🎹Digital Pianos | Digital Piano Buyer's Guide for 2021 | How to Choose a Digital Piano🎹

[@adrielking]

I love this channel so much!! I’ve been watching so many Merriam videos while trying to decide how I wanted to upgrade. I ultimately went with the Kawai Ca99 and found Stu to be so extremely helpful in my decision!

[@qwincyq6412]

Excellent overview of what to look for and priorities in choosing a digital piano. As a teacher and sometime professional musician I find people sometimes get lost in the weeds of features and gizmos that they lose track of the basics and don’t find the instrument best suited to their needs and ability. And remember that digital pianos have a much shorter lifespan than their acoustic counterparts.

[@scpjmartin]

I find your videos entertaining and informative. I’m in Lynchburg Tennessee where piano stores are at minimum so your videos provide me with a knowledge base that greatly assists with my research. Thank you so much for the commitment that you’ve made to provide unbiased information to your audience.

[@MerriamPianos]

You're welcome! We're very happy to hear that you have found the videos helpful throughout your piano process. Thanks again and all the best! :)

[@Jason80001]

This video helped me land on the Roland LX705. Your videos on that specific piano were also very helpful. Thank you humble guy on the internet!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in and congrats on you LX705! It is an excellent instrument. We're happy to hear that you found our videos helpful in your process. :)

[@robertlovejoy]

I sincerely appreciate not only your talent but also your approach. It can be a real gift to let your heart at least get a vote along with the logic. Thanks for doing what you do! I recommend your channel to many, to all those anyway who love music, piano, sound quality, grounded, true honesty, investigation and discovery...

[@jobsucks]

I recently bought a Kawai KDP-75 from your Oakville showroom. The KDP-75 checked my boxes and the sales rep was really helpful in my decision making. I love it playing on it everyday now.

[@JS45678]

As a beginner, I bought the Roland FP-90X and took all the guesswork out of it; I’m set for life! 👊😃🎹

[@annachosak5871]

This was the MOST helpful video I've seen so far on this subject. Thank you!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you so much! We're glad you enjoyed it. :)

[@Transterra55]

Thanks for this video...it helped me reevaluate my choices.

[@sebastianvonderbeeck7707]

Great video. That "algorithm" has helped me a lot to narrow down my options tremendously. This really helps simplifying the choice, yet also leading to a better purchase.

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much! We appreciate that and we're happy to hear it helped narrow things down for you! :)

[@gerardfangeau7162]

Thanks for your videos ! I have been watching for some days them, before choosing a digital piano, and accessories... You are very helpful with clear and simple explanations and in-depth knowledge of yor stuff. Too bad I live in France, because I would have loved to drop by your shop. Please go on !!!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much! We appreciate your support of our channel and your kind words! If you are ever in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada area, please stop by one of our showrooms. Thanks again and happy playing! :)

[@chrisbelcher3132]

Excellent summary and process. Thank you!

[@judithjamison3909]

Been watching and listening to your you tube videos all day. My life now requires that I get a digital piano and I was trying to decide where and how to start. This video cut to the chase. I will come back when I have these 3 questions answered. Whew. Chaos into order. I can do this. I'll be back. Thanks.

[@MerriamPianos]

You certainly can do this! Best of luck through your process. I'm confident you will find the perfect digital piano for you. :) Thank you so much for tuning in and supporting our channel!

[@felicitamurray4330]

Thanks Stu! Been watching your reviews for some time now and really appreciate them. I would love to get your feedback on good quality headphone recommendations for digital pianos/vst’s. Thanks

[@Instrumental-Covers]

Beyerdynamic, Audio-Technica, Sennheiser... those are decent brands, but not as great as the best pair of headphones of all time: the Kawai SH-9 stereo headphones. The SH-9 have Harmonic Ear Imaging sound engine, Onkyo drivers, Virtual Technician to adjust the sound, and a textured pad surface so your ears won't be sticky in humid conditions ;)

[@John-boy]

It’s taken me about 3 years to decide on an upgrade to my 5 year old starter piano the Yamaha p115 which has served me well. I found the weighted keys and the piano tones pretty good, except the keys make a lot of mechanical noise that others hear when I have headphones on. I was originally set on P515, but by the time you’ve bought the furniture stand and 3 pedal unit I decided to spring a little more for CLP745 but with Covid stock to try was limited. Then I recently tried the Kawai CA79 and was blown away by the action. Today I order the new update Kawai CA701 and it ticks all my boxes - nice looking furniture style piano, great action, great choice of lots of piano sounds and a few other tones, blue tooth, recording, iPad app and more. One thing people generally don’t take care of with a portable is keeping it dust free. I use a soft inch wide paint brush to sweep the dust off before playing. This helps prevent it going into the electronics. A cover is also a good idea, but best is a fall board or even better a sliding cover.

