I picked the Chinese make as number one because I could hear a slight distortion/modulation on the high notes and figured it was due to workmanship or build quality. So I was shocked to discover it was the Steinway.
I went for number two as the Steinway. Less vibration on low heavy chords and brighter sounding top notes. I'm quite surprised. I thought piano 2 was markedly better.
I was very unsure at first. The second piano was brighter and the Stainway surprisingly mellow, particularly for a Steinway. Though I also found the Hailun a bit sharp in the upper treble, that's wheere the Stainway stood out as the more mature instrument. That said, from a sound perspective the Hailun seems to be great value for money. But it's worth comparing with Yamaha and Kawai.
I really thought the second piano would be Steinway, really impressive for the quality. Which leads me to realize that we can be very happy with the piano we have at home ...
Sure, pianos are different, at some point one can't say one sound is better or worse, I personally don't like Steinway sound, I find it mushed, but others love it for its warmth and forgiveness
@@coolfactsaboutsharks he seems to pick pieced that stay at center. That does make it harder and also no dynamic range. Some high end Chinese pianos actually use German action and strings and sound surprisingly good however. Not sure if Halion is 1 of them
I got it wrong, the first piano sounded more distorted when the chords were played, more harsh sound, the sound felt like came from cheap strings or something. The second piano sounded little more full and clean, little more bassey, much more clean full "realistic" piano sound! Maybe I got the wrong idea of what a piano is suppose to sound like. Maybe you're suppose to hear the resonance of the strings more!
In my opinion, the recording isn't nearly high enough quality to base an opinion on. I think the Steinway is louder and there's no compression on the recording, so that made it sound overall worse.
@@zondering7431 Hey, just wondering - which province in Canada do you live in? I'm from Alberta and bought a Hailun 178 around 1 year and a half ago for 23,000 CAD, which leads me to wonder if I could've negotiated further...
@@hellothere5476 You'll find many people who have paid a bunch more and many people who've paid a bunch less. Done deal is a done deal and your dealer has to eat too, stop wondering and enjoy your piano.
I was correct, but was kind of sad because I thought the Chinese piano sounded nicer. I wonder if it felt different to play on each. And of course the Steinway would probably last longer and has nicer action, wood, sound board, etc. But I agree with your video, it is about preference and how a piano’s sound sits with a person!
@Konstantin Ridaya The steinway soundboard design doesn't do that piano any favors longevity wise. But people will buy steinway based off of the name only.
@@charlescxgo7629 The steinway actually have much better voicing than the other one. A good voicing job is down to consistancy accross the piano from note to note and the 2nd piano suffered from a lack of consistancy in the voicing. You also cannot hear regulation. Regulation affects playing as it means the action isn't working well. All new pianos that go into a store are going to be out of regulation. Steinway is notorious for being practically and often times literally in unplayable states when they arrive at the store. Usually before they make it to the floor room a piano tech will go over the pianos and ensure they are in good working order and sound good along with any issues with the finish being touched up. What most people hear is generally not voicing issues but voicing choices. Voicing is really where the majority of the sound that people notice comes from. The other aspects of the piano do make a difference, but none are as extreme as voicing. And voicing can be done to make your piano sound however you want. The differences people associate with brands are usually choices made by the company and sound wise is very deliberate. You can make a yamaha sound like a kawai and vice versa. But to distinguish themselves from each other they usually voice their pianos purposely differently from each other. Something you will also notice country wise as the european market wants a different sound from the US market or the chinese market. So companies will voice according to where they are selling aswell.
@@erayedatschebotarjew1762 A high end piano should not need to be broken in. That is why they usually put them on a device known as a pounder. This is literally to break them in. Then final adjustments and voicing are done along with work at the store to ensure that its perfect right off the bat. In fact the largest issues with pianos is breaking them in usually throws them out of regulation and the hammers start to deform. Whoever told you that does not know what they are talking about. Or if it was a dealer they were ripping you off trying to save a buck on not fixing a problem piano which sadly has been known to happen. Especially with name brand pianos.
Listened with Sony MDR-7506 earphones. Number one was warm, mellow with a very clear sound which I immediately thought was typical of a Steinway. Number 2 was much brighter with more overtones. The bass was a little harsh at ff and sounded like it was from a smaller piano. I identified it as the Chinese piano. I've played a Steinway before but never played on a Hailun. I do think they are both excellent sounding pianos!
@@joshgutierrez7380 Yeap, I do 😉 And I do partly accept them 😄 For some style of music they are good, sounds good for jazz sessions eg..... but especially romantical pieces or classical music.... all the way to European "Home" pianos for me 🤷♂️🤗
I correctly chose the Steinway, but only because it sounded a tad bit richer than the second. But it's scary how similar they sound given the price difference. I suspect the difference would have been more obvious if hearing them in person. Resonance and color,etc are hard to hear through a video. Point well made though...man that Hailun sure did sound close....!
I thought piano #1 had a somewhat deeper bass and more of a singing tone in the treble register. This seems characteristic of Steinway. However, the change in the room acoustics and the microphone setup made piano #2 (Hailun) seem a little more subdued. So, very interesting test comparison and challenges our thinking doesn't it? Thanks for your videos - all of them are really enjoyable and educational.
I thought #2 was the Steinway also. It seemed to have more sustain than #1 and a little brighter. I imagine the Steinway will outlast the Chinese one and is probably more stable.
Much preferred Piano 2. I didn't try to figure out which was the Steinway, but rather which I'd more enjoy listening to and playing. Piano 2 was a clear choice for me, so that's fortunate as it is far more affordable 🙂
I think at the end of the day only the person who plays can make a difference, not the instrument itself. A great pianist can always make any instrument sound like his/her own, regardless of the price, the brand etc., as long as it’s we’ll maintained.
