Thank you so much for this video! The piano store I bought my current B3 SC2 from will give me a 100% credit if I trade in for a new piano. I've been looking at upgrading from the B3 SC2 to a U3 SH3, but I wanted to know what the technical differences were between the generations of silent systems. This video is pushing me toward making the upgrade.
Riverton Piano, thank you, and great video. I currently have a Yamaha U1TA2 upright transacoustic. It's great. I'm looking very carefully at getting a GC2 SH3 grand silent. I'm concerned the keyboard action of the SH3 will sound like the TA2, specifically when in headphone mode. When the keys are played on the TA2, a clicking noise can be readily heard by a bystander as the keys hit the stop (so they don't hit the strings). My question is, does the SH3 utilize the same hammer stop in silent mode as the TA2, and will the audible clicking sound be the same? The TA2 operates per design, but I'm hoping the SH3 took this into account to make the piano "silent." Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for your question. Any acoustic piano is going to have action noise. You just can't normally hear it because the notes you play overpower the action sounds. In a Silent or TransAcoustic piano (in Silent mode), there are no notes to overpower the action sounds so you will definitely hear them. That's the nature of an acoustic piano. If you want to avoid this, I recommend purchasing an AvantGrand hybrid piano. There's no stop rail. No hammers and no strings. That will solve your "clicking" problem. Unfortunately, every silent practice system in the world is going to have action noise when installed on an acoustic piano. It's part of the experience. PS - You might be interested to know that digital pianos and hybrids actually SAMPLE IN those action sounds so they mix with the notes you play just like they would on an acoustic. Interesting stuff. Finally, you might wear some noise cancelling headphones so all you hear is the music. Then - no matter what you play - you're good to go! Hope that helps!
Excellent review -- thank you! Regarding the upright models, I would dearly love to see a close-up inside view of what it looks like when the stop rail is engaged, and when it is dis-engaged -- no one seems to show that. I would also like to see what it looks like when the hammers hit the stop rail. I have a concern: what is the effect on the hammers from continuous use on the stop rail? Does it cause compression and hardening of the felts? Also are there issues with the hammers becoming loosened from the shanks? I would need to be able to play as forcefully (forte - sforzando) in silent mode as I do in acoustic mode, and I wonder if the stop rail has as much give in it as the strings do.
Thank you! Glad you found it helpful. The reason nobody posts photos of the stop rail is because they are pretty boring. It's an aluminum rod wrapped in felt. When disengaged, it's further away from the hammer shanks. When engaged, it's a fraction of an inch closer. That's it. We're talking about an eight of an inch or so... so it's not easy to demonstrate in photos. I have photos if you want to see them. Just hit up our webchat at rivertonpiano.com and I'll send them to you... but don't expect to be thrilled. :) Next... the hammers don't hit the stop rail. The hammer shanks do (the wood piece the hammer head is glued to). ...and it's only contacting the felt pad wrapped around the stop rail. There is no impact to the hammer felts in silent mode. No. We have not seen any problems with hammers or shanks getting loose or damaged during silent mode practice. The felt on the stop rail is pretty thick and it can take the beating. I hope that helps!
@@RivertonPianoCompany Yes -- that helps my incessant curiosty (coupled with a rudimentary sense of physics and forces and a cautious skepticism) to answer my question -- i.e. how can a stop rail repeatedly stop the force of a rapidly moving hammer without somehow -- over time -- causing damage to some part of the action and/or compacting the hammer felt and still retain the faithfulness of the action. Looks like Yamaha got that all figured out pretty well -- nice! Thanks so much for your answer. I suppose the only follow-up question is, does the felt covering of the stop rail become compacted to the extent it would need to be replaced at some point? Probably not likely -- but I do considerable practice -- especially technical studies -- hours, at a fairly heavy force. I'm pretty sure Yamaha has taken the full range of use into consideration. Thanks again -- have a great week!.
