The Yamaha P515 came out in 2018. It has a better sounding piano compared to older Roland FP 90. The FP 90-X which came out in 2021. It has much improved piano sounds over their 90 with the Pure Acoustic modeling vs the older Supernatural sounds which are also dated sounding. The Kawai ES920 which came out in 2020 has the warmer sound and perhaps the best choice for classical piano. I would choose the Roland FP-90X for more contemporary piano music for rock/pop. It lacks some depth of the Kawai however. With that being said, I prefer the keys of the Roland over both the Yamaha and Kawai. The keys feel more like a real piano with the PHA-50 keys. This is so important when choosing a keyboard.
Una pregunta: sabes de qué año es el Yamaha P125 y si es recomendable a día de hoy ? Cuál es su precio al que se debería comprar ? Siento que Yamaha tiene sonidos más profundos y graves por eso me decanto
Wait what? The FP90X lacks no such thing, because the one thing you can do on it to boost Mids or Lows, is change the soundboard that is being emulated and bam, a much fuller sound. As for the keys, I played the FP90X the other day and own a CSP-170… The P515 has the same action. As the 170 and it is an amazing action to play on. The FP90X had a wider sweet spot for optimal balance of the keys, but at times it did feel a little bit squishy.
I've had the Roland FP90-X since a month after it first was released. I'm continually amazed at the sound and feel of the piano so like the real thing. It is great to use the mic with, simple setup for a small to medium room, no amp to bring anymore for those guys. You can adjust the EQ to get the exact sound you want easily. The controls are simple, great for adding pads or settings behind the piano, easily adjust in the fly. It's a simple, clean look, easy to find things on stage. Just can't say enough good things about this instrument. It's a big change from the previous FP90. I don't regret purchasing this model.
After 3 months wait, the Kawai es920 finally arrived ( demand ). Wow was I floored by its realistic sound. The sound even grows on me the more I play with it. The keys just feel right to me for expression. The best sound for lesser price than Roland makes it a steal. Thanks to the feedback of es920 owners that swear by it, I am a happy owner…..very inspiring.
I'm looking to upgrade my Korg sp280 next year. The Kawai is probably my 1st choice on the list. Really rich sounding Grand piano sounds and the electric piano sounds aren't to shabby either. Being the lightest weight out of the three tested is a plus if you want it for stage use.
I currently own a Yamaha P515 but I have just ordered a Kawai ES920 - after spending an hour playing it at a Kawai dealer. I am getting some arthritis in my little fingers and the action on the wooden-keyed Yamaha I am finding is starting to get too heavy, so was looking for something lighter. But other features which attracted me to the Kawai 1) Overall weight = The Kawai is 11 lbs lighter than my P515 and I take it to jam nights and open mics etc 2) Way less cumbersome on the Kawai for main features. I can transpose with a physical button and balance using physical sliders on the Kawai - this all has to be done via the menu on the Yamaha 3) Having heard both I feel, whereas probably their main 2 piano voices are of similar quality (the Bosendorfer is a favorite on mine on the Yamaha, I almost never use their CFX Grand) - the other pianos and voice patches on the rest of the instruments are of better quality on the Kawai IMO. 4) Kawai has 28 registrations which can be recalled at the touch of a button, yet another great live jamming/gigging feature than Yamaha are missing 5) Yamaha tbh really annoyed me when they brought out the P525 after 5 years and it's almost the same as the P515. Looks almost identical, their newer action which some people have said they don't like, slightly better speakers, slighter higher pixels on the piano, and a few more voices. That's it for 5 years development? The P125 and P45 got significantly better upgrades with visually differing designs in the new range P225 etc. Once I get my Kawai (over the next few days) will probably be looking to sell the old P515.
I came from a 6' grand and today I tested all 3 among others and the ES920 easily beats the p515 in both action and piano sound quality. It was not even close.
Excellent review. I favor the FP90x because the infinite polyphony allow you to experience something that could be equal to the harmonic interaction or resonances off all of the strings of an acoustic paino. This difference is startling. I think that soon this will be the path followed by all digital piano manufactures in the future.
@@TrollMeister_ Bro I bought the fp90x and the black keys are heavier than the white ones by 4-5 grams. I'm kind of frustrated I have to relearn playing all over again .. ;D
I have been playing the 515 for going on two years. Great for the price and small space that I have. Thanks for playing all 3, the comparison is very interesting.