Bob I’ll reiterate the comment that I texted you and see if this spurs some engagement here - anybody who agrees or disagrees with me let me know! Fortunately I got it right. For my ears, I thought the first one was the Steinway because from my experience, MOST Steinways work well for ballads and have a darker quality generally speaking. This is only generally speaking, of course every piano is unique especially when hand-made. My non scientific thought of the second one was “no bass punch, a little more open but junk sounding” and that’s what Chinese Piano’s typically sound like.
I got it right! What definitely helped me was the Steinway's deeper, richer lower register. It was a tricky comparison because the Hailun piano was pretty bright and one might tend to associate Steinway pianos with a brighter tone.
I thought the first piano must be the Hailun, simply because it seemed to be a bit lacking in depth of sound. I thought the second piano was more rounded and seemed to offer more colour. Fascinating.
Great test. I've recorded lots of different pianos over the years and got some very experienced piano people to try and guess which piano is which. The results were pretty much in line with random guessing. I've also tried to identify pianos myself just from recordings and I do no better. It's very, very difficult if not impossible. There are so many variables. Microphones, pre-amps, microphone positions, the acoustics of the venue and as you say the individual piano itself. Even the same make and model can sound quite different from one individual piano to the next. I definitely think we can kid ourselves that certain very expensive pianos sound a lot better than some less expensive models, but I don't think that's always true.
I thought number 2 was the Steinway simply because I thought it sounded superior to number 1 which I thought was very muddy, boy how wrong was I!? It was in fact the Steinway that I thought sounded muddy, and the Hailun had the more pleasant timbre to my ears. Cool test, if not entirely scientific as Robert pointed out. Glad to know I can get a beautiful piano for a fraction of the cost of a Steinway, and even end up more satisfied with the tone.
The Steinway (Piano No. 1) was very easy to discern, despite the difference in microphones and room acoustics. The sound is complex and there is an evenness in tone quality throughout the range of the instrument, which creates a cohesive aural experience. Also, I play a 1966 Steinway M almost every day, recording my practice sessions for later review, so am familiar with hearing its sound envelope both live and recorded. The Hailun (Piano No. 2) lacked warmth and depth in the sound. In particular, the treble notes had a brittle quality.
I own the Hailun 161 and I am really impressed with its sound when you compare its price point. Interestingly I thought the 2nd was the Steinway so go figure....shows you its all about sound and what u look for, don't be persuaded by brand alone!
yes, the giveaway is the brightness. Bright sound is very asian preference, like Yamaha & Kawaii. European piano is more darker or mellow. This Chinese model however has twang sound that made it a bit imperfect and fragile in sound quality.
I liked the sound of the first, but thought it was the Chinese piano because it was brighter. The second piano didn’t seem to have a clear a base register, but I suppose that could be the difference in mikes.
Like some others, I thought that 2 was probably the Steinway as with one a few of the harder struck notes sounded just a bit distorted. There was far less difference than I would have imagined.
Exactly my experience. I am wondering it the lesser quality mikes used for two might have been the source of the distortion. By and large, both sounded lovely.
The crispness of the bass and the super quiet fidelity of the Steinway is what let me know it was #1. The second piano sounded sharp and pianoy when playing the bright notes, but could not deliver in the contrast between super quiet and loud with clarity. #2 is perfect, #1 sounded better at the extremes and overall more muted and balanced or regulated in its tone.
The first one sounds better. Steinway i guess. The second one sounds a little noisy when chords are played on both hands. The clashing of the high notes.
Steinway, more pronounced mid/lows while the Chinese more balanced all the way across...dang, Chinese are getting better on cloning, they are definitely become professionals with copycats.
Now will the chinese piano, survive Weather change? Can the bridge and other structures survive moving and moist? That is the difference too, not the sound only.
I got it right and they both didn't sound very impressive. Steinway had made sh. . t for the past 20 years. Fazioli and Bosendorfer are the only two pianos that still give impressive sound.
I've got it right. And to be honest, some Chinese pianos are really not that bad, at least way better than the Japanese ones, Kawai, and etc., from materials to sound quality.
In my opinion, the 2nd one sounds inferior but it has more Steinway signature (this comment is written before the end of the video), so 1 - Chinese, 2 - Steinway.
Picked the Steinway, no question. The Chinese piano had a dull metallic sound and lacked the longer decay of the Steinway, plus the the bell like quality of the higher register was undeniable.
I'm stunned. I was so sure of my choices. I have a 1930 Knabe 9' that rivals the best in warmth and gorgeous sound. I listen to a great deal great pianos on TH-cam and the Steinways have always, always come out the best - which is why they are used in concert halls around the world - for the sound alone. Never really liked the Bosendorfer, Yamaha - too clinical, too pure, but the Steinway - what a feast. I thought this contest would be a no brainer. I also play french horn (serious hobby) and by default we have to have sensitive ears. I have played both Chinese and Yamaha horns, heard the big American Conn 8D horns. I liked the sound of the Chinese horn best even over the monumental Conn or Eurpean brands. So I was sure of my answers. I immediately said within 15 seconds, even before hearing #2, that 1 was Chinese. When I heard #2, I said, ah ha, now that is the Steinway. Much warmer, nicer tone overall. Nr 1 has too many tinny sounds, what I thought were metallic overtones, a rather unpleasant sound. I was not moved. I also suspected a 7, not a 9'. When I heard the answers, I'm blown away. Stunned. NO WAY. I mean #1 was not an enjoyable experience where 2 gave me a big hug. For a 6', I 'd take that #2 any day for the sound beauty alone. Steinway, you lost this one cold, like the sound of the piano. But, Wow. Great challenge. I suppose after playing a Chinese (Taiwan) Eastman horn for 2 years, although it did have some issues that were workarounds, that Eastman horn relies on sound quality. And it had it. Now this chinese piano is a serious contender to quality product. Of course a pianist would be looking at other factors such as touch, feel, and the things that make a huge difference in the playing - and we dont know this - Maybe Robert could give us some comments. At the end or beginning of he day, as Darth Vader said: Impresivvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvve.
