What is the best Yamaha 88-key keyboard?

1 Yamaha Arius YDP 181. ... 2 Yamaha DGX 660 88-Key Digital Grand Piano. ... 3 Yamaha P255 88-Key Digital Piano. ... 4 Yamaha YDP163R Digital Piano. ... 5 Yamaha YPG-535 88-Key Portable Grand Piano. ... 6 Yamaha P125 88-Key Digital Piano. ... 7 Yamaha P71 88-Key Digital Keyboard. ... 8 Yamaha P45 88-Key Digital Piano. More items... •

oldtimemusic.com - Best Yamaha Digital Pianos of 2022 - [TOP 11] Rated Picks TODAY

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4.8/5 - (114 votes)

Market giant, Yamaha, is known for making high-quality electronic instruments such as its excellent range of digital pianos. These pianos cut across all price points and are used by pianists of all skill levels. Needless to say, whatever your budget or whether your a beginner or a pro, there’s a Yamaha digital piano for you. In our review today, we are going to be taking a look at 10 of the best Yamaha digital pianos currently available. We made the selection an assortment so that everyone can get a Yamaha that is perfect for their personal needs. So, from console pianos to portable entry-level pianos, to intermediate pianos at a mid-range price point, there’s something for everyone in our review. Come take a look…

Top 11 Best Yamaha Digital Pianos On The Market Reviews

1 Yamaha Arius YDP 181

The Yamaha YDP 181 belongs to Yamaha’s Arius series which is Yamaha’s line of Console pianos. The Arius pianos are known for their characteristic feel and look. Usually, they come in a large, elegant size with a cabinet that makes them look like an acoustic piano. For people looking for a family piano, the Yamaha YDP 181 is a fantastic choice. Its beautiful cabinetry and strong resemblance to a grand piano will add that oomph you want to your living space. Anyone who sets their sights on this piece will immediately peg your family to be a musical one. Now, this piano is large. It measures 53 inches in width, 20 inches in depth, and 35 inches in height. So, you’ll need to find a dedicated spot in your home for it. It’s also quite heavy. So, you’ll need some help while setting this up when you get it. We love how this piano looks. It comes with a dark wood finish and is embellished with gold. In fact, the 3-pedal unit that’s included is laid in gold as well. So, as you can see, this does not disappoint in terms of its aesthetics. Now, as with Yamaha Consoles, this does not come with a lot of built-in tones or voices, there are only 14. So, if you’re looking for a lot of tones, then you’ll need something besides the YDP-181. Furthermore, the sound engine on this unit – the AWM Dynamic Stereo Sampling System – is excellent, so it reproduces the included tones well. The touch also feels great, the Graded Hammer action gives a feel similar to an acoustic piano.

So, altogether, the YDP 181 makes a great family piano choice.

Pros The Graded Hammer action on the keyboard gives a feel quite close to an acoustic piano. The Graded Hammer action on the keyboard gives a feel quite close to an acoustic piano. Elegant and exquisite cabinetry gives the Yamaha YDP 181 a strong resemblance to a grand piano. Elegant and exquisite cabinetry gives the Yamaha YDP 181 a strong resemblance to a grand piano. LED screen for better interaction with your piano. LED screen for better interaction with your piano. Does not require an adapter, so you can directly plug this into the wall. Does not require an adapter, so you can directly plug this into the wall. Comes with USB connectivity. Cons Does not have a weighted action.

Does not have a weighted action. Only a 128 polyphony.

The DGX-660 is moderately priced and the upgrade to the DGX-650.

It comes with a lot of improvements in nearly all aspects from the polyphony to the available effects and a few other features. In its truest nature, the DGX-660 is what you’d refer to as a hybrid keyboard. That is, it’s the offspring of the union between a digital keyboard and an arranger keyboard. So, being a hybrid, the DGX-660 naturally features loads of songs, tones, styles, and rhythms. If you can’t afford the YDP 181 or you need something with lots of tones and rhythms and styles, then the DGX-660 makes a great choice. It comes with 554 sounds in total. So, from playing to learning, to making music, the DGX-660 is everything you need to enjoy a keyboard at a reasonable price. Also, it’s a full-fledged keyboard with 88 keys. But even though Yamaha has portable 88-key keyboards, this isn’t one of them. This weighs 46 pounds compared to most portable pianos that weigh barely 25 pounds. So, this isn’t something you want to move around to often if you can help it. The keys on the DGX-660 are not great but all the same, they are good enough. While there are no simulated ivory/ebony keytops here, the black keytops are finished in matte, at least. So, they feel decent. Plus, they are velocity sensitive. In fact, much better than the YDP 181, this comes with one of Yamaha’s most advanced sound engines, the Pure CF. This sophisticated sound engine faithfully reproduces the high-quality sound samples that Yamaha obtains from its CFIII Concert Grand Piano. Of course, we won’t forget the intriguing Intelligent Acoustic control feature as well. This feature helps the piano automatically adjust sound frequencies so that sound is always clear and balanced.

