When it comes to player piano systems – especially on the higher-end where there are really only two choices – Yamaha’s Disklavier Enspire Pro (also available on Bösendorfer Pianos) and Steinway’s Spirio system (only available on select Steinway pianos), piano shoppers often feel a bit confused. Both of these systems are factory installed by experienced technicians; both offer high-resolution MIDI sensors; and both claim to offer the most authentic representation of a living, breathing piano performance.  …but they are vastly different in price.  That leaves many asking us “What’s the difference and how do they compare?”  Well, if you’re considering a premium player piano, you’ll find all the answers you need here in our in-depth comparison.

 

A Brief History of The Player Piano

Over the last several decades, player pianos have evolved greatly from the original paper rolls to cassette tape players to floppy discs and CDs to today’s wireless streaming technology.  They have come a long way!  Originally, they were thought of primarily as tools to entertain.  Then, as the radio, television and the internet came along, the modern player piano took on new significance as an education tool – often found in institutions of higher learning.  This is how Yamaha entered the player piano space in 1982 – when they introduced the first ever Disklavier (pronounced “disk-luh-veer”) player piano system.  Designed to help music teachers both in private studios and in classrooms around the world, Yamaha built Disklavier systems into a variety of Yamaha pianos, including some premium models.  Today, Yamaha is one of two manufacturers who choose to install player piano systems into their pianos at the factory.  Who is the other?  Well, I am glad you asked.

 

The Steinway Spirio Player Piano System

For years, Steinway rejected the idea of building any technology-infused instruments.  In fact, even installing “modern” features like a slow-close fallboard rubbed them the wrong way.  …so it was a surprise when Steinway announced in March of 2015 that they had finally purchased a third-party player piano system of their own (the “Live Performance LX” System) and would be installing this new system (now called “Spirio”) into select Steinway models at the Steinway factory.  The new system would be “playback only” (meaning that it did not offer record or silent features like the Disklavier system) and it would only be available on two models of Steinway pianos.  Unlike other retrofit systems, however, Steinway would install Spirio into Steinway pianos at the factory.  Though this required Steinway to abandon its “Accelerated Action” patent (a feature Steinway marketed vigorously as a vital component of “The Steinway Difference”), it would allow Steinway to control how their pianos were modified for the technology and create some real competition for Disklavier.

Four years later, Steinway introduced the Spirio | r models – which added a record feature to their “playback only” system.  Today, Spirio | r Steinway pianos are available in three sizes – the Model M (5’7”), the Model B (6’11”) and the Model D (9’).  One might surmise that this switch to technology-infused pianos saved Steinway & Sons since they now attribute over 50% of their annual sales to Spirio Steinway pianos.

 

The Finest High Resolution Player Piano System

Part of the difficulty in comparing Yamaha and Steinway player pianos comes from the fact that they make different models.  Disklavier’s latest ENSPIRE system is available in three models:  The Classic (a “playback only” system available solely on the Yamaha GB1K), the Standard (a “standard resolution” system with playback, record, and silent features available on the C2X and lower), and the Pro (a “high resolution” system with playback, record and silent features available on the C3X and higher – including Bosendorfer pianos).  Spirio offers two models – the Spirio (a “playback only” system available on Steinway models M, B and D) and the Spirio | r (a “high resolution playback and record” system also available on Steinway models M, B and D).  Certainly, both brands market these different models to different clients based on need and budget, but – for simplicity’s sake – we’re going to focus on the two flagship models:  The Disklavier Pro and the Spirio | r – both of which have been called the “highest resolution player piano system in the world.”  …but how do they really compare?

Let’s break both systems down and examine their capabilities:

Playback Comparison

We all know that the main function of a player piano is its self-play capability, and we hope it does that as authentically as possible – replicating the musicianship and artistry of the performer to the highest level.   To this end, Steinway’s Spirio system is designed to deliver 1020 dynamic levels per key at 800 samples per second.  …and, while this certainly outperforms most “add on” systems, it does not compare well with Disklavier, which offers 1024 dynamic levels at 1000 samples per second.  Both pianos offer 256 levels of pedaling.  To be fair, these numbers are fairly similar and – if these were the only differences in playback – It might be hard to tell them apart in blind tests.  Those aren’t the only differences, however.

Comparing Sensors

Steinway’s Spirio system is only designed to sense hammer movement.  It does not have key sensors at all.  This means, it can only sense when the piano’s hammers come into contact with the strings.  Pianists have special techniques for pressing and releasing pianos keys.  When a performer releases the key slowly, it causes the dampers to release slowly, thus mixing in unique “overtones” and color to the piano’s sound.  When a performer releases the key quickly, the piano’s dampers also release quickly – preventing that extra bit of tonal color.  Advanced players (especially in the Classical Music genre) use this technique to add variety to their performances.  Without key sensors, however, Spirio cannot capture or reproduce this tonal variety.  Spirio also cannot play back “ghost notes” (ie – key movements that don’t bring the hammer into contact with the strings).  This limits the subtle authenticity of a Spirio performance.  In contrast, the Disklavier Pro system has both hammer and key sensors, so it can faithfully reproduce every subtle piece of the performer’s technique.