Im surprised i got it right no.1 Steinway, no.2 Chinese. When i heard the bass sound of the second Piano, its like something is not ripe (as in a ripe fruit) enough. No.1 Piano sounds like mature and crisp.
Piano #1 is warmer & has more dynamic capability, getting bright when it needs to. Piano #2 is bright regardless of dynamic and. My pick is #1 for the Steinway.
I got it right! The Steinway’s growl in the bass and mellowness in the treble is always distinguishable. Listen to the louder sections and it becomes clearer.
Interesting. Before the 2nd piano was played, I thought the first had to be the Steinway, but that it needed some voicing as it wasn’t as even across registers as I expect from Steinway. Also, while the bass was warm, it seemed slightly muddy to my ear. When the 2nd piano was played, I thought it was the Steinway because the bass sounded clearer and stronger, but still warm and there was a singing quality un the upper registers. I questioned this decision, though because I thought the trebles were a little brighter than what I expect from a Steinway- I decided it was a matter of voicing there LOL. So far I had both pegged as the Steinway.Finally convinced myself that since one of them had to be the chinese piano I was going to pick number Two as the Steinway due to the bass. In my defense, I was listening through a pair of inexpensive wired ear buds on my old ipadair2 which may have affected how the trebles and bass sounded, but your demonstration was eye opening for me as I really had a hard time deciding and ultimately guessed wrong. It also made me think more clearly about what I like to hear when listening to a piano. Thanks for a great demonstration.
@@Justin_9423 not sure how to explain it, more like the resonance was more on the higher notes in the first piano, less medium and low notes resonance. Also like a bit out of tune or at least disonant echos. The second seems more rounded , with fuller sound. Maybe is the effect of the different mics. But just my amateur opinion, no expert by any means!
Hmmm I actually thought the first one sounds more compact and powdery, and the second one sounds like mountain flow water, very fresh slow moving water and not as compact as the one. No one beat Yamaha's brightness XD
At first I thought the first one is the Chinese one, but when I heard the second one I knew it wasn't. The first one do sound more distorted on the lower section, but the resonance sounds so good. The second piano on the other hand sounds clean and the resonance feels too short.
I choose no2, I love the mellow sound at first I thought it was Steinway. But no it’s Hailun, very surprised! I get to try some other Chinese Brand’s but doesn’t not suite me. I have a Yamaha upright for around 3-4yrs but it’s not me, the tone is way too loud and sharp. I’ve upgraded to a Kawai BL-71. Hope all goes well for everyone. Good luck :)
I got it right. It was the distinctive and rich base at 4:30 of the 1st one that led me think it is a Steinway. You can compare it with the 2nd one at 7:45. Great playing!
I closed my eyes and listened. I grew up poor, we had a cheap piano and I used to play on it for hours at a time, my own minor key mourning songs. The second piano sounded like that old piano, familiar and homey so I chose that one to NOT be the Steinway. I feel like I went about this the wrong way but it is what it is. I know I'll never get the chance to touch a Steinway much less play one. This listening test was fun, thank you for the memories!
Dnt worry God is there . dont say u can only get to touch piano i believe in u God will give u a brand new piano so u believe in him first and then in urself😎
Unfortunately I have some experience with Chinese pianos and they sound decent on the recording but awful when played live (Feurish I am looking at you)
#1 was the Steinway! I say that because I noticed the BASS notes sounded much fuller. and on #2 the Upper Register the notes sounded a little bit 'stringy'. Just my take. I was right on my choice!
I did get it right... I heard a slight difference between the two, although that might be put to the difference between the two sets of microphones used to record the two. But, that just boils down to the fact that you have to play the instrument since no two instruments are identical in sound.
I got it wrong too. The first one seemed "muddier" and the second one "clearer." Next time don't put an ad with a guy playing a 3rd piano in between the 2 for comparison, that kind of mucked up the test.
Were they tuned by the same tuner at the same time, and did you do a frequency analysis to show they were tuned the same? Because I thought the first had a bit of a gargle/growl tuned into each note which itself made each note sound both sad (too sad but appropriate for this piece) and voicelike even when played alone for several seconds (which happened at one point) and which seemed to give it less beating during chords. The second had each note sound much purer but then there was way too much beating in the chords.
Thanks for doing this! I prefer the sound of the Hailun, but any difference could be a matter of tuning. I’d be very grateful for your comments on how these pianos felt to play. I went piano shopping once with a concert pianist and all she cared about was the action feeling ‘alive’. With love, Ken
I am not shocked. There was NO doubt the first piano was a Steinway. The Hailun did NOT measure up to the Steinway. Hailuns are decent pianos, but no match for the O.
