7 appears. I like their approach to splitting/layering + I really like piano and strings sounds on Kurzweil. I consider Kurzweil's piano the same tier as Nord's. I was always 50:50 on MODX7 CFX due to the semi-weighted keyboard giving less favourable response. If I were to start fresh I'd definitely go for Yamaha CK 88 or Kurzweil PC4.
In short, selling CK88 which I used for organ and keys, got the Numa 73. Gorgeous feeling keybed, more like 2/3 weighted and nice action. I prefer a lighter action anyway and the 73 does it. For me it's better than the CK. Pianos and EP are amazing on this Numa. Hammond sound is now a better sounding Viscount Legend module midied into a Korg synth. The 73 has 2 preset organ sounds that sound like a Vox, think of Light My Fire and 96 Tears, roughed up a bit with effects ànd eq'd got the sound there. Another sounds like a Farfisa. Got the 73 mainly for keys, but some of the other sounds are really good too. I can only imagine the Numas keybed in the CK...
No longer concerned about internal sounds. Software covers that . As a pianist i simply desire a keyboard that replicates piano with wooden keys and proper velocity, and that’s portable.
Thank you for the great video, as always; very informative and timely! Quick question for you, have you checked if the drawbars' behavior can be reversed so that they can be used as MIDI CC faders in a more 'traditional' way (all out/down for 0, all in/up for 127). I didn’t find such a function mentioned in the manual. I see drawbars send MIDI CC's, so I suppose it should be possible to set them up in DAWs by reversing the values within the software. But would be nice if it were possible directly within the CK setup. Some keyboards such as Kurzweils and Numa Compact 2x for example, have this function built in. Thanks!
@@BUJU2007I used to own the Roland fp30x with the supernatural engine. I cam tell you sounded very nice. I like it better than the studiologic Numa. I own the numa GT
I had an RD800 and it sounded incredible but I found the keys were particularly heavy and became a chore to play imo at least. I don’t consider “note stealing” to be a huge problem tbh, it rarely happens unless you are using a lot of sustain with glisandos for example with a piano voice. Or if you are layering too many sounds produced from the same engine. If it does happen then I think you need to look for more economical ways to achieve a similar sound. 120-128 polyphony should be enough for anybody.
Woody screwed up in this video. There's the Numa X 88 that's barely more money than the 73, but stupid Sweetwater ad that Woody used didn't show proper model. Both the 73 and 88 use the excellent tp-110 action that keeps the keyboard at a portable weight and lower price.. The Sweetwater ad that jumped the price up to $2k was for the GT model, which uses the TP 400 premium action with wood keys, and that model becomes too heavy for most of us gigging musicians to haul around because you have to also factor in the weight of your carrying case. No insulting our intelligence from Studiologic, just an unfortunate misleading Sweetwater ad comparing apples and oranges.
I have an Electro 5HP which I think I will sell in favour of the Numa x. Main reason is more midi options. The Nord unfortunately can only send one channel of midi at a time and so I can’t use it to control layers on another synth which is what I’d like to do in a 2 keyboard setup. The Numa has a similar, albeit updated Fatar keybed similar to the Nord but apparently feed a little lighter, which I would be happy with. My main considerations are that I want a 73or76 key with a good weighted piano feel and the option to control more than one external midi part at a time. If it was a comparison between the Nord and the Numa in a single keyboard set up then the Nord wins hands down, but it is double the price.
Well, I didn't like the keys on the CK61... they're the same exact keys used in their E series arranger keyboards, except that they changed the spring a little bit, AFAICT playing both side by side. When trying to play very softly, I had more difficulty consistently triggering notes on the CK61 than on better keyboards... I actually slightly prefer the older version of these keys on Yamaha's older arrangers. Their new weighting seems to require more force to get the key moving, but then a little less resistance after that... something like that. I've felt better "synth action" keys. I'd agree with "toy" as a description for the keys on the CK61, and they're the reason I didn't walk out with it last weekend.
![Hunxho - Ball Forever [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/nki9ZTF9Uls/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks for this comparison. I was excited for the Yamaha when I first saw it, but the more I see of the Numa X, the better I like it. It seems to offer a lot for the money.
it certainly does, if you're just into piano, definitely worth a try.
I recently tested a lot of stage keyboards. At the end I bought a Yamaha yc73.
I can report that Numa X piano GT (the one with wooden keys) has the best keybed I ever tested. It's simply wonderful.