Pianos change with changes in temperature and humidity. Spirio has no sensor system to detect these changes and no self-calibration system to compensate for them. Spirio owners are encouraged to have their player piano systems calibrated four times per year… at their expense.

Comparing Maintenance Needs

Finally, to maintain Spirio’s “high resolution” performance, Steinway recommends having the system calibrated by a professional technician four times a year (in addition to tuning and at the owner’s expense).  Failure to do so will cause the system to lose fidelity over time as the piano reacts to changes in temperature and humidity.  Disklavier, however, is fitted with a self-calibration system that feeds data from the keys, hammers, pedals and key drive systems into Yamaha’s “AccuPlay” feedback system.  AccuPlay then adjusts the torque for any given key or pedal to ensure that it’s playing back precisely as intended.  What does this all mean?  Well, let’s say your piano has a sluggish key.  Disklavier will compensate for that and adjust playback to match.  Spirio can’t sense the problem – nor adjust for it – so the only time it can playback as intended is when the piano is perfectly maintained.  Also, player solenoids (the devices that move the keys up and down) warm up if played for long periods of time.  The Disklavier system is designed to sense this phenomenon and compensate for it.  The Spirio system can’t sense or compensate for it so it can lose fidelity if played for long periods of time.

All things considered, Disklavier delivers a more authentic performance when both systems are at their best, but it massively outperforms Spirio in long-play performances and in situations where the Spirio piano and/or system haven’t been recently maintained.  Disklavier also offers a significantly larger music library (around five times the size) with many original “A-List” artist performances.  Disklavier can also play standard MIDI files.  Spirio’s library is fairly small was largely recorded by unknown pianists.  Spirio | r cannot play standard MIDI files.

 

Feature Comparison

A number of modern player piano systems offer additional features beyond the standard “self play” option.  Here’s a look at some of the most popular additional features and how the two premium manufacturers compare:

Disklavier owners can control their pianos with an iPad app just like Spirio. Unlike Spirio, however, they can also use an Android device, networked PC/MAC, USB flash drive, WIFI or Bluetooth APPs and more.

Content Playback

Disklavier owners can play music from the system’s onboard memory, from USB memory, from WIFI streaming services, via Bluetooth MIDI streaming, from any networked PC/MAC, from an Android or iOS device or from a third-party media player.  Spirio | r owners can only play music from an iPad.

Background Instruments, Vocals

Disklavier offers both AUDIO and MIDI ensemble performances on all models.  This synchronizes the piano’s performance with other instrument sounds and even vocals for a truly “live” performance experience in every genre.  Spirio | r is a “piano only” system.  It does not offer MIDI or AUDIO ensemble playback – meaning all you get to hear is the piano sound.

Recording

Originally designed as a teaching tool, Yamaha added recording capabilities to the Disklavier system early in its development.  For over 30 years, all models of Disklavier (aside from the Classic) offer recording as a standard feature.  Disklavier also offers four record modes:  Standard recording, Left and Right SOLO record (record one hand at a time and mute either hand during playback), AUDIO record (record your performance with vocals and background instruments), and Video Record (make music videos that the piano will play with during playback).  Steinway only offers standard recording on their Spirio | r system.

Watch LIVE and on-demand concerts in your own living room with Disklavier TV.

Streaming Services

In addition to the standard self-play feature, Disklavier offers other features such as Disklavier Radio (a streaming radio service with 50+ channels), Disklavier on Demand (a cloud-based subscription service with tens of thousands of available songs) and Disklavier TV (a streaming video service that syncs with the piano for live A-list performances in your home). Imagine enjoying live performances by Elton John, The Piano Guys, Sarah McLaughlin, and a host of other A-list musicians from all musical genres, including jazz, classical, pop and more.  These features are bundled together in Yamaha’s optional “Remote Live” subscription service for around $17 per month.  Steinway does not yet offer any subscription services for Spirio, though it does have a small “on demand” library of streaming “piano only” video files.

Silent Practice

On both the Standard and PRO systems, Disklavier offers a Silent Practice feature.  Plug in a set of headphones and play anytime you want.  The Silent system engages a stop rail to prevent the hammers from hitting the strings – so your practice truly is silent.  Everything – from backing tracks to training videos – goes through the headphones.  Also – to compensate for the stop rail, the Disklavier’s action adjusts when Silent Mode is activated so the piano feels exactly the same in either mode.  Steinway does not offer this feature on any of its Spirio models.

Thanks to its servo solenoids, Disklavier keys can “stop” anywhere from the top to the bottom of their key travel. Other player systems only offer “up” or “down” stopping points. This enables Disklavier’s Smart Key feature and key animations like this one.