I tried to concentrate on the sound of the music -- the shape of phrases, the voicing of chords -- rather than the sound of the pianos. I thought the music was expressed more fully in the second performance, on the Hailun, than it was in the first. For that reason, I'd say the Hailun sounded better than the Steinway. Now, I don't know this, but I think that, for some reason, Robert may have some special personal affinity for the Hailun. Perhaps, on another day, Robert might make my ears hear more music in the sound of the Steinway than the Hailun. Bernard Greetings from Medina, Ohio
The clue that gave it away was the voicing consistancy. If you listen carefully you will notice that on the 1st piano had a very consistant from note to note tone and voicing job where the 2nd piano had a few notes that weren't exactly voiced the same as the notes next to it leading to a less consistant piano. Very minor and something only a trained ear would pick up on.
Wow! I was totally wrong! As soon as I started to hear piano 1 I thought it was the cheaper one mostly because the bass notes sounded very metallic. Throughout the performances it sounded to my ears that piano 2 not only had a fuller sounding bass but that in every register the notes had a greater bloom and substantial min compared to piano 1. I thought piano 2 had greater separation between the notes than piano 1 and also greater dynamic range and/or control. So, I was very shocked to learn that piano 2 was the Chinese one although Hailun is a quality piano for sure. Thanks for a very interesting video and I would really like to know your objective opinion about these 2 pianos and about what I’ve said here. Thanks again. Ian
This was a very interesting video. For the last several weeks, I've been watching your videos, as well as Michael Stillwell's, watching many of the same videos over and over. I'm very impressed with the brightness for example of the Schimmel pianos which are not overly too bright like you find in many Asian Piano's. I also believe I'm developing a bit of an ear for that "Steinway Sound" which to me, is best described as buttery smooth in all registers. I'll also have to admit, I jumped back and forth on this video comparing piano 1 and 2. The sound was far closer than I would have guessed. In the end, I was successful in identifying the Steinway, it seemed to have a more even buttery sound. What threw me off though was, like many others I'm sure, I was looking for that growl in the bass, which this Steinway didn't seem to be as prevalent as you find in most , perhaps you were playing more softly though. At the end of the day, a true Steinway snob would be hard-pressed not to admit, the Hailun actually had exceptional sound quality and for the price, perhaps exceptional value, although I'm not aware of the build quality and longevity workmanship of the Hailun. One of your very best videos Robert, and I thank you for this one. Wishing you the very, very best from Avondale, Arizona.
I picked the Chinese make as number one because I could hear a slight distortion/modulation on the high notes and figured it was due to workmanship or build quality. So I was shocked to discover it was the Steinway.
I went for number two as the Steinway. Less vibration on low heavy chords and brighter sounding top notes. I'm quite surprised. I thought piano 2 was markedly better.
I was very unsure at first. The second piano was brighter and the Stainway surprisingly mellow, particularly for a Steinway. Though I also found the Hailun a bit sharp in the upper treble, that's wheere the Stainway stood out as the more mature instrument. That said, from a sound perspective the Hailun seems to be great value for money. But it's worth comparing with Yamaha and Kawai.
So did I - there was not much in it but the second piano sounded marginally better to my ear.
I really thought the second piano would be Steinway, really impressive for the quality. Which leads me to realize that we can be very happy with the piano we have at home ...
Sure, pianos are different, at some point one can't say one sound is better or worse, I personally don't like Steinway sound, I find it mushed, but others love it for its warmth and forgiveness
well I mean the second piano's bass and treble sounded pretty dull compared to the first one
@@coolfactsaboutsharks he seems to pick pieced that stay at center. That does make it harder and also no dynamic range. Some high end Chinese pianos actually use German action and strings and sound surprisingly good however. Not sure if Halion is 1 of them
@@gregson99 ok
Sound is subjective as long as it plays nice and sounds decently in tune any piano can feel premium
I got it wrong, the first piano sounded more distorted when the chords were played, more harsh sound, the sound felt like came from cheap strings or something. The second piano sounded little more full and clean, little more bassey, much more clean full "realistic" piano sound! Maybe I got the wrong idea of what a piano is suppose to sound like. Maybe you're suppose to hear the resonance of the strings more!
I go for thr 2nd one more clear and not distorted
In my opinion, the recording isn't nearly high enough quality to base an opinion on. I think the Steinway is louder and there's no compression on the recording, so that made it sound overall worse.
I thought the Steinway sounded muddy compared to the Hailun.
I thoroughly enjoyed the openness of Hailun as well.
It's impossible to compare pianos on an average device used for TH-cam.
DUDE CHINESE PIANO HAS IMPROVED A LOT... IT IS JUST THE MATTER OF TIME THAT CHINESE WILL KNOCK OFF STEINWAY LIKE ANY OTHER PRODUCT...
I was sure 1. Hailun. 2. Steinway. Very happy to know there is a much less costly alternative that sounds good!
I have a Hailun, the quality of those pianos is really impressive...among the "cheap" chinese pianos i would say they are the best.
How much is the Hailun?
i just bought a brand new hailun 198, $31,000 Canadian dollars, about 26,000 USD. Hailun 178 from the dealer is 21,000 Canadian dollsrs.
@@zondering7431 Hey, just wondering - which province in Canada do you live in? I'm from Alberta and bought a Hailun 178 around 1 year and a half ago for 23,000 CAD, which leads me to wonder if I could've negotiated further...
@@hellothere5476 You'll find many people who have paid a bunch more and many people who've paid a bunch less. Done deal is a done deal and your dealer has to eat too, stop wondering and enjoy your piano.
I was correct, but was kind of sad because I thought the Chinese piano sounded nicer. I wonder if it felt different to play on each. And of course the Steinway would probably last longer and has nicer action, wood, sound board, etc. But I agree with your video, it is about preference and how a piano’s sound sits with a person!
The Steinway sounded poorly regulated, but it was very obvious in tone, especially in the cords, Steinway have this thick flavor
@Konstantin Ridaya The steinway soundboard design doesn't do that piano any favors longevity wise. But people will buy steinway based off of the name only.
