🎹 Yamaha P225 vs Kawai ES120: Ultimate Digital Piano Showdown 🎹

[@aselma10]

To my ears the Yamaha sounds like a real grand , while with the kawai I was able to tell its digital . Yamaha for my opinion is the boss of digital pianos

[@MerriamPianos]

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

[@watcher9987]

Opposite for me grew up on Steinway.

[@aselma10]

@watcher9987 Steinway is great , I'm tallink about the ability of digital pianos to sound like a real piano , especially when playing things like classical and Jazz .

[@watcher9987]

@@aselma10 roland

[@gavinkatz6260]

@@watcher9987would you choose the kawai es 120 or Roland fp30x?

[@happenstancecv]

Thank you for this review!! Low Yamaha 9:08 Kawai 9:26 Mid Yamaha 9:41 Kawai 10:02 High Yamaha 10:27 Kawai 10:53

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! :)

[@goaheadskinit]

This was perfect thank you

[@winterheat]

I was able to test a Yamaha P225 in a store. The black keys near the felt area can be pressed down softly. The white keys near the felt area is at the limit of being able to be pressed down softly. The P125 was slightly easier. The other pianos like Roland FP-30X, 90X, didn't have such an issue.

[@MerriamPianos]

I'm happy to hear that you had a chance to audition the piano in person! Thanks for sharing your experiences. :)

[@Zoco101]

As Stu hinted, at this price point, Roland makes better actions. To begin with, Roland's PHA-4 has triple sensors and let-off. It also has a deep travel, though some players don't like this. Action is a huge issue if you're playing any classical music. Otherwise, preferences over patches and built-in speakers might be more important to a clued-up customer. Just to confuse things, the final sound character is also influenced by the playing style and the action's ability to respond to that style. I like the upright piano sound on the ES-120. The DP industry tends to dismiss upright patches, seldom conspicuously incorporating them, but they can be wonderful too. At this point in time, home digital pianos (and many portables) are used almost exclusively as substitutes for uprights. And then they are expected to sound and feel like grand pianos? But the best grand pianos would sound all wrong in our homes, and this is where the design of Kawai's NV5 (with upright action) becomes understandable. And who do we know that owns one? Answer: Stu. Ironically, he probably uses the SK-EX (grand) patch with it. I hope he picks an upright patch sometimes - for authencity's sake.

[@fleshpie2129]

@@Zoco101 is there a still problem with clicky keys on Roland? Red many reviews where they mention some problems with grease spreding on keys and making clicky sounds

[@Zoco101]

@@fleshpie2129 In the video I saw, Stu seemed satisfied that Roland has changed the type of grease on the PHA4 action (to one that doesn't roll away) and that presumably (without the pandemic) there is no more likelyhood of new DPs getting stored in awkward positions in containers for long periods of time. I cannot say conclusively that it is solved, but the scare stories would not deter me from buying a Roland with the PHA4 action. I still believe that it is one of the very best plastic actions available today, and I do like it, though I don't currently own any Roland products.

[@paulwoaert]

Were you able to compare with the Yamaha p-145 on this specific point ?

[@abath07]

I own a 2022 Kawai CA99 ($6,800) and a 2022 Kawai ES120 ($800) the model shown in this review. I actually prefer playing the ES120 over the CA99 because the action and response are that darn good in the ES120.

[@MerriamPianos]

That is awesome! It comes down to personal preference and subjectivity. The ES120 is quite the impressive unit! It isn't always a matter of the more expensive option being the preferred one when it comes to musical instruments. :)

[@JitinMisra]

how are the es120 speakers ?

[@SWAPNILsMUSIC]

kawai is the actual boss against yamaha but i would say the sound is much improved in p225 are compared to the previous p125. Kawai has more bright tone and warm specially when we go to lower octives> I have recently brought Kawai and i am very happy and satisfied. Thank you sir for taking the request of my previous comment.

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! Thank you for supporting the channel and tuning in! We appreciate it. And congrats on your new Kawai! Happy playing! :)

[@pranavjayaprakasanut]

No Yamaha is the boss

[@benjaminsmith2287]

There is no boss and there need not be. There is choice and preference. Kawai and Yamaha both know what they are doing. One can make an argument Kawai tends to give the better value and specs for price, however.

[@FumikoKasai]

Hello, Stu-san. I am writing from Japan and I purchased ES120 yesterday after watching your video and trying both of them. Your video was so supporting for my decision. I prefer the sound of KAWAI which is generally called deep and quiet in Japan. The sound of P-225 sounded bright and sparkling for me and I felt it was kind of childish. The price in Japan ES-120 is about USD480 and P225 is about USD360 (@JPY146/USD).

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Hello, from Canada! :) We're glad to hear that Stu's video review/comparison was helpful. Congrats on your ES120! I think "Deep and quiet" is a wonderful description of the Kawai sound. However, the company's Shigeru Kawai grands are quite powerful in my experiences! ;)

[@FumikoKasai]

I am happy to hear from you. Regarding Shigeru Kawai grand, at the show room of Kawai, they let me play it even though I am a beginner. It was shining like Godfather of Piano. I hope to watch Stu-san play Shigeru Kawai grand someday. Stu-san's performance has a rich and unique atmosphere, so I am sure it goes well with Shigeru Kawai grand. @@MerriamPianos

[@trombulan]

Wow! Now that is some fantastic prices. In my country ES120 is 760USD and P225 is 1100USD 😅

[@gabrielgama2892]

@@trombulan I have ES120 for about USD 550 and the P-225 for about USD 580. Although Yamaha is having a promo where they give back USD 50 if you buy the P-225 until January 15, so it's very compelling right now

[@mattelvislindsay1326]

The problem with the Roland FP30x for example is that it takes a slightly longer for it to come back up when you are playing real fast. This can be very disturbing. As far as sound quality between the p225 and this Kawai, to me the Kawai is just kind of hard to listen to. It doesn't sound like a real piano to me. Maybe it's just because I play on Yamaha a lot and I'm used to the way they sound lol. But to me the Yamaha sounds more mellow and less electronic than the Roland or the Kawai😅 That's just my opinion but buy whichever pleases you

[@MerriamPianos]

You certainly make a great point! So much about what we gravitate towards musically (both in terms of touch and tone) is a direct result of what we're familiar with and what we've been exposed to throughout our life musically. At the end of the day, the P225, ES120, and FP30X are all excellent options that appeal to different players. The most important thing is to find the model that you resonate with. :)

[@mattelvislindsay1326]

@@MerriamPianos very true. I've been playing mostly Yamaha for many years. That's what I'm used to. I guess that explains why I think it sounds more authentic.

[@mattelvislindsay1326]

@@MerriamPianos I bet if I played on some other brand like Roland or Casio or Kawaii or Korg or Nord or probably any of them, if I played on that for maybe a year or two and then I played Yamaha again it might not sound right anymore because my ears may have adjusted to a different sound by then. Lol

[@DRT813]

It seems to be rare to find someone in the comments, who prefers the Yamaha sound when compared with Kawai and Roland. But I agree, the Yamaha sounds the most pleasant to my ear, the most "pure" piano sound. I don't know if I just heard more real Yamaha pianos in my life or not, but it's my personal preference. Interestingly from the Kawai I liked the "upright piano" sound best and that makes me wonder if the Yamaha sound is just closer to uprights in general (= what I hear way more than grands) and the others to grand pianos.

