Yamaha Recommendations (P90 vs. P120 vs. P250)

[Sam V.]

I need some buying advice.

 

I've done a little reading and searching around this board.

 

Yamaha's site doesn't seem to have the detailed information I need to make a decision.

 

The very most important thing to me is an excellent piano sound and feel. Bells and whistles do not matter.

 

I was leaning toward the P90, but the P120 caught my eye and is only $100 more. The P250 is $1000 more...what are the big differences (besides speakers in the P250)?

 

Any help and advice is appreciated. If this is a dumb question, please help direct me to the site/forum that I can study.

 

Thanks.

 

Sam

[eric]

Sam,

 

One of the regulars on this board named Petros is a serious subject matter expert on the Yamaha P-series pianos. He has written very prolific exposes on their strengths, weaknesses and differences (P90, P120, P250). I think he owns all of them or maybe 2 of each. I was looking for one particular thread that would help, but there are so many out there.

 

I recommend that you click on the "search" link and then type "petros" into the text field. You will find plenty of good reading material.

 

Regards,

Eric

[Mike Martin]

There are many advantages to the P250. Off the top of my head here are a few.

 

- 128 note polyphony (vs 64 on the P120)

- Sympathetic resonance

- Larger sound set including XG

- USB MIDI Interface

- Flash ROM for storing MIDI files

- Pitch and Mod wheels

- 16 track sequencer

- Performance Mode to store you own two sound combinations

- Capable of sending bank and program changes to other MIDI gear

- Larger effects selection

- 5 band EQ

- Larger more powerful speakers

 

Another website you may not have found has more info

 

http://www.yamahasynth.com/pro/p250/index.html

 

http://www.yamahasynth.com/pro/p120/index.html

[eric]

Mike,

 

I was looking at the P250 website. What kind of power cord is used for the P250? I would have presumed it would be the standard IEC type, but it appears in the photo to have a small 2-prong cable like those found on the Nord and Access keyboards. Seems like a light power cable for such a robust keyboard? Or is the photo not truly representative of what is shipping?

 

http://www.yamahasynth.com/pro/p250/image/zoom.jpg

 

Thanks,

Eric

[Mike Martin]

The P250 has a 2-prong power cable, but the the power supply is internal. The P120 and P90 both have external supplies.

[mate stubb]

Sam,

 

I'm in the same boat as you. I have almost decided on the P120 after reading all the threads here. I need to gig, so it's between the P90 and the P120 for me. Based on the P120 having a better Rhodes sound, that's the one I'm leaning towards.

 

Moe

[petros]

Yes, I have a P250 for enjoying at home and recording (Mellow Grand is my favorite of all the P series pianos butit's too heavy for gigging); a P120 for teaching and gigging (its got the more authentic Rhodes); a P90 for gigging (its Grand Piano 1 is more legato than the P120).

See my detailed posts in other threads...

[analogman1]

have a P-250. It's great! Literally worth it's "weight" to move...because, at least for me, the difference in my inspiration and playing is huge!

Go for it. you WILL NOT be dissappointed...

Big T from NY

[guestuserguestuser.com]

Originally posted by Sam V.:

I need some buying advice.

 

I've done a little reading and searching around this board.

 

Yamaha's site doesn't seem to have the detailed information I need to make a decision.

 

The very most important thing to me is an excellent piano sound and feel. Bells and whistles do not matter.

 

I was leaning toward the P90, but the P120 caught my eye and is only $100 more. The P250 is $1000 more...what are the big differences (besides speakers in the P250)?

 

Any help and advice is appreciated. If this is a dumb question, please help direct me to the site/forum that I can study.

 

Thanks.

 

Sam

It's interesting to read other people's reviews, especially if it makes you think of things you didn't think of before. And I also find it interesting to see if other people's opinions are the same as mine, or different from mine.

 

But ultimately, your own needs, ears, and tastes have to be your guide.

[Sam V.]

Thanks for the thoughtful replies.

 

I'm torn, I guess. I really just want something for home and to take on the very occasional outing. My wife and I both play mostly classical piano, and the sound and feel of the Grand Piano is the most important thing. We have an acoustic piano right now, and it just has too many problems.

 

I suppose I'll have to play the P90, P120 and P250 to see how they feel and sound. The audio samples I can find on the internet all sound good, but it is hard to hear subtle differences. I had wanted to spend $1000 and not $2000, so this distinction is very important to me. I found a guy locally selling a P80, stand and case for $800. Sounds like a good deal, but if sound is the issue, it seems like I'd be better off with a P90 or better, right?

 

I appreciate all the advice. I'll keep checking back for more input.

 

Thanks.

