Can even the top end hybrids really satisfy a grand player?

Taushi The way the speakers are aimed have a lot to do with creating the stereo image, and even overcoming some of the limitations inherent in most set ups.

I have a question regarding stereo image. I have no experience with acoustic piano at all. But I wonder, when playing acoustic piano, do you really hear the bass notes coming from the left side, and the treble notes coming from the right side? Although the sound originates from the corresponding string, is it the soundboard that we are actually hearing? And the soundboard is a really large surface, the opposite to a point source.

If your answer is yes, you do hear notes seem to come from the direction of their location on the keyboard, then I ask you to further consider whether that is due to hearing it, or psychologically imagining it. I have seen people pinpointing source direction of low frenquency sound (which is impossible in theory) based on visual feedback.

iternabe whether that is due to hearing it, or psychologically imagining it

I would reckon it’s both. Perception is a fascinating thing. I’ve been to an audiologist recently because I felt my left ear is quieter than right ear.

Audiologist indicated it’s in my brain processing, versus a physical issue. I was at first skeptical, but it makes sense (for my own case).

(I know this subtopic may be off from the main topic)

iternabe

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem much like the digital piano makers take into account any of what you’ve said with speaker placement or choice.

And while good monitors cost that much for the consumer, I think digital piano/keyboard makers would probably get a much lower price in production when they just have to buy the internal parts, and would be buying at scale. Most of the major companies pay pennies for what the consumer spends dollars on.

As for the stereo image, I’m less referring to a sense individual notes coming from a particular direction, and more referring more to the entire wall of sound that comes from the instrument. The sound from a piano comes, as you pointed out, from the very, very large soundboard, and also from additional resonances in the actual body of the instrument. When you reduce that to a few tiny speakers, that overall sense of sound is loss.

Headphones help with this, as do properly calibrated and aimed monitors. Speakers, also properly calibrated and aimed inside the body of the instrument, especially those which benefit from aiming, as well as overall proper placement would help with creating that sense of sound.

As it stands, the vast majority of digitals do not do well at recreating that sense of sound.

Of course, no digital is going to sound like a real piano at a 1:1 level, but I do think more speakers and better speaker placement would do a great deal toward closing the gap more.

And, of course, one wouldn’t expect this in every digital - the entry-level and medium-tier ones probably wouldn’t have this. But for the ones costing into the several thousand, especially those aiming at great authenticity, I think this should be par the course.

iternabe But I wonder, when playing acoustic piano, do you really hear the bass notes coming from the left side, and the treble notes coming from the right side?

Yes, but it's not quite as prominent as you'd hear in say, anipiano recordings. The effect is more prominent the closer you get to the rim, so mic'ing can make a difference here on acoustics (I've heard actually that classical recordings tend to emphasize the lid and room reverb more, whereas more "modern" piano piece recordings place mics in a way that bring out the stereo separation.

On my piano, I can switch between digital (both headphones and under-the-soundboard speakers) and acoustic mode, and I always feel that I can perceive the stereo separation, but I don't really "miss" it when outputting mono. My guess is that its impact is generally eclipsed by all of the other differences that come to the fore during acoustic play.

However, when listening to piano recordings on YT, it bothers me greatly when a piano is mic'd from the "audience" perspective, because I'm really used to hearing the clear bass-left, treble-right separation when using headphones.

One of my motivations for the custom hybrid is that it can be put on any piano action.
For example a "top end" action.
Puts the user in control of everything: electronics, algorithms, features, piano action.
But doesn't yet have the accuracy or features to be counted "top end hybrid". I am optimistic but no guarantees.
And doesn't solve the sound problem.
And isn't easy to make.

There's very little low bass in a piano, so I wouldn't bother with a subwoofer. When playing even the lowest note on a concert grand you mostly hear harmonics.

johnstaf There's very little low bass in a piano, so I wouldn't bother with a subwoofer. When playing even the lowest note on a concert grand you mostly hear harmonics.

I have not paired a decent subwoofer with a digital speaker system, so take this for what it's worth--but I can see why it would seem desirable. On a large grand, when struck moderately loudly, there's a huge reverberation that you don't necessarily hear, but you feel it cause your body/head/chest to vibrate. Even if I cough or sneeze at the bench, I can hear and feel the piano's soundboard respond and it in turn causes a physical rumble feedback that I can feel in my body.

I've never gotten that feeling with a stock digital sound system (even augmented with 5" drivers), but the cough thing aside, I can image why people might seek a subwoofer for that more visceral response that is lacking with regular speakers?

Gombessa My JBL 306p studio monitor (6" driver) specs says it goes down to 47Hz (-3dB). That frequency is just below G1, according to this. A0 is 27.5Hz and certainly would need a sizable subwoofer to reproduce at adequate sound pressure level.

One other problem of introducing a subwoofer to home studio setup is proper EQ at the crossover. To achieve a smooth transition from speaker to subwoofer would require careful frequency response measurement, room treatment and digital EQ.

Gombessa On a large grand, when struck moderately loudly, there's a huge reverberation that you don't necessarily hear, but you feel it cause your body/head/chest to vibrate.

I don't think I've ever experienced that, other than vibrations through the keyboard.

HeartKeys From an audiophile standpoint, subwoofer is actually the most difficult to be set up in a room. Because the wavelength of low frequency is so long, reflections off the wall can interfere with the sound wave directly out of the subwoofer. The interference will cause a pattern in the room (called room mode) where the low frequency will sound alternatively loud to quiet (and even none/zero) as you walk around.

You can play with the placement of the subwoofer and try to find the best location that result in peak feel at your chest.

For home theaters, where multiple listening locations all need to avoid the dip (cancellation or null point), it is often necessary to have 2 to 4 subwoofers strategically placed and calibrated. The acoustic piano, with long string and large soundboard, resembles the multi-subwoofer setup which explains why room mode is less of a problem.