@@charlescxgo7629 The steinway actually have much better voicing than the other one. A good voicing job is down to consistancy accross the piano from note to note and the 2nd piano suffered from a lack of consistancy in the voicing. You also cannot hear regulation. Regulation affects playing as it means the action isn't working well.
All new pianos that go into a store are going to be out of regulation. Steinway is notorious for being practically and often times literally in unplayable states when they arrive at the store. Usually before they make it to the floor room a piano tech will go over the pianos and ensure they are in good working order and sound good along with any issues with the finish being touched up.
What most people hear is generally not voicing issues but voicing choices. Voicing is really where the majority of the sound that people notice comes from. The other aspects of the piano do make a difference, but none are as extreme as voicing. And voicing can be done to make your piano sound however you want. The differences people associate with brands are usually choices made by the company and sound wise is very deliberate. You can make a yamaha sound like a kawai and vice versa. But to distinguish themselves from each other they usually voice their pianos purposely differently from each other. Something you will also notice country wise as the european market wants a different sound from the US market or the chinese market. So companies will voice according to where they are selling aswell.
@@erayedatschebotarjew1762 A high end piano should not need to be broken in. That is why they usually put them on a device known as a pounder. This is literally to break them in. Then final adjustments and voicing are done along with work at the store to ensure that its perfect right off the bat. In fact the largest issues with pianos is breaking them in usually throws them out of regulation and the hammers start to deform.
Whoever told you that does not know what they are talking about. Or if it was a dealer they were ripping you off trying to save a buck on not fixing a problem piano which sadly has been known to happen. Especially with name brand pianos.
i literally thought the second one was the steinway, I thought it sounded better ._.
I
me too,,,
Listened with Sony MDR-7506 earphones. Number one was warm, mellow with a very clear sound which I immediately thought was typical of a Steinway. Number 2 was much brighter with more overtones. The bass was a little harsh at ff and sounded like it was from a smaller piano. I identified it as the Chinese piano. I've played a Steinway before but never played on a Hailun. I do think they are both excellent sounding pianos!
Yes, me too. The Steinway sound of the bass is very typical.
I got it right, but in the end they both sound like really nice pianos :-) My main take away was that the Steinway sounded darker.
Am I the only one here who does not adore Steinway? :D .... Sorry but I do prefer European pianos - German, Austrian and Czech brands ;)
You’re not the only one. A lot of them sound dead to me.
You know that Steinway is part German right 🤣
@@joshgutierrez7380 Some Steinways are not German
@@joshgutierrez7380 Yeap, I do 😉 And I do partly accept them 😄 For some style of music they are good, sounds good for jazz sessions eg..... but especially romantical pieces or classical music.... all the way to European "Home" pianos for me 🤷♂️🤗
I correctly chose the Steinway, but only because it sounded a tad bit richer than the second. But it's scary how similar they sound given the price difference.
I suspect the difference would have been more obvious if hearing them in person. Resonance and color,etc are hard to hear through a video.
Point well made though...man that Hailun sure did sound close....!
Gotta love how the top comment spoils the answer. Just had to ruin it for everyone didn't you?
Hailun in an excellent piano for the money. I got it right, but I had to go back and forth a couple of times.
Got it completely wrong. The second piano just sounded more rounded. I thought for sure it was the Steinway.
I thought piano #1 had a somewhat deeper bass and more of a singing tone in the treble register. This seems characteristic of Steinway. However, the change in the room acoustics and the microphone setup made piano #2 (Hailun) seem a little more subdued. So, very interesting test comparison and challenges our thinking doesn't it? Thanks for your videos - all of them are really enjoyable and educational.
The 2nd one was way better sounding. It sounded almost like a Steinway model D. I was quite surprised with the results.
I thought the first was the Steinway but I liked the second better whatever was it.
I thought #2 was the Steinway also. It seemed to have more sustain than #1 and a little brighter. I imagine the Steinway will outlast the Chinese one and is probably more stable.
Thats the general perception.
Much preferred Piano 2. I didn't try to figure out which was the Steinway, but rather which I'd more enjoy listening to and playing. Piano 2 was a clear choice for me, so that's fortunate as it is far more affordable 🙂
Got it wrong. . But it raises several questions. Primarily, do I really know what a piano ought to sound like?
Same here..
but actually not too bad if you´re looking to buy one :D
Second: is Steinway still the best? ( I have my answer)
I think at the end of the day only the person who plays can make a difference, not the instrument itself. A great pianist can always make any instrument sound like his/her own, regardless of the price, the brand etc., as long as it’s we’ll maintained.
I like number 2 best. First one sounded more tinny
The second piano sounded like it was "in tune" more than the first one.
Bob I’ll reiterate the comment that I texted you and see if this spurs some engagement here - anybody who agrees or disagrees with me let me know!
Fortunately I got it right. For my ears, I thought the first one was the Steinway because from my experience, MOST Steinways work well for ballads and have a darker quality generally speaking. This is only generally speaking, of course every piano is unique especially when hand-made. My non scientific thought of the second one was “no bass punch, a little more open but junk sounding” and that’s what Chinese Piano’s typically sound like.
That was very interesting experience. I thought the 2nd piano was the Steinway, specially because of the high-notes. Nice video!
I got it right! What definitely helped me was the Steinway's deeper, richer lower register. It was a tricky comparison because the Hailun piano was pretty bright and one might tend to associate Steinway pianos with a brighter tone.
I thought the first piano must be the Hailun, simply because it seemed to be a bit lacking in depth of sound. I thought the second piano was more rounded and seemed to offer more colour. Fascinating.
