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  4. Vienna Imperial vs Ivory 2
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     A month ago I did a comparison between both pianos to disoblidge a friend. He has had to made the same decision like you. He send me a MIDI file and a wav-file of the same piece with the Ivory-piano, so I made for him the same piece played with the Vienna Imperial. To say it clear: 

    It's not really possible to make a real comparison for somebody. For myself I can say: In this comparison I realized the quality of the vienna imperial. The Vienna Imperial is simple in a different league. With using the low velocitys you can achieve a   v e r y   warm, dark and deep sound, the analyser I've used shows clear what happens in the depth range; a sound which is necessary for a very close and warm sound, how it is mostly used in pop-solo-piano music; you will not find this kind of depth in the Ivory piano.

    A lot of other differents are to ascertain (numbers of velocity layers, possibilities of Dynamic and MIDI Dynamic range setting (very important for real-time playing) . The most important thing for me is: With the vienna imperial you have a wide range of choice for achieving the sound you aiming for. The Ivory sounds good, but the possibilities of sound processing are much less.

    So if you work only in one style or kind of music and the sound of the Ivory fits, this piano is a good choice. For more flexibilty you will really enjoy the vienna imperial.

    Kind regards

    Frank 
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     Which piano anyone likes the sound of, will always be subjective, some will like the sound of Ivory 2, but Vienna Imperial sounds like a real piano, that's the difference, do you want a nice sound, or do you want it to actually sound like a real piano.

    I find Ivory 2 sounds very non dynamic, even at lower dynamics, it just gets quieter, not softer in tone, the Vienna Imperial has a tremdous dynamic controllable range from touch.
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    Thank u awrybody. Maby some Vienna stuff can tell me something why Vienna is so better then Ivory 2. I guess Vienna Imperial has more velocity ranges but other then that i don't see anything suppiriort to Ivory 2 But I still have fwe days to decide which one to get. If u ask me I don't like pop music, I want to use it for a classical music Best Regrads
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    @chilly said:

    I don't like pop music, I want to use it for a classical music

    In this case you don't have any choice...[;)]
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    What do u mean i don't have any choice? Thank U
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     In the very most cases for classical music you need a lot of velocity layers (and enough rr layer too). Vienna Imperial is the only one it has.
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    +1 on that. I do classical music - the results from using the Vienna are extremely good and realistic.  It is what the product was designed to do.  Ivory is, from what I can see, designed to be more cross genre.  Those extra velocity layers should not be dismissed at all lightly.

    If you need to check the Vienna imperial out, and you happen to need a new terrabyte hard disk, you can get the complete Vienna Collection on a 180 hour trial for the cost of a new disk from here http://www.bestservice.de/detail1.asp/classic_orchestral/vsl_exploration_kit/en

    @doubleattack said:

     In the very most cases for classical music you need a lot of velocity layers (and enough rr layer too). Vienna Imperial is the only one it has.
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    Thank you all for the input. I wish I could afford both myself! A few other things about Ivory that I've come to love, is the 6 soundboard choices you have for each piano,,, from very clean to extra resonant 2, plus a knob to fine tune each one. And one of my favorites is the hammer noise adjustment. On a piece that is very rubato and more andante in tempo, I use a little more resonant and add some key (hammer) sounds, which opens up the upper strings to an amazingly round warm sound instead of the harshness that can sometimes be created. On a real grand, you can 'toy' with the strings useing your wrist to create that beautiful round bell like tone or stiffen up to create a more harsh accented tone. With an electric, (or VI), you are fairly well constrained to the tone that was recorded. Which is another reason I went with Ivory at the time, most studios use the German D Grand because of its amazing tone when being recorded. I'm sure that the Imperial has this also, but Ivory has many presets that can then be adjusted to exactly what you want to hear, (more adjustments than I think I'll need?!). I would really love to have 100 velocity layers, but I haven't found it to be a deterrent, only because I haven't had the opportunity to try it. Because a lot of my music is classical in style, I'll have to try the Imperial soon, you can never have too many tools in your box!!! Thanks everyone,,,,, Mike
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    For Pop/Rock I can never get Ivory to work well sonically. I have found some alternatives that are much better.  But since you are classical, Ivory seems to sound well in that environment.  As does the Vienna Imperial.  

    For me, if I were choosing,  I would look at this one simple fact.  Ivory has numerous pianos.  Imperial has 1.  Granted there are a ton more velocity layers, there is only one piano.  So everything you do will have that same sound.  If you feel it is better to have a selection of sounds, then Ivory is the ticket.  If not, Imperial is it!

    Hope this helps some.

    /brad
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     There is only one piano sound needed - a good one. Bright, harsh, mellow or whatever can be achievd by EQ and compression, but you have to start with a good piano sound.

    I have seemingly wasted money on other pianos along the way before I discovered Vienna Imperial. 
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     Hi,

    I am fortunate that I own both, but on the Ivory side, I only use the Italian grand (Fazioli)

    I recorded music with both, It is easier for me to achieve the sound I want with Ivory.

    They sound very differently. I would play a nocturne using VI but I would play Chopin 1st study on Italian grand.

    There is definitely more dynamics with VI.  I have made several test with pianist friend switching between the pianos while they were playing.

    The most preferred piano was VI without knowing which one they played.

    I have some music that sounded better on Ivory.

    Difficult,,,  I love them both!
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    @pianosound said:

    A few other things about Ivory that I've come to love, is the 6 soundboard choices you have for each piano

    I guess it is safe to assume that each piano is not sampled 6 times, each with different soundboards, so is there any indication what the process is to create these different soundboard  options? 
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    Andyjh,, sorry for the slow reply. I don't check this site very often. Mostly now and then to check on VEP & VIP updates. And to be honest,,, I don't know how the sounds are manipulated?? The guys that tune my pianos are known world wide for their work on refurbishing pianos, including creating and shapeing the soundboard to the clients desired sound, tone, etc. How thin it is and how that changes from the center of the soundboard to the outside edges!!! (Thicker outside, thinner inside,,, or numerous other possibilities). It is amazing how different the slightest change of the soundboard, materials, thickness etc., will drastically change the tone, and reaction to the vibrateing strings!!! But,,,,, as for Ivory, I'm sure your right. Theres no way they would sample all the variables possible?? I just know that the realism of the final product, (CD in a stereo), is to this point the best that I have found. I can finally create a nice round, open sound in the treble,,, while still haveing a strong robust bass, and have it tranlate to the same sound in a stereo! And yet, again,,, I must add that I have not had the oppurtunity to try Vienna's Imperial piano. Which I'm sure is a fantastic instrument. Someday,,,someday! Mike