I don't like to carry 88 keyboards on stage because they are too big to stay on a car rear seat. So I decided on YC73 because it is a good mix with a very good hammond simulation.
yeah, kinda wish i'd opted for the wood keys too, if only wood was available on the 73!
Yeah, I went straight for the GT within weeks of it’s release, bought from BAX Music on a fab deal !
Great comparisson, as allways! But everybody forgets about Numa X 88 ( not GT ). If you really need your 88 keys to be light and portable, this is 14 kgs. The TP110 keys feel so much better than the Yamaha. And a more powerfull controller.
Thanks for another great chapter Woody!! Your advice is like listening to an old friend talking.
cool. that's always my aim, thanks!
Thanks for your reviews! I bought the Numa GT 88key a few months ago. So happy with my piano! Best key feel I have ever had on a stage piano. The Yamaha CK 88 was the other one I was considering, but the keybed on the Yamaha is clearly not as good. For me the organ did not matter so much and I don't intend to lug it around often so weight is not a huge issue.
I have the NumaXPiano 73 as yours and for me the Fatar TP110 keybed...is simply one of the best in the market, a lot better than the keybed mounted in the CK. Regarding the sounds is a matter of personal taste but if you want more...there is always the iPad anyway 😂
I would love to see this released as a "simple" MIDI controller keyboard. I have no need for the built-in sounds or the digital mixer. I have not read a single bad word about the key action and 73 keys would be perfect for my live gigs.
@@jamietopolski4019 I can confirm you...TP110 awesome keybed 👍🏻
@@federicovalmassoni3827I’ve played the Numa X 73 twice in a music store. I also thought the action was very good, but also noisy, something that another popular RUclips reviewer has noted. But beyond the thump-thump noise that you might expect in a digital keyboard, there was also an unusual metallic clang in the higher register of the keybed. And I’ve read a couple of other reviews by owners who mentioned this. Anyway, as an apparently contented owner, could you comment in a bit more detail about your experience with the keybed, now that a little time has passed. Thanks for reading.
@@stanley5394 Frankly I can confirm what you noticed but....I always play with headphones 🤷🏼♂️😂 so at the moment the keys noise is not a matter for me.
Anyway I continuously find the piano sound so exciting 😍 and the action is one of the most expensive on the market 👍🏻.
@@federicovalmassoni3827Thanks.
The endless rotary knobs is THE way to do this. Had the CK88 and issue is switching between presets is a pain because parameters jump when you touch a knob and you forget what it’s actually set to. Ironic that the “piano” has aftertouch and the “keyboard” doesn’t.
The CK88 right speaker began rattling within a month, just using piano sound that comes with the device, not layered sounds or blasting music through it. Just had the gain up a little because they’re anemic without it. The replacement had the board that the mod wheels connect to begin rattling within 2 weeks (the wheels feel like the cheapest thing on the product by far, not enjoyable to use at all). So I concluded the CK are under-built and not going to deal with a failing product two years from now. Not for that price.
It sounds good and UI is very intuitive but the physical product is lacking, extra annoying they put the old GHS action then release a new improved action within 6 months for other piano products. Not impressed.
Edit: so ironically too, the main standout feature of built in speakers was the main downfall for me on two separate units. The action compared to a CP is, even as a novice, noticeably heavy and sluggish.
Thanks for the new video Woody. Ah, so the CK only has 3 zones and the Numa has 4 zones. I quite fancy being able to layer the bottom end of a stage piano - something normally not possible with just 3 zones.
While the Numa does has aftertouch and a firmer action, it doesn't actually have a graded action. So I dunno which action I'd prefer. A rapid arpeggio test might have tripped up the GHS. I certainly find that it does on the P-45, but the P-121/125 GHS action feels a bit quicker.
I believe there is also a Numa 88 with the same TP-110 action as on the 73 model. And then there is the 88 GT version with a graded action and wood keys.
3 layers should be enough to do that... yeah, I overlooked a bit that there are 2 Numa 88s, thanks
The Numa 2X has 88 keys with aftertouch, a drawbar organ snd a dynth section. Plus it comes withsynh speakers.
hmm. was not aware of that, need to check that out!
@@WoodyPianoShack Numa 2X is great because of the aftertouch, drawbars, and speakers as well but the key feel and the actual plastic material throws me off. I got the NumaX88 by the way and I couldn't ask for more. the feel is out of this world!
