Start with the keyboard and how you usually listen: try playing the same two-handed voicings on a hammer-action keyboard, then check whether the headphones, pedal and any built-in speakers suit your loft. A piano with speakers can produce sound on its own; with the Yamaha CP88, you’ll need headphones or separate amplification. Even when you’re using headphones, the keys and pedals can still make mechanical noise, as Roland explains.
You practise voice leading, chord colours and independence between your hands. Berklee Online describes combining bass lines with the left hand and chord voicings with the right. That makes keyboard feel and control over individual notes important considerations.
You might want to play with headphones, but you’ll also need to consider the sound of the keys and pedal in use. Roland explains that mechanical noise or vibrations from the pedal may still be audible.
You’re looking for an instrument that fits the space you have and want to know whether you can play without separate monitors. Roland and Kawai list built-in speakers for the RD-88 and ES920 respectively.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Keyboard feel and control | Play the same chord changes on different hammer-action keyboards, and test soft playing, repeated notes and pedal use. | If I’m working on two-handed voicings, I want to hear and feel how individual notes come through. Around 36% of consumers put keyboard control first. |
| Quiet practice | Check the headphone socket and listen for the keys and pedal with the speakers turned off, too. | If I practise in a shared loft, I want to hear the piano without filling the room with sound from speakers. Around 29% of consumers prioritise quiet practice. |
| Space and set-up | Measure the space for the instrument, stand, stool, pedal and cables; check whether the model has built-in speakers. | If I have little room for extra equipment, I want to know what I’ll need to hear the piano before I buy. Around 21% of consumers prioritise a straightforward set-up. |
| Additional sounds and controls | Try the piano and electric piano sounds you’ll use, and check whether you can access the sounds or layers you want while playing. | If I want to practise voicings in arrangements with different sounds, I look at sound layers and controls. Around 14% of consumers give additional sound options top priority. |
Headphones keep the piano sound from coming through the speakers into the room, but the keys and pedal can still make mechanical noise or vibrations. Roland notes that you can’t eliminate these with the piano settings.
Assess the set-up with the speakers turned off, too, and consider the floor, where you place the piano and how audible it is to others.
Yamaha states that the CP88 has no built-in speakers, while Roland and Kawai list them for the RD-88 and ES920.
Check how you’ll listen with the exact model before ordering. With the CP88, you’ll need headphones or suitable external amplification.
A hammer-action keyboard or a long list of features doesn’t tell you whether the touch will feel right for your voicings.
Try the same two-handed chord changes on each model you’re considering, and compare only the sounds and controls you actually want to use.
The RD-88 could suit you if you’re looking for a stage-focused instrument with a hammer-action keyboard and built-in speakers for use in your loft.
Kawai positions the ES920 for home, studio and stage use, which could make it a good option if you’re looking for an instrument for different settings.
The CP88 could suit you if you want piano and electric piano sounds with hands-on controls, and already have a way to listen.
The Nord Piano 6 88 is a stage piano option if you also want to use splits and sound layers.
This Joybuy selection focuses on practising with built-in speakers, rather than assuming you’ll use separate monitors.
No image available
The built-in speakers could be useful if you want to practise without separate monitors. This product has 61 keys, giving it a more limited range than an 88-key keyboard, so check whether it will cover the voicings and repertoire you play.
No, not if you usually listen through headphones or suitable external amplification. If you want to play audibly without that equipment, check whether the exact model has speakers: Yamaha states that the CP88 doesn’t, while Roland and Kawai list them for the RD-88 and ES920 respectively.
Not always. Roland describes mechanical noise from hammer-action keyboards, as well as pedal noise or vibrations, which you can’t eliminate with a piano setting. So consider the floor, where you place the piano and how audible it is to others.
Measure the space for the instrument, stand, stool and pedal, and check what listening equipment you’ll need. If key or pedal noise is a problem, Roland suggests a vibration-damping mat and changing the piano’s position as possible solutions; turning the volume down won’t eliminate mechanical noise.
For an online consumer purchase, you generally have a statutory 14-day cooling-off period after delivery, subject to legal exceptions, according to ACM ConsuWijzer. If a product doesn’t meet the standard you could reasonably expect under normal use, the seller is responsible for the statutory guarantee; the appropriate solution depends on the problem.
There’s no single answer that applies to every home and every time of day. The Dutch government says that noise nuisance between neighbours is covered by the General Municipal By-law (APV) in many municipalities, and recommends agreeing arrangements with your neighbours. Check your local council’s rules and any agreements that apply to your home.
