Interesting fact — the left-most base keys reproduce the same rumbling sound of an acoustic piano. However, I hope brilliance can be adjusted.
— Top 4 brands: Yamaha; Korg; Roland; Casio
I tend to associate Yamaha with expertise in acoustic, but Roland and other brands could be better.
Pearl River, the biggest piano factory, makes both acoustic and digital pianos.
— advantages over acoustic piano
- portable. Can remove the stand and further reduce the weight. at least 10kg
- .. some can run on battery for 13 hours
- ambiance and brilliance adjustment
- touch sensitivity adjustment? Not widely available.
- recording
- metronome
- no tuning or heater required
- variety of timbres can be simulated. The sound board is the most expensive and most important piano component responsible for sound quality.
- night-n-day feature: volume control with earphone.
- .. Paradoxically, this would remove the motivation to seize the moment and make best of the window of practice. 买书不如借书。
— my requirements
- weighted keys and finger touch, so you can strike harder to produce a bigger sound. In 2010, many sub-$1k models feature weighted keys. I believe these are electronic imitations of mechanical key. Lots of details in https://www.yamaha.com/en/musical_instrument_guide/piano/selection/selection002.html
- eg: Casio CDP-S90 recommended — https://music.casio.co.uk/blog/weighted-piano-keys-why-they-are-important-for-a-beginner has details
- eg: Korg B2SP “88-Key Weighted Hammer-Action Keyboard (Natural Weighted Hammer Action)”
Some models require a minimum force in order to produce a sound. I thought it was inferior design, but now I think acoustic keys also have the same “problem”. In that case, it’s a feature not a bug. If your model requires no minimum force to produce a sound, then it’s more like a portable keyboard, and won’t help you develop the right touch.
Based on my requirements, our existing piano and my usage (very low), my budget is below $1k. Probably the lower the better.
— some final shopping tips
First time, buy a low-cost until you know what is more suitable. However, digital piano costs more than phones or laptops.
If you are particular about touch sensitivity, then better compare with an acoustic “touch” immediately. You can detect the differences only if you compare immediately. Don’t compare with your home piano, because not all acoustic pianos have the same touch.