I live in a town with a very small music store. I'm trying to make a choice for my first keyboard and your reviews leave no stone unturned! You're also not a music store owner making videos trying to sell me any digital piano... there are so many of those sales pitchy reviews out there and they are not digging into every feature like you do. Thanks to you I now know more about the current keyboard choices than anyone who works in my local music store. Really appreciate your time and effort putting these excellent reviews on YT.
I just bought a Yamaha P-125 and I almost went with the Roland FP-30X. Despite taking lessons on a Yamaha CLP-765, I still prefer a lighter action at home. I also don't like the escapement feel on digital pianos, at all. I also strongly prefer the onboard speakers of the P-125. The Roland sounds fuller, and it's definitely got more power, but there's just a brighter high-end and better clarity because of the speaker placement on the P-125. Thanks for the comparison video and especially for reiterating that a lot of us have different use cases, needs, and tastes. Not all is objective in the world of piano. Cheers!
Awesome congrats! Yeah I've never been a fan of downward facing speakers I know the manufacturers say "it bounces off the floor and sounds AMAZING . . ." Glad the video was helpful! Thanks for checking out the channel, feel free to subscribe
This was a really useful comparison. I've been on the fence between the two (second hand, at this point) but this has helped me to clarify my priorities. I think I prefer the sound of the Roland, but user interface is really important. Makes my decision clear. Thank you.
Thanks so much! Keep in mind the new P-225 is now out and it's even better than the P-125; did my review here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-yF7FLe1dCy4.html Thanks for checking out the channel feel free to subscribe
I'm having trouble deciding between the Roland FP-30x and the Kawai es120. In your opinion sir, which do you think is better overall for a beginner pianist that will stick with either piano for several years?
Hi there! To be honest I have never played (or even seen) a Kawaii so I can't say for sure, but I know the ES110 and now the ES120 are very highly regarded by other reviewers. A store in my area is finally going to start carrying Kawaii so I should be able to rent and review an ES120 in the next few months (I hope!). Without having even seen one, if the user interface is better than the Roland, that would probably win me over right there. Sorry I couldn't be more help! Thanks for checking out the channel, feel free to subscribe
@@PianoTone Thank you for the response! Hopefully you get to try it out soon, and welp, I think I'm leaning towards the fp-30x since it's a bit cheaper. Definitely gonna subscribe!
@@cyzus22 Thanks for the sub! And I forgot to mention, Yamaha has announced the P-125's replacement, the P-225. I haven't seen one yet but reviewed the specs here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LToQWyiv8U8.html
It’s funny, I went downtown Mexico City yesterday (that’s where all the music stores are in Mexico City) to try basically the Roland FP10 vs Yamaha p121 and played both pianos for about half an hour, I totally preferred the p121, I think the sound was better and for me even the action of the keys felt more comfortable on the p121, I even chose the p121 because of the 73 keys that makes the piano smaller and would perfectly fit in my car’s trunk, thanks for the review.
Thanks so much glad you liked the video! I love my 125 but would trade it for a 121 in a heartbeat just for the smaller size and weight :). Thanks for checking out the channel feel free to subscribe
Just seeing this but it's a great comparison, thank you. I was fluctuating between the two pianos and chose the Roland. I was worried about the Roland app issues but the deal breaker (or so I thought!) was that the Yamaha P-125 is being discontinued this year and I had visions of not being able to get it serviced over time... I don't have a gig, so I don't need bells and whistles. I just want to play 60's - 90's and classical music in my home. I'm not a beginner; more like mediocre intermediate.
I think the action and sound are both better the closer they are to the actual acoustic piano. Your fingers would be suprised if your keyboard action is too light or heavy, and your ears will be less satisfied if the tone is too different from the acoustic piano. Which is why I bought an FP-30x for $649.99. Its just incredible, especial at that price. All that said the Yahmaha is really good but is a rung below. Its actually not even fair to compare these two. The FP-10 Roland would be more fair and even the the Roland would win on sound and feel.
