Yamaha DGX650B
Digital Piano
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The Best Digital Piano
Yamaha DGX650B
- Don Makoviney
- Last Updated: August 28, 2015
The Yamaha DGX650B is the best digital piano if you are looking for realistic weighted keys. If you want the best grand piano sound possible, you'll need to purchase an actual grand piano. However, the Yamaha DGX650B is the closest you can get to that sound. It's also reliable, looks like an elegant piece of furniture in your house, and even has some clever features, like USB recording. If you want the best digital piano, the Yamaha DGX650B is the one to get.
Who should buy this?
Let’s be honest, a real piano will always beat it’s electronic counterpart in terms of sound, so give it some though before dropping $1,500 on a digital piano. If you are determined and passionate about learning the piano, have room for it, and have the $cratch, consider purchasing a real piano.
However, you should buy a digital piano if:
- You don’t have enough space for a real one
- You need something you can take with you to gigs, jam sessions, or rehearsals
- You like to play late while others are sleeping, because … headphones!
- You want to record direct into your digital audio workstation.
What makes a great digital piano?
You are going to want a digital piano that is reliable, adaptable to your needs, and sounds as close to a grand piano as possible in a digital environment.
Obviously the piano needs to sound great, but you aren’t going to find a digital piano that sounds exactly like a Grand Piano. In fact, this piano teacher’s review on Amazon is spot on:
If you are looking for a PERFECT Grand Piano sound – then you need to buy a Grand Piano, or spend many thousands of dollars on a Clavinova. If you are looking for a really FINE digital keyboard that can get as close as possible to that lovely and true acoustic sound produced by a grand piano – then this is the one. The sound is fabulous – as true and clear a Grand Piano sound as you are going to get in a digital keyboard. In my teaching I keep it pretty much always on the Grand Piano setting. One thing I’m REALLY liking about it is, in fact, the volume control. I have several students whose voices are not quite as developed or “loud”, and the ability to calibrate the volume of the accompaniment is helping greatly in my instruction.
User Reviews
My wife and I purchased this digital piano for our 13 year old son; he has not stopped thanking us and is on it 2-4 hours per day, while on holiday break. Easy set-up and very intuitive – easy to use controls. Very realistic sound and great response from the keys. He plays an upright piano at the studio where he takes lessons and says the Yamaha DGX-650 keys feel the same.
Another user review had this to say:
I wanted to buy a good digital piano for my daughter so she can practice at home. Also, when time permits, I could play for fun. As the experts say all the time, touch and tone are most important for any digital piano and my budget was to find a good compromise under a thousand dollars. There are many brands and models in this price range but Yamaha has the most brand reliability.
All in all, the DGX-650B is pretty much everything I would need in a great, reliable, digital piano. It is what I would buy.
Of course, this video is also very inspirational, and gives you a good overview of the sounds and capabilities of the piano:
Gig-Friendly Options
If you want to read some great feedback on digital pianos from a guy who spent a ridiculous amount of time comparing and contrasting different models, check this out.
We liked the specs and features of the Kawai ES100, and when we read the comparison post mentioned in the previous paragraph that pretty much sealed the deal. But make sure you get the latest models with the appropriate pedal fixes. He notes:
I, and many others, think Kawai ES100 is the best portable option as piano-simulator below 1000 US$ at the present moment. But, problem is that first group of unit produce have a defect were the pedal have considerably delay (around 0.1 seconds). If you want to buy, make sure you get one of the last models where they fix this issue.
Tell Me If There's A Deal For This
The Best Digital Piano
Yamaha DGX650B
Important Specs
| Dimensions | 58.9 x 21.5 x 12.8 inches ; 83.6 pounds |
| Color | Black or White |
| Matching Stand | Yes, included |
| Screen | LCD (large) |
| Keys | Graded Hammer Standard |
| USB | Audio Recording and Playback |
| Auto-Accompaniment? | Yes |
| Sound Engine | Pure CF |
| more specs |
Synopsis:
The Yamaha DGX650B is the best digital piano if you are looking for realistic weighted keys. If you want the best grand piano sound possible, you'll need to purchase an actual grand piano. However, the Yamaha DGX650B is the closest you can get to that sound. It's also reliable, looks like an elegant piece of furniture in your house, and even has some clever features, like USB recording. If you want the best digital piano, the Yamaha DGX650B is the one to get.
Portable Digital Piano
Kawai ES100 88-key
The Kawai ES100 is generally considered to be the best portable option as piano-simulator below $1000 at the present moment. But, problem is that first group of unit produce have a defect were the pedal have considerably delay (around 0.1 seconds). If you want to buy, make sure you get one of the last models where they fix this issue.
Sources
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Editor, Digital Piano Blog, 20130819
Yamaha DGX-650 Review“Yamaha has certainly done it’s homework and made some great improvements over the old model. The piano sound [...] is certainly much improved. The new features are certainly worthwhile additions, particularly the USB audio recording facility.”
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Daniel Richter, Piano World, 20150206
Comparison of Portable Digital Pianos under 1000 US$ - Buying Guide for 2015“I, and many others, think Kawai ES100 is the best portable option as piano-simulator below 1000 US$ at the present moment. But, problem is that first group of unit produce have a defect were the pedal have considerably delay (around 0.1 seconds). If you want to buy, make sure you get one of the last models where they fix this issue.”
-
Ben Taylor, TIME, 20140123
The definitive guide to digital pianos“Good digital pianos will do whatever they can to imitate the hammers of a real piano. If you spot the word “weighted,” you’re already on firmer musical ground (unless you see “partially-weighted”…which is a cheaper, less desirable option). Even within this category, there’s still a wide-range of quality, but these products can at least call themselves “pianos” without losing sleep at night.”
Important Specs
| Dimensions | 58.9 x 21.5 x 12.8 inches ; 83.6 pounds |
| Color | Black or White |
| Matching Stand | Yes, included |
| Screen | LCD (large) |
| Keys | Graded Hammer Standard |
| USB | Audio Recording and Playback |
| Auto-Accompaniment? | Yes |
| Sound Engine | Pure CF |
| more specs |
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