Silent systems

Would you like to be able to play your acoustic piano or grand piano at any time of day, without disturbing housemates or neighbors? With a silent system, you combine the authentic playing feel and acoustic sound of your instrument with the ability to play via headphones. At Bol Piano's, we can install a silent system in virtually any suitable piano or grand piano – whether in an instrument from our collection or in a piano or grand piano you already own.

In our own workshop, experienced piano technicians handle the complete installation and precise tuning. You can choose from various systems by Bolan, C. Bechstein, and PianoDisc. Installation is available from €1.490. The final price depends on the chosen system, the type of instrument, and the necessary technical adjustments.

All the silent systems mentioned are set up and working, and built into instruments in our showrooms. This allows you to experience the sound, operation, and playing style for yourself and compare the systems at your leisure.

Silent system built into an acoustic piano

What is a silent system for a piano?

Try out a silent piano in the Bol Piano's showroom

A silent system makes it possible to play an acoustic piano or grand piano with headphones. The instrument remains a real acoustic piano, with a traditional keyboard, mechanism, hammers, and strings. When the silent function is switched off, the instrument plays and sounds acoustically as usual.

As soon as you activate silent mode, a hammer stop bar ensures that the hammers no longer strike the strings. Meanwhile, contactless sensors register very accurately which keys you press, how fast you do so, and how you use the pedals. A digital sound module converts this information into piano sound, which you hear through headphones.

This allows you to retain the familiar playing feel of an acoustic instrument, while also being able to practice early in the morning, late in the evening, or in a noise-sensitive environment.

A piano in silent mode is very quiet for those around it, but not completely soundless. The mechanical movement of the keys, the mechanism, and the pedals remains softly audible.

When is a silent piano useful?

A silent system is particularly practical when you:

want to practice without disturbing housemates, neighbors, or colleagues;
want to play the piano late in the evening or early in the morning;
lives in an apartment, terraced house, or other noise-sensitive environment;
has multiple pianists or different practice times at home;
want to practice with a metronome, music app, or backing track;
want to digitally record your piano playing or work with music software;
prefers the playing feel of an acoustic piano over that of a digital piano.

This effectively gives you two options in one instrument: during the day you enjoy the natural acoustic sound, and when silence is desired, you simply switch to headphones.

A silent system in a piano from our showroom

An important advantage of a universal silent system is that you are not bound to a limited number of new factory models. You can first choose a piano or grand piano that truly suits you in terms of sound, playability, appearance, and budget. Next, we professionally install the desired silent system.

You can choose from our wide range for this. acoustic pianos en acoustic Grand Piano'sBoth new and used instruments can be suitable for installation. Our piano technicians assess in advance which system is technically the best fit for the chosen instrument.

Would you prefer to view a complete instrument with a silent function directly? Then also check out our current collection. silent pianos.

Having a silent system retrofitted

Do you already have an acoustic piano or grand piano at home? In many cases, we can also retrofit a silent system in that case. The instrument therefore does not need to have been purchased from us.

Beforehand, we examine the brand, model, year of manufacture, mechanics, and technical condition of the instrument, among other things. This allows us to determine which system is suitable and what work is required. The installation and adjustment are carried out in our workshop. own piano workshop.

Installation is available from €1.490. Because every piano and grand piano is different, the final price may vary per instrument. Please feel free to contact us. contact us for an assessment and personal advice.

Which silent system suits your piano or grand piano?

We offer various silent systems, from a compact and affordable solution to very extensive systems with extra sounds, app control, recording functions, and advanced connectivity options.