Difficult to judge. I compared the 3 in a shop, my very subjective opinion: Kawai was excluded quite quickly: the sound from the internal speakers sounded more artificial, the key actions were too 'loose' with a bouncing noise when releasing keys. Also, the piano case felt plastic. There was more case vibration noticeable while playing. The Roland and Yamaha were very close. The Roland action felt very nice. However, the FX90 sounded more synthetic in merging and blending multiple key strokes (did not sounded like real piano strings that merge). The Yamaha action felt a bit more heavy, but certainly not to a degree that some reviewers explain. Actually, when playing very quickly the response was the best compared to the other two. With the Roland, when playing very quickly I missed more notes. The Yamaha sounded the closest to my acoustic piano. The thing that holds me is the age of the P-515 compared to the FX90: There is a chance that a new version will come out relatively soon with improved action and more digital features (e.g. wireless midi). Hopefully also with binaural sampling that supports key-off and the bosendorfer GP. Now bin.samp. only supports the CFX Grand Piano and no key-off.
@@nickvledder I am buying a piano for my son who is attending university majoring in piano performance. His level is high compared to many others. We have a Boston grand at home. Which one of these should I get for him as practice piano in his dorm? I am leaning toward the Roland, just because it is newer. Thanks
@@menomusicalbutmykidsare9116 looks like you can't go wrong with any of the 3 but it will be the best to let him try out in music stores and decide for himself. If he is in a dorm consider the weight difference, a lighter one like Kawai will be easier to move around.
What a beautiful time to be a pianist looking for a new board. The choices nowaday are amazing. Es piano is gorgeous, 90x has this closeness or intimacy about it, yammy a bit sharper , in my past awsome sound for salsa gigs. I guess it's down to the keybed for me. Time to hit the store scene.
I'm a jazz pianist and have always had Yamaha digital pianos but wasn't impressed with it in the store. I mean it was like playing the piano I was replacing. The FP90 didn't seem natural.. Not like sitting behind a real grand. But Stu Harrison on Mirium piano's channel convinced me to take a chance on the ES920. Harrison is about the only demonstrater on You Tube I can stand listening to. No offense. Anyway I gig with it 3 to 4 days a week. I really love those Onkiyo speakers they really do it for me. Every month someone wants to know what I'm playing and why it sounds so real.
@@michellemonet4358 yeah a great local jazz pianist whose wife is the vocalist in my band says he loves the sound of the ES920 but not the action. I presume that's what you mean?. But I just played a gig on a Steinway D in a concert venue/piano store Stage7 Pianos Kirkland WA in the Seattle vicinity so it's not like I don't have any reference points I guess. I think it's the relative lightness of the physical action that Yamaha digital owners object to as the Yamaha has the heaviest digital actuation weight. As far as the material of construction hey man I can walk around with the ES920 under one arm! I'm 63 and looking not to introduce any back problems into my musical life.
Today I played both Yamaha p515 and Kawai ES920. I ‘ve played piano for almost my entire life so I know what I am talking about. My personal opinion: Yamaha has definitely the better action in many ways. Travel, speed, touch of the keys. I tested hitting as many times as possible one and the same key: Yamaha p515 was for me the winner. High speed licks: again Yamaha won. (Just my opinion. I appreciate your video!)
Lol the es920 easily...just no question has better action and better piano sounds. Anyone that says otherwise is really a Yamaha fanboy or has stock with Yamaha. Let's stop the misinformation!
I have the Roland FP90X. I Prefer the action and have adjusted the sound with the app to get a more spacious tone. The general midi tones sound better with the new chip prcessing as well. Inthe designer you can adjust the bass frequency ( or mid and high) that the sliders then affect. This can create a vastly different sound to out of the box.
Do you have any resources you could share on adjusting the piano sounds with the app or on-board EQ? I just got my Fp90x and I love the action. But the concert piano sound seems a little synthetic or buzzy sometimes.
Yamaha P515 does not have (47.42) bluetooth midi (i use a widimaster instead). But it has something much beter: a built-in audio interface for (recording) digital out capabilities and connecting an iPad using the internal D/A and the internal speakers. With the great apps nowadays the sounds are limitless.
