If you are looking for a high-quality digital piano, you have certainly stumbled upon Yamaha. This reputable company has been a top brand for many years in the piano niche, with acoustic and digital pianos that have been loved and praised by many piano players internationally. That is why many potential buyers tend to search for a Yamaha digital piano, as they consider this brand a “must”. However, Yamaha has produced a lot of different models of digital pianos in recent years, making the task of choosing one of them really hard. This great variety of models aims to satisfy everyone looking for a digital piano: from small children and beginners to advanced players and professionals.
In order to help you understand what each Yamaha digital piano can offer, so that you can choose more wisely, I have gathered here for you the ten best Yamaha digital pianos. For each one of them, I will explain to you all its features that you need to know, plus who would mostly benefit from buying each piano. Of course, the review of each model comes with its pros and cons, so that you know exactly what to expect from it and avoid any unpleasant surprises. Don’t worry if you are on a low budget or if you have specific needs: this selection is made to cover all cases and everyone can find here a Yamaha digital piano that is suitable for him. Are you ready to start?
Best Yamaha Digital Piano Summary:
Top 10 Best Yamaha Digital Pianos To Buy In 2022
1. Yamaha Arius YDP-144
The first piano on this list is part of the Yamaha Arius series, which is designed to both look and feel like an acoustic piano. First of all, the Yamaha Arius YDP-144 is really successful in terms of appearance: it comes with a sleek console style design, and there are three colours available (black, rosewood and white) to choose from.
Regarding sound performance, it has been made to replicate the sound of a Yamaha acoustic CFX concert grand piano, and it does so effectively. Additionally, it features 10 different voices and has 192-note polyphony. One great advantage of this piano is a feature called “Stereophonic optimizer”, which optimizes the sound of the piano for those who practice with their headphones on. Three pedals (damper with half pedal effect, sostenuto and soft) are included in the console design, allowing for better dynamic control.
In terms of connectivity, it supports MIDI recording and USB connection, and you can also use the “Smart Pianist” app (iOs only) to control it and add more features. Please note that if you don’t have the app, it is pretty hard to control this piano.
- Realistic acoustic piano sounds
- Three colours to choose from
- iOs “Smart Pianist” app
- Stereophonic optimizer
- Difficult to control without the app
2. Yamaha P-515
The Yamaha P-515 is the most expensive piano of the Yamaha P Series, but also the one that has the biggest variety of useful features. Just like the other digital pianos of this series, it comes in a pretty compact and portable design. It features 88 weighted keys with touch sensitivity, and Ivory & Ebony simulated keytops that feel great on your fingers.
It features samples from two high-quality concert pianos: the Yamaha CFX and the Bösendorfer Imperial piano. In terms of different voices, it comes with 40 instrument sounds (11 acoustic pianos), 18 Drum/SFX Kits and 480 XG Tones. The effects include 6 reverb types, 3 chorus types and 12 effect types, covering all your needs. What makes this digital piano really stand out is the Piano Room function: this mode allows you to choose a piano and acoustic settings to create a unique piano environment.
The P-515 is also versatile in terms of connectivity, as it comes with a built-in USB audio interface, MIDI connectivity as well as Bluetooth wireless technology. Those who practice a lot on headphones will also benefit from its binaural sampling that optimizes the sound of the piano for headphones. Finally, the piano is available in black and white colour.
- Many voices and effects
- Piano room function
- Wired and wireless connectivity
- Binaural sampling
- Pricey
3. Yamaha P-45 88-Key Digital Piano
Here comes one of the most affordable Yamaha digital pianos, having fewer features compared to the others on this list, but still keeping the quality. The Yamaha P-45 is the model following the Yamaha P-35 piano, and it comes with 88 full-sized, fully-weighted keys.
Regarding sound performance, it features the older Yamaha technology AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) Stereo Sampling, providing you with great sound quality. It has 64 note polyphony as well as ten different voices to choose from. The dual mode lets you play two voices simultaneously, while its USB connectivity lets you connect it to your computer easily. The matte finish of the keys absorbs the moisture, allowing you to practice for hours.
One positive thing about this digital piano is the lightweight and compact design that makes it very portable if you want to carry your piano around to gigs. Moreover, even if you don’t want to move it, you will benefit from the small space it takes in your room or studio. The piano ships with an AC adapter and a sustain pedal, although the pedal is not high-quality. Note that this digital piano is actually the same model as the P71, so you might encounter it with that model name.