Thank you for the review. The Yamaha CK looks nice at first glance and will certainly find its interested parties, but it is more of a toy, albeit a pleasant one. Studiologic NUMA X Piano has more options, even with regard to loading additional sounds from the manufacturer's website, which is not possible with the Yamaha CK. The four layers of NUMA X Piano, which can be freely mapped to the keyboard, are also better. Yamaha CK has 128 note polyphony, NUMA X Piano has 300 note polyphony.
It seems like a very interesting keyboard from a minor manufacturer, though at a $300-500 uptick over the analog Yamaha would be enough to put it in a price class above (though both are way above a noob like me). An immediate concern I have looking through its website is that neither the site or manual seem eager to tell me what those 200 sounds it does have include - the site *implies* there would be disproportionately biased towards various kinds of pianos, but what else is there is unclear.
@@kosomolsk Hello, a list of all sounds can be downloaded from the manufacturer's website. NUMA X PIANO --> support --> PDF file numaxpiano MIDI maps.
ruclips.net/video/rAkuk2O0qbA/видео.html
Haven’t tried the numa, the Yamaha is nice and has a lot of on the fly adjustments
If drawbars are important to you, the CK is the only option. I have the Numa Compact 2X as well, and while I love the sounds, the short keys gave me a VERY embarrassing evening when I could NOT play in time because where I place my fingers there was no leverage and the keys would not depress. THIS is not that keybed, my point is I preferred that organ to the CK, but as a gigging machine, factor in the option of having drawbars control.
yeah, don't like short key, or pivot length either... :(
Don't forget the Roland RD 2000, that is also a great stage piano, and you can do a lot of things with the eight layers, +8 internal layers, and eight external layers.
yeah. thats a monster, but hardly in the "budget stage keyboard" category?
Dont forget you can always buy a steinway model D for the authentic acoustic grand feeling and sound…. Good luck taking it gigging though 😅
And roland has extremely sluggish keyboard action 😢
At the moment in my 2-tier setup I am using the Kurzweil SP6 (which I think IS very much in price/performance range of these), with a MODX6. I am looking hard at the Numa due to aftertouch, although the other little tool in my rig is the Voce V5 drawbar module through a Boss RT20. I am growing to like the Kurzweil but there are things I do like better on both of the keyboards you reviewed here. Always love your content and enjoy that Scott Joplin!
I was just going to comment about him not mentioning Kurzweil, their gear has always been my favorite. The PC4 and K2700 are some of the best keyboards on the market.
High five 🖐 Team Kurzweil here. I've got the same boards except I have longer version of Yamaha (MODX7). I'm not really using it to its full capacity as I didn't do deeper editing of the patches. Recently added Kurzweil SP6 because I wanted to have "normal width weighted 88-key" and wanted to grab one of the last units before SP7 appears. I like their approach to splitting/layering + I really like piano and strings sounds on Kurzweil. I consider Kurzweil's piano the same tier as Nord's. I was always 50:50 on MODX7 CFX due to the semi-weighted keyboard giving less favourable response. If I were to start fresh I'd definitely go for Yamaha CK 88 or Kurzweil PC4.
more joplin to come, i'm really into it at the mo!
Subscribed. Hi Woody, which would work best for Keyscape and Spitfire VSTs you reckon?
In short, selling CK88 which I used for organ and keys, got the Numa 73. Gorgeous feeling keybed, more like 2/3 weighted and nice action. I prefer a lighter action anyway and the 73 does it. For me it's better than the CK. Pianos and EP are amazing on this Numa. Hammond sound is now a better sounding Viscount Legend module midied into a Korg synth. The 73 has 2 preset organ sounds that sound like a Vox, think of Light My Fire and 96 Tears, roughed up a bit with effects ànd eq'd got the sound there. Another sounds like a Farfisa. Got the 73 mainly for keys, but some of the other sounds are really good too. I can only imagine the Numas keybed in the CK...
What do you guys think about Roland RD88 vs NumaXPiano 88 Fatar TP110? I really need opinions on that
Same question here.
I personally liked Yamaha because of its acoustic piano sounds
The Numa a hybrid using sampling up front with the modeling added
No longer concerned about internal sounds. Software covers that . As a pianist i simply desire a keyboard that replicates piano with wooden keys and proper velocity, and that’s portable.
Same bro. same
Premium comparison Woody, lol. Thank you 😅
Thanks for the video Woody. I always find the Fatar action a bit too heavy (even compared to a real piano).
The fatar tp100 was heavy compared to the fatar 400wood.