[@paulwoaert]

Have you also tried the Yamaha P-145 ?

[@Arthomian]

As usual, a comprehensive and detailed comparison! Thanks Stu! By the way, I don't entirely agree that shorter keysticks don't matter for beginners. As a piano teacher, I can say that small hands always have to play “inside” from the start in order to reach black keys as soon as the first accidentals are required. Children in particular will struggle with the heavier touch as they also lack the muscle strength to compensate. The children then tend to stretch their fingers and thus train an unfavorable technique. This is also a problem with some upright pianos. This should be taken into account, especially if the instrument is being purchased for children.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! Thanks so much for tuning in and sharing your insights! For young students studying classical piano, I can certainly understand your points of concern. Thanks again and all the best!

[@PashikTT]

Hi, just read your comment as I am choosing piano for myself but with the idea that my kids might pick up my new hobby. I almost decided to go for roland fp 30x, but someone told me that the keys on roland will be way too hard for kids of 8 y.o . THis is why I ended up here watching reviews for pianos with supposedly lighter key actions. do you think, as a teacher, that roland's keys would be too hard for kids? Thx in advance

[@Arthomian]

@@PashikTT no, i don‘t think so. Roland builds very fine and controlled actions even to their cheapest models. A little bit of weight and resistance helps to control the movements, and it is more easy to articulate different dynamics. The action of a real acoustic piano is normally heavier than on electric pianos, even Roland‘s... And for centuries children have played on acoustic instruments. There should be no problem.

[@PashikTT]

@@Arthomian Many thanks for your opinion. I can say that it is a relief for me. I have watched way too many reviews, made up my mind already to the point where I almost admire Roland and the idea of dropping Roland and dive into new search for another piano terrifies me to say at least. Will drive to a music shop today to try it out. Thx again

[@disienna]

When I measured the down weights on a number of digital and acoustic pianos, the digitals tended to be heavier. Yamaha's GHS and Kawai actions of all types were in the range of the majority of acoustic pianos. Every Roland action is on the heavy side of thing for certain. To compound the issue, the key stick length on digitals is typically shorter and thus these differences are more pronounced on them as you play into the key. Of course the sustain pedal on acoustic makes a huge difference as well and the comparison above is with the sustain pedal fully pressed. I didn't measure them without the sustain pedal being pressed, but I'd bet that Roland in more in line with that weight.

[@strayside5564]

Hello, thanks for your review! I just can’t decide between the Kawai ES-120 and the Roland FP30X. I play at an intermediate level, and I want to choose a piano for the long term. I understand that Kawai sounds better and more lively, but Roland has 3 sensors, and that's why I'm at a loss.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! For me, I tend to prioritize the action I prefer because, at the end of the day, it is the invariable component of the piano. You can always add more speaker power by connecting the piano to an external amplifier and you can always access different piano tones via VST piano plugins. The action is the invariable element. Thanks and hope this helps! :)

[@bandaloop3759]

Once I tried the roland I realized I hated it for classical. Very sluggish and heavy response

[@strayside5564]

@ Already using Roland for 8 months, and yes I agree with you. Keys so hard for classical, but after this keyboard every piano seems easy to “feel”

[@Ajaykumarr89]

@@strayside5564same doubt mate. I can’t decide to go for roland fp 30x. Stu always prefer fp30x but many users say the action is sluggish and poor

[@strayside5564]

@@Ajaykumarr89 Action is good but keys are weight as fuck.

[@GTS-Olivier]

I recently got into playing Piano and discovered your channel. I really appreciate your reviews. Also great presentation skills!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you kindly! We're so happy to hear that you've been enjoying Stu's video reviews and comparisons. We appreciate it! :)

[@edwardlee7046]

I’m a beginner but the sound on the Kawai, it’s distinctive, there’s character to the way the sound moves. I hope I make sense on that.

[@MerriamPianos]

Absolutely! The ES120 has incredibly authentic tone for this price point. :)

[@a.c.6020]

Thank you for the great job on the review! Highly appreciated. Cheers.

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! Thank you so much for tuning in! :)

[@milmolas4913]

Can you please include a popular classical piece when comparing sounds? (Fur Elise or Debussy Clair De...) it is very helpful

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for the suggestion! I will pass it onto Stu and our production team. Thanks for taking the time to check out the video! :)

[@abath07]

From the review: the Kawai ES120 "has the fattest raw audio samples... super authentic acoustic piano experience... very colorful, very rich and warm sound"... "the Kawai has the longer key stick than the Yamaha"... the Yamaha has "shorter key sticks" (harder to play as you play further back on the keys))

[@MerriamPianos]

The Kawai ES120 is certainly an impressive instrument with an excellent blend of authentic tone and touch. :)

[@sonic2000gr]

Again the difference in prices is reversed in Europe, the kawai is about 180 euros cheaper than the P-225 but I would still consider them in the same category. I do tend to (again) like the Yamaha's sound more than the Kawai. If I ever get the chance, I would also like to compare the actions.

[@MerriamPianos]

It is interesting that the price gaps vary quite drastically from market to market. I would certainly recommend testing both pianos out in person as that is the best way to compare the sound and, especially, touch of the pianos. :)

[@m3rc743]

Been waiting for this

[@MerriamPianos]

Glad to finally be able to release it! :)

[@arcticnomads]

This video helped me decide to buy an ES120 from you guys! I'd really love to know which songs Stu was playing during the mid and high range on the ES120. Those passages blew me away!

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in! We're so happy to hear that the video helped you in your decision making process. Congrats on your ES120 purchase! I know you will be thrilled with what it has to offer. Also, I'll pass on the feedback to our production team. It would be cool to have the pieces that Stu is playing listed. With that said, he also does a lot of improvisations for the playing excerpts. ;)

[@user-M.O.]

They both sound great to me. But i am very picky with the feeling of the keys. They changed the key bed of the p525 so it is different from the p515. My question is what keyboard is the closest ro a grand piano. And feel more grippy and less slippery. I want the closest possible to a grand. But upgrading from a gear4music sdp2 I guess it will be a huge jump...

[@MerriamPianos]

I think you will certainly be experiencing a far more authentic experience in either case! With that said, determining which one is more authentic feeling really is a matter of subjectivity and personal opinion. For me, an authentic piano experience is created through the symbiotic relationship of the tone and touch. In my opinion, the ES920 is one of the very best instruments on the market in this regard (especially in this price category). :)

[@WorldOfRock4U]

Thanx for the wonderful review, I cant afford both at once, so I'll get the yamaha, this month and the kawai next month! THANKS AGAIN!, I'M very SENSITIVE TO THE ACTION of the keys and HAVING GROWN UP ON A SHIMMEL 6 FT GRAND and a 9ft yamaha. I bought a fender strat today, funny thing I've never played a strat before, so It'll be an interesting experience.- used to playing gibson les pauls and other electric guitars , Ibanez, telecasters etc. Great review very helpful!!!