Just remember that pianos are percussion instruments and the action on a grand has several points where the wood component contacts a felt pad... and they last for decades! This is no different - except that you won't wear it down as fast because you won't always be in silent mode. Yamaha has these pianos everywhere (Prince's piano was a Yamaha Silent Piano for example)... so they have it down. That said - you will probably have to replace the felt someday... 30-40 years from now. :)
So what is the difference between SH3 and SC3? I'm infinitely annoyed by the difficulty of finding precise comparison between numerous yamaha silent systems of the 3d generation.
Here are the main upgrades the SH3 system offers: hammer sensors (vs no hammer sensors); sostenuto sensor (vs. no sostenuto sensor); motorized muting system (vs. manual lever); 13 more playable voices; stereo audio outputs (vs. no dedicated audio outputs). ...but the important thing to note is that this isn't an "option." You can't say "I want the SH3 system on this piano instead of the SC3 system." The SC3 system comes with the b1, b2, b3, p22 and GB1k. The other Yamaha Silent Pianos come with the SH3 system. I hope that helps!
Oh don't feel bad! The info is buried DEEPLY inside the specs section. Yamaha's not great at discussing the differences between their products... but, thankfully, that gives US a chance to be helpful! hahaha
I own a new Yamaha baby grand C2X and I am considering to install a silent system on it, but I don’t know exactly what system to install. I have the possibility of installing the Genio Premium silent system, or the PianoDisc QuietTime, now called ProRecord X I silent system. Which one do you think would be the best? I liked the sounds of the PianoDisc one, but I don’t know exactly what system to install. Thank you very much for your help.
Hello and thanks for your question. Unfortunately, it's a tough one to answer. We like the sounds on the Genio better than the PianoDisc system, but Genio is now under new distribution and their prices have nearly tripled since we reviewed them. If the prices are comparable, go with the Genio. If the PianoDisc system is less expensive, go with PianoDisc. Hope that helps!
Couple of times the screen says the output is for microphone only. So if you are in silent mode, could the sound output also be sent to a speaker, or midi please? In other words, can the CFX samples be output to anything other than your headphone?
Hi, Daniel, and thanks for watching. I am not sure what you're talking about, though. We never mentioned microphones in this video (aside from the binaural technology Yamaha used to capture their CFX sound for headphones)... and - when we did discuss running the audio out to an external device, we explained that this was possible via the AUX OUT jacks on the SH3 system. In a pinch, you could plug powered speakers into the SC3 system's headphones jack, but the audio quality won't be great. I hope that answers your question.
Alternatively, you can opt for a Yamaha TransAcoustic piano, which uses the piano's soundboard as a speaker (so you don't need headphones). This takes the Silent system a step further by enabling you to play in layered mode (acoustic + digital sound at the same time) or with just the digital sound with variable volume without headphones (like a digital piano). Of course, you can also plug in headphones just like with the Silent system.
Hello and thanks for your question. I am not sure how to answer it because the model you're asking about (JU109-SC3) is not available in the US. That said, it is an SC3 system so it should have the features we showed here and you should be able to connect it to your Android device with the Smart Pianist app. Hope that helps!
Thanks for watching! Unfortunately, the system is installed at the factory. The piano has to be custom designed to work so well with it. That's a key difference between Yamaha Silent Pianos and after-market silent practice systems like Genio. That said, you CAN install a Genio system on your Petrof! More details here: th-cam.com/video/UsvYMPUVGfo/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the suggestion. If I was in the states I would take you up on that. I am in Greece though and I am not sure if they have Genio here. I am considering having Pianodisc's quiet time magic star installed or trading in my Petrof for a Yamaha that already has a silent system. Would you consider the Genio or magic star systems to be at par with Yamaha SC3 silent system and the electromagnetic induction technology?
I think Genio is made in South Korea, so it might be available in Greece... but third party systems alter the piano's touch slightly when in silent practice mode. They reduce key travel by a fraction of an inch. The Yamaha Silent System compensates for that with a special whippen design. I'd definitely recommend getting one of the new Silent Pianos. They're absolutely fantastic.