Both action and sound are totally a personal preference; there are tons of people that prefer Roland's PHA4 and tons that prefer Yamaha's GHS, and same thing for the sounds. The PHA4 is definitely much closer to an acoustic piano, so if that is something that is important to you, then ABSOLUTELY the Roland is the correct choice. Then for those like me, who don't own (and never will own) an acoustic piano, and the only occasion that I would play one would be for fun at a friend's place or on a public piano etc, whether the action is closer to an acoustic or not is meaningless. I'm more concerned about ease of use, and functionality, and in that regard the P-125 is a clear winner (I owned an FP-30 for 9 months and traded it in on a P-125). My P-125 was very easy to use at band practices, the FP-30's user interface make it very frustrating to use anywhere but at home, and the Yamaha Smart Pianist app is far better than the Roland apps (that they keep replacing). So it really just depends on your personal needs and preferences; in some cases, the FP-30X is amazing and the perfect choice, and in other cases the Yamaha is. They're both fantastic products! Thanks for the comments and for checking out the channel!
Thank you so much for the video. I am a guitarist and want to learn piano. I am wavering between those two models. When you started to play the short songs it was undoubtedly the Roland to me. The sound is clearly better. Also I don´t like the technical downgrade of the newer version P125a that you mentioned in another video.
Yeah the sounds are totally a personal choice, they're both awesome sounds; keep in mind Yamaha has finally replaced the P-125 with the P-225 (should have my review out soon); the audio interface is back and the piano sounds have had a big upgrade to the CFX Grand, and they added Bluetooth audio in. And if you're looking for online courses, I've reviewed a few that worked great for me if you want to check them out: ru-vid.com/group/PL_W0EMCT9oNb7OQ7TiB0WHZv7K4k1bScA Thanks for checking out the channel, feel free to subscribe
Oops! I try to release videos once every week or two and was saving this one for this weekend when I won't have time to make another - I added it to my equipment playlist prematurely oh well :) it will be live this weekend. But thanks for the kind words, glad you liked the comparison! Thanks for checking out the channel feel free to subscribe
As I said in the other comment, PHA-4 action, although initially better than GHS, develops a clicking noise after a few months of intensive playing. I had three digital pianos (including a MIDI controller) and they all had the same problem after a while. PHA50 is a better action and NWX (Yamaha P-515) is by far the best piano action I have used. I bought P-515 after playing acoustic pianos for a couple of months - PHA50 seemed to have been too soft and “squishy” (far from what I experienced on acoustic pianos). As far as sounds are concerned, I have always used acoustic piano VSTs with my Roland pianos. I actually like Yamaha acoustic piano sounds better (CFX on P-515 is very good) and I use my VSTs (Pianoteq, VSL Bosendorfer 280VC and Garritan CFX) much less. I never use any other sounds than one or two acoustic piano sounds.
Great impartial video! I do own an FP-30x and I completely agree on the votes you gave to the UI and the App. Shame, because the companion app should be as reliable as possible, given the sparsity of the user interface.
Thanks! Roland and Casio both need to spend way more time on their apps, especially with keyboards that have sparse UI's; the Casio app is the flakiest; I've had it split the keyboard into L&R with sounds in the left that aren't supposed to even be available in the left :) Thanks for checking out the channel, feel free to subscribe
@@PianoTone To think that this review is almost 1 year old and the app hasn't been improved in the slightest doesn't instil in me high hopes. That said, I'd love to be disproven! :)
Both Yamaha and Roland are great brands - I would recommend watching lots of reviews and if possible trying out different models in stores. Some people prefer Yamaha, others prefer Roland. Thanks for checking out the channel feel free to subscribe
Have you reviewed the P515? I'm thinking that might have been a better choice for me. I like it when you are critical of these pianos. That's what we really need to know. Too often short comings are glossed over.
Funny you should ask that - I'm typing up my review at this very moment on the P-515 (my music store had a deal on rentals so I rented one for a month). Probably take me a couple weeks to get the review up but spoiler alert . . . other than the bulky weight of 50 lbs; it's a fabulous piano. I wasn't sure about the action going in (always felt heavy and potentially tiring in stores); it is heavy, but it's fabulous to play and not as tiring as I expected. More in the upcoming review!