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! Thanks so much for tuning in and congrats on your new Strat! The P225 and ES120 are both excellent pianos. As most musicians will understand, one can never have too much gear. ;)

[@WorldOfRock4U]

After moving out of my moms house- I Bought myself a baldwin upright in college..... and I was wondering if slightly out of tune upright pianos are also also sampled on electric pianos - to me it would be SO KEWL if they could be made to do that!@@MerriamPianos That baldwin had the best honky tonk sound ever! Fun times in college! Can't wait to brush up on some Scott Joplin!!! along with a dirty lead provided by a stratocaster! (makes me wonder if it was a form of child abuse because my mom NEVER let the shimmel or the yamaha get out of tune ever!!! If it was abuse, it couldnt have been that bad, I have no desire to be dictator of the U.S.!

[@matszh]

Just curious: Why getting two budget instead of one high-end, like the Roland FP90X or Yamaha P515, if you’re really picky about the action?

[@WorldOfRock4U]

@@matszh THE YAMAHA I got feels like any grand I've ever played, they've been making pianos since 1901, they definitely know what they're doing

[@elazar1333]

It's a tough choice for me between the Kawai es-120 and Yamaha p225. Both seem to be good. Any one of these models objectively better in your opinion? Do you favor the Kawai es120s action over the action of the Yamaha p-225?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! It really comes down to a matter of personal preference, but, in my opinion, the ES120 offers a more authentic musical experience. I feel that the piano tones are more authentic and I would also give an edge to the action in terms of playability.

[@JitinMisra]

So I own a es920 and also an old p155, I need something portable and and lighter than I own , with good sound and action. I tried the p225 and action was not bad I was able to play Arbesque no1 just fine. Which is the harder extent of what I can play now. Do you think I’d miss out on the action and speakers of es120 by Much? We don’t have anywhere to try them. Sadly . As much as I love my es920, I do prefer p225 sound in demos compared to es120

[@MerriamPianos]

I would certainly recommend testing out the ES120 in person if possible - especially if you weren't resonating with its piano tones via the KZbin videos. It all comes down to finding an instrument that offers a musical experience you connect with.

[@JoshHumble]

These are both great models. I just picked up a Roland FP30x, but will be returning it for the Yamaha in this review. The Roland is really nice until you start getting a random popping sound from various keys due to a grease or lubricant issue. It's only been a week, and I get keys popping up all over the place. Looking online, it's been a problem with the FP30x and other Roland boards for at least a few years. So def consider the Yamaha or Kawai in this review.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! I'm sorry to hear that you have had a bad experience with the FP30X. I am aware of a batch that had some issues with grease/lubrication. However, I will say that Roland's post-sale warranty support is excellent. They could certainly resolve that issue for you with no charge to you under warranty. In any case, I hope that you end up with a piano that you thoroughly enjoy. :)

[@JoshHumble]

@MerriamPianos Thanks so much! Love your reviews, and they've been very helpful and enjoyable. Just walked in with my new Yamaha P225 - likely a little more suitable for my liking, too. It seems Roland's unique triple sensor PHA4 action causes the random grease issues for various Roland boards, and has been an on and off problem for a few years (from my online research). Considering I could still return the Roland for the Yamaha, i went ahead and did so.

[@lonelywolfd6529]

​​@@JoshHumblehey i'm having the same issue with Roland fp 30x and its really noticible with the black keys and as You said im afraid i'll have to change it instead for a Yamaha p225 or kawai es120, i want to know your experience with the Yamaha piano, could give some pros and cons comparing your p225 to the Roland fp 30x, sound,action noise (specially this one) ,speakers all of that, i would really appreciate your opinión on this subject, thx and if You have some experience with Kawai es 120 please share it here :)

[@JoshHumble]

@lonelywolfd6529 I overall like the Yamaha more. It's warmer, smoother. Like a lot of people say, it's better for jazz and a lot of non-classical. The Roland is brighter, heavier feel on hammer action. They're both very nice, but Roland kinda irked me with the issue affecting some units. They gotta fix that. I do notice the Yamaha's speakers to be a little bassy, though - too much for some things. Line out to different monitors would help. Also - and this is an oddity to me, the decay and release is a little long and loud when sustaining notes to me. Just not something I noticed with the Roland or the cheap Casio 88 key I had. Makes me want to edit it just a little with an ADSR amplitude adjustment. Tamper off the decay and release just a little. I really like the Yamaha overall, though.

[@lonelywolfd6529]

@@JoshHumble thank you si much for your response, ill have your comments into account for my final decision

[@DaraM73]

Another great video. Cheers

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much! :)

[@dejan.stankovic]

What really surprises me is that, to my ears Yamaha simply sound more pleasant and somehow "tamed", while Kawai sounds somehow broader but "wilder". In other words though samples on Kawai seem to be better or closer to real piano, Yamaha sounds somehow better to me. Better is not good word, though. Different, closer to my taste. To be clear, I never owned Yamaha keyboard, I actually had Kawai long time ago, so I certainly I am not biased by name of manufacturer. I don't know, maybe Yamaha piano sound somehow dominated pop music for several decades so it stayed in my mind as "right" piano. I also like very much different choices of piano sounds on Kawai. I don't know now what I'd buy from those two pianos 🤔 PS Thank you for stellar presentation, as usually 👍👍👍

[@benjaminsmith2287]

This is not the same Yamaha sound as they once had. With the CFX and then CX and SX and even the GC and to some degree the U upright series, the sound is more subdued and "colorful." The sample is based on the CFX. tbh, some late C pianos were moving in that direction as well.

[@javiervargas1428]

Yamaha is ok. But Kawai has life, spirit. Of course this is not his best model, but kawai is unique.

[@MerriamPianos]

Kawai digitals certainly have a very rich, nuanced, and authentic piano tone! :)

[@Zoco101]

Since there are now so many digital pianos which are highly dependent on apps, isn't it time to do an app comparison review? We need to push manufacturers to improve these things. Multi-track recording/sequencing (even 4 tracks) would be nice, but I know that Smart Pianist can't do that.

[@MerriamPianos]

That is an excellent suggestion! I will certainly pass that along to our production team. I think it would be quite an interesting topic to explore. :)

[@rafaelmatosdasilva]

Another great video! Is it possible to overwrite the default sound settings on the P225 without using the Smart Pianist so that it loads my custom configuration every time I turn the piano on? Its a bit of a pain if i have to redo my reverb, room and sensitivity settings etc every time my piano is turned off.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! Thank you kindly! While I don't have a ton of personal experience with the finer details of the P225, I believe the Smart Pianist app has "registration memory," which allows you to save custom setups of voice, effects, layering, and rhythm configurations for quick and convenient recall. :)

[@thecutmusic1]

The Kawai has such a warmer, more well-rounded tone. much more pleasant on the ears.

