The digital piano I currently use is a KAWAI ES105 (which fellow players describe as the “un-neutered” half-pedal version). Today I passed by a music store in Nanjing and, while I was there, tried out four digital pianos:

  • ROLAND FP30X
  • YAMAHA P-125
  • KAWAI CA-30
  • ROLAND HP704

1. Overall First Impression: The Difference Is in the Sound, Not the Keyboard

After trying all four, my first takeaway was:

The biggest difference between them isn’t the key feel — it’s the built-in speaker sound.

1) Speaker Sound Comparison

  • YAMAHA P-125 The weakest overall sound (though still within the “usable and listenable” range). The main problem is a clear lack of low end; the sound is on the thin side, but not to the point of being harsh or hard to accept.

  • ROLAND HP704 The best speaker performance. More low-end presence and a fuller sound overall. But honestly, it didn’t deliver the kind of “jaw-dropping” leap in listening experience.

One interesting comparison: If I pit my Sony N3AP monitor headphones plugged into my KAWAI ES105 against the HP704’s built-in speakers, I’d actually lean toward the former.

2. Key Feel: The FP30X Comes Closest to an Upright Piano

1) Overall Conclusion

Of the four:

The ROLAND FP30X has the key feel closest to an upright piano.

But the key difference from a real upright is:

The keys overall feel “on the light side.”

2) On the Feel of “Key Weight”

Personally, I think key weight has a huge impact on how expressive your playing can be — it’s a bit like the concept of “dynamic range” in photography:

  • The more realistic and heavier the touch → the easier it is to express the “tension” and “weight” of the music
  • An overly light keyboard → easier to play, but with a lower ceiling on expressiveness

When I play on my teacher’s upright, I can clearly feel:

  • The “damping” that comes from the wooden mechanical action
  • And the genuine boost it gives to musical expression

3) Observations on Japanese vs. European Keyboard Weight

The common claim is:

  • European keyboards are heavier
  • Japanese keyboards are lighter

I suspect this may be tied to the way European classical music demands “gradations of dynamics” and “expressive tension.”

That said, a lighter keyboard has its advantages too:

  • Faster rebound
  • Better suited to trills and fast, technical passages

3. Market Logic: Why the FP30X Sells Well

The store’s instructor mentioned:

The FP30X is one of the best-selling models.

The way I understand the reasons:

  • The touch is closer to an upright piano
  • After a child practices at home, using a real piano in lessons feels less jarring
  • You avoid the problem of “the touch feeling off whenever you switch instruments”

From a practical standpoint, this kind of consistency is crucial.

4. Advanced vs. Beginner: Is It Worth Paying Up for Better Touch?

Frankly, for non-professional learners:

Most differences in digital piano touch aren’t easy to perceive clearly.

For example:

  • FP30X, P-125, ES105 → limited difference for the average user
  • HP704 (PHA-50 action) → more refined, but the improvement mainly shows up at the “professional detail” level

An Analogy

You could think of the differences this way:

  • ES105 / P-125: roughly a “90-out-of-100” level
  • HP704: roughly a “98-out-of-100” level

The meaning is completely different for different people:

  • Ordinary learners: 90 is already plenty
  • Professionals / exam candidates / performers: that 98 may be the decisive gap

At even higher tiers (crossover digital pianos, grand piano emulation), professionals will say:

  • HP704: “somewhat interesting”
  • YAMAHA N1X: now that comes closer to a grand piano

But these differences are often imperceptible or unimportant to the average listener, or even to a beginner’s ear.

5. Impressions of CA-30 vs. HP704

At the store, I was surprised to feel that:

The KAWAI CA-30 can hold its own against the ROLAND HP704 on touch.

The gap between them isn’t as wide as I’d imagined.

But because of time (I’d already taken up a good chunk of the owner’s day), I didn’t go on to a deeper, detailed side-by-side comparison.