@@RivertonPianoCompany thanks for your opinion and knowledge. I will likely trade in for the new Yamaha piano. I hope my dealer can order one in for me.
Hi! Yamaha has an RSC2 conversion kit (that can only be used on certain Yamaha upright pianos) that is not available in the US, but I do not believe the SH3 system is available yet. It's a bit tough for me here in the US because neither option is available here.
Hello and thanks for your question. While you can't retrofit a piano into a "Silent Piano," you can add a third-party silent practicing system to your G3. This is the system we recommend: th-cam.com/video/UsvYMPUVGfo/w-d-xo.html
If you plan to spend most of your time using the Silent System, I would say no. I've played both and both are very nice pianos, but I don't think there's a big enough difference between the two to justify the price IF you're using the electronics primarily. The system (and its performance) are the same on both models. If, however, you plan to use them in "acoustic mode" primarily, you'll definitely notice a difference between the two. The YUS Series is Yamaha's premium option so it will have some upgrades the U Series doesn't have. Hope that helps clarify things!
Tried the U1 TA3 in store today. Night and day difference between this and a top of the range digital (tried Kawai Novus NV5S and even NV10S also). For me, this silent system is the way to go. Incredible.
Hi Andrew! That's excellent feedback! Glad you got a chance to try everything out. We find that the Silent Pianos are pretty hard to beat when it comes to performance authenticity. Thanks for weighing in! ...and for stopping by!
It's a "Silent Piano." It doesn't have speakers. If you want to attach powered speakers to it, you can, but then you might as well buy a "TransAcoustic Piano."
Hi, Can we used Bluetooth AirPods instead of using the provided Yamaha wired headphones? I currently have Yamaha C7X SH which doesn’t have Bluetooth. I don’t like the provided wired headphones. It’s inconvenient, so I want to use a wireless headsets. Does the SH3 have ability to use wireless Bluetooth headsets? Thanks.
Hi, Tomcngo1999. Unfortunately, the answer is no. Bluetooth contains a latency (or "audio lag") that makes using Bluetooth headphones of any kind very distracting for musical instrument players. You'll notice that no manufacturers (Yamaha, Roland, Fender, Korg, Kawai, Relish, Gibson, etc.) recommend Bluetooth headphones with any of their digital musical products. This is because - as the person creating the sound - you have a reference point. You know exactly when the sound was generated... and you can tell that it's hitting your ears just a fraction of a second late. It's very distracting. You don't notice this latency when passively listening to music because you don't have a reference point for exactly when the sound originated. Thus - until they update Bluetooth and remove this latency - you're better off with a good set of wired headphones. That's why the manufacturers who use Bluetooth with their musical instruments do not have Bluetooth audio OUT activated. Hope that helps!
Yes indeed!! Got a silent Yamaha console piano over fifteen years ago. Great for late night practice sessions😀😀👍🏽🎶🎶🎶
That's awesome! They have really changed the practice game - for sure! Thanks for stopping by!
what an incredible video, thank you so much!!
Thank you for watching! We're glad you enjoyed it!
I have a B3 SG2 and love it. Wish I waited for the SH3.
Glad you love it! ..and don't feel bad. The SH3 is only on the U Series and up.
Thank you so much for this video! The piano store I bought my current B3 SC2 from will give me a 100% credit if I trade in for a new piano. I've been looking at upgrading from the B3 SC2 to a U3 SH3, but I wanted to know what the technical differences were between the generations of silent systems. This video is pushing me toward making the upgrade.
It's a definite upgrade! You'll love the U3... but the SH3 system is a big upgrade too. I think you'll be glad you traded up!