[@MerriamPianos]

Congratulations on making a move on the amazing new Kawai CA701! It is a fantastic piano with a great touch and tone. The new SK-EX Competition Grand samples are an excellent compliment to the SK-EX Concert Grand samples. It is a meaningful update from the CA79. I know you will be thrilled with what it offers musically! :)

[@paullee4284]

It is very helpful after I saw this video.Thank You very much!

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! We're glad that you found the video useful! :)

[@kyrvhy]

Really important information. Thanks for presenting this.

[@Toppitmanilikeit]

Always worthwhile and helpful. Thank you Stu. Mike…..in England!

[@robertcameronjones]

I ended up with the Kawai KDP75. I could not be happier with it. Amazing action and sound.

[@jfan4reva]

Thanks! This is the most common sense approach I've ever heard. Leaving the price consideration to last is going to scare some people. They're going to worry that they can't afford the instrument they want, but most people who are approaching this seriously will already know that they're going to spend a significant amount of money ($500, $1000, $5000) to get an instrument with an action that feels good, and has tone that is inspiring.

[@gustough]

Nice! Thank you very much. This is really, really helpful.

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! We're glad you found it helpful! :)

[@annturner8193]

Wish I could personally speak to you on an up and coming piano purchase. Thank you!! Love all your videos! Wish you were here in Las Vegas!

[@mdagios]

It is so successful explanation! Thanks Stu!

[@paulmcgrath2430]

Very informative Stu as always! Love your comment a regarding price. Thx so much for the 5 steps.

[@alanray4127]

Great guidance!

[@dk2428]

Excellent video as usual. I bought a MP7SE earlier this year and i absolutely love it! Ticks all the boxes (for me).

[@Zoco101]

Good choice! The MP7SE has tempted me on numerous occasions, even though I'm more Yamaha oriented. In my brief test I found its action equally satisfying as the action on the MP11 - that is for jazz. Although it's only a subjective opinion, I see that many other people are highly impressed with the MP7SE too. And the build quality seems excellent.

[@Telgteraner]

Perfectly put in a nutshell that the primary focus on price does not always bring you to a result efficiently ... That applies to so many products! Every trained specialist who also works in sales suffers from customers who are only triggered by the price...

[@Instrumental-Covers]

At 7:48, you ask "Do you need it to have an onboard arranger, meaning having a band kind of play beside you or behind you that you could direct?" Then you show the Roland Fantom 8. But the Fantom 8 does not have an arranger. It has a sequencer, which is similar to the Yamaha Montage 8 or the Yamaha MODX88. You can create very high quality arranger patterns on the Yamaha (I am pretty sure on the Roland too), but you have to do it yourself, they don't come built-in. Yes, you have an arpeggiator, drum patterns, etc., on both Yamaha and Roland, but NOT an arranger. Instead, you could have shown the Yamaha DGX 670, the Yamaha Clavinova CVP 805/809, the Yamaha Clavinova CSP-150/170, which are the very best piano arrangers on the market, bar none. Since Merriam Music does not carry Yamaha, then the 2nd best choice to show in that particular frame would be something you do sell, such as the Kawai ES920, or the Casio CDP S350. Unfortunately, those two have limited arranger capabilities that can't compete with the Yamaha DGX 670 in that category. You said you were planning to carry Korg, but your website still doesn't show Korg, only Kawai, Roland, and Casio. I would also add the Korg XE20, which has an old arranger in it (I used to have the Korg PA60, a professional arranger around 2000, and this XE20 still have that same old arranger in it. Shame on Korg for doing that). It is a decent arranger though, just 20 years old. Of course, Korg has excellent arrangers, but they don't have 88 keys. The Korg XE20 is much better than the Casio CDP S350 (which I also owned) in terms of arranger capabilities, but only because Casio is so bad as an arranger.