Pros LCD display for easier interaction with the piano.

LCD display for easier interaction with the piano. 88 keys are fully-weighted and also come with Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) action. 88 keys are fully-weighted and also come with Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) action. Uses one of Yamaha’s most advanced sound engines – the Pure CF. Uses one of Yamaha’s most advanced sound engines – the Pure CF. Massive library of songs, styles, sound effects, and rhythms. Massive library of songs, styles, sound effects, and rhythms. It can record both audio and MIDI. It can record both audio and MIDI. Comes with loads of connectivity options. Comes with loads of connectivity options. There is a learning program on this piano – the Yamaha Education Suite – for beginners. There is a learning program on this piano – the Yamaha Education Suite – for beginners. This also comes with a sturdy piano stand as well. Cons Not very portable.

Not very portable. The sustain pedal isn’t exactly top quality.

3 Yamaha P255 88-Key Digital Piano

Check out the Yamaha P255. It is the upgrade to the P155. It looks good and performs excellently. In fact, even before playing this piano, you will be satisfied by its looks – the P255 looks great! There are two finishes to pick from. You can choose between the matte black and the ivory white finishes. Whichever you choose, both of them are sure to attract attention. However, the P255 is somewhat heavy at 38 pounds which means that it doesn’t exactly qualify as a portable instrument. In fact, it is only 8 pounds away from the DGX-660 which we just looked at. And about 12 to 13 pounds more than the average portable keyboard. But then again, with all the technology and engineering in this keyboard, we’ve got to hand it to Yamaha. It literally performed a miracle making this weigh in at 38 pounds.

Now, besides the aesthetics of this keyboard, we also love the layout.

It’s simplistic in its look and comes with only a few buttons. This makes the piano a good choice for a beginner since they won’t be overwhelmed by having loads of controls. As for the number of voices on this keyboard, there are 24, which makes the keyboard good enough for most piano players. However, we admit that songwriters, in particular, might need more. There’s also a variety of accompaniments to enjoy on this keyboard. And with the Sound Boost, your performance will always sound crystal clear. Furthermore, the keyboard is also great with a Graded Hammer Standard action which makes the keyboard feel heavier on the bass end than it is on the higher end. Plus, this also comes with simulated ivory keytops, so the feel is also good.

Pros Comes with simulated ivory keytops which makes the keys feel great.

Comes with simulated ivory keytops which makes the keys feel great. Max polyphony count of 256 notes. Max polyphony count of 256 notes. The speakers are excellent, and with the Sound Boost feature, it delivers crystal clear sound. The speakers are excellent, and with the Sound Boost feature, it delivers crystal clear sound. App integration included. App integration included. Sophisticated and elegant looks. Cons Even though this is in the P (Portable) series, it isn’t exactly portable. Even though this is in the P (Portable) series, it isn’t exactly portable. It’s relatively pricey.

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4 Yamaha YDP163R Digital Piano

The Yamaha YDP163R is the Rosewood colored console piano in the Arius series, just like the YDP 181 that we reviewed earlier. It’s not as sophisticated as the YDP 181, but this piano still packs some awesome features. It looks pleasing and attractive, just like all console pianos in the Yamaha Arius series. It also comes with exquisite cabinetry. This is another fantastic family piano option for those seeking one. It is not as expensive as the YDP 181, so is a little more within the reach of most people. We love the feel of the keyboard. Of course, any keyboard with simulated ivory keytops always delights us because they feel great to the fingers. Plus, there are three sensors on the keyboard which makes the keyboard very sensitive. You’re going to love it! As for the keyboard, we are impressed that Yamaha uses its most advanced action on this model. The Graded Hammer 3 (GH3) action is a much better action than the Graded Hammer Standard which is Yamaha’s most affordable action. Now, the feel of the Graded Hammer 3 is quite hard, and so some players might not like it, especially beginners. But many advanced players will find this great to play. In the end, it’s a great sounding keyboard and you will find it delightful listening to this as you play.