Riverton Piano, thank you, and great video. I currently have a Yamaha U1TA2 upright transacoustic. It's great. I'm looking very carefully at getting a GC2 SH3 grand silent. I'm concerned the keyboard action of the SH3 will sound like the TA2, specifically when in headphone mode. When the keys are played on the TA2, a clicking noise can be readily heard by a bystander as the keys hit the stop (so they don't hit the strings). My question is, does the SH3 utilize the same hammer stop in silent mode as the TA2, and will the audible clicking sound be the same? The TA2 operates per design, but I'm hoping the SH3 took this into account to make the piano "silent." Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for your question. Any acoustic piano is going to have action noise. You just can't normally hear it because the notes you play overpower the action sounds. In a Silent or TransAcoustic piano (in Silent mode), there are no notes to overpower the action sounds so you will definitely hear them. That's the nature of an acoustic piano. If you want to avoid this, I recommend purchasing an AvantGrand hybrid piano. There's no stop rail. No hammers and no strings. That will solve your "clicking" problem. Unfortunately, every silent practice system in the world is going to have action noise when installed on an acoustic piano. It's part of the experience. PS - You might be interested to know that digital pianos and hybrids actually SAMPLE IN those action sounds so they mix with the notes you play just like they would on an acoustic. Interesting stuff. Finally, you might wear some noise cancelling headphones so all you hear is the music. Then - no matter what you play - you're good to go! Hope that helps!
@@RivertonPianoCompany Thank you for such a detailed and accurate response. It’s nice to hear from a real pro. Thanks again.
Thank you! Glad we were able to help! Best of luck to you!
Excellent review -- thank you! Regarding the upright models, I would dearly love to see a close-up inside view of what it looks like when the stop rail is engaged, and when it is dis-engaged -- no one seems to show that. I would also like to see what it looks like when the hammers hit the stop rail. I have a concern: what is the effect on the hammers from continuous use on the stop rail? Does it cause compression and hardening of the felts? Also are there issues with the hammers becoming loosened from the shanks? I would need to be able to play as forcefully (forte - sforzando) in silent mode as I do in acoustic mode, and I wonder if the stop rail has as much give in it as the strings do.
Thank you! Glad you found it helpful. The reason nobody posts photos of the stop rail is because they are pretty boring. It's an aluminum rod wrapped in felt. When disengaged, it's further away from the hammer shanks. When engaged, it's a fraction of an inch closer. That's it. We're talking about an eight of an inch or so... so it's not easy to demonstrate in photos. I have photos if you want to see them. Just hit up our webchat at rivertonpiano.com and I'll send them to you... but don't expect to be thrilled. :) Next... the hammers don't hit the stop rail. The hammer shanks do (the wood piece the hammer head is glued to). ...and it's only contacting the felt pad wrapped around the stop rail. There is no impact to the hammer felts in silent mode. No. We have not seen any problems with hammers or shanks getting loose or damaged during silent mode practice. The felt on the stop rail is pretty thick and it can take the beating. I hope that helps!
@@RivertonPianoCompany Yes -- that helps my incessant curiosty (coupled with a rudimentary sense of physics and forces and a cautious skepticism) to answer my question -- i.e. how can a stop rail repeatedly stop the force of a rapidly moving hammer without somehow -- over time -- causing damage to some part of the action and/or compacting the hammer felt and still retain the faithfulness of the action. Looks like Yamaha got that all figured out pretty well -- nice! Thanks so much for your answer.
I suppose the only follow-up question is, does the felt covering of the stop rail become compacted to the extent it would need to be replaced at some point? Probably not likely -- but I do considerable practice -- especially technical studies -- hours, at a fairly heavy force. I'm pretty sure Yamaha has taken the full range of use into consideration.
Thanks again -- have a great week!.
Just remember that pianos are percussion instruments and the action on a grand has several points where the wood component contacts a felt pad... and they last for decades! This is no different - except that you won't wear it down as fast because you won't always be in silent mode. Yamaha has these pianos everywhere (Prince's piano was a Yamaha Silent Piano for example)... so they have it down. That said - you will probably have to replace the felt someday... 30-40 years from now. :)
@@RivertonPianoCompany ok -- 30-40 years from now -- i guess I can live with that ;-) thanks!
You got it! Thanks for some great questions!