The P515 is one of the best keyboards Ive ever played .. The P125 doesnt even come close . The key response is as good or better than any high end clavinova Yamaha sells . believe me ive owned them all including the N3 . Skip the Roland , save yourself the time .
@@PianoTone The P515 is by far better . Ive had both and gave away the P125 to my sister in law . I now own two P515s , One for home practice and one for busking . The extra weight is positivly worth it. I also play a Yamaha CLP 685 at the local hospital 3x a week.. A 6000.00 piano . The P515 response still feels better imho.
@@tedcapellos3676 Wow a 515 for busking; that's a pretty amazing busking setup! Onboard speakers enough for you for that or do you bring an amp/portable PA as well? I use a Bose S1 Pro (battery) pa it's pretty good. Thanks for checking out the channel feel free to subscribe
@@PianoTone I bring along a Bose S1 . I charge it up and along with the onboard speakers its all a keyboardist needs. I also have a Jackery 500 generator for the keybord . All together 3 pieces of equipment for busking.,,
The Yamaha sounds light & the Roland sounds thick which is way better for me thank you! The piano sample of the Roland is from Steinway while CFX on the Yamaha thank you!
Yes you can, and with the added benefit that because it has an audio interface built into the USB to host port, the VST sounds come back through the piano speaker and headphones. Thanks for checking out the channel, feel free to subscribe
Oh. I`m trying to choose a first digital piano (actually I know nothing about this) and it feels like hell 🤯 Firstly I was looking for Yamaha P125 because it is a very popular model. But some reviewers said that two sensors sucks and Yamaha`s GHS is not so good, so better choice is triple-sensor models. It is the reason why I`m going to Roland FP-30X as a more technically advanced model. Have to say that in Ukraine the average price is quite similar for the both models: $910 for P125 vs $960 for FP-30X. After watching your review I`m in doubt again 😁
Hey there! As far as the action goes, the FP-30X is definitely more technically advanced with triple sensors, but the action is totally a personal thing. After a few years of my channel and testing out tons of different keyboards my preference towards light actions like the GHS or the Casio smart scaled is purely personal, and lots of people are the other way around, especially if they are looking for something as close to an acoustic piano as possible (which doesn't matter to me). Since this is for your first digital piano, you won't know for sure what kind of action you'll like/dislike until you've chosen one and played it for a significant amount of time. And also if you're brand new, having a user interface that isn't designed for use on a stage doesn't matter much to you. The Roland FP-30X is still going to be a great first piano for you. And if it's around the same price where you are as the P-125, then it's a great value (the FP-30X is 25% MORE than the P-125 in Canada). For a first piano, either one is a great choice I'm sure you'd be happy either way. Thanks for checking out the channel, feel free to subscribe.
@@natalia_zns well, after all its Yamaha P125. Actually it was a surprise present for my wife (she finished a piano music school when she was a child) and she likes it or just pretending, haha 😅There are some reasons why it`s not the FP-30X in my case: - Tony said that Yamaha`s GHS keys have a lighter action and it`s an advantage in my case, because the girls have their nails 😁 And I know that my wife will not play acoustic piano in the foreseeable future, so light-action keys are preferable for her. Moreover, she already knows how to play an acoustic piano. - Also, Tony said that Yamaha is much more user-friendly piano. Indeed, there is no need to connect P-125 with tablet or smartphone, all preferences and adjustments may be easily set on the piano by itself unlike the FP-30X. But if you want to operate with tablet or smartphone, please note that the Yamaha supports only wired connection to devices when the Roland supports BT-connection. - P125 was in the nearest store and with a discount, so i bought it for $850, the cheapest FP-30X was for $940. For the entry level both pianos are good, but further you will need more professional model anyway, so I see no reason for myself to buy more expensive entry-level piano even if it`s a little bit more technically advanced. In my opinion, if you want to learn how to play the piano and planning to play acoustic piano (e.g. at a music school) and if you don`t want to buy a more expensive professional piano in the future, then the Roland FP-30X will be the best choice. But, if you already play a piano, or have no plans to play acoustic one at the same time, or just want to try a good digital piano for the fair price then the Yamaha P125 will be the right choice.
