[glynnw]

Posted here because no circle seems to host  "just curious" thoughts.  Does anyone feel their system or know of a system that realistically replays a piano? In over 40 years as an active audiophile I have never heard, much less owned a system  that can do this.  Not at CES, not at RMAF... not at my house, etc.  I have heard extremely expensive systems that failed at this.  I don't mean sounds good or comes close - I mean sound that would fool a piano tuner.  If you feel you know of one, what was in the system?   Just curious.

[Phil A]

I've had a bunch of people over my house and usually a fair portion will specifically make a comment about hearing something that sounds like a real piano. I have multiple systems with different type of speakers.  TImbre and sound stage are more important to me than some other things.

[rollo]

YES, with reservations.  Analog or Digital ? System must go down to 25HZ for starters as the piano goes to 28HZ. Just to be clear NO audio system can produce 100% real life sound. So close but no cigar.


charles

[Delta77]

The closest I have ever heard to real piano sound. Was just a couple of weeks ago at California Audio Show 2017. https://i2.wp.com/theaudiobeatnik.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Audio-Federation.jpg?w=1280

The Audio Federation room featured top-of-the-line Audio Note electronics with Acapella’s High Cellini speakers.
As I walked by the room I said to my brother " they have a piano in that room for comparison "
I was wrong, just a magnificent sound system $ 300,000 , just out of my price range!!!

[ASCTLC]

A lady I bought my Adcom GFA-555 (1st one, not the MK II) and GFP-500 from was running Magnapans with some model of Kimber cables.  She was a piano teacher by profession and she had commented that it was the closest sounding to a real piano as she had ever heard from a stereo system.

Not sure what Magnapan model they were, only that they were about 6' tall.  And the Kimber cables were a black and brown braid.

I should have taken her up on the offer to have those Magnapans and cables free. 

[FireGuy]

Real world answer... no system can actually make a piano recording sound exactly like a piano because it's not a piano.   That's not to say some don't come close. 

[S Clark]

When I was practicing daily and playing, I had no problem picking out house sounds of Baldwin, Mason Hamlin, Steinway, Chickering, etc.  I think Danny Richie's line sources come very close to realistic tone with bass deep and accurate enough to be mistaken for the real thing. 
... So I built a pair of LS9's. 

[roscoe65]

A lady I bought my Adcom GFA-555 (1st one, not the MK II) and GFP-500 from was running Magnapans with some model of Kimber cables.  She was a piano teacher by profession and she had commented that it was the closest sounding to a real piano as she had ever heard from a stereo system.

Not sure what Magnapan model they were, only that they were about 6' tall.  And the Kimber cables were a black and brown braid.

I should have taken her up on the offer to have those Magnapans and cables free.

If her experience is like that of most people, an Adcom-driven pair of Maggies is better than any stereo system she is like to ever hear.

[Mike-48]

Pretty close, but after all, it has to go through microphones, among other things. IMO it helps to have subwoofers, acoustic treatment, and EQ the bass so it's reasonably smooth. If one seeks the proverbial audiophile "tight bass," the left hand will sound wrong, lacking bloom and volume, to my ears.

I can say this: a professional pianist heard my former system and said: "That's what I want when I grow up."

[Wind Chaser]

Of all the speakers I've heard, Acoustats do the best job of making a piano actually sound like a piano.

[OzarkTom]

Of all the speakers I've heard, Acoustats do the best job of making a piano actually sound like a piano.

+1

Acoustat Monitor Iv's with the DD servo tube amps.

[mca]

My Daedalus Audio Ulysses and a Vinnie Rossi LIO with hi-Rez files from a Musicvault Ultra makes for the most realistic recorded piano sounds I've ever heard. (IMHO)

[firedog]

I think it has more to do with the recording than the system.  A lot piano recordings are close miked or recorded in some other fashion that doesn't lend itself to sounding like a piano sounds when you listen to one in a club, a decent sized room, or a hall.

With what I consider a good recording, my system sounds like the real thing.

[Bendingwave]

I think it has more to do with the recording than the system.  A lot piano recordings are close miked or recorded in some other fashion that doesn't lend itself to sounding like a piano sounds when you listen to one in a club, a decent sized room, or a hall.

With what I consider a good recording, my system sounds like the real thing.

Can you name/list what you consider a good piano recording....this question goes for other members as well.

[JLM]

"Sound like"?  Yes.  Same as?  No.  There is no perfect speaker (and no perfect recording).

The purpose for home audio is to entertain, to give enough auditory clues to allow us to recreate in our minds the original event.  More clues, easier for the mind to make the recreation (or allow us to more fully hear the original event for the first time).

[S Clark]

Can you name/list what you consider a good piano recording....this question goes for other members as well.

David Fung "Evening Conversations" from Yarlung Records may be the best close miked piano piece I've heard to date.  It achieves it goal of putting the piano in your living room.  To me it sounds much like what I heard when playing. 

[Carl V]

having once owned a nice Player Piano.....close but no cigar


a number of years ago AUDIO magazine produced some Piano recordings with Steinway
Historical comparisons, Stereophile has done some good Piano recordings

[rollo]

I think it has more to do with the recording than the system.  A lot piano recordings are close miked or recorded in some other fashion that doesn't lend itself to sounding like a piano sounds when you listen to one in a club, a decent sized room, or a hall.

With what I consider a good recording, my system sounds like the real thing.

   Excellent point about recording.


charles

[rollo]

"Sound like"?  Yes.  Same as?  No.  There is no perfect speaker (and no perfect recording).

The purpose for home audio is to entertain, to give enough auditory clues to allow us to recreate in our minds the original event.  More clues, easier for the mind to make the recreation (or allow us to more fully hear the original event for the first time).

  JLM spot on it has to hit ya in the heart. Emotion is key. Ya get emotion leave the rig be.


charles

[lokie]

efficient speakers
Tube amps
Audio Note DAC

Of course you have do alot of other things right and not screw up the sound by doing something stupid, like taking the advice of the audio critics... but these three things will get you far down the road in the right direction.