[@pranavgautam96]

8:21 - Looks at the Korg B2 and Korg LP380U. Neither of them surprisingly have a split functionality (they do have the teacher's mode though).

[@VinceAt69]

Excellent video and advice, as always.

[@jaee_art]

Very helpful as always, thanks!

[@stevepearson8791]

so helpful

[@MerriamPianos]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching! :)

[@barkofink]

I think you forgot a point like comparing 2 models one with advantages features, touch etc. for the same price or less expensive. A very important one imo.

[@TimAndSas]

Couldn't agree more with Stu's advice. I underatted the importance of action on my last digital piano purchase and am about to upgrade again to resolve that. Also, VSTs are getting better every year and so onboard sounds are becoming less important (at least for me)

[@marib8177]

Great info! Can you recommend a brand to go with according to my needs : Portable digital piano with headphones Yamaha P series Warm Sound Basic features

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! It really depends on the budget and playing level you are looking at. I would suggest checking out the Kawai ES line (120, 520, and 920 models). If you like warm tone, those would be my top suggestions. :)

[@illusionyx907]

Super! But a small remark: N-1 the key-bed quality before the first repair accident (maximum years); N-2 good in-built sound system without a huge distortions; N-3 friendly apps Store for free additional voices

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in and for sharing your insights! We appreciate it. :)

[@thepianocoverman1800]

Nice job 👌

[@ButterOps]

Little too late. Already ordered the fp30x. But it was because of your videos so my choice wouldn’t change anyways

[@sethd6671]

Did go with the Kawaii kdp-120 earlier this year-- the recording is a problem because you delete your stuff instantly by hitting "record" instead of "play" (next to it), and the AP doesn't seem to work consistently. So, a nice instrument and value, but it needed some important tweaking. Thanks, you're doing great work wearing many hats as a performer.

[@hanschang7358]

Thanks Stu, you always give un-biased opinion.

[@Alanakuzyk]

WoW, each video in this channel is amazingly super good! Thank you! Can I ask you to recommend something better than Yamaha P125 in case of action in +500$ range?

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you for tuning in! Depending on the market you are in, the Roland FP10 might fall into your price category. It has a wonderful touch in the PHA4 action. :)

[@Alanakuzyk]

@@MerriamPianos well, after watching lots of your reviews, I’m thinking about Roland HP702 or Yamaha CLP 735. Need to drive 500km and to another country, to be able to buy piano 😅 Imagine what a journey it’ll be!

[@willsdigital]

Hello, I really like your channel, I have a dgx 670, for its price you get a lot, it would be very good if you could compare it with others of a higher category, since the price-benefit relationship seems insurmountable and its use for novice and advanced people is excellent, thanks for your posts, happy day.

[@asnothe]

What is considered portable? Is it mainly by weight or shape? Is a Kawai MP11se portable? Thanks.

[@Yopoetta]

Hi! what you can say me about KORG digital pianos? (LP380u, C1 Air or G1 Air) and the KORG RH3 action compare with KAWAI RH3 or ROLAND PHA4 standar? Thanks

[@WalleyeGuy]

Thank you for a very helpful video! I am looking at the Roland HP704. Do you know if it has drum rhythms or just the metronome?

[@derekbell5333]

Which brand has the best app and connectivity features that add sounds and play along songs? I'm down to the Roland Fp-30x and the Yamaha P125a anybody have any thoughts?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! Every brand's apps are a little bit different in terms of the features and functions they offer. With that said, Roland's apps are extremely extensive in terms of the options and features they offer. :)

[@jorap9116]

Ok quick answer get 88 keys make sure its weighted. My only issue is alot of them on amazon have bad reviews im talking about the weighted 88 key digital pianos people say it gets stuck or just dosnt work. What do I get thats not too expensive but actually has good sound quality and will last. I lm looking to buy as im learning Bebop jazz.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! Brent from Merriam Music here. There are a number of other considerations though, namely the form fact (portable vs console), price point, action preference, tone preference, etc. With that said, if you're looking for an affordable digital piano with great tone and you're not super particular about the form factor, the Kawai ES60/ES120 and Roland FP10/FP30X would be my top suggestions. They're all excellent models that offer a solid combination of tone and touch for their respective price points.