[@MerriamPianos]

It is a very beautiful, authentic tone! Thanks for tuning in! :)

[@thecutmusic1]

@@MerriamPianos oh I get that bell notification. I look forward to anything Stu reviews! ✌🏼

[@JoeLinux2000]

That's my feeling too. The Yamaha is perhaps more authentic sounding, but the ES-120 is more listenable.

[@Zoco101]

Ah yes, the old warmer sound generalisation. Don't be fooled by the first thing you hear coming out of each piano or by the limitations of KZbin streaming. The final sound you get depends very largely on location, and will change with altered acoustics. But The sound you will need depends on application. Home practice is not the same as band rehearsing or gigging or recording. These pianos are portable pianos (with line outputs) precisely so they can be used in any of these applications. Happily, the two pianos each have several piano sounds offering assorted tonal characteristics. On many Yamaha pianos, the third sound (often called GP3) has a much thicker tone -a bit more akin to the favourite Kawai sound. I'm currently using that on my Yamaha P-255, which uses the older CFiiiS sounds. I love it. For reasons of functionality, however, the ES120 looks like a good deal to me. The P-225, less so.

[@thecutmusic1]

@@Zoco101 lol. For sure. I’ve been lucky enough to try all of Kawai’s digital line as well as play on their line of acoustic pianos, and I’ve done the same with Yamaha. My city has both a Yamaha dealer and a Kawai dealer within 15 miles of each other. And after all the pianos I’ve played, Kawai always takes me. Easily get lost in the richness of tone. But like you said, Yamaha is a great gigging piano because of the brighter tones which allow it to punch through in a live mix easier than the Kawai.

[@larjasoul]

the best piano is whichever one stu is sitting in front of this guy could make a fisher price piano sound like a million bucks

[@MerriamPianos]

Haha for sure! Stu's playing definitely helps support the notion that "tone is in the fingers." I will be happy to pass on your kind words to him! :)

[@OneStepToday]

Good closeup shots at 6:36 to show the keys, however, it will be even better if you start showing extreme closeups to clearly show the surface texture. You can do that for each model and use that specially recorded video in all comparisons. I have watched so many videos and I have been attracted to the ES series, and was wondering why the ES120 is more expensive than the counterparts, even though we expect Kawai to be a cheaper brand than the Yamaha and Roland. I notice that it gives more piano sounds, has a better action, and for the first time ever I have noticed a sound difference. The Kawai sounded a bit louder and sharper, compared to the mellow Yamaha in the default sample, however, there the multiple samples solves all problems of the sound preference. The Kawai definitely sounded better, that I thought maybe its output sound may have been louder, it must be rather for its on your face sound due to the mixing of the sample. The clear perception of sound diff is due to this placement of the keyboards where you played the same phrases one by one on each, it really helped differentiate the sound with precision, unlike previously where you played random long pieces. Cheers and congrats for always improving great videos for your team. Plz do consider giving us the extreme closeup of the key surface texture in detail, if that's possible.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! Thanks for the suggestion! We can certainly do our best to get shots of the key texture. With that said, when it comes to key surface/texture, the most important detail is how it feels, which can only be experienced when playing the instrument in person. That is why we always recommend to demo these instruments for yourself whenever that is a possibility. :) Also, we generally capture the piano sound from direct line-outs. We don't do any post-production work on those recordings to ensure that they are as transparent of a representation as possible. To that point, the default output volume of different models does vary. Thanks for tuning in and sharing your insights!

[@OneStepToday]

Most of us in poor countries like India won't be able to find these instruments to try out, this is why this channel is the best source of research. I have another request. I play with a semi weighted keyboard, and I understand the upper end of the key being harder; and it's a big deal to me even as a beginner, so I would love if you could demonstrate how much is the weight requirement changes as we go to the upper side of the keys, like by using those tiny weight bars, that would be very informative to know exactly what's the difference in these models; how much harder are the shorter key stick action on the upper side. It would be very cool. Maybe you can make one video of showing this comparison for various models. Thank you. @@MerriamPianos

[@lazarmarkovic7045]

Yamaha line out: 7:12 Kawaii line out: 8:13

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you! :)

[@flaviodrusovalerio2825]

So. If I enjoy playing just for myself or family or friends Liszt and Thalberg transcriptions of other authors, which one is better to keep the fingers in shape?

[@MerriamPianos]

It really comes down to a matter of personal preference. They are both solid instruments. However, for me, the touch and tone of the ES120 make it more well-suited for the type of classical piano playing you are describing. :)

[@phillipwood4924]

Variety is best in my opinion. I own many brands and models and enjoy playing them all. I dont have a kawai though. I will be looking to get one now.

[@MerriamPianos]

I agree with that sentiment! Because digital pianos are a lot more affordable than acoustic pianos, the possibility of owning a whole arsenal of musical tools is far more accessible.

[@giusgius9299]

To my ear Yamaha sounds much much better, as far as piano sound is concerned.

[@MerriamPianos]

That is certainly fair! It really comes down to a matter of personal preference. Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts. :)

[@racheltanhx623]

Can i have the names of the song played by the kawai es-120 at 8:30 ?

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in! Unfortunately, I don't know the name of the piece that Stu is playing at that particular moment. Perhaps, one of our helpful community members here will know the answer. :)

[@serifpersia]

I've purchased the Kawai ES120B should arrive in 1-3 days. Hopefully the 700 euro I'm going to pay for it will be worth the upgrade from broken no audio Yamaha P-95(2010 tech GHS action I bought it used in 2021 I believe.) Hopefully its going to be fun and pleasant to play on.

[@MerriamPianos]

Congrats on your ES120! It is a phenomenal piano with a great touch and tone. I am quite confident you will be thrilled with what it has to offer. :)

[@diandrubarbuti3901]

@serifpersia any thoughts so far?

[@witchinggecko4271]

I think I am liking the yamaha more than the Kawai. With the kawai you it sounds much more like the notes are being played from a speaker while the yamaha feels like it's actually creating the sounds by string (hope that makes sense). I guess I will have to test how the keys feel in person. My only piano experience is the roughly 60 years old acoustic piano of my mother, which, although its innards have been fully replaced at some point, also has quite heavy white key action in the black key area.

[@MerriamPianos]

That is certainly fair to say! Tonal preference is a very subjective matter, so tastes will vary from player to player of course. At the end of the day, it is always a good idea to assess a piano in person whenever possible. :)

[@m3rc743]

Hey, it's because the Speaker EQ setting is set on which can cause a difference in the actual sample. when you turn it off it sounds much warmer and fuller. Though I love the Yamaha too. Might actually get one for myself when I find the budget. Cheers!

[@samdrey6555]

I find the Yamaha piano sound a bit warmer than the ES120 though ... but again it's through KZbin and laptop speakers so cannot really tell for sure 🤔 However, I am initially a church organ player so church organ sounds are important for me as well, and I find the Yamaha church organ sounds way closer to my village's church organ sound than on the Kawai ! I think that is what will make me lean towards the P225 ... thanks for the nice review ! 👍👍

[@MerriamPianos]

You're welcome! Thank you for taking the time to tune in! These are both very solid instruments. At the end of the day, the decision comes down to the tone and touch preferences of the player. Thanks again and happy playing! :)

[@GlenAmes]

Since I use a virtual piano with DAW, the expressiveness and feel of the ACTION is much more important. Which one FELT like a REAL piano more?