So what is the difference between SH3 and SC3? I'm infinitely annoyed by the difficulty of finding precise comparison between numerous yamaha silent systems of the 3d generation.
Here are the main upgrades the SH3 system offers: hammer sensors (vs no hammer sensors); sostenuto sensor (vs. no sostenuto sensor); motorized muting system (vs. manual lever); 13 more playable voices; stereo audio outputs (vs. no dedicated audio outputs). ...but the important thing to note is that this isn't an "option." You can't say "I want the SH3 system on this piano instead of the SC3 system." The SC3 system comes with the b1, b2, b3, p22 and GB1k. The other Yamaha Silent Pianos come with the SH3 system. I hope that helps!
@@RivertonPianoCompany Oh yes that helps a lot! Thank you. Now, where is this information on yamaha's website, I can't find it!
Oh don't feel bad! The info is buried DEEPLY inside the specs section. Yamaha's not great at discussing the differences between their products... but, thankfully, that gives US a chance to be helpful! hahaha
I own a new Yamaha baby grand C2X and I am considering to install a silent system on it, but I don’t know exactly what system to install. I have the possibility of installing the Genio Premium silent system, or the PianoDisc QuietTime, now called ProRecord X I silent system. Which one do you think would be the best?
I liked the sounds of the PianoDisc one, but I don’t know exactly what system to install. Thank you very much for your help.
Hello and thanks for your question. Unfortunately, it's a tough one to answer. We like the sounds on the Genio better than the PianoDisc system, but Genio is now under new distribution and their prices have nearly tripled since we reviewed them. If the prices are comparable, go with the Genio. If the PianoDisc system is less expensive, go with PianoDisc. Hope that helps!
very good, fantistic information
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video!
Couple of times the screen says the output is for microphone only. So if you are in silent mode, could the sound output also be sent to a speaker, or midi please? In other words, can the CFX samples be output to anything other than your headphone?
Hi, Daniel, and thanks for watching. I am not sure what you're talking about, though. We never mentioned microphones in this video (aside from the binaural technology Yamaha used to capture their CFX sound for headphones)... and - when we did discuss running the audio out to an external device, we explained that this was possible via the AUX OUT jacks on the SH3 system. In a pinch, you could plug powered speakers into the SC3 system's headphones jack, but the audio quality won't be great. I hope that answers your question.
Alternatively, you can opt for a Yamaha TransAcoustic piano, which uses the piano's soundboard as a speaker (so you don't need headphones). This takes the Silent system a step further by enabling you to play in layered mode (acoustic + digital sound at the same time) or with just the digital sound with variable volume without headphones (like a digital piano). Of course, you can also plug in headphones just like with the Silent system.
Excellent suggestion, Eidee! Well said!
Hello
Does JU109SC3 have all the features mentioned in this video?
Does it connect to Android App ?
Hello and thanks for your question. I am not sure how to answer it because the model you're asking about (JU109-SC3) is not available in the US. That said, it is an SC3 system so it should have the features we showed here and you should be able to connect it to your Android device with the Smart Pianist app. Hope that helps!
Thanks for the video. Very informative. I take it that this SH system can’t be installed on any piano though, like my petrof p125…
Thanks for watching! Unfortunately, the system is installed at the factory. The piano has to be custom designed to work so well with it. That's a key difference between Yamaha Silent Pianos and after-market silent practice systems like Genio. That said, you CAN install a Genio system on your Petrof! More details here: th-cam.com/video/UsvYMPUVGfo/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the suggestion. If I was in the states I would take you up on that. I am in Greece though and I am not sure if they have Genio here. I am considering having Pianodisc's quiet time magic star installed or trading in my Petrof for a Yamaha that already has a silent system. Would you consider the Genio or magic star systems to be at par with Yamaha SC3 silent system and the electromagnetic induction technology?
I think Genio is made in South Korea, so it might be available in Greece... but third party systems alter the piano's touch slightly when in silent practice mode. They reduce key travel by a fraction of an inch. The Yamaha Silent System compensates for that with a special whippen design. I'd definitely recommend getting one of the new Silent Pianos. They're absolutely fantastic.