[@annurai5196]

U r so logical. Goodness. My piano teacher completely confused me when selecting a piano. In the end we didn't select anything.

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in! I am sorry to hear that you felt confused by discussing piano options with your piano teacher. We hope that are video reviews and comparisons helped provide some more insights and clarity. :)

[@pianowhizz]

If you have a software synthesizer (e.g. VSL or Pianoteq) then onboard tone would not be the number 3 consideration (even for portable pianos you can run those synths on a small low-power Mac Mini). Obviously this option would add at least $500 to your budget (unless you already own them). You also touched upon another important point: ensure you invest in quality headphones, rather than just settling for the $50 junk usually included by the piano manufacturer. E.g. some BeyerDynamic DT 1990 Pro, Shure SRH1840, or Sennheiser HD 820. Even second hand used quality headphones are a good choice - the ear pads are cheap to replace. I'm sure you would agree that quality headphones will improve the player's audio experience more than any other factor.

[@filippopiloto8682]

I’m in between the Yamaha CLP745 and the CLP785. Is a big jump in price, do you think is worth spending the extra cash? I’m a total beginner on piano, not even started classes yet. Thanks!

[@Biozene]

My choice is the FP90X! But when I'll be able to get it, who knows?

[@scronx]

My category is "class compliant", Stu -- would you agree it's rapidly shrinking? Yamaha makes claims to it but I haven't found it to be the case.

[@irenaevs]

I am considering buying a Roland FP90X or the RD2000, while the FP90X has onboard speakers, a great action, it is not complicated, it costs less but it lacks some features that I want such as more sounds, rhythms and the ability to use VSTs and the ability to edit the sound in real time without stopping, the RD2000 is very durable, it also has a great action (PHA-50), lots of sounds and rhythms, you can use VSTs in it and you can edit the sound while playing, but the problem is that it is pretty overpriced here in my country (costs over $3200, meanwhile it costs $2700 in the US), it lacks onboard speakers and it is a bit complicated, I don’t really gig much often.

[@Zoco101]

Good advice as always from Stu. Surely that was Casio PX & CDP and not PX & CP in the portable range. If a customer shops wisely, he/she does follow Stu's order of priority (more or less) but extra features and price point tend to get considered at the same time in my experience. It's a trade-off. Do I need more voices and connectivity, which all costs €200 extra? In my case, yes. And sometimes there are guilt issues on pseudo-essential issues. "Gee, if I don't get the better speaker configuration, my son will outgrow this instrument." The worst thing is if the customer doesn't know where or how the DP will be used. I hear of families searching for a portable piano so it can live in the wardrobe. Is that under the rollerskates and inflatable dinghy? How often will it be played, assuming it's still playable? I've never had a living room which was so smart that a portable piano would disgrace it, but I can see why portable pianos (with visible cables & maybe some extra speakers) are too intidy to be the centrepiece of a swish living space. They give you more bang for bucks, but they probably won't last as long or look as nice as a proper home digital piano. And if they need cables reinserted every time they are used, your children may not take them very seriously anyway - which detracts from learning to play them. My bit of advice is, if you're starting off and you're going to get a teacher anyway, find the teacher first, and ask his/her advice on what to look for. My advice to certain teachers is, if you're disinterested in the instrument models your students choose, find yourself another career.

[@kenshinsan12]

Very nice comment! Thank you! I want to start playing piano at 30 and i'm clueless. The part about finding a teacher and asking for advice makes perfect sense.

[@Zoco101]

@@kenshinsan12 You're very welcome. You're still very young, but even if you were older, it wouldn't be too late to start or restart, and have some very satisfying success. The more you put in, the more you get out. When I restarted, aged 25, I read a very interesting and motivating book by Eileen D Robillard, written especially for adult beginners and restarters. It's out of print now, but you might find it somewhere.

[@kenshinsan12]

@@Zoco101 I'll search it on the internet. Thank you a bunch again! Wish you all the best.