[@MerriamPianos]

It really comes down to a matter of subjectivity. Personally, I find the ES120 has a more authentic feel compared to the P225. The ES120 has a feel that I tend to compare to an upright piano action. Other models with heavier touches, such as the FP30X feel a bit more like an acoustic grand piano. In terms of what the best choice is really comes down to personal preference.

[@Emanuel_Rosado]

Excellent review, thank you very much, I love tenor keys of pianos and you are one of the few who do reviews playing the tenor keys, they sound impressive!! One question...does the Yamaha P225 sound louder than the P125? I see that the successor now has large speakers and the P125 has somewhat small speakers...

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! Thank you kindly! We're glad you enjoyed the comparison! :) While I haven't tried the P125 and P225 side-by-side, my impression is that the P225 is slightly louder in terms of perceived volume.

[@MrJabza]

Thanks for making this! I just got a es120 as my first piano and it’s great to play. One thing I noticed with the built-in speakers is a faint buzz (doesn’t change with volume) and goes away with headphones, have you noticed that?

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! Congrats on your ES120! I am confident that you will be very happy with what it offers musically. I have not experienced a buzz with the speakers. I would recommend connecting with the dealer you purchased it from. There may be an issue with the unit.

[@ARadicalCut]

Not sure if you will read this but which lends itself best to chopin and music like yann tiersen? Also can I stream Bluetooth audio from the Kawai to my Sonos speakers?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Unfortunately, you cannot transmit the audio from the ES120 to Bluetooth speakers. Bluetooth Audio allows you to play music from your phone/device through the ES120's onboard speakers via Bluetooth. In terms of suggestions for Chop and Yann Tiersen, I would personally recommend the ES120. I find the Kawai's sound to be a bit warmer, richer, and more nuanced, which lends itself nicely to expressive, solo piano repertoire. :)

[@SvenB-c9k]

@@MerriamPianos Great thanks for the answer.

[@pianowhizz]

You can’t judge high quality piano samples via the low-quality 126kbps audio in all KZbin videos - you can only properly evaluate these pianos in person. And if you’re using Bluetooth earphones or headphones to listen to KZbin then you’re making the audio even lower quality!

[@MerriamPianos]

I certainly agree that it is always best to experience pianos in person whenever possible. And, of course, there will always be some quality loss when playing audio back through online platforms like KZbin. Our production team always does their best to maintain as much of the fidelity and nuance of a piano's sound as possible though.

[@CosmicTaco333]

Good vid. Very informative.

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@PatrykPariaszewski]

Looking for keyboard with many decent sounds. Many people don't care much about sounds other than grand piano but i do. I would like to have good harpsichords, organs, bass, choir, e.pianos and I could sacrifice some quality of grand piano for that. What keyboard should I choose under 800 euros? I've watched some reviews but they don't focus on second category sounds. At the moment I am considering between kawai es120 and Yamaha p225 (same price in my area). Maybe you have some other propositions for me? Any help appreciated :)

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! While these two models are excellent options if you're predominantly using piano sounds, models like the Casio PXS3100 or CDPS360 have tons of built-in sounds. They may be worth exploring (especially the PXS3100!). :)

[@theelusivememe1772]

​@MerriamPianos does the app for the yamaha p255 not add more sounds?

[@milmolas4913]

Hey @MerriamPianos, is kawai es120 good for learning piano? If the action is too light that means it will disadvantage me when switching mg to a grand for example? Imagine playing on kawai es120 for 4 years and then switching to grand, will i still be as good on the grand or i will not be ?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! The ES120 is certainly a wonderful choice to study on. It is a bit of a lighter action when compared to pianos like the FP30X, but it is still fully-weighted and more than suitable to study on. In fact, from a sonic standpoint, it has one of the most authentic piano sounds in its price category. :)

[@Rulon-bo1ig]

From this video I’d be happy with either. Kawais a bit cheaper here for me but I’m willing to pay the extra if I prefer the yamys action.

[@MerriamPianos]

They are certainly both solid pianos. The choice will come down to the personal preferences of the player. :)

[@Rulon-bo1ig]

@@MerriamPianos ok, I’m more interested in the electric piano emulations like Rhodes type sounds than the grand piano emulations strangely. Which do you prefer? I know Yamaha pull that off well.

[@Riku9361]

Idk the kawai is probably going to have the better action but the yamaha sounds considerably better to my ears. Should I just go with the yamaha based off that?

[@MerriamPianos]

It is ultimately a personal decision. For what it's worth, I tend to prioritize action when selecting a digital piano because it is the invariable component of the design. You can always get more speaker power by connecting the piano to an external amp and you can always get different piano tones via VST piano plugins. The action is the thing that you're ultimately stuck with. Thanks and hope this helps! :)

[@paulhenry1767]

Played both today and I bonded a bit more with the Yamaha, but I need some more quality time with the Kawai to make the final call. BTW here in the USA the Kawai is $300 more than the Yamaha.

[@MerriamPianos]

They're both very solid pianos that offer excellent value of course. It all comes down to touch and tone preferences of course. :)

[@milmolas4913]

Which action do you like more between those two?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! I have played the ES120 far more extensively than the P225 at this point, so, maybe that has something to do with it, but I personally favour the RHC action on the ES120.

[@milmolas4913]

@@MerriamPianos thanks for reply

[@MonsieurTarzan-g3m]

IMO the Yamaha sounds more like an acoustic piano. No idea which feels better to play action-wise. I have never owned or played either of these and I'm just relying on this video.

[@MerriamPianos]

It all comes down to a matter of opinion of course. They're both very solid instruments that will resonate with different players depending on their musical tastes. :)

[@Ajaykumarr89]

Sound : yamaha Action : roland , althought many roland users hate its action.

[@fabriziop8044]

I prefer the Yamaha sound 🎊 🎉

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in and sharing your insights! :)

[@clancywoodbine5343]

Listening on headphones - neither of them sound *amazing*....but the Yamaha definitely has the edge and sounds more natural. The Kawai tries to be more hyper-realistic, but it winds up sounding less convincing as a result...it has a bit more of a tinny, "emulation-y" sound. Whereas the Yamaha isn't trying that hard, and while it sounds less 3-dimensional, it also sounds better as a result - it does what it does relatively seamlessly...if I heard someone singing and playing piano on the Yamaha, the piano sound wouldn't attract my attention at all, and I mean that in a good way - it would just go unnoticed because it just sounds like a piano to the point where unless you're really looking for it, you're not going to notice it's digital. Even if it doesn't sound like the best piano in the world, it sounds right. If I heard someone singing and playing on the Kawai, I would find the piano sound distracting and unconvincing.