If you can still get a 125 ABSOLUTELY get that instead if a 125a; the 125a is a huge downgrade from the 125 (it’s the exact same piano only they removed the built in audio interface). I did a couple of videos on that issue - here is the first one: Yamaha P-125A vs. Yamaha P-125 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UIsgw_2tWGU.html Hope that helps! Thanks for checking out the channel feel free to subscribe
The Yamaha has less of the bass. I also use an acoustic piano and find the bass louder than the treble when using the same weight . So I have to adjust the right hand louder than the left. I think it all depends on the type of music one plays ?
Yes I agree - the Roland is bassinet, the Yamaha is a brighter sound - they’re both nice, it’s personal preference. Thanks for checking out the channel feel free to subscribe
I had three Roland pianos or MIDI controllers with PHA-4 action: FP-10, A-88mkII, FP-30X. On paper it is a better action but in my case every PHA-4 action developed a clicking noise after 4-5 months. I will not even come close to PHA-4 any more. I did not like Roland piano sounds at all (I also had FP-90X) and always used my VSTs piano sounds instead of internal sounds. As far as all the digital pianos I had, I liked CFX sound on P-515 the most. I am not crazy about piano sounds of P-125 or Kawai (in general). As far as action is concerned, I like NWX for slow pieces (like The Sick Doll by Tchaikovsky) but I actually prefer GHS for faster ones (like Burgmuller’s Arabesque or Bach’s Musette in D Major). Satie’s Gymnopedie No1 is probably easier to play on GHS. I like GHS for learning Blues and Jazz. I am waiting for my P-125 (hopefully without A) now, using a rental P-125. I like simplicity and I never used any other sound than one or two main piano sounds. Thank you, Michael Ps. The static pressures needed to move C4 are: PHA-4 - 64g, PHA50 - 60g, NWX - 83g (C2 - 90g), GHS - 50g
Not sure if you ever play Rhodes electric piano, but the Rhodes on the P-125 is spectacular; it is better in my opinion than the Rhodes on the 515 and the DGX-670; it has more "bark/growl" when you play with more force and in the lower registers.
@@yuuji8447 The P-125 is one of my all time favorite pianos! I did end up selling it though to get a Yamaha CK88 stage piano (same key action, but more features I need for my blues band). But the P-125 is amazing (the P-125a is a downgrade though!). The new P-225 has finally been released - I hope to rent and review that one soon. Thanks for checking out the channel, feel free to subscribe
@@PianoTone already have and turned notifications on, I love your content man, one of the best piano review channels. I’ve decided to just bite the bullet and buy the DGX 670. After testing them myself for an EXTENSIVELY long time at a keyboard store.
I have played on very few acoustic pianos, all of them the upright type. All of them felt much lighter to the touch than my fp-30x, which always felt like it's giving my fingers quite the exercise 😅 I read someplace it closer resembles the feel of a grand concert acoustic piano. After a few years of using it, I'm thinking of switching to a CK88, because I'm kind of fed up with the heaviness of the keys and the key combo setting approach (even setting the volume is counter-productive). But the sounds sound so good :/ I tried a CK88 and while I loved almost every aspect of it, the piano sounds themselves sounded a bit, hmm, weaker? (using the same headphones) I know this isn't a ck88 video though, maybe I should comment on that other video too lol
I recently bought FP-30x. I have to say its app is way overscored in this review - it does not deserve that one score. I am thinking about ability to write my own simple app, fir basic operations. My biggest concern so far was that after about two hours of playing i started noticing weird things. First of all some of the combinations I play in C major do not sound the same way when transposed. Basically I had to transpose in the end because in C major the melody sounded quite flat (some notes were heard as if they were the same note, or very close). Another concern, that after those two hours of training I noticed that the overall sound of the piano started being annoying. It is like if it was too electric - I started hearing some dzzzz in the sound (especially when you hold the button/chord to let the sound flow). The second effect has gone the next day, so I assume it could be caused by listening (while playing) too much of noob-low-quality-piano. Or it was something like an electronic component misbehaving after overheating. It would be too bad to return this piano.