[@otstef72]

Thank you. I found this video very helpful. I actually went through these steps without realizing it, to come to the final decision of the digital piano I recently bought. This video definitely makes me feel like I got the right one for me. I have now been researching what would be the best head phones for a digital piano. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you again.

[@stephenbayer09]

It's funny I originally was going to go with the Casio CDP-S350 because price was good and it had 700 sounds I was more interested in the acoustic guitar tones more then anything but then I thought Casio px-s3000 because of upgrade in speakers and Bluetooth compadable but then I found the korg xe20 and I came across a video by korg and the first tone he went through was guitars and I thought it had a really great steel string acoustic guitar but in my heart I thought I'm still going with casio px-s3000 but as soon as cyber Monday came the korg xe20 ended up going on sale for cheaper then the casio and normally the korg is more money I ended up jumping to the sale of the korg xe20 and I'm happy I did. It's a big upgrade from the Alesis recital 88-key digital piano I had been using. It's now just harder to get use to the heavier action

[@Instrumental-Covers]

The Korg XE20 has two pianos: the German and Italian piano, as they call it. But the arranger is the same engine from the original PA series I bought 20 years ago. I used to have the Korg PA60, which was a professional arranger 20 years ago. Guess what? Korg put that arranger engine in the XE20. Not terrible, but not modern. Not what you will find in their new line of arrangers, like Korg PA700 or PA1000. Yes, it is a big upgrade from Casio or Alesis... but not worth it as an arranger by today's standards. You could have chosen the Yamaha DGX 670, which is just a much superior modern product for the same money.

[@marvoinfo]

When I use those guitar finger exercise devices throughout the day the action doesn’t matter much for me.

[@stephenbayer09]

@@Instrumental-Covers I know I did think of the yamaha DGX 670 but when I found it weighs about 46 pounds that was a deal breaker for me as I take my keyboard with me to lessons and stuff. I walk with it and all I'm thinking was ya I'm not walking carrying around 46 pounds. Other than that I would have gotten the yamaha. But korg is a trusted brand and the XE20 isn't old model it came out last year I think. I mostly got it because from what I got to hear the guitar sound sample seemed grate and better than the casio px s3000 from what I got to hear anyway. But also I wanted a full 88 weighted hammer action and another thing was budget I wasn't going to spend thousands on the keyboard in which the PA series falls into the 2 thousand dollar range. I got the korg XE20 cheaper then the casio px-s3000 because of cyber Monday.

[@stephenbayer09]

@@marvoinfo I guess I should be more clear yes while I do play a real guitar I physically can't play without a pick I had to rethink my way of playing guitar even playing left handed because I physically can't control my left hand fingers to do chords. Using a pick means I can't play finger style that's why I need a digital piano with good quality guitar tones to compensate for some songs.

[@Instrumental-Covers]

​@@stephenbayer09 The Korg XE20 is new, but not its arranger engine. The XE20 is the marriage of a new digital piano (the Korg B2) and a very old arranger module, which Korg is recycling. The XE20 does not give you the new arranger module found in the PA700/1000. But if weight is an issue, then the XE20 is a good compromise between sound quality, features and portability.

[@adamyohan]

Bump for the algorithm

[@jeki6035]

How is a novice player supposed to know which "action" is right for him/her?

[@MerriamPianos]

There are a couple ways to think about this question. The simple answer is: go with what feels best. However, some players might gravitate towards overly light and inauthentic actions because they are easy to play, but might hamper their technical progress long term. From that perspective, seeking the advice of a teacher or more experienced player might be helpful in the process. :)

[@watchingyoutube7330]

Are you aware of any high quality keyboards or digital pianos that will show you the chord that you are playing on the LCD screen?

