Considered by many to be the best choice out of Yamaha’s highly popular Arius series digital pianos, the YDP162 is a full sounding, realistic playing, and classily attractive piano.
With an impressive set of useful features that are geared towards beginners and experienced musicians alike, the YDP162 is a well-rounded instrument that is suitable for a variety of experience levels. In this Yamaha YDP162 review, we’ll take a look at these features, as well as the pros, cons, and other specifications of the instrument.
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One of the primary advantages of the YDP162 is its traditional look and feel. The cabinet of the YDP162 is larger than many digital pianos, giving it a fuller look, and the GH weighted action keyboard with synthetic ivory keys has a nicely realistic feel.
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One con to the YDP162 would be the fact that at 63.6 kilograms it’s not quite as portable as some other models. Also, the YDP162 does not have the acclaimed three-sensor key action found on Yamaha’s more expensive Clavinova series.
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Our Ratings
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Sound Quality of the YDP162
The central component of the YDP162’s sound is the PureCF sound engine, which starts by taking sound samples from Yamaha’s acclaimed concert grand. From there, the piano’s 20Wx2 internal speaker system ensures that the sound is full and as loud as you need it to be.
To further enhance the sound, the YDP162 comes with an Acoustic Optimizer system that adjusts the acoustical flow, maintaining the proper resonance and enhancing the overall sound.
One feature that many might not think of when considering the piano’s sound is the cabinet. In actuality, the larger cabinet size of the YDP162 allows it to deliver a deeper, more resonating tone.
The YDP162 is capable of 128 notes of polyphony, making it plenty capable of playing any piece without flaw.
Key Action and Realism of the YDP162
Yamaha’s GH (Graded Hammer) key action is widely renowned as one of the most realistic key actions available, and fortunately it’s also what they decided to equip their Arius series with. The graded and weighted keys feel remarkably close to an acoustic piano, and though the inclusion of Yamaha’s three-sensor system would have been a nice addition, it’s still one of the most realistic keyboards on the market.
Another great feature is the synthetic ivory keys, the texture of which is considerably better than the plastic keys of many digital pianos.
Other Features and Specifications of the YDP162
Other features of the YDP162 to consider include its built-in two-track recorder, which allows for you record your right and left hands separately. One great thing about this is it lets beginners record just one hand then play it back, allowing them to practice with the other hand while the piano plays the recording in real-time.
Other features of the YDP162 include a duet mode, a three pedal system, a headphone jack, 10 demo songs, 10 preset voices, 50 preset songs and 900KB of space for users to add their own songs, 10 separate drum patterns, USB and MIDI connectivity, a matching bench and key cover, and a 50 song songbook.
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Yamaha YDP162 Review – Final Thoughts
Besides feeling and sounding incredibly like an acoustic piano, the YDP162’s fuller cabinet is also attractively similar (as far as digital pianos go, at least) to the look of an acoustic piano as well, making it a great choice for the who prefer the traditional appeal but with the advantages that a digital piano can offer. With a realistic and resonating sound, a textured, weighted, and graded keyboard, and a nice variety of digital features, the YDP162 has most everything you need out of a digital piano, earning it our recommendation.