YAMAHA P525 Digital Piano, 88 Weighted Keys (P525WH)

Touch sensitivity
I’m happy I sprung for this option since the touch sensitivity mimics acoustic pianos. The sweet sound as my fingers glide versus the sharp sound of the digital keyboard I used a few times as a child are night and day.

Weight
The weight of the keys feel nice and are reminiscent of playing an acoustic piano, which is all a beginner can ask for.

Value for money

Sound
I’m not an expert concert pianist, however, the Grand Piano 1 and 2 options fill the room with rich, warm sounds that are similar to those of my teacher’s upright piano.

Ease of use
Very user friendly, I only began playing less than two months ago and the settings on the piano haven’t been that difficult to understand.

Size
This digital piano felt a big for me when I got the box in the mail, so that’s one thing to consider. Since the P-45 does take up a bit of space.

This piano was beginner friendly and I’ve learnt to enjoy playing more after being able to practice properly. I think this is a good starting point for a piano student who really wants to learn and is above the age of 12, as children have much smaller hands.

Got this for my wife for Christmas, as we had elected to sell her upright acoustic piano a while back due to the difficulties of keeping it in tune. I spent several days researching a few different Yamaha P-series models before settling on this one. While they are all excellent digital pianos, this one has a few features that make it worth the difference in price.

They all have a great feel. Yamaha spent a lot of time getting the weighting on these keys to feel as much like their acoustic grands as possible, and having sat down at a C5 myself a few times over the years, I can say that their work paid off. This really does accurately capture the touch of a real piano.

The other thing they spent a lot of time on was the sampling. Unlike a lot of much cheaper options, every individual key on a Yamaha grand was recorded for sampling, and each key is playing back its corresponding sample as opposed to saving a bit of space on a drive somewhere and using a single sample for a range of keys. This is most evident when you’re wearing headphones and playing because you can hear the coloration of the sound provided by all the unique internal reflections at a particular string, and the little bit of sympathetic vibration of the surrounding strings that occurs in a real piano. Your immediate though might be that this isn’t a good thing… but that’s what real pianos sound like and part of why you can often hear the difference between a real piano and a cheaper digital copy.

The other thing that stands the Yamahas head and shoulders above others is the touch sensitivity. There is a wide range of “velocities” available, allowing for nearly the same flexibility dynamically that a real piano has. The faster you press a key, the harder the hammer hits the string which changes the tone… except there are no hammers and no strings, just more magic in the sampling and playback process.

Speaking of playback… this is the lowest model in their lineup that offers “full duplex” audio through the USB connection. This means you can connect the piano to a computer for MIDI capture or audio recording, but the computer can also play a backing track simultaneously that you can listen to through the headphones. This is an indispensable feature if you’re planning on recording because it allows you to listen to a click (or whatever other tracks you might want) as you play and record.

I have not yet played with the iPad app, but I’ll update this review if there’s anything worth noting.

The only Not Amazing thing is the included sustain pedal. The P-225 ships with an FC5 Foot Switch “for sustain and other momentary (on/off) functions.” It’s fine. It works as advertised, but it is not elegant in any way. The biggest advantage it has is that it is exactly what it says it is, i.e. a “momentary” switch. It can be used for anything you might want to control with a momentary foot switch and can plug a 1/4″ TS connector into. So, as a sustain pedal it is “functional”… but you can get creative with it and that’s kinda cool.

Se ve genial, espero sacarle mucho provecho, aunque aún soy principiante quería tener un piano digital para tener la mejor experiencia de este bello instrumento 😀

Agrego:
Ya tengo un par de meses con mi teclado y estaba emocionada porque por fin podría usar mi suscripción gratis a flowkey que se menciona en un folleto incluido en mi pedido (solo me faltaba el cable para conectar el piano a mi laptop. Gran decepción me llevé al intentar activarla porque resulta que no está disponible en mi país (soy de méxico), pero siento que sería justo dado que compré el producto en una tienda de estados unidos, que respetaran este tipo de promociones o bien que hagan las aclaraciones pertinentes si saben que van a ofrecer el envío de sus productos a otros países con promociones que no serán válidas.

Aún así mi piano me gusta mucho y trataré de sacarle el mayor provecho posible…

TL;DR: The Yamaha P225B is a compact digital piano with superb weighted action and realistic CFX grand piano sound, perfect for experienced players seeking a space-saving alternative without sacrificing quality.

I approached the Yamaha P225B with skepticism and hope. I was pleasantly surprised on all fronts.

Action: The Graded Hammer Action (GH3) is a revelation. The keys respond with nuanced weight and sensitivity, mimicking the resistance of an acoustic piano with impressive accuracy. From delicate pianissimos to thunderous fortissimos, the P225B translates every minute expression with remarkable fidelity.

Sound: Gone are the days of tinny, artificial piano tones. The P225B boasts Yamaha’s renowned PureCF sound engine, meticulously capturing the rich, nuanced timbre of the flagship CFX concert grand. The stereo sustain samples add breathtaking depth and realism, replicating the sympathetic resonance of an acoustic piano with stunning authenticity.

Features: The P225B has features that enhance practice and performance. The metronome is a welcome addition; the ability to layer different voices or split the keyboard opens up creative possibilities. Bluetooth connectivity allows for effortless music playback or integration with learning apps.

Aesthetics: The P225B’s sleek, minimalist design complements any decor. The matte black finish is fingerprint-resistant and lends a touch of sophistication. The compact size makes it ideal for smaller spaces, yet it retains the presence and elegance of a traditional piano.

Verdict: The Yamaha P225B is a game-changer for pianists seeking a high-quality digital piano. It delivers an authentic playing experience, stunning sound, and many features in a compact and elegant package. For me, it has rekindled the joy of playing, proving that digital pianos can truly capture the essence of an acoustic instrument. Highly recommend the Yamaha Stand accessory.