Pianophilia

I am going to ask a stupid question (several youtubes had such question) with some twist.

Frequently you can see on Youtube, question such as "can you tell a difference between a $300,000 piano from a $1000"? We all know the answer.

Now the twist is this, what about a conservatory student playing on a $1000 piano, vs an ungifted average student on a $300,000... What do you think the result would be?

Essentially, this is a question, how much the technical mastery covers up a faulty piano.

to be honest Soh Choon Wee, a crap piano will always be a crap piano if it sounds like a crap piano whoever plays it though you will hear the technical difference a good player brings to the keyboard. I don't honestly think you would notice the difference between a cheap and an expensive piano in the hands of a good player and the same goes for a poorer technically player. I say this because the sound of the piano is part mechanical and much more from the sensitivity of the performers fingers. Listen to some of the big competitions and how differently the piano can sound when a banger plays or when a more sensitive player takes the stage. What you pay for in an expensive piano is the quality, reliability and level of construction and materials used in it's making. After all an expensive piano is going to be used and abused at a far higher level than a cheap one for use at home, that essentially is the difference.
cheers
Brian