Silent system	Especially suitable for	Main features
Bolan Essence	For those who primarily want to play with headphones well and affordably.	Optical sensors, 128-voice polyphony, 10 sounds, metronome, effects, USB and two headphone jacks
Bolan Frontier	For those who want more sounds, connectivity, and recording features	256-voice polyphony, 128 GM sounds, app control, Bluetooth Audio, USB-C, and audio, video, and MIDI recording
C. Bechstein VARIO duet	The discerning pianist seeking high-quality technique and the characteristic C. Bechstein sound	Contactless key and pedal sensors, 2 GB sound memory, two headphone amplifiers, Bluetooth MIDI, USB-C and audio in/out
PianoDisc ProRecord XI	Pianists who want to combine silent playing with extensive recording and MIDI capabilities	88 sounds, app control, multitrack recording, MIDI in/out, Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C, and connection with PianoDisc Prodigy possible

The possibilities and applicability can vary per piano or grand piano. Therefore, we do not advise solely based on a list of specifications: in our showrooms, you can actually hear, feel, and compare the systems.

Bolan Essence silent system for piano and grand piano

Bolan Essence – compact and affordable

The program Bolan Essence silent system is an excellent choice for pianists who primarily want to practice undisturbed and value good sound and accurate registration. The system uses contactless optical sensors and offers 128-voice polyphony, ensuring that even fast playing and passages with extensive pedal use are reproduced naturally.

You have access to ten different sounds, adjustable touch sensitivity, chorus, reverb, a metronome, and a transpose function. Thanks to two headphone jacks, a student and teacher, for example, can listen along simultaneously. Furthermore, the system can be connected to a computer or recording program via USB.

The Essence is particularly attractive due to its strong price-performance ratio: a reliable silent solution without paying for extensive features you might not need.

Bolan Frontier – extensive features and modern connectivity

The program Bolan Frontier silent system is the most comprehensive Bolan version. The highly accurate optical sensor system is adjustable per key and captures the dynamics and nuances of your playing. With 256-voice polyphony, high-quality piano sounds, and 128 GM sounds, the system offers many musical possibilities.

Via the Frontier app for iOS and Android, you can easily control functions and settings from a smartphone or tablet. You can save presets, use the metronome, and record your playing in audio, video, or MIDI. The system also features Bluetooth Audio and USB-C for audio and MIDI.

A special optional feature is Bolan CAST. With an additional LINKER module, multiple listeners can listen along simultaneously via headphones. This makes the system interesting for piano lessons, music schools, demonstrations, and masterclasses, among other things.

Bolan Frontier silent system with app control

PianoDisc ProRecord XI – silent playing and extensive recording

The PianoDisc ProRecord XI combines a silent system with extensive recording and MIDI functions. Contactless sensors for all 88 keys register the piano playing and send the data to the digital sound module. With the stop list activated, the hammers are caught just before the strings, and you hear the piano sound through headphones or connected speakers.

The system features 88 sounds, various adjustable effects, Bluetooth 5.1, USB-C, and MIDI in/out. You can control sounds and settings via the app. Additionally, you can record multiple tracks and store up to twenty songs in the system.

ProRecord XI is particularly interesting for pianists who want to compose, record, or work with external MIDI equipment and music software. Furthermore, the system can be combined with a PianoDisc Prodigy self-playing system, further expanding the digital capabilities of the instrument.

C. Bechstein VARIO duet – high-quality technology and C. Bechstein sound

The C. Bechstein VARIO duet was developed for pianists who seek a very high-quality and nuanced playing experience, even digitally. Optical, contactless sensors under the keyboard register even small differences in touch. The use of the pedals is also measured with separate contactless sensors.

The sound module features 2 GB of sound memory and allows you to play the characteristic, sampled C. Bechstein grand piano sound via headphones. Furthermore, the system offers two headphone jacks with separate amplification, audio inputs and outputs, Bluetooth MIDI, and USB-C. Sound and settings can be adjusted via the VARIO app, which also offers options for practicing, recording, and using music apps.

Particularly noteworthy is the technical solution that C. Bechstein can apply to suitable grand pianos. The mechanism can be configured with two separate adjustments: one for acoustic playing and one for silent mode. As a result, the normal acoustic adjustment does not need to be adapted to the hammer stop, and the original playing character of the grand piano is preserved.