[@michelprimeau4531]

That's funny because a lot of piano store ask first "what is your budget?" when you are looking for an acoustic piano

[@Instrumental-Covers]

Regarding your opinion that the touch is the 2nd most important feature, I would argue that it could very well be the 3rd most important feature for a number of piano players, and this is why. Imagine you are already a musician who gigs a lot, and you go to a piano store with a budget of $2,000 and play a Roland FP-90X ($2,300) and a Yamaha MODX8 ($2,000). Let's say that you hypothetically like the action of the Roland FP-90X (PHA-50) better than the Yamaha MODX8 (GHS), but you don't like the Roland piano much, and you love the lush vibrant piano sounds in the Yamaha MODX8 (which you can tweak to a ridiculous amount of detail, since the MODX8 is not only a digital piano, but far more than that, a full-featured professional synthesizer with weighted action). Do you buy the Roland FP-90X because it feels a bit better? Of course not, you buy the instrument that will make you sound like a professional on stage. Now, if you are a piano student who is trying to develop technique and you feel more comfortable with the Roland FP-90X's action, then that's the piano for you, even if it doesn't sound that great. So, I would argue that sound can be more important than touch for a number of piano players out there, and their choice is as solid and reasonable as the players who emphasize action over sound. It depends on the needs of the musician. By the way, although most people don't think of the Yamaha MODX8 as a digital piano (because it is marketed as a professional synthesizer), it is in fact a digital piano that crushes any digital piano out there below $2,000 when it comes to customization, sound quality, and features. Not only it has about 2,000 sounds of the highest quality, but a sequencer, full computer connectivity, and it only weights 30 lbs. In my opinion, it is a super heavy competitor to the Kawai ES920 or the Yamaha P515 that will leave them gasping for air in all areas, except the action, which is its weakest part. Too bad Yamaha doesn't put a more premium action in it.

[@JoeLinux2000]

Interesting commentary for sure. I'm in your camp.

[@JoeLinux2000]

I can only comment on the DGX-670 since that's what I bought after cancelling my order for a Kawai es920. The DGX-670 is a very heavy beast. It's really not a portable, although Yamaha describes it as a portable grand. If you don't care about a large instrument, the price point is great. Tone is very important for me. That's why I cancelled my es920 order. I was never convinced the tone was equal to the price. That said, "Music Basics", a KZbin guy with considerable piano skills just got one and thinks it sounds great. I've combined my DGX-670 with Pianoteq Pro and it is a fantastic sounding digital piano when the two voices are combined. I doubt there is anything out there, digital or acoustic that sounds much better. One reason I bought it was for it's auto-accompaniment features, but I haven't used that feature at all. One good thing about the DGX is you can store an unlimited number of presets, and the screen is reasonably legible. The bad thing is the user interface is extremely complex and I don't find it intuiitive at all if you are actually trying to create custom voices. You can waste an hour trying to tweak a voice and not be clear on what you are actually adjusting. I particularly hate the string voices that would be great if you could actually tweak them For starters they don's sustain with the sustain pedal which is horrible. Secondly if you hold the keys down for an extended period of time they "swell" on their own and it just seems impossible to get what you really want. Therefore I would say you want a keyboard with a really nice user interface that is easy to adjust. That is not the Yamaha DGX. It be interesting to see what "Instrumental Covers" says because he has one too, and I'm sure he's very knowledgeable. I really don't know what to recommend to people. I have a great sounding digital if all you are looking for is a really good sounding "acoustic" that is actually digital. Of course Pianoteq Pro plays a big part in that. I'm quite fine with the action on the DGX although many others have said that Yamaha's GHS action isn't very good. For me, it's as good or better than any piano I have every played for an extended period of time. Price is important to me and since the DGX is about as inexpensive as a good digital gets, I think it's good for its price. I certainly would like a paino with much more user friendly user interface although the DGX is probably a lot better than many other pianos on the market. My advice would be to not think that whatever you buy in the digital domain is going to be a life time investment. Next year always brings something better with features you can't imagine presently. However my conjecture is that pianos will be more tablets combined with a keyboard. I imagine Apple in particular will have very awesome piano voices that reside on their various iPads.