@@RivertonPianoCompany thanks for your opinion and knowledge. I will likely trade in for the new Yamaha piano. I hope my dealer can order one in for me.
It's a pleasure! I am sure your dealer can get you what you need. Best of luck to you!
Can an old Gand piano install SH3? I have seen a conversion kit on Canada Yamaha TH-cam. Thanks
Hi! Yamaha has an RSC2 conversion kit (that can only be used on certain Yamaha upright pianos) that is not available in the US, but I do not believe the SH3 system is available yet. It's a bit tough for me here in the US because neither option is available here.
@@RivertonPianoCompany Thanks so much for the response.
You got it! Wish we had more to share, but Yamaha is notoriously tight-lipped about stuff like this!
I own a G3 Yamaha. Can my piano be retro-fitted to change it to a silent piano?
Hello and thanks for your question. While you can't retrofit a piano into a "Silent Piano," you can add a third-party silent practicing system to your G3. This is the system we recommend: th-cam.com/video/UsvYMPUVGfo/w-d-xo.html
What would you consider between a Yamaha U3 SH3 and a YUS3 SH3! Is the price difference worth it? Thank you
If you plan to spend most of your time using the Silent System, I would say no. I've played both and both are very nice pianos, but I don't think there's a big enough difference between the two to justify the price IF you're using the electronics primarily. The system (and its performance) are the same on both models. If, however, you plan to use them in "acoustic mode" primarily, you'll definitely notice a difference between the two. The YUS Series is Yamaha's premium option so it will have some upgrades the U Series doesn't have. Hope that helps clarify things!
@@RivertonPianoCompany thank you so much!
Glad to help! Thanks for visiting us online!
Tried the U1 TA3 in store today. Night and day difference between this and a top of the range digital (tried Kawai Novus NV5S and even NV10S also). For me, this silent system is the way to go. Incredible.
Hi Andrew! That's excellent feedback! Glad you got a chance to try everything out. We find that the Silent Pianos are pretty hard to beat when it comes to performance authenticity. Thanks for weighing in! ...and for stopping by!
That is _really_ interesting! That is some amazing developments and technology.
Thanks for watching! We're glad you found it interesting!
Why app sounds in headphone only?
It's a "Silent Piano." It doesn't have speakers. If you want to attach powered speakers to it, you can, but then you might as well buy a "TransAcoustic Piano."
@@RivertonPianoCompany I understand. Thanks a lot. 😀
Thanks for watching! Glad we could help.
Hi,
Can we used Bluetooth AirPods instead of using the provided Yamaha wired headphones?
I currently have Yamaha C7X SH which doesn’t have Bluetooth.
I don’t like the provided wired headphones. It’s inconvenient, so I want to use a wireless headsets.
Does the SH3 have ability to use wireless Bluetooth headsets?
Thanks.
Hi, Tomcngo1999. Unfortunately, the answer is no. Bluetooth contains a latency (or "audio lag") that makes using Bluetooth headphones of any kind very distracting for musical instrument players. You'll notice that no manufacturers (Yamaha, Roland, Fender, Korg, Kawai, Relish, Gibson, etc.) recommend Bluetooth headphones with any of their digital musical products. This is because - as the person creating the sound - you have a reference point. You know exactly when the sound was generated... and you can tell that it's hitting your ears just a fraction of a second late. It's very distracting. You don't notice this latency when passively listening to music because you don't have a reference point for exactly when the sound originated. Thus - until they update Bluetooth and remove this latency - you're better off with a good set of wired headphones. That's why the manufacturers who use Bluetooth with their musical instruments do not have Bluetooth audio OUT activated. Hope that helps!
Thanks a lot for your informations. That’s very helpful!
Thanks for stopping by!
Polifonia?
256
@@RivertonPianoCompany ottimo
👏❤❤
Thanks for watching!