The VARIO duet can also be installed in instruments of other brands upon consultation. The possibilities for pianos are extensive; for a grand piano, our piano technicians assess in advance whether the brand, model, and mechanism are suitable for this specific installation.

Does a silent system affect the playing style?

During professional installation, the silent system is tuned as carefully as possible to the mechanism of the piano or grand piano. The sensors operate contactlessly and exert no pressure on the keys. As a result, for many instruments, the difference remains very limited during normal acoustic playing.

However, the hammer stop list requires sufficient clearance between the hammers and the strings. Depending on the instrument, a customized adjustment may be necessary for this. Therefore, professional installation is important. Our piano technicians assess the mechanism beforehand and precisely adjust the instrument after installation.

For suitable grand pianos, C. Bechstein offers a special solution with two separate adjustments. This allows the original acoustic setting to be fully preserved when switching between acoustic and silent playing.

Bechstein Vario system control via the app

Professional installation in our own workshop

A silent system is closely connected to the mechanism and tuning of your instrument. Therefore, correct installation determines not only how accurately the sensors respond, but also how pleasant the piano or grand piano remains to play acoustically.

At Bol Piano's, the installation is carried out by experienced piano technicians in our own workshop. They mount the sensors and hammer stop strip, adjust the system key by key, and check both the digital registration and the acoustic operation of the instrument. You receive a two-year warranty on all silent systems supplied by us.

Trying out and comparing silent systems yourself

Specifications don't tell the whole story. The best way to experience the sound through headphones, the controls, and the system's response is by playing it yourself. That is why we have set up and installed all the mentioned silent systems in our showrooms.

You can try out the Bolan Essence, Bolan Frontier, C. Bechstein VARIO duet, and PianoDisc ProRecord XI yourself and compare them. Our advisors and piano technicians explain the differences and help you determine which system best suits your instrument, playing style, and budget.

Frequently asked questions about silent systems

Can a silent system be built into any piano?

A silent system can be installed in virtually any suitable acoustic piano. The brand, model, mechanism, year of manufacture, and technical condition determine which system is most suitable. Therefore, we always assess the instrument beforehand.

Can a silent system also be installed in a grand piano?

Yes, all the systems mentioned can be installed in a grand piano. However, the available space and the construction of the mechanism differ per grand piano. As a result, the design and price may vary. For the C. Bechstein VARIO duet, installation in a grand piano must always be technically assessed beforehand.

Can the system be installed in my current piano or grand piano?

In many cases, this is possible, even if the instrument was not purchased at Bol Piano's. Based on the brand, model, year of manufacture, and preferably a few photos, we can often make an initial assessment. A technical assessment may be required for a definitive recommendation.

How much does it cost to have a silent system installed?

Installation is available from €1.490. The final price depends on the chosen system, the type of instrument, and the work required for installation and adjustment. You will receive a suitable quotation in advance.

Can I still play acoustically after the installation?

Yes. With the silent function disabled, the hammers strike the strings again, and you use the piano or grand piano like any other acoustic instrument. You only switch to digital sound when you want to play via headphones.

Is a silent piano completely soundless?

The strings do not sound when silent mode is enabled. The soft mechanical sounds of the keys, hammers, and pedals remain audible. For people in an adjacent room, the difference compared to acoustic piano playing is very pronounced.

Does the silent system work with any headphones?

Most wired stereo headphones can be used, possibly with a suitable jack adapter. For the best listening experience, we recommend comfortable headphones with natural and detailed sound reproduction.

How much warranty do I get on a silent system?

You receive a two-year warranty on all silent systems supplied by Bol Pianos.

Advice on a silent system for your piano or grand piano

Would you like to know which silent system best suits you and your instrument? Visit our showrooms to try out all the systems yourself, or contact us in advance. We would be happy to advise you on the options, suitability, and installation costs.

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