If I was most interested in software that adds accompaniament capabilities (not as much recording), since a lot of these models don't, what would you recommend? I get the sense that manufacturers are removing on-board accomp. since external software has gotten so good (but I REALLY like it when it's integrated).
Again the Roland sounds the most balanced to me. It does not have that base tone that seems to affect the higher keys also as the Yamaha and Kawai do. I do not like base added to the tone. Those notes speak for themselves. If I had the money I would definitely buy the Roland FP90X but at least I am starting well with the FP30X. Will be receiving it soon!
As much as I agree with you and I did buy the Roland FP90X (mostly because the action is my dream), Yamaha feels more real to me as I own a Yamaha grand piano and it actually does produce more of that boomy bass like the P515 has. The Roland is sometimes how I wish a real piano sounded but is "cleaner" than real life usually is.
Thanks for the review, and for playing pieces that can show off the dynamic range of each model. It was really helpful. I really enjoyed the 3rd piece you played in the acoustic piano section. The 2nd piece as well. Would you mind sharing what they are?
In all fairness, Kawai´s flagship stage piano is the MP11SE...can easily be found around 2000/2100 euros here in Europe whereas the FP90x costs around 1800/1900e.
@@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 hope for you, you will get one soon. I practice 95% of the time with a headphone. Practicing about 5 to 7 times a week, half an hour to two hours.... and here is one flaw of this piano/keyboard....the keys.... it has great key action, but allready had to let it fixed after 10 months.... clicking sound in some black keys.... it was under guarantee, and a good service from the company in the Netherlands where I bought it(Oostendorp muziek)....very satisfied with that.... but this is a point I wanted to tell you...
Kudos to Alamo music for shooting a video with more playing than talking. That being said - It's worth noting that software pianos like Synthogy Ivory II, Keyscape, Pianoteq, etc. surpassed hardware based instruments a decade ago in terms of sound quality, dynamics, and customization. I use a Kawai VPC-1 controller with Ivory, NI Galaxy D, and Keyscape. The Keyscape sample library alone is 77GB in it's full version. To put it in perspective - hardware based instruments still measure their memory in MB. But I guess if you hate carrying around a computer - Yamaha, Roland, and Kawai (as well as many others) have got you covered.
Been exploring these 3 myself as my trusted Yamaha P120 is slowly showing its age. Yamaha's C5 'is slightly out of tune (Yamaha grand, not the Bosendorfer), so that's a No for me. Leaving me with the Kawai and the Roland : Rolands P90s main piano is slightly less natural in the middle range than the Kawai 920 s but the "Rhodes" is way better. The Kawai has the best sound system I ever ever heard. I'm gearing toward the Kawai right now....Haven't decided yet.
Hi, no, Kawai's piano has a very limited dynamic range .(The keys are so wonderfull ..) I "m waiting for the Yamaha 525 . It"s out now but I have to test it first.@@michellemonet4358
This is how digital piano demos should be done. Slow sustained simple chords and notes show how the sound develops over time. Too many reviewers show off their fast playing ability, and even toy pianos will sound OK when played this way.
Seems that the Kawai ES 920 has the realistic grand piano sound, warm and rich. I expected the Roland modern modeling to be better, but after listenting over and over, the sampling is still better. About other instruments like organ, string.. this video does not cover much even though the keyboard majority is a piano, but still I dont have the full comparision picture
Patrick, do you know when the successor of this top model from Yamaha will be presented? Usually every 3 years they update and now 3 years have passed... Summer 2022? I'm waiting for that!
I have an Roland FP90x, I tried ordering the Kawai originally but it was not available here during C. We live on a boat so space is limited and acoustics are hard to find. The Roland is worth the extra to me in comparison to the Yamaha, especially when it comes to the lower tones. The Roland is impressive. Looking for a step up I look at Kawai again as there's something with that sound that another piano just do not have for me. Novus 10 is likely the next instrument as soon as we have more space. I a house I would still go for an acoustic piano. The weight however is a limiting factor for me. In a large house I'd consider Kawai or Steinway Grand pianos
The Sound: I listened through my ear buds, I felt the warmest and most calming sound was of the Kawai, it's like listening to someone playing the piano i.e : From audience perspective but For the Roland's FP90X I hear the buzz of strings's vibrate as If I am the one playing the piano getting all the naunces a.k.a : from a player's perspective The YAMAHA is just meh , as normal as any other older digital piano sampled sound. The Action: Roland's PHA-50 is known to be the most durable Action on the Market along with Kawai's GF-III Action which is not on the ES so I'd go for the FP90X for the durability among these three flagship portable keyboards but if we're talking about the Feel Authenticity compared to Acoustics I have to move my butt to a Music show Room to decide that myself becase it's kinda subjective since not all acoustics feel the same nor all people are the same so don't take anyones word for it, try before you buy 😅
Thanks for the excellent video. I assume we were listening to line out on all the units.? When I just close my eyes and listen to the piano sounds, I like the Y, then K, then R... But I'm half deaf so don't listen to me!