Pros Solid build quality.

Solid build quality. Comes with a piano bench.

Comes with a piano bench. Features Yamaha’s most advanced keyboard action – the Graded Hammer 3. Features Yamaha’s most advanced keyboard action – the Graded Hammer 3. Simulated ivory keytops make the keyboard feel great when playing. Simulated ivory keytops make the keyboard feel great when playing. The samples used on this piano are of high quality. And were obtained from Yamaha’s world-class Yamaha CFIIIS 9 foot long Concert Grand Piano. The samples used on this piano are of high quality. And were obtained from Yamaha’s world-class Yamaha CFIIIS 9 foot long Concert Grand Piano. The speakers are powerful, delivering an output of 40 Watts. The speakers are powerful, delivering an output of 40 Watts. Includes a lesson function to help beginners practice. Cons The number of built-in tones on this piano is quite limited. The number of built-in tones on this piano is quite limited. Does not come with built-in rhythms. Does not come with built-in rhythms. There is no organic piano element on this piano like a string resonance or key-off samples. There is no organic piano element on this piano like a string resonance or key-off samples. Sound effect options on this keyboard are quite limited.

5 Yamaha YPG-535 88-Key Portable Grand Piano

Next, on our review, we check out the Yamaha YPG-535. It is fairly heavy, weighing in at 37 pounds. But even so, it is quite compact, so it will fit into most spaces. Now as for the controls, there are loads of buttons on the control panel – about 40 of them! So, this might be a bit overwhelming for the beginner. It seems like each function comes with its own button. However, if you ever get lost, there’s the Grand Piano button to take everything back to the default setting. The keys are a bit mediocre. They are semi-weighted rather than fully weighted. They come with Yamaha’s Graded Soft touch – Yamaha’s most affordable keyboard action. Instead of hammers in this keyboard, this keyboard comes with springs. So, it definitely doesn’t feel like an acoustic piano. But they are velocity sensitive all the same. So, you can switch your style based on how hard or soft you play. Furthermore, the sensitivity comes in 3 levels which means that you can adjust the sensitivity of your keyboard to your tastes. The sound engine Yamaha used on this piano is the AWM Stereo Sampling. It’s not the best Yamaha has to offer but it sounds good nonetheless. And it reproduces all 500 sounds on this keyboard effectively.

Pros The YPG-535 comes with 500 built-in tones.

The YPG-535 comes with 500 built-in tones. It also features a 6-track MIDI recorder.

It also features a 6-track MIDI recorder. Includes the Yamaha Education Suite.

Includes the Yamaha Education Suite. The package also comes with a sturdy piano stand. Cons Keys are semi-weighted which is not realistic to the feel. Keys are semi-weighted which is not realistic to the feel. Only a 32-note polyphony.

Only a 32-note polyphony. The sustain pedal included feels somewhat cheap.

6 Yamaha P125 88-Key Digital Piano

The Yamaha P125 is a great keyboard with 88 fully weighted keys. Weighted keys are important as you know because they give a similar feel to an acoustic piano. It’s excellent for experienced players, but, it’s also great for beginners to learn proper piano skills. The sound is superb, Yamaha, as usual, does fantastic in this department. Yamaha uses high-quality samples obtained from one of its most famous and most outstanding concert pianos – the CFIIIS Concert Grand. Of course, we don’t expect the P125 to sound as majestic as its parent piano. But then again, it doesn’t sound bad at all. In fact, it sounds really good. We are also impressed that the sound engine on this model is one of Yamaha’s best, the Pure CF. So, if you were looking to get something that’s close to a grand, this is a good choice.

However…

This isn’t a furniture piece like the other console pianos from the Arius series, two of which we have already reviewed. So, if you were looking to get something that would beef up your home décor a bit, then this is not the one. There is no cabinetry whatsoever. It does not even come with a stand. It’s just a simple, compact keyboard that will easily fit into any living space. Talking about the keyboard, the action is fantastic with the Graded Hammer Standard action (GHS). So, it’s heavier on the low keys and lighter on the high keys. Of course, that’s exactly how an acoustic piano would feel.