Yeah Roland has had a hard time with their apps - to be honest Piano Partner 2 (app for the FP-30) was better - not sure if that might work with the FP-30X I didn’t think to test it… Thanks for checking out the channels feel free to subscribe
Just because the App is better doesn't make the Keyboard better. If you take out the APP score you have Identical scores for the actual instruments themselves, the item you actually purchased to play. No way in the world I would base my decision on which offers the better app, especially considering there are probably 3rd party apps out there that do a far superior job than both of the ones provided by the manufacturer.
Absolutely; getting the key action that you personally prefer, sounds that you enjoy and will use, and functionality you're looking for are definitely more important (a great app and even a great user interface with a key action you don't like = you don't like or play your piano!). So for me, given that I personally prefer lighter actions, I lean heavily towards the P-125, and since the user interface on the P-125 is FAR better (not even being able to SEE what your current voice is on the FP makes it useless for me in a band), the added benefits of the app just push it that much further ahead for me. If you prefer heavier actions and are just using the piano at home (or if you are using it to perform, you only use 1 or 2 sounds so the lack of a UI doesn't matter as much) then the Roland would be the way to go. Thanks for checking out the channel, feel free to subscribe
@@OldManGamingUK It does, it's just for the piano sounds, so stuff like lid open, lid closed, change the resonance etc (not something I've ever bothered with but some people like this kind of stuff)
Action is totally a personal preference; given the poor user interface on the Roland I would still opt for a P-125a over the FP-30X (a basic mixer with audio interface built in makes up for the features removed from the P-125 and even with that taken into account it would cost less). Selecting sounds with key combinations during a performance makes the Roland unusable for me; if you’re just using it at home, then not as big a deal. Thanks for checking out the channel feel free to subscribe
I have uploaded two videos: Roland FP-10 (PHA-4) action noise test Yamaha P-125 (GHS) action noise test to my playlist (channel) 0 - Yamaha C7 and some tests of digital pianos Perhaps you may find it interesting. There is a certain movement of FP-10 white keys that creates an unpleasant noise that Stu Harrison (Merriam Music) never talked about (as you know he loves PHA-4). Michael
I've only had mine 2 years but it still feels brand new to me. I assume all digital piano keybeds eventually need service though; with moving parts, grease etc Thanks for checking out the channel feel free to subscribe
Yeah when it was the FP-30 they were about the same price then when the FP-30X came it it jumped in price about 25% (although not in every country) so it was often far more $ than the Yamaha; except the Yamaha still came out on top! And with the new Roland FP-E50X (which is a fantastic instrument) for only a tiny bit more than the FP-30X (and less than the FP-60X) I don't see many people buying the 30 or 60 anymore, the E-50 is a far better choice. Thanks for checking out the channel, feel free to subscribe
I just tried the FP60X for a week, which has the same sounds and action as the FP30x and I have returned it and instead bought the P125A. I cannot stress this enough: The Roland FP series sounds electronic and plasticky while the Yamahas sound more like a real grand piano. The difference is so clear to me that I cannot ever justify owning a Roland until they change their piano sounds and/or speakers. Everybody in these videos online says "it's a matter of personal preference" but I don't think it is. Let me tell you that you will not be disappointed with the Yamaha P125 (if you can still get one) but you might be disappointed with the Roland if you have a good ear.
I also prefer the Yamaha sounds to the Roland; the Roland sounds much better through headphones though (I really don't like their downward facing speakers). Thanks for checking out the channel feel free to subscribe
Sounds and touch curve are configurable, Yamaha could add dynamic, but it's still lacking compared to Roland.. and at first sounds like a limited amount of pre-recorded samples. In general, Roland sounds like its been recorded "inside" piano, compared to other piano makers. I use onboard sounds for a quick practice, for the rest - customised Pianoteq8 Standart (with microphone tweaking).
Check out the new version then - the P-225 has Bluetooth audio in and the CFX grand piano! Yamaha P-225 Review ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-yF7FLe1dCy4.html Thanks for checking out the channel feel free to subscribe
