Digital Pianos are always something that needs to be in a clear zone before making your investment.
As these instruments are quite expensive (as Yamaha YDP 143 is priced near $1500) and the kick of buyers remorse makes the situation worst.Β
Luckily, there's few brands that prefer customer satisfaction at its priority rather then some quick bucks.
One such trusted keyboards brand is Yamaha because of its legacy that it has carried in all of itβs music field and the level of innovation that it stems to bring along with it.
Yamahaβs grand pianos have always been upgraded throughout the years and the quality simply reflects on the instruments they make.
One of the perfect example of Yamaha craftsmanshipΒ is The Yamaha Arius YDP-143 in particular that consists of 88 full sized keys and is a hammer weighted grade piano.
The Yamaha Arius is a versatile instrument with many features. This is designed and created for all aspiring pianists and has a βgrand pianoβ feel while putting to use.
The Yamaha Arius (YDP) Series is known for its :
It is not only one of those instruments that look good externally, but also feel good while performing because of its features and accessibility to various upgrades.
It helps you grow each time you perform with it and also allows you to have a musical, authentic experience at home itself.
Reading reviews is 90's, Instead check the video review of Yamaha Arius YDP 143 below π
Detailed Walkthrough of Yamaha YDP 143 Features
Design :
Yamaha YDP 143 Digital Piano excels in authentic feel and so does the overall design too.
There's not much color variant to offer other then "Black Walnut" and "Dark Rosewood". Luckily the updated model YDP 144 comes with 1 more colors options to choose from.
The console style of the Digital Piano adds more realms to the overall feel and looks quite luxurious in any corner of your house.
On one side the console style serves more realistic feel but on the other side it kills the portability of the piano completely.
If portability is a concerning dimension for you then the Yamaha P115 might be the option to consider as both of these digital pianos are quite identical in terms of features and performances.
Graded weighted Hammer (GHS) Keyboard :
The 88 hammer weighted graded keys piano is heavier compared to normal pianos and has an acoustic piano feeling to it.
It provides a smoother and clear mechanism when striking the keys.
This creates a balance with sounds and is the perfect instrument for any person willing to learn the instrument.
Practicing with the benefit of this is helpful as it defines the graded and hammer feel while pressing the keys.
This brings a heavier touch on the low notes of the piano and a lighter touch on the higher notes.
So, there is a balance in tone and volume.
Pure CF Sound Engine :
The sound to the CF engine purely has a grand piano-style to it.
It allows for more variations and expressiveness when you perform a song, making it worthy and adding more value to the instrument automatically.
This engine is reproduced and is combined with sampling technology and expertise.
Piano Pedals :
The piano pedals are foot operated levers at the base of the piano.
This helps and plays a crucial role for a better impact in sound.
This feature gives me the benefit of playing continuous lengthy notes at one stretch.
This provides more clarity and gives an acoustic piano sound overall.
The sound can be prolonged while the pianist presses the pedal while striking a key.
I could automatically notice the subtle change in the way I played while pressing the pedals. There is more clarity and realism in the sound.
Digital Metronome :
The metronome button is placed on the side for having more clarity and judgment for a better performance.
There is a plus and minus sign as well if you need to increase or decrease the speed of the tempo.
This is convenient especially for a beginner and makes you understand the relationship between time and tempo.
10 different sounds available :
YDP 163 includes a variety of sounds which provides more options to choose from.
The sounds included are Grand Piano, Electric sounds and also organs and strings.
When the power is switched on, the'Grand Piano' option is automatically selected.
But, you can change the sound option by pressing the Piano Voice Button for more options available.
β50 Greats for the Pianoβ :
This is a book that is pre-loaded and comes with a variety of songs to practice and engage with.
This is essential for learners and people who want to listen to old classics and have a reference when they play something on their own.
These are iconic pieces that are available in this book. This adds more fun and resonance to many of us.
This worked for me because I had more knowledge about these classics and could refer to them later on.
Digital Piano Controller :
My absolute favorite is theΒ digital piano controllerΒ because it has the advantage of making everything easier with just a click on your phone.
The app of the digital piano controller is optimized for the iOS touch screen phones which adds more usage to your benefit.
All you have to do is turn the iOS device into an intuitive instrument controller.
This will let you access tons of features without using the panel of your instrument. How cool is that right?
You can adjust the settings, choose any type of voice category, and even record your performances.
This makes things easier and could help you if you always have your device around you and you want to make things easier and fun.
Other Notable features in YDP 143 includes :
(Layering) Combinations for creating a good sound experience :
This feature allows combining two different voices together, Layering is a common feature and almost all pianos and keyboards comes pre-built with it.
An example would be piano and strings.
Layering allows for creating outstanding sounds and you can experiment with this as it gives you the sense to create new sounds that you won't ever think could sound good together.
Intelligent Acoustic Control (IAC)
The in-built IAC allows people to play their piano at a low volume.
Before, having this feature wasnβt a benefit as there was a loss in treble and bass sounds.
With IAC, it can automatically adjust the treble and bass for more clarity and depth in sound.
There are adjustments made automatically also to the overall sound of the speaker system which is great for the tone.
Acoustic Optimizer :
This helps in the tone and overall sound of the piano.
There is more smoothness to the sound and this feature helps to bring regulation in the flow of frequency.
So, the sound automatically creates more richness to it. This results in the sound full and well-balanced over the whole frequency range.
The Stereophonic Optimizer :
This feature is cool as you can play and listen to the instrument while you are on headphones.
The Stereophonic Optimizer separates the sound for your convenience.
This results in a realistic sound and unique experience.
Connectivity Options :
βA USB cable can be used to connect the instrument to a computer or even a mobile device.
iOS devices can also be connected here, using the Yamaha UD-BT01, or the Lightning-USB Camera Adaptor.
Recording :
This function of recording songs is built-in and helps record your songs with just a touch to it.
Pianists can record up to 2 tracks for playback, which means that you can separately record both hands for more critical thinking.
This helps you look back at your performance and improve in ways you can.
My Experience with the Yamaha Arius 143β
Reasons To Buy
Reasons To Avoid
Overall, there are more pros, than cons here.
I do feel that the Yamaha Arius YDP-143 is a great start for a beginner and also for someone looking to excel in performance.Β
The realistic sound and the digital features provided along with this instrument are beneficial to anyone and makes it easy for them.
This resulted in me approaching the instrument as there is so much access and creativity to it.Β
There is a great sound quality that can be played anywhere at home, school, or even at the church.Β
Also, the number of upgrades helped me learn faster, and better. This makes the instrument reliable.
What disappointed me a bit is that there's no option to connect Android OS, as it only supports iOS platform.
Overall my experience with Yamaha YDP 143 was really excellent, There's very few digital pianos which resembles the Acoustic Piano feel and YDP 143 simply nails it.
So, If you are serious regarding your musical journey then YDP 143 might be a worthy candidate to opt for.
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Yamaha
Digital Pianos / Keyboards
Thatβs all from our end, hope this review helped you in making an informed decision.
Till then,
Keep Playing and Spread Love.