Great test. I've recorded lots of different pianos over the years and got some very experienced piano people to try and guess which piano is which. The results were pretty much in line with random guessing. I've also tried to identify pianos myself just from recordings and I do no better. It's very, very difficult if not impossible. There are so many variables. Microphones, pre-amps, microphone positions, the acoustics of the venue and as you say the individual piano itself. Even the same make and model can sound quite different from one individual piano to the next. I definitely think we can kid ourselves that certain very expensive pianos sound a lot better than some less expensive models, but I don't think that's always true.
I thought number 2 was the Steinway simply because I thought it sounded superior to number 1 which I thought was very muddy, boy how wrong was I!? It was in fact the Steinway that I thought sounded muddy, and the Hailun had the more pleasant timbre to my ears. Cool test, if not entirely scientific as Robert pointed out. Glad to know I can get a beautiful piano for a fraction of the cost of a Steinway, and even end up more satisfied with the tone.
Hmm, the second one sounded better and deeper, enriched, fluid. I really thought the second recording was on the Steinway, guess I’m wrong then.
The Steinway (Piano No. 1) was very easy to discern, despite the difference in microphones and room acoustics. The sound is complex and there is an evenness in tone quality throughout the range of the instrument, which creates a cohesive aural experience. Also, I play a 1966 Steinway M almost every day, recording my practice sessions for later review, so am familiar with hearing its sound envelope both live and recorded. The Hailun (Piano No. 2) lacked warmth and depth in the sound. In particular, the treble notes had a brittle quality.
I own the Hailun 161 and I am really impressed with its sound when you compare its price point. Interestingly I thought the 2nd was the Steinway so go figure....shows you its all about sound and what u look for, don't be persuaded by brand alone!
I got it right! I'm serious! I thought the 1st piano's tone sounded more sonorous and has depth. The 2nd piano just sounded bright that's all.
Hey! I saw you on a Bach cantata video a while ago! Nice seeing you here :)
@@henrykwieniawski7233 : Hi, nice to see you too!
yes, the giveaway is the brightness. Bright sound is very asian preference, like Yamaha & Kawaii. European piano is more darker or mellow. This Chinese model however has twang sound that made it a bit imperfect and fragile in sound quality.
@@kevinchin3848 : Not mellow, but more sonorous.
I liked the sound of the first, but thought it was the Chinese piano because it was brighter. The second piano didn’t seem to have a clear a base register, but I suppose that could be the difference in mikes.
I had it wrong. I like the sound of the Hailun better. Maybe, Hailun builds a better sounding mid-sized than Steinway?
I was wrong! I preferred the 2nd one, thought it was a Steinway. Such a great and fun idea-do another with Bösendorfer!
Like some others, I thought that 2 was probably the Steinway as with one a few of the harder struck notes sounded just a bit distorted. There was far less difference than I would have imagined.
Exactly my experience. I am wondering it the lesser quality mikes used for two might have been the source of the distortion. By and large, both sounded lovely.
The crispness of the bass and the super quiet fidelity of the Steinway is what let me know it was #1. The second piano sounded sharp and pianoy when playing the bright notes, but could not deliver in the contrast between super quiet and loud with clarity. #2 is perfect, #1 sounded better at the extremes and overall more muted and balanced or regulated in its tone.
The first one sounds better. Steinway i guess. The second one sounds a little noisy when chords are played on both hands. The clashing of the high notes.
The second piano was also nice though... I would not pay for the price difference !
I got it wrong, I thought you were going to use the better mic on the Hailun to fool everyone into believing that the Hailun was better
Steinway, more pronounced mid/lows while the Chinese more balanced all the way across...dang, Chinese are getting better on cloning, they are definitely become professionals with copycats.
I liked the second one more.
Now will the chinese piano, survive Weather change? Can the bridge and other structures survive moving and moist? That is the difference too, not the sound only.
I got it right and they both didn't sound very impressive.
Steinway had made sh. . t for the past 20 years. Fazioli and Bosendorfer are the only two pianos that still give impressive sound.
I owned a 5'1" Young Chang. Loved everything about it. I recognized the 2nd one immediately as the Chinese brand.
@Mia Li Hailun
Young chang is Korean piano
I had Chinese as 1 and Steinway 2. I thought 2 hand a bit fuller sound.
I've got it right. And to be honest, some Chinese pianos are really not that bad, at least way better than the Japanese ones, Kawai, and etc., from materials to sound quality.
I thought Steinway was the number 2. I don't believe that the sound of the Chinese piano is so beautiful...
The problem is, I cannot hear it alive. So I am dependent on my speakers or headphone. So my judgments are erroneous.
Well I thought #2 piano was Steinway !🤔Kelly Stone , Anchorage, Alaska,🇱🇷
In my opinion, the 2nd one sounds inferior but it has more Steinway signature (this comment is written before the end of the video), so 1 - Chinese, 2 - Steinway.
Haven’t seen the reveal but the first one doesn’t Sous good
I agree, it sounded muddy to me.
Surprisingly I actually liked the timbre of the Chinese piano more
Me too the tone was more clear
Yes but was it the piano or was it the mic? (I got it wrong too.) Or maybe the Chinese piano was in better condition?
Maybe you would love the traditional Chinese instrument too, Yang Qin =)
I know what you mean. Instruments sound very differently on recording + depending on the microphone...
Picked the Steinway, no question. The Chinese piano had a dull metallic sound and lacked the longer decay of the Steinway, plus the the bell like quality of the higher register was undeniable.
I'm stunned. I was so sure of my choices.