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in and sharing your insights! At the end of the day, it really comes down to a matter of personal preference. Tone and touch is a very subjective matter of course. :)

[@area49g12]

Great comparison, from my ears the Yamaha sounds slightly more defined on the bottom and more crisp overall. Always enjoy listening to your virtuoso playing ;-)

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you kindly for tuning in! I'll be sure to pass on your kind words to Stu! :)

[@JitinMisra]

Do you think yamaha p125 is better interims of tone engine and key action or p225?

[@MerriamPianos]

It really comes down to a matter of subjectivity. I haven't compared them side-by-side, but I would say that I prefer the feel of the P125 and the sound of the P225.

[@JoeLinux2000]

Listen to this P-125. It's amazing: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6mQlaSPZ8-UisU Maybe it's not a P-125. She used to play one and it sounded very nice. The fillowng link may be the P-125: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hnLVf4VmYpeNfNU Playing starts at 6:30

[@mfurman]

I think (after using P-225) that P-125A has a better action (not by far). The sound of P-225 has very low volume on headphones. P-225 has Digital Audio Interface though and it looks nice!

[@falcon81701]

I agree with the comments regarding the aesthetic of the Yamaha. The finish and quality of the Yamaha seemed better to me compared the the roland and Kawai. Especially the buttons and controls. Yamaha seemed to be a higher standard

[@MerriamPianos]

It all comes down to personal taste and opinion of course. These are both very solid pianos that are capable of providing very rewarding musical experiences. :)

[@thomaswenger5036]

Exciting comparison. In other reviews, the ES-120 sounded different via the line-out output than here: more direct, more broadband like the Yamaha. Here the ES-120 sounds similar to the microphone via the line-out: more inidirect/remote and somewhat limited frequency response. Could it be that the line-out of the ES-120 has switched on some kind of (3D) effect here?

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in! I am not sure to be honest. I would have to ask the production team if there were any specific settings being used to capture the line-out sound.

[@WorldOfRock4U]

I agree, good word, I too was excited when I found this comparison!

[@ChunkyKong-47]

Would you ever consider reviewing some of Donner’s digital keyboards? Maybe the SE- 1 or one of the ddp models? They’re marketed as being mostly for beginners and intermediate players and are priced between $500-900. For the price and the features I think the se-1 especially might be good to review as a kind what’s out there aside from the big names and how some of these products intended to challenge/undercut the market match up Personally ive had the the Se-1 for maybe a little over a year and would say it definitely has certain limitations when it comes to sound quality and feel(the action is somewhat light), but for a beginner who is focused solely on the piano sounds I think it’s a pretty good deal pricewise compared to other models in the same category.I also think intermediate players could get a lot out of it as it’s decent enough, although I would recommend other options to intermediate players if money wasn’t a factor.

[@MerriamPianos]

We have reviewed Donner models in the past, such as the DDP300, which can be seen here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZDOf4t_jtGjr8k With that said, we're not Donner dealers, so it is a bit tougher for us to tackle reviews for their models. We do periodically get Donner pianos in on trade, so, if that happens, we may be able to tackle some reviews/comparisons of that line. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@OneStepToday]

I saw on a piano key size guide on sweetwater that the keys on keyboards are a lot smaller than the acoustic piano. Does that mean those keyboards like midi full size keyboards we have are smaller keys in size? Can you demonstrate that or show the exact length the key size should be? Those having no access to acoustic piano will be helped. Also the demo comparisons of the exact weight towards the upper side of the keys will be great. thanks.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Yes, that is correct. The key stick/pivot lengths are compact and reduced. This is common practice for many digital piano actions, especially in the entry level price point. We will do our best to show these aspects in greater detail in future videos. :)

[@OneStepToday]

@@MerriamPianos I am aware about the short stick but I was asking about the playable key size itself. I hope our keyboards don't have smaller keys than acoustic and digital pianos.

[@maxolina]

@@OneStepToday The key size is identical to a real acoustic piano. The stick is shorter but the key of these digital pianos is the same. There are lots of "keyboards" and synthesizers with smaller keys, but 88-key digital pianos such as the yamaha p225, kawai es120, roland fp-30x etc all have full size keys.

[@goorackerelite]

this is the best comparison on KZbin . I can't believe how much more I preferred the Yamaha

[@MerriamPianos]

Thank you so much! We're glad you found the video helpful. :)

[@jarbasgoulartdecastro9104]

YAMAHA sounds like a real piano

[@MerriamPianos]

The P225 is a very solid instrument! Both of these pianos are excellent and quite authentic sounding. They simply offer a different musical flavour.

[@jarbasgoulartdecastro9104]

No doubt.

[@jarbasgoulartdecastro9104]

I just bought the 225 !!!! Yamaha Concert CFX sample.Amazing! Thank you!

[@jagjiwanram2206]

I also ordered p225.

[@skipmatsey8352]

Having owned both Es110 & Es120, I experienced issues with keys going out. Replaced with a P125 with no issues. The Yamaha build quality is better.

[@MerriamPianos]

I'm sorry to hear that you experienced issues with the ES110 and ES120. That is quite rare in my experiences. They're usually extremely durable and reliable instruments. I'm glad you have found an instrument that has been reliable for you. That is very important of course!

[@antonioperillo1182]

Even if Yamaha could have add more acoustic piano samples and electric pianos or other instruments, the distance for reaching Roland fp30x had been less than now. And with a keyboard with 3 sensors for each key than 2 of actual one Ghc. However it's better of Ghs, indeed!!!!!👍👍👍

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! These are all solid digital pianos, but they all offer something a bit different musically. At the end of the day, every player will have their own personal preference of course. :)

[@SKRUBL0RD]

wow that yamaha sounds incredible

[@MerriamPianos]

These are both very excellent sounding pianos. They offer a different flavour musically, each of which will resonate with different players depending on their musical tastes.

[@walkthroughvideos8916]

I was about to buy the Kawai but the sound difference with the yamaha is night in day. The kawai sounded so thin and cheap compared to the rich tone of the yamaha

[@MerriamPianos]

They are both very solid instruments, but, needless to say, it comes down to a matter of musical preference. :)

[@paulwoaert]

The Kawai ES120 in your test seems to have been deliberately adjusted to disadvantage it (do you have a commercial connection with Yahama?). I just heard several other pianists play on this same Kawai ES120 and the sound has nothing to do with yours. For example in the video whose title is « Kawai ES120 Digital Piano Buyers Guide - Lots Of Playing | Bonners Music ».

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! We are actually Kawai dealers and not Yamaha dealers, so there was certainly no adjustments made to disadvantage the ES120. We always try to represent the pianos as transparently as possible. I believe there may have been some type of technical difficulties with the capturing of the ES120's audio in this video. In any case, thank you for the honest feedback and commentary. We appreciate it!

