Yamaha CLP885 Digital Piano Buyer's Guide - Everything You Need To Know

[@7649angel]

This is a wonderful demo. Thank you.

[@bonnersmusic]

Glad you liked it!

[@sarahneal6601]

Thank you for all of your demos. I've found them very helpful. I've just purchased the Yamaha CLP 845. Really looking forward to playing 😊

[@IOSALive]

Bonners Pianos & Keyboards, nice content I loved it

[@RamingtonSteele]

nice Piano.. nice Video Tony like always

[@theaudioeng]

About time too Tony, that Yamaha have now developed the algorithm to simulate that very important very light touch triggering of tones just as you'd expect on a real acoustic PF. Not sure why it's taken so long to get here, as it's 'only' sensor related to the mech so effectively a SW RDD activity.... anyway, we're here! 🎉 Must try that soon then.....

[@andrewdolphin344]

As always, the best explanations by Bonners. I watched one from a different company a few months back that claimed a massive difference to the 785. I questioned the terminology but never received a response. But you’ve explained the differences clearly. For me the algorithm for the touch would be the obvious upgrade but it’s irritating that it’s not provided as a software upgrade on the 785 but i guess that’s how they keep surviving 🙂 great instrument and video

[@CvS2016]

Tony, Very helpful.... Question - at 14.30 you mention 480 additional voices through an "XG Bank". Can you please provide details. I am thinking of purchasing the 875 but would like to add a few voices that the model does not come with. I can hook up the piano to a laptop but can't find any info on how to actually add voices. Thanks much.

[@Gustavo-x8f3q]

I have a beautiful Kawai GL40 Grand I got brand new a few months ago but looking for a very high quality digital piano for silent practice as I live in a small apartment. I’m stuck between the Kawai CA901, Yamaha CLP885 and potentially the Roland LX9… which would you recommend and what would be the reasoning? I will have the opportunity to test out the KawaiCA901 and the Roland LX9 but not the Yamaha CLP885 (not in stock). Please advise your majesty . Thank you

[@ITPoshLady1]

Hi Tony thanks so much for this video, you are very knowledgeable and you play beautifully also 🙂. I went to the Yamaha Website and compared the specs between the 875 and 885 and I dont' see any difference other than 10amp difference in the speakers and of course the design is a bit different. I am just wondering why there is such a hurge price difference between the two. The Matte Black 875 is $4999 while the Matte Black 885 is $6300. Thats a big jump.

[@anmalder]

Hello! is it possible to lower the bass, is there a custom equalizer?

[@adriankanis8107]

I’m debating buying this885 or NU1XA . Pls help

[@vuthipon]

Seem like Yamaha has add more velocity layer for each 88 notes of the cfx and Bosendorfer samples.

[@adriankanis8107]

I wonder which one is better the NU1XA or clp 885 ? For classical players?

[@Zoco101]

I tried the predecessor 785 and liked it very much. Less impressed by the Avante Guard series, but that may have improved.

[@anmalder]

my hearing is not perfect, but I hear for example the note B of the first octave and the note D of the second octave have a sharp sound, inherent in an under-stretched string in a triad of strings that belong to the same note. this is only what I heard, but it seems there are many such upset notes. how can this be? my ears do not like it. is it possible to tune the strings in each note separately in this piano or is it only possible to choose the tuning method?

[@stevesutherland8247]

I have a Yamaha NU1X which also has binaural sampling, and I use a pair of Bose QC35 headphones. Do you have a CFX Concert Grand or a Bosendorfer in stock at Milton Keynes that I could have a go on to compare the sound through headphones to that of the real thing? Because, honestly, I'm less than impressed. I usually change to one of the voices that don't have the binaural sampling when I use headphones.

[@FelipeVillelafdbva]

I never tried any of those. You should be able to disable binaural sampling for CFX or Bösendorfer in the configuration. Headphone itself can also be a bit personal. I discovered that I don't like closed backs headphones and prefer open backs. I've seen people complaining about binaural sampling in different models or with headsets, so you're certainly not alone in that.