I have a 1930 Knabe 9' that rivals the best in warmth and gorgeous sound. I listen to a great deal great pianos on TH-cam and the Steinways have always, always come out the best - which is why they are used in concert halls around the world - for the sound alone. Never really liked the Bosendorfer, Yamaha - too clinical, too pure, but the Steinway - what a feast. I thought this contest would be a no brainer.
I also play french horn (serious hobby) and by default we have to have sensitive ears. I have played both Chinese and Yamaha horns, heard the big American Conn 8D horns. I liked the sound of the Chinese horn best even over the monumental Conn or Eurpean brands.
So I was sure of my answers. I immediately said within 15 seconds, even before hearing #2, that 1 was Chinese. When I heard #2, I said, ah ha, now that is the Steinway. Much warmer, nicer tone overall. Nr 1 has too many tinny sounds, what I thought were metallic overtones, a rather unpleasant sound. I was not moved. I also suspected a 7, not a 9'.
When I heard the answers, I'm blown away. Stunned. NO WAY. I mean #1 was not an enjoyable experience where 2 gave me a big hug. For a 6', I 'd take that #2 any day for the sound beauty alone. Steinway, you lost this one cold, like the sound of the piano.
But, Wow. Great challenge. I suppose after playing a Chinese (Taiwan) Eastman horn for 2 years, although it did have some issues that were workarounds, that Eastman horn relies on sound quality. And it had it. Now this chinese piano is a serious contender to quality product. Of course a pianist would be looking at other factors such as touch, feel, and the things that make a huge difference in the playing - and we dont know this - Maybe Robert could give us some comments.
At the end or beginning of he day, as Darth Vader said: Impresivvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvve.
I got it right. I like the sound of Hailun which has a richer sound quality.
Im surprised i got it right no.1 Steinway, no.2 Chinese. When i heard the bass sound of the second Piano, its like something is not ripe (as in a ripe fruit) enough. No.1 Piano sounds like mature and crisp.
Piano #1 is warmer & has more dynamic capability, getting bright when it needs to. Piano #2 is bright regardless of dynamic and. My pick is #1 for the Steinway.
That was a surprise still I like this second piano sound little soft for my taste I like soft and beautiful type piano
I got it right! The Steinway’s growl in the bass and mellowness in the treble is always distinguishable. Listen to the louder sections and it becomes clearer.
Interesting. Before the 2nd piano was played, I thought the first had to be the Steinway, but that it needed some voicing as it wasn’t as even across registers as I expect from Steinway. Also, while the bass was warm, it seemed slightly muddy to my ear. When the 2nd piano was played, I thought it was the Steinway because the bass sounded clearer and stronger, but still warm and there was a singing quality un the upper registers. I questioned this decision, though because I thought the trebles were a little brighter than what I expect from a Steinway- I decided it was a matter of voicing there LOL. So far I had both pegged as the Steinway.Finally convinced myself that since one of them had to be the chinese piano I was going to pick number Two as the Steinway due to the bass. In my defense, I was listening through a pair of inexpensive wired ear buds on my old ipadair2 which may have affected how the trebles and bass sounded, but your demonstration was eye opening for me as I really had a hard time deciding and ultimately guessed wrong. It also made me think more clearly about what I like to hear when listening to a piano. Thanks for a great demonstration.
number one was very good but the midrange was far too forward.
Can you also add Korean pianos. They sound really bad. In just changed my grand selier to Steinway. Steinway is wonderful
I far preferred the 2nd piano. It was richer in tone. I didn't like the first piano. It sounded cheap and boxy.
I thought the 2 was the Stainway. The num 1 sounded a bit too bright IMHO.
You thought number 1 sounded brighter than number 2?
@@Justin_9423 not sure how to explain it, more like the resonance was more on the higher notes in the first piano, less medium and low notes resonance. Also like a bit out of tune or at least disonant echos.
The second seems more rounded , with fuller sound. Maybe is the effect of the different mics.
But just my amateur opinion, no expert by any means!
Hmmm I actually thought the first one sounds more compact and powdery, and the second one sounds like mountain flow water, very fresh slow moving water and not as compact as the one.
No one beat Yamaha's brightness XD
At first I thought the first one is the Chinese one, but when I heard the second one I knew it wasn't. The first one do sound more distorted on the lower section, but the resonance sounds so good. The second piano on the other hand sounds clean and the resonance feels too short.
First one more muffled.... I prefer #2, I like the brighter tone
I can't tell which is which. Both sounded good but no one stood out for me to be definite about it.
1. Steinway
2. chinese thing
it sounded awkward to me at no 2 piano
I have a 1927 Steinway Model L. That’s 95 years old. Will the Chinese piano still be in good shape and sound expressive in 95 years?
5000 years history country is not sth you shallow American can imagine
I choose no2, I love the mellow sound at first I thought it was Steinway. But no it’s Hailun, very surprised! I get to try some other Chinese Brand’s but doesn’t not suite me. I have a Yamaha upright for around 3-4yrs but it’s not me, the tone is way too loud and sharp. I’ve upgraded to a Kawai BL-71. Hope all goes well for everyone. Good luck :)
Pretty surprised too. I was sure second one was the Steinway
I got it right. It was the distinctive and rich base at 4:30 of the 1st one that led me think it is a Steinway. You can compare it with the 2nd one at 7:45. Great playing!
Honestly its a 50/50 chance..
I thought the 2nd one was the steinway...fooled me!
To me, Piano number 2 sounds nasty and falsetto, Number 1 sounds soft and beautiful 😊
Prediction: 1 = Steinway, 2 = Chinese.