Thank you for the great video, as always; very informative and timely! Quick question for you, have you checked if the drawbars' behavior can be reversed so that they can be used as MIDI CC faders in a more 'traditional' way (all out/down for 0, all in/up for 127). I didn’t find such a function mentioned in the manual. I see drawbars send MIDI CC's, so I suppose it should be possible to set them up in DAWs by reversing the values within the software. But would be nice if it were possible directly within the CK setup. Some keyboards such as Kurzweils and Numa Compact 2x for example, have this function built in. Thanks!
i understand the question, it's a good one, but don't know the answer. I think you'll have to dig into the midi-specs in the manual... :)
Thank you Woody, I'll keep investigating!
I play the ck 61 and SL 88 studiologic MIDI keyboard and both aré the Best option to me
best of both worlds!
@@WoodyPianoShack Greetins from México city
I need organ for my blues gig.
Thank you! This is very helpful!
Btw; Not on the market of any one of them.
Still using NI Kontrol 49 first edition and loving everything about it
Both please
The fantom 0 note steals. Was shocked and there's plenty of reports from big RUclips guys looking at it it's a really shame I'd love the O.
If Roland had better piano sounds, it would blow the others out of the water for me.
@@BUJU2007I used to own the Roland fp30x with the supernatural engine. I cam tell you sounded very nice. I like it better than the studiologic Numa. I own the numa GT
I had an RD800 and it sounded incredible but I found the keys were particularly heavy and became a chore to play imo at least. I don’t consider “note stealing” to be a huge problem tbh, it rarely happens unless you are using a lot of sustain with glisandos for example with a piano voice. Or if you are layering too many sounds produced from the same engine. If it does happen then I think you need to look for more economical ways to achieve a similar sound. 120-128 polyphony should be enough for anybody.
It's ok to compare apples et pears... 😉😎
An iPad and the numa give you something better than what the red gods may have you believe
When comparing the sounds and all, I swing towards the CK. The Numa sounds a bit inferior to my ears.
No one care about that bro. if u know, u know
The jump in price from the 73 note keyboard to the 88 note keyboard on the studiologic is ridiculous and very insulting really
Woody screwed up in this video. There's the Numa X 88 that's barely more money than the 73, but stupid Sweetwater ad that Woody used didn't show proper model. Both the 73 and 88 use the excellent tp-110 action that keeps the keyboard at a portable weight and lower price..
The Sweetwater ad that jumped the price up to $2k was for the GT model, which uses the TP 400 premium action with wood keys, and that model becomes too heavy for most of us gigging musicians to haul around because you have to also factor in the weight of your carrying case.
No insulting our intelligence from Studiologic, just an unfortunate misleading Sweetwater ad comparing apples and oranges.
Plastic Fantastic for Yamaha
Thumbs up for SudioLogic for built quality :0
If your classically trainee....NUMA
Nord Electro
$3,000 USD for Nord vs. $1,300 USD for Numa X (plus waterfall key action on Nord vs. hammer on Numa)
I have an Electro 5HP which I think I will sell in favour of the Numa x. Main reason is more midi options. The Nord unfortunately can only send one channel of midi at a time and so I can’t use it to control layers on another synth which is what I’d like to do in a 2 keyboard setup. The Numa has a similar, albeit updated Fatar keybed similar to the Nord but apparently feed a little lighter, which I would be happy with. My main considerations are that I want a 73or76 key with a good weighted piano feel and the option to control more than one external midi part at a time.
If it was a comparison between the Nord and the Numa in a single keyboard set up then the Nord wins hands down, but it is double the price.
Nord?
The 61 key version keybed yamaha is terrible feels like a kids toy keybed stay away
Is it the same as MODX6 or MODX7?
No, it is a new design according to Yamaha. I have to disagree; the 61 is quite playable. It lets you play expressively.
Well, I didn't like the keys on the CK61... they're the same exact keys used in their E series arranger keyboards, except that they changed the spring a little bit, AFAICT playing both side by side. When trying to play very softly, I had more difficulty consistently triggering notes on the CK61 than on better keyboards... I actually slightly prefer the older version of these keys on Yamaha's older arrangers. Their new weighting seems to require more force to get the key moving, but then a little less resistance after that... something like that. I've felt better "synth action" keys. I'd agree with "toy" as a description for the keys on the CK61, and they're the reason I didn't walk out with it last weekend.
@@improkeys2636 Yes, horrible keybeds allow players to play "expressively".....forcing them to express their anger over the keybed and wasted money.
@@ChrisP3000x 😂
Organ is dead