- Value for money
- Compact and portable
- Moisture-resistant keys
- USB connectivity
- The included sustain pedal is low quality
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4. Yamaha P-255 88-Key Digital Piano – Discontinued
The Yamaha P-255 88-Key Digital Piano is part of the successful Yamaha P Series (P stands for portable). It features 88 fully weighted and touch sensitive keys with simulated ivory keytops, offering a great playing experience that resembles the one you have with an acoustic piano. The sound performance is premium-quality, with the Pure CF Sound Engine providing you with realistic piano sounds.
Its compact design makes it quite portable, although I wouldn’t recommend moving it around too much, as it is not that easy. There are 25 built-in voices to choose from, and it supports 256-note polyphony that cover all your needs. Moreover, there are three sliders for equalizing, as well as four types of reverb and additional effects.
Regarding connectivity, the Yamaha P-255 features two audio inputs, two audio outputs and MIDI connectivity. A nice thing about this piano is the ability to control it through a dedicated app, but unfortunately this app is only available for iOs users. The design is stylish and elegant, ensuring that it will be a good-looking addition in every room. It comes in two colours to choose from: both matte black and ivory white finish are available.
- Great playing experience
- Dedicated app
- Comes in two different colours
- Effects and EQ controls
- The app works only for iOs
5. Yamaha YDP 164R Arius Series Console Digital Piano
The Yamaha YDP 164R Arius Series Console Digital Piano is a high-quality digital piano, with an upright piano design and three pedals that are built-in as part of the piano stand. It offers premium sound quality with its “Pure CF” system that has been made to mimic accurately an acoustic piano, specifically the Yamaha CFX concert grand piano. In total, it features 10 different sounds, most of which are piano sounds. So, if you are looking for a digital piano with very realistic sounds, the Yamaha YDP 164R will please you a lot.
This digital piano has robust build quality and features a special design at the tops of the black keys that absorbs moisture and allows them to remain tactile after extended use without becoming slippery. The good build quality also ensures durability, raising even more the value of this instrument.
Unfortunately, you need to use key combinations to change some parameters, which means that in the beginning you have to constantly check the user manual. Alternatively, you can use the Smart Pianist app to control it. Its design is sleek and beautiful, and it comes in 4 different colors to choose from: black, white, rosewood and white ash.
- Premium sound quality
- Three built-in pedals
- 4 different colours to choose from
- Exceptional build quality
- The controls can be hard to learn
6. Yamaha YDP-S34 Arius
The Yamaha YDP-S34 is part of the Arius series and it is a great choice for those who are looking for a digital piano with a console design, but don’t have a lot of space to put it. This piano features a pretty compact design with three built-in pedals. It comes with a Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) keyboard that resembles an acoustic piano, with keys that are heavier on the bass side and lighter on the treble side.
Its sound mimics the high-quality Yamaha CFX concert piano, but it also features 10 voices in total, as well as 192-note polyphony that lets you play even the most complex chords. You can also use the Smart Pianist app to control this piano, but unfortunately the app is only available for iOs devices.
This piano actually looks good besides saving you space, with sleek and minimalist design. The greatest thing about this piano is the price that is quite reasonable for what it offers, and makes digital pianos with console design accessible, even if you are on a low budget.
- Reasonable price
- Doesn’t take too much space
- Great for beginners
- Can be controlled via “Smart Pianist” app
- Not really suitable for professionals
7. Yamaha DGX-670
The Yamaha DGX-670 is the upgrade from it’s successful predecessor – Yamaha DGX-660. Besides its 88 weighted keys, it comes with an LCD screen that can show you the score of any MIDI song you upload to the piano. That allows beginners to start playing any song they like with the help of the screen. In addition to that, it has a six-track recorder that allows you to record different layers on top of each other and compose songs with ease.
One great feature of this piano is its ability to connect a microphone so that you can sing along while you play, with your voice coming out of the piano’s speakers. For singers who like to sing while playing, this microphone input makes their job easy, as they don’t have to connect it to another amplifier and speaker.
Regarding sounds and effects, this digital piano is equipped with 660 sound types + 29 Drum/SFX kits, 260 preset styles, covering everything you need, no matter how demanding you are. On the other side, all these things come at a price, resulting in a pretty expensive digital piano.