[@Instrumental-Covers]

@@JoeLinux2000 Hello Internet Privacy Advocate, it is very interesting to learn about your evaluation of the DGX 670. I also had the DGX 660 before, and a few digital pianos, workstations and arrangers from Kawai, Roland, Yamaha, and Casio. Each instrument had its strengths and weaknesses. Taking them home is different than watching KZbin videos or even playing them at the store. You will discover a lot of "dirty secrets" once you take them home. All pianos and keyboards have things that will frustrate you, that you did not notice while at the store, no matter how long you play them before you finally owe them. From what I gather, most people who watch this channel seem to have a distorted perception of Yamaha, probably in part because Merriam Music is overly critic of Yamaha since they don't carry the brand and they tend to exaggerate the value of Kawai, Roland, and Casio (which they do sell). In addition, the typical comment in this channel is mainly about digital piano actions, which makes me think that those are not comments of a gigging musician, but people practicing piano at home. Slab pianos are a piece of plastic with fake actions, at most short wooden sticks with fake plastic mechanism inside, so insisting in the "piano action" is kind of like being a car enthusiast who insists in the horsepower of a stock Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla as being the 2nd most important consideration when buying the vehicle. The Kawai ES920 is a remake of the Kawai ES8 in a modern light shell. The ES8 sounds great in person, and it is in the same league as the Yamaha P515. Is it worth it compared to the Yamaha DGX 670, which costs half the price? I don't think so. The DGX 670 is the cheapest best value digital piano on the market feature-wise, and the GHS action is a good action. All these slab pianos have fake plastic actions inside anyway, with different levels of fakeness (fake escapement/let off, etc.). The DGX 670 has a complex engine that allows a lot of tweaking and expressiveness, so the comment that "Yamaha is bright and simple" does not apply here if you use the "Harmonic Content", "Brilliance", "Touch Sense Depth", "Touch Sense Offset", and so on. People need to learn to use the features on the digital pianos and stop making simple generalizations based on the default sound. Regarding the user interface: I agree with you that it does take time to get used to the DGX 670 navigation menu. But still, it leads the competition in user interface friendliness compared to the Casio CDP-S350 or the Korg XE20. The DGX 670 has a relatively large color screen while the other two have small monochromatic screens. The Casio and Korg will also lead you to a bunch of submenus. Casio is particularly fond of submenus, they love making sure you read their manuals and be totally frustrated without it. The Yamaha PSR S series (I owned two of those professional arrangers before, the PSR S910 and PSR S770) has a much friendlier user menu because they have a lot of physical buttons on the sides as well (the DGX 670 has buttons only below the screen, but the Casio CDP S350 doesn't even have buttons around, just a little wheel which is a joke compared to the DGX 670). I totally agree with you in that advice: cheap plastic slab pianos are not a lifetime investment. I have owned a bunch of them and not a single one is a perfect purchase.

[@pianowhizz]

A counter-argument is that you could use a software synthesizer like Synchron VSL and use the Roland FP-90X over USB Audio (only requires 1 single cable). Then you don't need to make any such compromise over touch versus tone.

[@Instrumental-Covers]

@@pianowhizz But now you are introducing a new requirement: a computer with a high quality vst piano. Both can be expensive. My comment is about deciding between sound vs touch in a single instrument, not a combination of different gear. I personally don't think the PHA-50 is much better than the GHS, it feels better but not like day and night. After all, both are plastic actions (the PHA-50 has two thin pieces of wood on the sides for decorative purposes) with no hammers, no shanks, no whippen assembly mechanism. Just complete fake imitations of a true piano action. My point is that action is not always more important than sound when looking for a digital piano, because not everybody has the same priorities. Stu is probably thinking of a specific audience that fits that general assumption of "action more important than sound", but there is also another audience who may focus more on sound over touch when choosing a digital piano. There is no rule that says that "Touch is more important than sound".

[@EjayT06]

Thinking of getting an FP30X for Christmas :)

[@gustavopaulette3496]

That’s not a good digital piano. That’s more of a cheap toy

[@HT-ho7pn]

@@gustavopaulette3496 what do you recommend in the same price range?

[@sergiorodrigoroyo5079]

@@HT-ho7pn ES110 sounds better to my ears.

[@gustavopaulette3496]

@@sergiorodrigoroyo5079 yes, but preferably an ES520

[@NotChaix]

@@gustavopaulette3496 do you consider the ES520 to be the same price range as the FP30X? Where I live the ES520 costs 300€ more...

[@TuhinTulsyan]

I am getting a feeling, Stu has been a metal rock guitarist at some point. It's a strange intuition. He definitely had long hairs.

[@Bass_Voyage]

Thank you for sharing this great top-down approach/criteria!