[@benjaminsmith2287]

I think Stu plays the Yamaha more percussively than the Kawai because he hears it and responds to it a different way. A different player will play it differently. That's not to say he's not playing both well. He just uses a different approach based on his relationship to the instrument. So, you hear more sustained sounds on the Kawai and a sense of a broader approach in the sustains but also the dynamics. If you listen to his Yamaha vs. Kawai comparisons, it's something he does in a number of comparisons. In this recording, there's a bigger contrast between line-in and line-out with the Yamaha. Overall, the Yamaha has a somewhat subdued sound but the high notes aren't as ringing, or maybe even the higher notes in the treble, so that's another effect. The Yamaha sounds very harmonic and in its range, very much communicating notes you can shape based on articulation that's very pointed. The Yamaha's attack is stronger but the ring of the string is somewhat softer and it has a slower bloom. The Kawai tends to blur a bit more but is more sound forward so the bloom is quicker. That's just the character of the sound. I feel that the Yamaha's line out sounds is very stringy and so well suited for jazz. The Kawai seems overall brighter but gets somewhat broader and ringing higher in the range at the same time still having more bass in the tenor range. And its line out vs. speaker recorded sound is closer to each other than the noticeable change with the Yamaha. Since everyone plays with their own expression, they'll have an instrument that fits them best or type of sound that fits them best. Part of why Steinway and Yamaha are so ubiquitous is they are very flexible and overall, market and push their products and now are so established, that's where the venues look for pianos.But there are other fine pianos that just aren't as commonly found or popular.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for taking the time to tune in and share your excellent insights. It is a very good point that we react to the sound we are hearing as we play. Therefore, the tonal profile and the attack shape of the piano sound will subconsciously (or - perhaps - consciously) force us to alter playing nuances to adapt to the characteristics of the instrument. Thanks again and happy playing! :)

[@michaelhawkins1173]

For me the only way to hear what's what is for a Little Richard, Liberace or chopin to be played. All that Freinds vib is some what apologetic to what can be achieved. Other than that, thank you for your video. I really enjoyed it..

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in! We're really happy to hear that you enjoyed the video! :)

[@williampleasant9563]

Low and mid range I like the Yamaha far better, but! High range the Kawai wins out. Over all I love the sound of Yamaha. Thank you Stu.😅

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts on these pianos. We appreciate it. :)

[@Aywords0]

How do you record the pianos?

[@MerriamPianos]

We generally take direct line outs from the pianos that run into a Focusrite Scarlett audio interface. We don't do any post-processing on the sounds in order to keep things as transparent and representative of the actual pianos' sounds as possible. :)

[@bosmint]

If your setup of Direct line on and Speaker is similar in both pianos, I could state that 4 speakers including the tweeters on P225 definitely fail their job. Ignoring the tone engine in 2 pianos, the bass sound is distorted on Yamaha. Tbh, P225 is perfectly downgraded product even in the key action. About portable piano key action, roland pha4 outperforms the others then comes the kawai. ES120 and FP30x personally I think they re better choices.

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts! For certain applications, different pianos will be better suited of course. Personally, in this price category, I favour the piano sound of the ES120 and the PHA4 action of the FP30X the best. With that said, every player will have their own preferences between these models. :)

[@walli33]

So the kawai es120 has a much more nuanced sound it is clear that the sound of the kawai is clearly better, the second crucial point will be the touch and there of course the verdict is final the touch of the kawai is clearly better than the Yamaha 225 itself if I have a preference for that of the roland a 88 ivory feel or even the RHIII example korg d1, the ideal would be to have a product with the RHIII offering both the sounds of the CFX and piano EX from kawai but let's not dream, that said the sound of the Yamaha 225 is good also the nice touch it will therefore be a story of the ear for some and of depth and touch for others,, o of course the grand feel touch would be the best but to my knowledge I have only seen this touch on the kawai mp11

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! Thanks for sharing your thoughts/insights! You are correct that the MP11SE is the only current portable model to feature the Grand Feel action. In terms of the debate between the ES120 and P225, I personally agree with your sentiments. But, it is a matter of subjectivity of course. Every player has their own preferences when it comes to tone and touch. The most important thing is to find an instrument that satisfies your specific musical needs. :)

[@octave4854]

Can you please make a video about modx8+

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for the suggestion! We will add it to the list and do our best to tackle that for you in the future. :)

[@JoeLinux2000]

Does anyone know if the es120 would have latency issues when combined with Pianoteq?

[@MerriamPianos]

There are many factors that can affect latency, including CPU power and capability. Pending everything is of a high enough spec, there should be no (or minimal) latency when using the ES120 as a MIDI controller.

[@greentea-u2k]

Will you review the P145? maybe even compare it to the old p45. I'd love to see Stu tackling it. Great quality as always, never fails to entertain me

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for the suggestion! We will do our best to do so, but we have quite a few videos planned that are in the queue at the moment. All the best! :)

[@mattelvislindsay1326]

The p145 is actually more of a upgraded version of the p125. Even though the p225 is supposed to be that. The only thing is the p145 doesn't have as many sounds as the p125 but other than that it is definitely upgraded and sounds slightly better actually at least on the main piano sound​@@MerriamPianos

[@aljosa212]

Why you dont make a review of some Korg digital pianos, for example Korg D1 which is in this price point?

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for the suggestion! We will do our best to tackle Korg models, but we are not Korg dealers, so it is a bit tougher to tackle those models.

[@josephj6521]

Great review Stu. I have an idea. We selected our digital preference by comparing acoustic pianos in the store. Surprised how great they compared. Could you review the Kawai digital with a Kawai acoustic and same for the Yamaha? Unsure if it’ll be worthwhile.

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! Thanks so much for the suggestion! That would be a very cool video to tackle. I will pass the suggestion along to our production team.

[@mfurman]

Great idea!

[@hyperseah]

I guess the next logical comparison would be against a PX-S1100? 😁 It would be interesting to get an opinion on the short key length of both.

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for the suggestion! We will do our best to tackle that comparison. I believe it is already on the list of comparisons to tackle soon. ;)

[@mauriciopianista]

Does p225 use the same sound engine of p525?

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi there! They are not the same sound engines. The P525 is more advanced and offers additional concert grand patches as well as more sophisticated resonance/expression modelling. You can review these differences with the following spec chart: ca.yamaha.com/en/products/musical_instruments/pianos/p_series/p-525/specs.html#product-tabs

[@watcher9987]

Can't vary split point in es120...real bummer split at middle C..

[@MerriamPianos]

Not all pianos offer adjusting the split point unfortunately.

[@watcher9987]

@@MerriamPianos actually most do

[@m3rc743]

You can adjust it only on the app

[@sofiarovetto8967]

Hello, Can you help me to choose a Keyboard, I am between Roland fp 30 and the yamaha p225

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! It really comes down to a matter of personal preference. They are both solid pianos! With that said, I favour the Roland FP30X due to the PHA4 action. I find the FP30X's action to be more authentic feeling in comparison to the P225.