Smart Key

Because Disklavier uses servo solenoids to move its keys up and down (meaning they can “stop” at any point from completely depressed to completely released), Disklavier systems offer a feature called “Smart Key.”  This feature teaches hobbyists to play basic songs by “wiggling” a key.  Once that key is played, the system “wiggles” the next key and so on.  The piano comes with a number of “Smart Key” songs built-in and Disklavier owners can purchase more from Yamaha.  Spirio doesn’t use servo solenoids so it cannot offer a similar feature.

Learning Features

Disklavier comes with 500 songs pre-loaded, including “Lesson Songs” (groups of exercises designed to help develop musical skills) and the “50 Great Classical Songs” (the piano book is also included with the system).  Disklavier owners can play along with the recordings, slow down the tempo, transpose to a different key, and even play with one hand or the other while the piano plays the other hand.  None of these features are available on the Spirio | r system.

Third Party Apps

Disklavier can interact with all of the latest learning software, including Faber Piano Adventures Player, Piano Marvel, Piano Maestro and more.  Connect with a USB cable or with wireless Bluetooth MIDI (using the optional MD-BT01 Bluetooth adapter) and use the Disklavier as a powerful teaching tool.  Disklavier owners can also make music videos with My Music Jukebox and watch the piano play with the video.  As the market develops new third-party apps, Disklavier ENSPIRE users can add even more functionality to their pianos.    Spirio | r does not offer any interactivity with third-party music apps.

Steinway does not offer a player system on an upright piano, but Yamaha offers the DU1 and the YUS. Both come with Standard Disklavier ENSPIRE systems.

Warranty

Disklavier offers a 10-year warranty on their acoustic piano components and a 5-year electronic warranty.  Steinway offers a 5-year warranty on both the acoustic piano components and the Spirio | r electronics.

 

Availability and Pricing:

The Steinway & Sons Spirio system is only offered on three models; Model M (5’7”), Model B (7’), and Model D (9’). The “play only” version (now called “Spirio Play”) adds about $29,000 to the acoustic piano’s price.  This means Spirio systems start at just under $125,000.  Spirio | r systems add about $48,000 to the acoustic piano’s price – meaning that Spirio | r pianos start at over $143,000.

Yamaha offers Disklavier systems on nearly 20 Yamaha pianos and a large number of Bosendorfer pianos as well.  The ENSPIRE Classic system (only on the GB1K) adds about $9500 to the acoustic piano’s price – meaning this system starts just under $25,000.  The Standard system adds anywhere from $14,000 to $17,000 to the acoustic piano’s price (depending on piano model) – meaning this system retails from just over $30,000 on up.  The PRO system adds from $24,000 to $50,000 (depending on piano model) to the acoustic piano’s price – meaning Disklavier PRO systems retail from $85,000 on up.

Even when we just compare the Disklavier PRO to Spirio | r, it’s clear that the Spirio system is far more expensive (on most piano models) with far fewer options.

Another important point to discuss here is resale.  Should you decide to sell your Disklavier, the new owner would be able to take advantage of all its features (both electronic and acoustic).  Of course, the new owner could create their own MusicSoft account with Yamaha so they can buy new music and download it to their piano, but all of the electronic functions work even if they don’t.  With Spiro and Spirio | r, however, this is not the case.  If you decide to sell your Spirio, you either have to include the iPad with it (make sure you remove your credit card information from your account first) and give the new owner access to your Spirio ID or the new owner will have to contact Steinway and pay $10,000 to access the electronic features of the Spirio piano.  Steinway will not give away Spirio IDs to second-hand owners.  It would appear that Steinway is mimicking Tesla in an effort to prevent owners from selling their products on the used market.  Will this backfire on Steinway in the future?  Time will tell.  It’s hard to imagine purchasing a player piano from a third-party and then having to pay another $10,000 to make it work!

 

Conclusion

For the last several years, Steinway dealers have been purporting the Spirio | r system as the most authentic “re-performance” player system on the market. This just isn’t true.  Disklavier outperforms Spirio at every turn – especially in “difficult” performance conditions (ie – heavy use or use without professional re-calibration).  The Disklavier library is far larger and more diverse.  Yamaha offers premium streaming services that Steinway does not and the Disklavier systems themselves offer countless features that Spirio does not.

Steinway dealers also like to market Spirio as being simple to use – and this is true. However, Disklavier is also simple to use – and it’s expandable to suit a family’s (or institution’s) changing needs over time.

Especially when you consider the cost for most player piano owners, we think the Disklavier ENSPIRE system is a clear winner – providing far greater value and reliability than its New York competition.  For an even more detailed comparison between these two systems, contact us or stop by one of our Phoenix-area piano stores.  We’re eager to show you why Disklavier (not Spirio) is the “Finest High Resolution Player Piano System” in the world.