Don't know about the Yamaha but the Roland PHA-50 action (superb action btw) DOES NOT HAVE WOOD KEYS. It's mainly plastic keys with thin wood layers on the side.
The plastic/wood laminate on the Roland is formulated to be very close weight and strength to solid wood and they are faced with a material that is porous like ivory so it feels really nice to play. It's pretty close to the feel of a real piano in my opinion.
I got the fp90x. The black keys are harder to press than the white I'm 100% sure of that. Can probably prove it with weights. Some cassio keyboards have black easyer to press and this is harder... Very strange
i know you all have your likes and dislikes but have you all thought about the speakers on your computers? the best way to find the one for you is go and try all 3 yourself
After listening to all 3 of these back to back i think the Yamaha sounds the best. Such rich elegant sound it produces. It sounds the most like a real piano, the other ones sound more like a keyboard. If i had my eyes closed i would think he was playing a real piano when i hear him play on the Yamaha. Absolutely amazing sound
In my opinion the best is the grand of Yamaha. Very rich and soft bass. The sound as a whole isn't bright but somewhat soft and the most clear. Surely it is better to listen directly. For now my choice is Yamaha P-515. Thanks for music!
They have come a long way indeed - but Software pianos have come further in a shorter period of time and currently are superior in every way except possibly the initial ease of operation. (depending on how computer savvy you are)
I would be better able to utilize this review if I had more information. How were these audios done? Direct line out? Studio mics? Also would love to hear the extremes of the keyboard. Mid ranges sound good, but do they muddy up in the bass or get harsh or glassy in high treble? Lovely songs, but would like to hear wider range of dynamics over whole keyboard. Thank you.
The Yamaha sounds the best by far, such rich and deep sound it produces. I closed my eyes and listened to these and i could always tell the difference and wich one was the Yamaha. Sounds amazing.
The Roland & Kawai have a distinctive sound for every tone or keystroke you can hear each tone on its own if you focused but the Roland is higher in volume , on the other hand for the Yamaha you hear the Mixture of tones dissolved indistinguishably...like a homogeneous solution of tones giving you the Glass of Elixir to enjoy... Yamaha is the smoothest while Roland is the clearest ... I'll Go for the Roland unless there is a Yamaha or Kawai portable keyboard with Modeling in the same price range.
There's no significant difference between the hues, they're all fine sampling. If you're a lounge pianist, Kawai's 2x20 watts of power will come in handy.
Great Review! Wow listening through my studio speakers it is amazing how fat and closer to a real piano the Yamaha sounds and it is older than both acclaimed 2021 technology. Sorry, but through my speakers the Roland is the worst, sounds like a toy, really middy range and truly does not translate the player’s expression like Yamaha. Anyone looking for a digital piano should check this out on proper speakers, not on the phone. The Kaway IMO sounds on in the middle and upper registers, the lows some how sound like stretched samples, quite sterile. Now I understand why many players are looking forward to what Yamaha’s “p615”will be.
PHA50 is not the heaviest action of these three. Yamaha P515 requires ~90g static pressure to move the middle C key. Roland FP-90X is only 60g. Acoustic pianos are usually in the range of 55 to 65 g. ES920 action is (as any Kawai plastic action) noisy (especially when keys are coming up). This review is not objective at all!
@@markrymanowski719 It does not have impact on any measurements - static pressure is measured without power on (it can be on but it does not change the action physical response).
@@markrymanowski719 You have to distinguish action response (static and dynamic pressure to move the key) and sound response. Action of the acoustic piano is checked with weights and does not have direct impact on the sound. I have only taking about action of the keyboard (mechanical response). I will need to read a detailed explanation of this Yamaha piano function. Key touch sensitivity is a software function and not piano action measure (in other words, it is how sound generator responds to key action).
