Some time back in the 1970s a local Player Piano Group meeting asked
attenders to come up with a =L=10 note each (say, US$30 in today's
money).  The purpose was to host a well-known London ragtime player,
Ron Wetherburn, and hear him play a selection of well-tuned pianos,
just so we could experience what real professional playing sounded
like on the same instruments on which we were accustomed to hear rolls.
The venue was the late John Wotton's collection, which principally is
to say that the Ampico pianos, in particular, were in top order.

Ron started off enthusiastically enough, trying several different
pianos before settling on a chunky upright, and we were going great
guns.  (I think I've got a cassette of the proceedings that far.)

But then, while he had a cup of tea, someone injudiciously put on an
Ampico medley roll of Gershwin being played in the late 1920s.  It was
pretty snappy stuff.

"Jesus H. Christ," said Mr. Wetherburn, putting his tea down, "This is
quite fantastic.  Why have these machines been kept a secret?"

And that was the last of him we got for our money.  He spent the whole
of the rest of the day auditioning John's collection of Ampico pop rolls.

My knowledge of electronic machines is limited, but while I am certain
they are technically capable of equivalent performance, I've never
actually heard it myself.

Dan Wilson