 

Sam

[analogman1]

Hi again, Sam...

I chose the 250 because you can really detect all the gradations of touch, like on a "real" piano...the other ones seemed to really fall short. Like yourself, I originally DID NOT want to spend nearly twice the price on the 250.

My suggestion is to take differing types of music with you (say, some baroque and then classical) and try it all out. I think you'll see that the 250 can take whatever you throw at it...the others will fall apart, in terms of touch response.

However, it is kinda heavy, to gig with...but I move it anyway becuase it is just so great playing (and sounding!) Just my .02...

Big T from NY

[guestuserguestuser.com]

You the one hand, it appears that:

 

a) more money buys you a better digital piano

b) newer models are superior to older models

c) other peoples opinions are to be trusted.

 

but it doesn't work that way, in my experience.

 

a) while perhaps true in a general sense, "it depends". It depends on what your needs are, what kind of sound and touch appeals to you, and so on. And of course, other factors like how much you can afford, whether you need to gig with it, whether you need speakers built in, etc.

 

b) again, generally true, but it depends on a lot of things. There may be a feature on model A that you love. Sometimes a company brings out "new and improved" model B, but they dropped the feature that you used to love. Or, they re-designed that feature, and you no longer love it.

 

c) other people's opinions belong to them, and while the other person may not be lying, his/her needs and tastes and experiences might be different from yours.

 

Some people swear by Steinways, others like Yamahas, and so on.

 

I've read that some classical players like the P80. Doesn't mean that you will, but you might

 

So, you really do need to try them for yourself.

[Sam V.]

OK. I went to Guitar Center this evening (Boston) and tried a few of them.

 

My first surprise was how amazing the P90 sounded, even through the crappy speaker they had it hooked to. Of course the P250 felt and sounded great. I was a little disappointed how the lower register tapered off when I held the key down - it sounded very artificial. Finally, I tried the P120, but it was sort of tucked away in the corner, and I couldn't really sit and play it. All in all, it was very noisy in the store, and I felt a but rushed.

 

In general, I think I would be perfectly happy with the feel and sound of the P90. But I'm wondering if I should spring the extra money for a model with built in speakers. I don't own a good amp or particularly good speakers (other than my stereo, which is O.K.). I still can't make up my mind.

 

I'll probably go to a smaller retailer in Boston and try the models in a quiet environment.

 

Thanks again for all the input. I don't think I can really go wrong here.

[p120dUdE]

Get the p120. Heres some of the superb features of the p120:

 

*Graded Hammer weighted action keys

*3 layer 22mb piano with:

~String Resonance(Sympathetic vibrations)

Modelling

~Sustain Modelling

~Key off Modelling

~Soundboard Modelling

*Half Damper Modelling

 

and more. Believe me, the p120 is the bomb!

 

p120dUdE

Owner, West Brook Music Studio

[clusterchord]

i played p1220 and p250 for a few days. if that means anything, the action on p250 is the best i ever played beside real piano. I could play fast arpeggios without mistakes, something i usually cant do on most electronic keyboards incl p120. Bigger sample set on p250 sounds is kind of obvious. Rhodes and wurlie are fantastic, altough the former is too clean , bell-like, great for ballads , and gentle emotional passages. its just to straight/neat to compete with a real mark I. no meat or growl. altough i'd like to have one aside real rhodes. Ac piano is great, but not my cup of tea. i'd prefer a nice steinway b or d samples instead of yamaha. but they really did a great job on sample switching and resonance. one thing that is obvious is dead, sort of linear decay after a certain point.

 

P250 is worth the money in sound/feel dept, but there are weight and portability issues. it's huge!!

[Superbobus]

Originally posted by Sam V.:

OK. I went to Guitar Center this evening (Boston) and tried a few of them.

 

My first surprise was how amazing the P90 sounded, even through the crappy speaker they had it hooked to. Of course the P250 felt and sounded great. I was a little disappointed how the lower register tapered off when I held the key down - it sounded very artificial. Finally, I tried the P120, but it was sort of tucked away in the corner, and I couldn't really sit and play it. All in all, it was very noisy in the store, and I felt a but rushed.

 

In general, I think I would be perfectly happy with the feel and sound of the P90. But I'm wondering if I should spring the extra money for a model with built in speakers. I don't own a good amp or particularly good speakers (other than my stereo, which is O.K.). I still can't make up my mind.

 

I'll probably go to a smaller retailer in Boston and try the models in a quiet environment.

 

Thanks again for all the input. I don't think I can really go wrong here.

Definitely go to another store. In the end, it all comes down to testing these babies yourself, in a quiet store and with the same headphones or monitors on all three models.