Pros This is a relatively affordable unit.

This is a relatively affordable unit. It comes with 88, fully-weighted keys.

It comes with 88, fully-weighted keys. The fantastic sound engine on this model gives the keyboard a great sound. The fantastic sound engine on this model gives the keyboard a great sound. Offers USB connectivity. Cons Does not come with a stand.

7 Yamaha P71 88-Key Digital Keyboard

The Yamaha P71 is identical to the Yamaha P45. In fact you could say that they are nearly exactly the same keyboard. This is however in the P series which is Yamaha’s line of portable keyboards. And unlike the Yamaha P255, it’s actually quite portable at about 25 pounds and is quite affordable as well. In fact, if you’re a beginner looking for an entry-level instrument to begin your musical journey, you’ll be making a great choice going with the P71. The keyboard comes with 88 full-sized and fully weighted keys. So, it’s not only good for beginners, but it’s also good for advanced players. Beginners can train their fingers, and advanced players can enjoy the near-acoustic feel the P71’s keyboard gives. Yamaha uses its Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) action on this keyboard. So, this offers enough resistance especially around the low notes similar to what you find on acoustic pianos. Plus, the keys are also velocity sensitive, with the sensitivity coming in four settings. It makes for a pleasurable playing experience. This keyboard only comes with ten built-in tones which we know are not enough. But then again, this is a sub-$500 keyboard. So, we can’t complain. In fact, there aren’t even enough sound effects here to help dress up your sounds. To cut a long story short, there’s only reverb. But there’s still something more to love about the P71. As we told you, this is a keyboard for beginners, primarily. So, it’s a good thing that Yamaha kept the control panel super simple. It’s easy for a first timer to find their way around the instrument even without knowing so much. And, of course, this also features USB connectivity. So, the user can easily hook their keyboard up to a computer or a DAW.

Pros This comes with fantastic playability especially for the beginner.

This comes with fantastic playability especially for the beginner. Keys are all fully-weighted which means the beginner can learn proper fingering techniques. Keys are all fully-weighted which means the beginner can learn proper fingering techniques. It’s compact in size, lightweight, and portable too.

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It’s compact in size, lightweight, and portable too. With the dual mode, this keyboard facilitates learning by making it possible for tutor and student to play on the same instrument simultaneously. With the dual mode, this keyboard facilitates learning by making it possible for tutor and student to play on the same instrument simultaneously. The controls are simple, well laid out, and intuitive. Cons Keys feel plasticky and do not offer a good level of realism. Keys feel plasticky and do not offer a good level of realism. Built-in tones and sound effects are bare-bones, and that might be limiting as a player’s skills advance. Built-in tones and sound effects are bare-bones, and that might be limiting as a player’s skills advance. It does not come with any form of display – LCD or LED.

8 Yamaha P45 88-Key Digital Piano

As we said, the P45 and the P71 are basically the exact same piano. The only difference is that the P71 is made for a particular online store only. Let’s check out its significant features anyway. The Yamaha P45 comes as a successor to the P35 and both keyboards look exactly the same. But, of course, the P45 is a tad more advanced than the P35. The P45 comes with 88 full-sized keys. And these keys also come with the Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) action. We love the flexibility and versatility of this keyboard. Thanks to its shape and size, it can virtually stay anywhere, taking up only a tiny footprint. Whether you want to fit this into your home or your studio, the P45 isn’t space hungry. And for traveling musicians who like to move around a lot, this works too. It only weighs 25 pounds. So, it can come with you on your road trips, bus trips, basically any trip at all.

Now, to the keyboard, we already mentioned the action. But what does it feel like?

Well, for a keyboard that’s marketed as an entry-level piano, there isn’t much to complain about. The keys are even finished in matte. So, they would absorb moisture in those times when you have to practice for hours at a time. Could the keys be more realistic? Yes. But could the price also be much higher? Well, yeah. Now, as for sound, this does well. It doesn’t come with a truckload of sounds just like we saw on the P71. But its sound engine is quite good – the AWM Stereo Sampling technology. So, the few sounds that are featured will definitely be beautifully reproduced.

Pros Comes as a compact, lightweight and portable instrument.

Comes as a compact, lightweight and portable instrument. Features 88 keys all full-sized and fully weighted. Features 88 keys all full-sized and fully weighted. Fantastic entry-level keyboard for the beginner.

