UK Piano Page Piano Forum

Hi,

I'm considering buying a digital piano for teaching on and am interested in the Yamaha YDP-S30 and Arius.
I've been reading info on the Yamaha website and they appear to be very similar but in different cabinets?
Do these pianos have the same piano sample? Are there any differences appart from the cabinet?

I will be using one of these to teach on. I teach from beginners to Grade 8. I have the Garritan Steinway piano vsti which I will be using with one of these pianos.

Is this a good setup to use?

The specs beteen the YDP-S30 and the YDP140 range are similar.

The YDP-S30 range is a slightly cut down version of the other range, both physically and tonally.

The YDP140 model has extra things like "Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) Keyboard with Matte Black Keytops" which is a nice bonus, but the most important things is the dynamic AWM sampling that is used for the digital piano's voices as well as a few extra effects options. TheYDP-S30 uses standard AWM sampling. This will make a difference. THE YDP160 uses GH3 hammer action keyboards which are even better.

As I say, touch-wise identical between the YDP-S30 and the 140, same polyphony.

Hi. Thanks for the rely.

Aren't the Arius YDP-140 and YDP-S30 in the same range? I though the Modus was a different range to both of these?

Yes - I have editted my post so that it actually makes sense.

I was talking about MODUS and ARIUS when I really meant "YDP-S30" and "YDP-140" which of course are in the ARIUS range. I was talking about them correctly by the end of the message. Anyway, read over the post above now to get the right message! The points I made are correct tho' - it's just that you'll be able to understand what I meant to say!

Hi,

I've been doing a bit more research and it appears that the YDP-140 and S30 both use the AWM Stereo Sampling. Is this different between the YDP-140 and S30?
From what I can tell from the Yamaha website the only differences are the cabinet and matt black key tops (YDP 140)!?

But bear in mind that the YDP140 has AWM Dynamic Stereo Sampling!

This makes it a more expressive piano because greater care has been taken during the voice recording phase to accomodate some of the dynamic (from a musical sense) nuances that you would get on a real piano, e.g. ppp, pp,p, mp, mf, etc.

Obviously, current technology can't cope with every possible nuance of an acoustic piano but a digital can have a good stab at it!

However, the YDP140 is still moderate entry-level and as the two models are so similar, I'd trust my ears in seeing whether or not the dynamic sampling makes a bigger difference.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. I ended up ordering the YDP-140 which I managed to get for £467 incluing delivery. I don't need the piano to have the greatest samples because I will be using the Garritan Steinway with it!

Thanks for the info and advice.

i am having the exact same dilema please can you tell me where you bought the ydp 140 from at that price including delivery as I have looked everywhere (i think!)

thanks

malteser wrote:i am having the exact same dilema please can you tell me where you bought the ydp 140 from at that price including delivery as I have looked everywhere (i think!)

thanks

I have just noticed that the price has gone up since I bought it. It was this Normans Music. Looks like it's now gone up to £500!

£500 is still not a bad price! Still... you can't really rely on local traders to stay constant with their pricings. Prices usually go down for special offers to introduce interest and then go up again when customers have been hooked. Have a look around and see if you can get any cheaper - you can never be too sure where a good deal will pop up!

The reason for the price increase is due to Yamaha UK putting up its trade prices. Occasionally you will find some very nice deals on specific models, this is when Yamaha UK want to clear some surplus stock and they offer it to their dealers at a discount. The dealers then reduce their prices -- These deals are often found online, not so much in high street shops.

Due to the weak pound (which is affecting pretty much all imports to the UK), and the rising price of materials worldwide it is almost certain that prices are going to go up, and up. The best time to buy is now.

ukpianos wrote:Occasionally you will find some very nice deals on specific models, this is when Yamaha UK want to clear some surplus stock and they offer it to their dealers at a discount.

....which is a nicer way of phrasing my post!

Most dealers do this, particularly when a new line is introduced. I remember the same happening among dealers when the CLP2XX and later when the CLP3XX range were introduced then shot up £200-300 after interest was generated. Although price variations within the context of an unpredictable financial climate is bound to have an affect on primary retail, from a consumer's point-of-view, it makes no difference whether Yamaha cut the price or whether the local dealer cuts the price; the concern is that the deal won't be around forever and you quite rightly say, ukpianos, "now is the time to buy".

Malteser one important point made here is that you must grab the deal when it comes along. We are sending the same message to folks on the acoustic pianos page because, so far, Yamaha acoustic pianos are seeing a steady increase in retail price. Again, suppliers are doing this not the local dealers. Don't spend too long thinking about it or procrastinating but make sure you know what you want, do your pricing homework/research and then be vigilant and ready for a deal.

I'm doing the very same at the moment for a more portable stage piano. One thing I've learned is that it pays to do your homework!

Thank you for your replies but just when i thought I had decided on the YDP Arius 140 my local piano shop threw a spanner in the works!
I have no experience in this field and like many others this is a purchase for my son who has just started lessons. My research is mainly from the internet and reading reviews and forum comments. I finally decided on the YDP 140 and thought I'd better take a look at it in real life and the man in the piano shop completely slated it !! I was shocked, he said it was basically a keyboard in some casing and not a 'proper' digital piano as I had thought it was. He played something on it and then played the same piece on a Clavinova 220 which was miles better but you'd expect that i guess. He played something as loudly as he could with the volume turned to max and with him striking the keys as hard as possible and I really did hear how weak the speakers were or maybe with my lack of experience I felt I could understand where he was coming from and generally seemed to be agreeing with him.
He suggested hiring the second hand clavinova 220 he had on display for around £380 a year with an option to buy it for £800 if i decided to do so within 3 months and have the hire charge 100% deducted, the Clavinova 320 was also in the same price range brand new but he preferred the 220......
what am i missing??? My son had a go at the YDP 140 and also didnt like it but hes 5 and has had 4 lessons aarrrrrrhhhhh!!! My husband went it the next day on his own and came out saying we are definately not getting the YDP140, I am just so confused!
I am happy to increase our original budget from 500 to around 700/800 if the difference is significant or we just go to argos and buy a keyboard for £60 as i am going around in circles and getting nowhere!
By the way whats wrong with this one?
http://www.gear4music.com/Keyboards-and ... -Black/90I

Thanks for letting me rant!

You would probably find more similarities between the YDP160 and the CLP220. The YDP range is a slightly basic digital piano and the YDP-S30 is even more the case. They are entry level instruments built with financial and spatial economy in mind. For your budget of £500 that is really what you can expect for your money, however you'll notice it in the wattage of your speakers, the size of the instrument, voice quality, keyboard action and polyphony to start with.

Some people prefer the CLP2XX range to the CLP3XX range but trust your own ears and ask to try one. Bear in mind that the CLP220 is an older model that will devalue the longer he holds it at the moment so it is undeniable that it's in his own interest to move it asap. Trust your own ears on this one! I will agree with the dealer in the sense that the CLP and the CVP range for that matter are accomplished digitals which can hold their own sound and volume-wise so if you prefer the CLP220 more than the CLP320 then go for it! It's a nice digital piano and better than the YDP140 - no doubt! However, before you decide, for goodness sake try the CLP320 for yourself and don't take his word for it!

Every so often I come across pianos like the one you mention at the end of your message. A company seem to offer an own-brand digital piano at cut prices but the bottom line is, they don't have the technology very often to pull of a digital piano with the sound quality of say Yamaha or Roland. This is why the prices seem to be so low - they just don't compare. Downside also is that you can only get to try one when you buy it - online! They would do if your were desperate but i couldn't see it doing better than the YDPs!