[@anmalder]

i had 625 and recently bought 885, so in my old 625 binaural sample felt just amazing, and in 885 it just sounds like digital conversion, like stereoscopic optimizer. also cfx binaural sounds like untuned piano. i am disappointed and also prefer to listen to headphones with binaural sample turned off. shame on yamaha, they just deceived customers. there are no binaural samples.

[@anmalder]

the note mi of the second octave of the cfx sample is too sensitive, and sometimes very loud, this is not a defect of the keyboard, but a defect of the sample itself, since the other voices have no problems with this note. why does Yamaha allow such problems when sampling? many complain about the bosendorfer, which is very muffled, I confirm this! as if the lid of the piano is closed and 3 blankets were put on it. and also there is a problem with some notes! Binaural samples are nothing more than a deception, since in fact it is an imitation, in my old 625 the binaural sample sounds just amazing, but here it is ugly! it is simulated and not recorded.

[@Yes_Piano]

Bösendorfer voice sounds less good than CFX, there are excessive OVERTONES in the low keys and it's not real, in summary it is an excellent piano, although the price is quite high for the value.

[@TheSunlight74]

I'm curious as to why someone would choose this over an NU1XA, for roughly the same price? NU1XA gives you the 'real' action

[@Zoco101]

I wonder about that too. About eight years ago I tried the Avant Guarde series, all three. The N1 was nice but I didn't like the other two models much. When I tried the CLP-785 a few years later, I was blown away. I can't explain it except that I loved the action, the sound and the look. I could easily forget that it was digital. The CLP-885 promises to be even better.

[@FelipeVillelafdbva]

Well, NU1XA is upright action and not grand piano action. Real action with lots of wooden parts also have a bit more of maintenance/regulation. Here is very very humid, which is one of my fears for acoustic pianos. A third reason is that playing with open back headphone or low volumes, the real action makes way more perceptible "noise". CLP-885, at least on paper seems to have more powerful speakers, has a lot more of voices (I don't care about most of them). 885 also has "Rhythm", which is like a backing band that accompanies your tone changes. It's really nice to use for exercises and even some music you might be learning, much more immersive than a metronome. Exercises can feel like music, even simple scales. I don't know if NU1XA has Rhythm feature, but I didn't find it in the Yamaha website specs. Those reasons might be enough for some people. I have no idea if from 2023 NU1XA to CLP-885 now there's any improvement in modeling or samplings, can't opine on that. And afaik, NU1XA is not being sold in my country, which is the final nail on the coffin for me, personally. (never tried the NU1XA. I have a p-525 but I'm trying to buy a 885)

[@3ull]

Tech, support and quality issues. Hybrids are not there yet in terms of trusted quality. Eventually mechanical issues happen due to having many moving parts.

[@LucianoLombardiMusic]

@@FelipeVillelafdbva I own a NU1XA and I can confirm that doesn't have Rhythm accompaniments. But it's not a big deal: you can import a MIDI or Audio file with a rhythmic backing track on the USB and play it during your practice/performance. I used to have a CLP-585 with that feature, I used it few times but not very often.

[@Gustavo-x8f3q]

@@FelipeVillelafdbva I have a beautiful Kawai GL40 Grand I got brand new a few months ago but looking for a very high quality digital piano for silent practice as I live in a small apartment. I’m stuck between the Kawai CA901, Yamaha CLP885 and potentially the Roland LX9… which would you recommend and what would be the reasoning? I will have the opportunity to test out the KawaiCA901 and the Roland LX9 but not the Yamaha CLP885 (not in stock). Please advise your majesty . Thank you

[@anmalder]

i had 625 and recently bought 885, so in my old 625 binaural sample felt just amazing, and in 885 it just sounds like digital conversion, like stereoscopic optimizer. also cfx binaural sounds like untuned piano. i am disappointed and also prefer to listen to headphones with binaural sample turned off. shame on yamaha, they just deceived customers. there are no binaural samples.

[@anmalder]

the keyboard on the 885 is noisier than my old 625, I'm a bit disappointed to pay so much money to get a noisier keyboard than the regular 625. shame on Yamaha.