Fantastic entry-level keyboard for the beginner. Quite affordable.

Quite affordable. USB connectivity. Cons Does not come with a record function.

Does not come with a record function. Speakers could be a bit louder.

Speakers could be a bit louder. Sustain pedal feels low quality.

Sustain pedal feels low quality. Keys do not give a realistic feel.

9 Yamaha PSR-EW300 SA 76-Key Portable Keyboard Bundle

Here is a fantastic value purchase if all the keyboards we have reviewed so far are a bit out of reach for you. When we began, we mentioned that Yamaha carries all kinds of keyboards for all types of people. From the beginner to the intermediate to the pro player that can afford to splurge. Here’s a keyboard option for the beginning musician who cannot afford to spend much on their first keyboard. This is a sub-$300 keyboard. And what’s more amazing is that at this highly competitive price point, you still get this keyboard in a bundle. So, you don’t just get a keyboard; you also get an adapter as well as a stand. Now, this comes with only 76 keys, making it the first non-88-key keyboard in this review. It’s a decent enough option for the beginner but isn’t the best way to gain fantastic piano skills. But then again, in the beginning stages of your piano journey, you might not miss the other 12 keys. So, it might just be what you need for now. Now, as we said, this is targeted at the beginning pianist. So, yes, there’s a learning function here. It’s the Yamaha Education Suite, and it will help you build decent piano skills. We are quite impressed that Yamaha added a USB connectivity option to this keyboard considering the price point. So this means that you can hook this keyboard up to your computer and transfer both audio and MIDI files. Lastly, the library on this keyboard is massive. There are over 500 built-in voices, with 165 styles. Although we cannot vouch for all the voices here, we can definitely tell you that a number of them sound great.

Pros This bundle makes a fantastic value purchase.

This bundle makes a fantastic value purchase. It comes with a massive library of instrument voices and styles. It comes with a massive library of instrument voices and styles. Comes with a lesson function for beginners. Comes with a lesson function for beginners. Also features USB connectivity. Cons Features only 76 keys.

Features only 76 keys. Keys are not weighted.

10 Yamaha PSR E-363 61-Key Touch Sensitive Portable Keyboard

And as our review slowly winds to a close, the deals get better and better. Check out the Yamaha PSR E-363. It is super affordable and especially targeted at the beginner. Now, this comes with only 61 keys, and we’re going to be straight up with you, that isn’t quite enough if you ask us. But, if budget is a concern and your only starting out, it will do until you upgrade. But that said, the keys are touch sensitive. It definitely won’t actually feel like an acoustic piano. It won’t even come close, but the touch sensitivity does go some way towards improving its feel. The keys are not weighted, though. And that’s bad news because it means that it won’t offer any form of resistance at all. But then again, it is very affordable, and there are quite a few things to be happy about. For one, there’s a lesson function on this model. So, it means that the beginner can learn to play the piano right out of the box even if they’ve never seen a piano before. In a couple of weeks, you should have picked up some decent piano skills. And then there are preset songs here also which will also give the player ample samples to practice with. Again, this comes with USB connectivity. So, you can hook this up with your computer using your USB cable and transfer all your files when you need to.

Pros It’s very affordable.

It’s very affordable. It comes with a learning function.

It comes with a learning function. Keys are touch sensitive.

Keys are touch sensitive. Also comes with USB connectivity.

Cons Features only 61 non-weighted keys.

Features only 61 non-weighted keys. You’ll have to purchase the power adapter for this model separately.

Conclusion

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We decided to go with the Yamaha DGX-660 as our winner. Yeah, we know that the YDP 181 is glamorous and all but when it comes to the practicality of things, the DGX-660 clearly trumps the YDP 181. Come on; we are talking about a hybrid between a synth and a digital piano. There’s literally nothing you can’t do with this keyboard. It’s the perfect compromise between the two ultimate reasons to get a keyboard – making music (a synth) or playing music (a piano). Of course, it comes with its flaws. At least, you’d have to change out the sustain pedal for one. But do you really want to give up on the massive library of top-shelf sounds, styles, and rhythms on this keyboard? And let’s not forget the excellent feel of the keys plus its Sound Boost feature which makes the sound off the charts.

We most certainly don’t want to give all that up and we don't think you do either?

oldtimemusic.com - Best Yamaha Digital Pianos of 2022 - [TOP 11] Rated Picks TODAY

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