Kawai MP8II

Will never touch a digital Kawai piano again... bought an MP5, and some of the keys rattled terribly. Sent it back.
New MP5 was worse yet...ALL the black keys rattled and felt horrible. Sent it back again.
Forked out the extra cash (as in an extra $1500 AUS) and bought the MP8ii...I gigged with it once and a few of the black keys stuck down. VERY ANNOYING.
Then I found a few scratches on the keyboard, and then found gaffa tape on the power cord. Kawai had sent me a returned faulty keyboard, claiming it was new.

Kawai Australia screwed me around for three and a half months, preventing me from gigging, and 3 out of 3 keyboards I was sent were faulty.

Sorry, will never again buy Kawai.

Easy to use, easy to select reverb and effects types, easy to change the EQ levels. Fairly easy to create a layered performance present and adjust the volume levels, the pan, etc.

Keyboard action is the reason I bought this board.
I've owed a variety of keyboards, and have been slightly dissatisfied with the key feel of most of the weighted models that have been available for the last 10 years. I'll try your patience and list the keyboards I've had and comment.**
Yamaha: CP-300, S90ES
Roland: A70, RD700SX
Access: Virus KC
Kawai: MP9000, MP9500, MP8, MP8II
EMU: E-synth
Kurzweil: PC1, PC2X
Ratings from a "key feel" perspective (obviously subjective)
YAMAHAS****
CP-300: initially I liked it, but grew to dislike it due to its lack of "bounce back" (& it's "percusive" piano samples).
I also liked the S90ES in the store (I traded in the CP300) but this did not continue long. Perhaps now I may have learned that Yamaha keys stop to abruptly.
ROLANDS******
A70 controller was nice but to light; the RD700SX I initially thought I liked - its key feel in the store really felt good (and I tried it several times over a several week period). But after about a month, I began to realize the RD700SX was not for me- it also stops to abruptly; its keys were nice in a way, but also harsh - I would realize this later when I finally settled on the Kawai MP8II.
ACCESS****
had synth keys and I just could not get use to that. Interesting sounds. I know how much others like synth keys and hate the weighted; for a "synth" key feel the Virus was a cut above the rest of the synth key type boards.
EMU*****
E-Synth is interesting; 76 keys "semi-weighted" (somewhat like the Roland A70) but eventually, for me, too light.
KURZWEIL*****
The PC1 keys were to light; however, the PC2X is a board I regret selling. I debated a long time and eventually sold it. Its keys were on the verge of being right, but I kept thinking the key feel was just a bit to light. the piano and especially 2 e-piano sounds are the best I've ever heard from any keyboard anywhere. I still regret selling this one. But I found, in the MP8II, a better feel (though piano and e-pianos are decidedly inferior to PC2x)
KAWAI****
When I purchased the first of the Kawai's, (5 years ago)-the original MP9000, I enjoyed it for a number of years and felt I would probably keep it -key feel was excellent, a joy to play, not harsh, not an abrupt stop, just about right -except its "bounce back" was somwhat slow. (At the time I was not as aware, perhaps, as to what makes up the feel that I enjoy). the MP9000 was the best I had played, almost felt like a grand, and being so dissatisfied with Yamaha's, Roland's & Korg's, I was almost resigned to the fact that it was about the best I could get. Later I wondered if Kawai's updated version was better, so I sold the MP9000 and purchased the MP9500. It was as good as the MP9000, sounds slightly updated, but feel was basically the same (or just a tad bit heavier). Well eventually I sold it also, after reading good reviews of the MP8, I bought it. The MP8 had, like the MP9000 & 9500, a nice weighted "grand piano" feel, just a tad (really just barely) on the "heavy" side of the digital universe; still, all things considered appreciably better than Yamaha, Roland, etc. But again, the one negative (among many good things) about the MP8 was the same slight problem I had with the MP9000; "bounce back" was a bit to slow. later, when I saw the advertisement for the new MP8II ("Mark II" version)- I noticed with great interest that Kawai stated they had improved "bounce back". I was hooked, sold the MP8 and got the MP8II. I am enjoying The MP8II; its feel is just a tad lighter than the MP8 (and I really like its slightly lighter feel, (though its still a "grand piano" weighted feel); but especially the "bound back" is what keeps me enjoying it. Its sounds are still inferior to the Kurzweil, but the feel is such an overriding consideration. Ultimately a MP8II with a Kurzweil rack might be my final solution. its difficult to find a MP8II in a store to test. That is really the best way. This is just one opinion and I am not an especially

Acoustic piano is realistic and acceptable, even fairly good, but slightly inferior to the Kurzweil.
On board effects are adequate. Variety of reverbs and delays. Not the best but adequate. One can get some "spaceiousness" and openness from the samples.
I found that I perfered to turn down the bass on the EQ a bit for the main piano samples - just a perferrence.

Dependable, well built and solid.

never had to use.

would replace. Wish it had some better e-piano samples.