Absolutely amazed that any 'classical' musician likes the sound out of the Roland. The Yamaha and Kawai are STREETS ahead. FP90x Piano sound is just about as synthetic and unrealistic as it gets.
Which of the three keyboards are most durable, not breeaking up or crashing in less than 2 years use. Three of my Yamaha PSR keyboards are all requiring repair now, mostly broken connections or internal electronic breakdowns.
@@DuarteDomingues_Official BTW, the pipe organ sounds absolutely superb on the Yamaha P-515 that I have, at least to me compared to the Yamaha Clavinova 695 Baby Grand that I have too. Love both of them very much but a great sounding pipe organ is important to me so for that voice I prefer the P-515.
Très belle démo, bien construite et bien enregistrée ... je ne regrette pas d'avoir acheté le Kawai, que je trouve très supérieur en sonorité au Roland. Mais le Yamaha n'est pas loin derrière le Kawai !
The Kawai ES920 is missing USB Audio, and the Yamaha P-515 is old and will be superseded soon, so the FP-90X is the only serious option right now (until Yamaha release their new version with GrandTouch-S action in a few months).
Not in you group of pianos, but the Yamaha DGX-670 is unable to sustain the orchestral strings and other similar voices with the sustain pedal. It's a major disappointment. On the other hand, I have no issues with the action on the DGX-670. It is quiet, smooth, and responsive. Very easy to play softly which seems to be a test for digital pianos. Also as an aside , when the CFX voice of the DGX is combined with Pianoteq's Hamburg Steinway, it is one of the most awesome sounding pianos you will ever encounter, acoustic or digital. The tone is thick, rich, and sings beautifully.
@@jasoncisney6366 You connect the piano to a computer via the USB port. You run Pianoteq on the computer and set it to send its output to the piano. Thus on the piano you hear both the piano sound and the Pianoteq sound combined together and it indeed is a great experience. By adjusting the USB audio volume on the piano you can combine the two in whichever proportion you like.
I bought the FP90X mostly because of action, but also I'm not playing classical solo pieces. I think Roland does well in more contemporary styles where the Yamaha P515 sounds more like my real grand sounds when you're playing it. BIG and powerful sounding (lots of bass, but not always the greatest thing to fit in a modern mix/song). I did not like the Kawai keys/action. Anybody looking should physically play AND hear them if possible. It's all subjective. Some people would rather play springy plastic keys on a cheap/toylike synth instead of "real piano-like keys".
My resentment with kawai is that it has always been out of stock -- all CA's, CN's, MP's (except the MP6), ES920. Only the ES110 is available! Why o why kawai?
I went to Sweetwater in played the Roland fp90x and the fp60x and the fp90x has wooden keys in brighter sound than the fp60x dose fp60x has lighter key not as heavy very good in sounds to can't go wrong with either I tried out the Kawai es7 it has good keys in sound on it also tried the Kawai es920 in its keys aren't much very flemsie plastic looking they went cheap all the way around on it before buying go to a store in check them out we all have a preference in sound in play were looking for but this is my thoughts on these keyboards 🤔 I ended up buying the Roland fp90x In the keys seem to me after playing a bit that they wood be too tiring after playing for long do to weight also when I went to sustain its like it would still sustain changing chords at times so I took it back to the store wasn't for me and you got to enjoy a keyboard to play it 😀
at least show on screen which sound you are using on the P515 or ES920. In the 80's and 90's, we were responsible. These days, the new kids are going "who really cares" or "it is what it is"
Was surprised by how terrible the e-piano and organ sounds were on the Yamaha. Like standard keyboard sounds from 20 years ago. I guess they put all their effort into the acoustic piano sounds.
I'm not sure that the P-515 is better than the superb P-255. I'm not even sure if it should be called a portable piano. In recent years, Yamaha has made quite a few bloomers with its actions.
@@rxw5520 anxiously waiting for comoparo with cx88. played 125 a few month back and for some weird reason liked it better than my ES110. Just the novelty of it?
@@user-xy8ec9nw3u , that was my thought as well before watching those reviews in depth. The reviews are actually very honest, and often even favor Kawai over Roland, whenever it's called for. For a great comparison review, watch Merriam Music's comparison of Kawai ES920 versus Roland FP90X.