- Six-track recorder
- Microphone input
- Allows for MIDI upload
- Lots of sounds and effects
- Expensive
8. Yamaha YDP184R
The Yamaha YDP184R features 88 fully-weighted keys that mimic the way the keys work in an acoustic piano. Moreover, the keytops are made of synthetic ebony and ivory that give you a premium-quality feeling on your fingers. It features a three-pedal mechanism with half-pedaling capability. In terms of sound performance, this digital piano incorporates samples from two acoustic concert pianos: the Yamaha CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial pianos.
Two other functions, String Resonance and Damper resonance recreate and emulate the behavior of an acoustic piano to a great extent. The binaural sampling function allows you to hear the sound like it is actually coming from the piano when you wear headphones to practice. There are two headphone jacks, so that both players can listen if you are playing a duet.
USB connectivity is incorporated, and you can also connect it to your Apple device. This digital piano shines in terms of design: it is really good-looking, resembling an upright acoustic piano and it comes in four different colours: black, black walnut and dark rosewood. Unfortunately, all these features come at a price, making this piano pretty expensive.
- Premium-quality sound performance
- Beautiful design
- Binaural sampling
- Connectivity with Apple devices
- Expensive
9. Yamaha P-125
Here comes a budget-friendly option that doesn’t sacrifice quality. The Yamaha P-125 comes with 88 GHS weighted action keys that replicate accurately the feeling of playing on an acoustic piano. Even in sound performance, this digital piano is made to mimic the sound of the Yamaha 9 feet CFIIIS Concert grand piano, and it does so with success, providing you with realistic sounds.
In total, it comes with 24 different sounds that you can use, while the split mode allows you to play a different sound with each hand, as it splits the keyboard in two. The Yamaha P-125 comes equipped with MIDI connectivity that lets you use it as a MIDI keyboard for your digital audio software and expand its capabilities.
Regarding the design, the Yamaha P-125 is great for those who don’t have a lot of space: it is pretty compact and portable and you can even place it on top of a table if you don’t have a stand. It comes with headphone and pedals port connections, but unfortunately the pedals are not included in the package, so you need to purchase them separately if you don’t already own them.
- Quite affordable
- MIDI connectivity
- 24 sounds and split mode
- Compact and minimalist design
- Pedals are not included in the package
10. Yamaha YDP-S54
The first thing you notice when you see the Yamaha YDP-S54 (part of the Arius series) is its sleek and modern-looking design. This console digital piano is completely flat when not in use, and it has a compact design that saves you a lot of space. The music stand disappears under the lid when you close it and you can choose between the black and white finish. Of course, the good-looking design is not its only perk.
In terms of sound performance, it features samples of the Yamaha CFX concert piano, as well as damper resonance, string resonance and key-off samples that mimic accurately the sound of an acoustic piano. The keys are made of synthetic ivory and ebony and they are weighted, to provide you with a feel resembling the experience of playing the acoustic piano.
Three pedals are included in the design to provide you control over dynamics. You can use the Smart Pianist app to expand its capabilities, or use the inbuilt USB connectivity to hook it up to your computer. In order to control its functions, you need to use various combinations of the built-in buttons (not very practical) or use the Smart Pianist app, which is unfortunately only available for iOS users.
- Contemporary and beautiful design
- Powerful speakers
- Realistic piano sound
- App integration
- Not very easy to access its controls
What’s The Best Yamaha Piano?
After listing all these premium-quality Yamaha pianos, I want to point out that there is one model that stands out: the Yamaha P-515 has almost everything a piano player needs. Its sound quality is amazing, with samples of two concert pianos, and the Piano Room function is a very useful add-on. Moreover, the connectivity makes it very versatile, and it allows you to record and extend its capabilities even more. Finally, what makes it really shine is the fact that it is also portable, without the weight and console design of other Yamaha pianos with similar features.
In fact, all the previous models are of great quality, and you will definitely benefit from the one that fits your needs the most. Besides looking whether each digital piano actually fits your budget, which is always important, there are also a couple of other things you should consider before buying a Yamaha digital piano. To begin with, don’t forget about connectivity: each of these models comes with different specifications regarding that matter, with some pianos featuring Bluetooth and USB connections, while others only offer MIDI and audio outputs.
Secondly, there is also the matter of portability. As I mentioned, the P series is the one that offers compact and lightweight pianos that can be carried around, but you still have to look at the weight and dimensions of each one to see if it is possible for you to carry it. If you often play with your headphones on, you should probably check these models that offer stereophonic/binaural sampling. Lastly, take a look at the included voices and effects if you want something more than an acoustic piano sound. I hope that I have helped you with picking a premium-quality Yamaha digital piano!