(Edit) Damn it 😔
Why 'damn it'? You nailed it! 😁
I closed my eyes and listened. I grew up poor, we had a cheap piano and I used to play on it for hours at a time, my own minor key mourning songs. The second piano sounded like that old piano, familiar and homey so I chose that one to NOT be the Steinway. I feel like I went about this the wrong way but it is what it is. I know I'll never get the chance to touch a Steinway much less play one. This listening test was fun, thank you for the memories!
Dnt worry God is there . dont say u can only get to touch piano i believe in u God will give u a brand new piano so u believe in him first and then in urself😎
Obviously the Chinese are getting better at their craft
I was sure about the answer and I was wrong! I was floored!
I like the Hialun.
Robert, my partner and I both think you accidentally switched the audio between the two. LOL!
I guessed right. But it was a guess, they were not as different as I thought they would be. Very surprised by this.
Ok but I cheated without wanting it. You shouldn't show the videos. We all know american Steinway are not glossy
The older ones yes🎹🎶
Unfortunately I have some experience with Chinese pianos and they sound decent on the recording but awful when played live (Feurish I am looking at you)
I fell in love with the first one, and got it right. Now wondering what the Hailun would sound like if recorded in the same space. This was fun. TY.
#1 was the Steinway! I say that because I noticed the BASS notes sounded much fuller. and on #2 the Upper Register the notes sounded a little bit 'stringy'. Just my take. I was right on my choice!
I was wrong. Lol, sounded amazing.
N.1 China; N.2 Steinway. It's so Clear! But, sorry, I really like n.1....
So you really liked the Steinway after all 😅
I picked #2. According to Piano Buyer, a new Steinway Model O is $90,300 and a new Hailun HG178 has a SMP of $24,662.
I did get it right... I heard a slight difference between the two, although that might be put to the difference between the two sets of microphones used to record the two. But, that just boils down to the fact that you have to play the instrument since no two instruments are identical in sound.
I got it wrong too. The first one seemed "muddier" and the second one "clearer."
Next time don't put an ad with a guy playing a 3rd piano in between the 2 for comparison, that kind of mucked up the test.
I didn't see an ad, guess that was YT's way of ruining the experience for you? I saw it ad free.
Were they tuned by the same tuner at the same time, and did you do a frequency analysis to show they were tuned the same? Because I thought the first had a bit of a gargle/growl tuned into each note which itself made each note sound both sad (too sad but appropriate for this piece) and voicelike even when played alone for several seconds (which happened at one point) and which seemed to give it less beating during chords. The second had each note sound much purer but then there was way too much beating in the chords.
I was wrong! I thought I could hear the difference... It would be good to make the comparison with both same microphones, but thanks for the video!!
Very easy for me to hear that No. 1 was a Chinese and No. 2 a Steinway!
Thanks for doing this! I prefer the sound of the Hailun, but any difference could be a matter of tuning. I’d be very grateful for your comments on how these pianos felt to play. I went piano shopping once with a concert pianist and all she cared about was the action feeling ‘alive’. With love, Ken
Wow ! Thank you Robert I got it wrong.
I liked the second piano better...
I am not shocked. There was NO doubt the first piano was a Steinway. The Hailun did NOT measure up to the Steinway. Hailuns are decent pianos, but no match for the O.
I tried to concentrate on the sound of the music -- the shape of phrases, the voicing of chords -- rather than the sound of the pianos. I thought the music was expressed more fully in the second performance, on the Hailun, than it was in the first. For that reason, I'd say the Hailun sounded better than the Steinway. Now, I don't know this, but I think that, for some reason, Robert may have some special personal affinity for the Hailun. Perhaps, on another day, Robert might make my ears hear more music in the sound of the Steinway than the Hailun.
Bernard
Greetings from Medina, Ohio
The clue that gave it away was the voicing consistancy. If you listen carefully you will notice that on the 1st piano had a very consistant from note to note tone and voicing job where the 2nd piano had a few notes that weren't exactly voiced the same as the notes next to it leading to a less consistant piano. Very minor and something only a trained ear would pick up on.
Wow! I was totally wrong! As soon as I started to hear piano 1 I thought it was the cheaper one mostly because the bass notes sounded very metallic. Throughout the performances it sounded to my ears that piano 2 not only had a fuller sounding bass but that in every register the notes had a greater bloom and substantial min compared to piano 1.
I thought piano 2 had greater separation between the notes than piano 1 and also greater dynamic range and/or control.
So, I was very shocked to learn that piano 2 was the Chinese one although Hailun is a quality piano for sure.
Thanks for a very interesting video and I would really like to know your objective opinion about these 2 pianos and about what I’ve said here.
Thanks again. Ian
This was a very interesting video. For the last several weeks, I've been watching your videos, as well as Michael Stillwell's, watching many of the same videos over and over. I'm very impressed with the brightness for example of the Schimmel pianos which are not overly too bright like you find in many Asian Piano's. I also believe I'm developing a bit of an ear for that "Steinway Sound" which to me, is best described as buttery smooth in all registers. I'll also have to admit, I jumped back and forth on this video comparing piano 1 and 2. The sound was far closer than I would have guessed. In the end, I was successful in identifying the Steinway, it seemed to have a more even buttery sound. What threw me off though was, like many others I'm sure, I was looking for that growl in the bass, which this Steinway didn't seem to be as prevalent as you find in most , perhaps you were playing more softly though. At the end of the day, a true Steinway snob would be hard-pressed not to admit, the Hailun actually had exceptional sound quality and for the price, perhaps exceptional value, although I'm not aware of the build quality and longevity workmanship of the Hailun. One of your very best videos Robert, and I thank you for this one. Wishing you the very, very best from Avondale, Arizona.