[@Roberto-qb2dj]

Ciao Stu, li ho provati entrambi ma mi sarei aspettato qualche cosa di più da Yamaha rispetto al p125a in fatto di campionamenti. E' stato aggiunto solo il cfx e mi sembra più scuro rispetto al suono del p125a I piani elettrici e gli organi sono sempre di alta qualità ma sono gli stessi del p125a. Kawai ha una qualità sonora nei pianoforti più articolata, mentre meno dettagli rispetto Yamaha p225 si trovano nei piani elettrici e soprattutto negli organi. Eccezionali da parte di Kawai gli strings che superano anche Roland e Yamaha. Peccato per i prezzi che distanziano parecchio questi due pianoforti digitali. Qui in Italia il prezzo per Yamaha p225 è fissato ad eur 800,00 mentre il prezzo del Kawai è allineato a quello di Roland fp 30x intorno ai 589,00 eur. Questi pianoforti li ho confrontati anche con Casio px s1100 che per me per caratteristiche e prezzo rimane un best buy. Un saluto dall'Italia.❤

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! As always, thanks for tuning in and sharing your insights! Every instrument definitely has its strong points when it comes to the non-piano sounds. That is why every player will ultimately have a different opinion when it comes to which piano is the "best" out of the options available at this price point.

[@vicmartinez4532]

I think Tsu didn't feel that comfortable with the dinamism of both pianos

[@MerriamPianos]

I'd have to ask Stu as to his thoughts on that, but, every new instrument takes a few moments to get used to its musical output of course.

[@Biozene]

He's been spoiled with the best pianos on the market! :p

[@vicmartinez4532]

His playing is always awesome I believe these models don't have a very good Action

[@pinheiroartur3020]

The Name of the Game - This channel is probably “the best piano channel” in the world….and it’s a pity that Stu stopped to do vst piano programs…but everything His playing is a high taste and skill….no doubt ….A

[@MerriamPianos]

I know Stu appreciates those incredibly kind words! Thanks for tuning in and supporting our channel! :)

[@Boyarin-Bulgarin]

Kawai 👌

[@MerriamPianos]

The Kawai ES120 is an awesome instrument with a great tone! With that said, it all comes down to personal preference of course. :)

[@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12]

I already said this before if anyone has an ES110 and wants to upgrade to the ES120 it might be wize to swop the sustain pedals🎹🎶

[@MerriamPianos]

For sure! That was definitely one perk of the ES110 package. With that said, you can still buy the F10H pedal separately as an upgrade for the ES120.

[@nikooplayer]

I expected to hear more sophisticated and warmer sound from Kawai and I usually don't like Yamaha's sharp sounds, but this time I should say, Yamaha sounded much better. Kawai's sound was very shallow and toys like. I am not sure why.

[@MerriamPianos]

It comes down to a matter of subjectivity of course. With that said, I would also recommend testing out the pianos in person as the onboard speaker sound is quite different than the sound you'll hear from a recorded direct lineout feed.

[@Biozene]

My experience was the same

[@hamedsanborn150]

.

[@hamedsanborn150]

I hear from different comments ES120 is plauged with a nightmarish bug. Start up piano sound is horribly bright until YOU TURN OFF THE EUALIZER in the settings...Seems abysmal for both customers and a big name like Kawai known for warm, rich and dark piano sound. Kawai has really fked up this time. Btw, I do not own ES120.

[@kateskeys]

Mid-range always presents the biggest challenge-

[@MerriamPianos]

It can be a difficult register to capture authentically on digital pianos, but - in my experiences - the Kawai pianos are quite impressive in this regard.

[@antonioperillo1182]

Hallo Stud, for me this competition has as winner Yamaha p225

[@MerriamPianos]

Hi! Brent here! Thanks for tuning in and sharing your thoughts! We appreciate it. :)

[@antonioperillo1182]

@@MerriamPianos Thank you for your answers an I wish you an Happy and heathy New Year 2024!!!!! Hallo Stud and many compliments for your reviews, always so pro and interesting for us musicians....👏👏👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍

[@MK-dg6qj]

Great work! Can you compare them with the Yamaha CK88! That one doesn't seem to have resonance modelling and it's so light so does it have short keys too? How is the bluetooth midi on the Kawai? Is there a lag? Do any of these have Midi2.0?

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks so much! We appreciate that. We will do our best to tackle a comparison with the CK88, but we have several videos in the queue right now. The Bluetooth MIDI on the Kawai is quite good in my experiences. I have not experienced any significant latency with it. None of these pianos are compatible with MIDI 2.0 to my knowledge. That standard hasn't quite taken off yet in the digital piano world from what I can tell.

[@parkthoven]

Kawai sounds more distinctive and clearer than Yamaha~ Also, it seems Kawai has better organ sound than Yamaha, Interesting~~! Yamaha started as a reed organ company and now Kawai digital organ sounds better than Yamaha~~

[@MerriamPianos]

It comes down to a matter of personal preference of course, but it is very tough to compete with the authenticity of Kawai's SK-EX samples. :)

[@abath07]

I think you skipped the Rhodes on the Yamaha.

[@MerriamPianos]

It is possible we didn't cover every single built-in sound. We do our best to show as many sounds as features as possible while still keeping the focusing on the core piano elements (i.e. action and tone).

[@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12]

The Yamaha sounds more opened in the lineout recording in my opinion. This is just threw the video, and me listening threw headphones🎹🎶

[@MerriamPianos]

There are definitely some differences between the lineout and onboard speaker sound.

[@giusgius9299]

thanks to you. I was undecided and now I'm not anymore.

[@MerriamPianos]

You're very welcome! We're glad you found our videos helpful. :)

[@mikejones9480]

Yamaha sounded much cleaner and closer to a live accoustic.

[@MerriamPianos]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! They're both very solid models and every player will have their own personal preference between the two of course. :)

[@gabrielgama2892]

I came here for a sound comparison, but this guy's playing is just way more interesting xD

[@MerriamPianos]

Haha we're glad to hear that you enjoyed Stu's playing! I'll be sure to pass on the kind words to him for you. :)

[@flamenco1231]

kawai just sounds better

[@MerriamPianos]

They are both solid instruments of course, but I tend to lean in favour of the ES120 for its wonderfully-authentic tone. :)

[@flamenco1231]

i nave a yamaha 660 but i really love the Kawai sound@@MerriamPianos

[@lion-on4ty]

waiting for yamaha p525 review

[@MerriamPianos]

It is on the list of candidates for an upcoming review video!

[@DanInTheTO]

Given how long it took for the P225 to appear in Canada once it was available in Europe and other countries, I wish I knew how long we'd have to wait. I've been eye'ing the Kawai ES920 but they just don't seem available and the Roland FP-90x seems REALLY nice but is a bit more than I want to spend. The ES120 does sound nice to me. I don't like the keyboard feel of the P225.

[@mfurman]

@@DanInTheTOIt will be announced in December (probably the beginning of). Michael

[@RyhanLDN]

Shorter keys is a killer and makes playing higher up the keys terrible as it requires far more effort. One of the worst things about Casio and I have no idea why Yamaha has seemingly dabbled into it now.

[@MerriamPianos]

In the case of Casio, one of the goals is to make the enclosure as compact and portable as possible. With that said, the new PXS models are quite enjoyable to play in my opinion. It is definitely worth giving them a shot, but the touch won't be for everyone of course.

[@samcomposer]

Clearly Kawai sounds more digital. Yamaha sounds more acoustic.

[@MerriamPianos]

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