Start by trying the same left-hand passage on the keyboards you’re considering: specifications about the key action won’t tell you how it feels to play. Then choose according to your music room, weighing up a suitable headphone setup, built-in speakers and any split functions. You only need a split if you want to use different sounds for your left and right hands.
Wants to practise bass patterns and jumps with a touch that feels comfortable and easy to control. Compare keyboards by playing them yourself; a product specification can’t predict how a key will feel. Yamaha describes the keyboard on the CP88, while Kawai does the same for the ES920.
Benefits from a suitable headphone connection for individual practice, and checks whether speakers are available for group sessions. Yamaha, Kawai and Roland describe headphone features or built-in speakers on specific models.
Sometimes wants to use different sounds for the left and right hands, so looks at how splits can be set up and saved. Roland describes the controls on the RD-88; Korg says that custom split programmes for the SV-2 are created using the SV-2 Editor.
Choose this option: if touch on repeated bass notes and jumps is your main priority; compare, for example, the Yamaha CP88 and Kawai ES920 by playing the same passage on each.
Bear in mind: keyboard action names can’t predict which touch will suit your playing; also check what sound equipment is available in the room.
Choose this option: if the music room doesn’t always have an external sound system; Yamaha lists speakers for the CK88, and Roland does so for the RD-88.
Bear in mind: if you usually play a single piano sound, a split function doesn’t need to be a deciding factor.
Choose this option: if you regularly want a bass sound on the left and a different sound on the right; the Korg SV-2 is one model to consider for this.
Bear in mind: Korg says you create custom split programmes for the SV-2 using the SV-2 Editor; the SV-2S is the version with built-in speakers.
Try the exact version you’re considering and check how the practice setup works in the shared room.
| Consideration | What to look for | Who is this most important to? |
|---|---|---|
| Touch control | Play the same left-hand passage on the exact models; compare soft notes and repeated notes. | If I want to practise bass notes and jumps evenly, I want to feel for myself how the keyboard responds. Around 36% of consumers put touch control first. |
| Quiet practice | Check the headphone connection and that your headphones are compatible; also see whether the room has speakers or amplification. | In a shared room, I want to practise on my own without playing the piano sound through the room’s speakers. This is the top priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Sound for each hand | Try changing and saving the split point; check whether any software suits the way you plan to use it. | When my left hand needs to play a bass sound while my right plays something different, I look at how to set up a split. Around 21% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Setup | Measure the space for the instrument, stand and player; check what sound equipment and accessories are available. | If the practice room layout changes, I want to know whether the instrument can be set up there easily. For around 14% of consumers, a practical setup is the top priority. |
Manufacturers use different names for keyboard actions, but those names don’t tell you how well you’ll control repeated bass notes.
Before choosing, play the same short practice passage on the exact models you’re considering.
The models listed differ in their built-in speakers and connection options. For individual practice, suitable headphones may offer a different setup from speakers.
Check the sound options for each version and see what equipment is already available in the music room.
For custom split programmes on the Korg SV-2, Korg describes a process using the SV-2 Editor; Roland describes how to set one up on the RD-88.
Before buying, try setting up and saving a piano and bass split on the model you want.
Consumer rules don’t automatically apply when an agreement is mainly or exclusively for business purposes. ACM ConsuWijzer explains this distinction for businesses.
Record who the buyer is and check the warranty and service terms that apply to the agreement.
The CP88 is designed for piano playing; the CK88 combines an 88-key GHS keyboard with built-in speakers.
According to Roland, the RD-88 combines a weighted keyboard with built-in speakers and zones for different sounds.
The ES920 is designed for piano playing and use on stage.
The SV-2 88 is an option if you want to use piano and bass splits.
The Nord Piano 6 88 is worth comparing if splits, layered sounds and on-stage controls are important to you.
A selection of Joybuy digital pianos for practising with headphones or built-in speakers.
No image available
A 61-key keyboard may be limiting if you want to practise left-hand patterns across the full range.
61 keys; weighted keyboard; headphone socket; built-in speakers.
No, not if you’re practising with a single piano sound. A split is useful when, for example, you want to play bass with your left hand and a different sound with your right. If so, check how to set and save the split point.
Check that the headphone socket is compatible with your headphones, whether speakers or external amplification are available for playing together, and whether the instrument, stand and pedal will fit in the room. Yamaha lists a 6.3 mm headphone socket for the CP88 and CK88.
No. For consumer purchases, Dutch statutory warranty has no fixed term; what you can expect depends, among other things, on the product and normal use. According to the Dutch government, the seller is your point of contact if a product is faulty. Consumer rules don’t automatically apply to a purchase made mainly or exclusively for business purposes.
For distance purchases, consumers usually have a cooling-off period of up to 14 days after the product is delivered, although there are legal exceptions. The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (Autoriteit Consument & Markt) explains this cooling-off period for consumers; also check who the buyer and contracting party are.
