Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards DGX-630 - mixed reviews? YDP-160/P155

Hi guys (who are probably sick of these threads),

Posted an intro thread in the adult beginners forum, this post is the followup as it relates to my piano buying power.

I went for my first shop on the weekend and was amazed to get completely different reviews/opinions from every dealer! The first seller made a compelling argument for the DGX-630 (later discovered that he lied completely - saying it used 5-level sampling!), the next seller dismissed this completely and sung praises of the Yamaha YDP-160. The last place I visited had prices off the charts so I wont even talk about them - and I found a P155 through some online shopping.

Respective best prices I could find are... and these will look astronomical to you guys but, hey, that's Australia:

DGX-630 - $1500AUD
YDP-160 - $1995AUD [I imagine I could get this down]
P155 - $2295AUD [Unlikely I can get it down, maybe 1-200]

Now, my understanding is what what distinguishes the DGX-630 from other GPs is (a) multi-level sampling across different volumes on the keys and (b) an acoustic facade.

I do really like the sound of the DGX-630; maybe even a little more than the YDP-160, but I haven't played enough to be able to appreciate the multi-level sampling and i have read some poor reviews for it. I'm also unlikely to use the 6,000,000 included voices. I haven't had the chance to play a P155 yet.

What are your thoughts, guys? My budget going in to this was $1200-$2000AUD.

And what about CLP330? It has better action than any of these.

DGX630 has more voices and accompaniment function since it's more synth like, while the other 2 are piano like. that's the 1st difference. also, DGX630 is considered as an entry level DP, with Yamaha GHS entry level action, while the other 2 are middle range DP with better GH action. also, P155 and YDP160 are different in the targeted usage: one is stage DP and the other is home console type. so, the price is reflected on the both: less functionality but more a furniture for YDP160 while more functionality (4-level dynamic sampling vs. 3-level on the YDP for example) but less furniture for P155 (for which you'd have to buy a FC3 pedal and a stand separately).

if you have played YDP160, then you know how it feels playing a P155. so, you can compare other specs to see which is the better choice for you. if i were you, i wouldn't consider the DGX.

If you want to read reviews of the DGX 630, look at the threads on the YPG 635 here, it's the same model. I got mine for US $739. It's suggested retail price is $1299, but it's usual price online and stores is $899, so in the US at least you can definitely get a lower price.

The YPG has stereo sampling but not multiple layer sampling. I wouldn't go by the specs and reviews at all if I were you. Most people here don't care for the DGX/YPG series and recommend the P-155 over it, but I tried both in stores and liked the YPG as well, and it was much cheaper.

What the YPG has that the others you mentioned don't are some educational programs which you can use on an LCD screen which can display the score, and offers R or L hand practice. It has hundreds of very nice voices, and has multi-track recording.

It has graded/weighted keys, but they are evidently the lowest of the Yamaha actions. I haven't compared it side by side with the CLP or CVP series, because the Yamaha dealer doesn't carry the YPG, but in the regular music stores I tried it next to the P-155 and I didn't think the difference was worth the cost, and the YPG had the educational features I wanted.

It doesn't look anything like an acoustic, it has all of the controls on the top, so the music stand is set way back, it is a blond colored faux wood with silver details, but does come with a matching stand which it is attached to with 4 screws, and a matching bench.

I'm happy with the YPG as are the few other people here who have purchased it. I think it's the best keyboard in that range. It does have more voices than you may use, but the thing is, to my ear they sound really good.

But the selling point for me was the built-in educational stuff.

Sytadel, I also suggest looking at these keyboards on Amazon if you can find them, there are usually lots of your "average" customer reviews.

The used Yamaha's top of the line keybed. The 630 does not have the same high quality action although some might prefer it because it is lighter.

The piano sampling is better in the 155 too. But the 630 has far more features and tones. IT is almost an arranger keyboard can do auto accompaniment and 1000 other things.

The 155 simulates subtle things like string resonance. Hold a high C key down and wait till the note dies then play a lower C and the higher not you are holding "rings" slightly. In all the 155 is a better piano but the 630 does more then just piano.

My opinion, and I'm still shopping, is the 155 is good if you want a piaono and if you want an arranger keyboard/synth then buy one of those also. If you are playing Synth, you may NOT want the "good" piano style weighted keys. For example if is hard to play a strings or woodwind sound on a piano. and you may want "after touch" on the synth.

The arranger keyboard/synth is great if the goal is making music for video soundtracks and you need it to sound like a band or orchestra and not a solo piano.

I think the 630 was designed for the home user who knows he can only have one keyboard and wants one that can "do everything" butwants a weighted piano keybed, so the keybed is slightly compromised to be lighter to allow playing the non-piaon sounds and to make it overall easier to play. The 530 goes even more in the way of compromise and does not have weighted keys. The 155 is designed as a piano that can do a few other things

Computers change all this. If you have software and MIDI you can get any sound from any keyboard. But then you are tethered to a Apple Macbook or whatever.

With 1-level sampling and a cheap GHS action, the DGX-630 is not very impressive just as a piano. Buy it for the other voices, arrangement and teaching features, but don't expect the piano part to be very impressive.

The P-155 and YDP-160 are both good choices. The P-155 is a "slab" style piano that needs a stand. The YDP-160 is a furniture-style "console" for use at home. But they have the same action (GHE). If you prefer a console, the Yamaha CLP models (CLP-320, CLP-330) are even better than the YDP, although more expensive.

Aside from Yamaha, Roland and Kawai have excellent models which are worth considering. You should try to play them all before you decide.

I have repeatedly tested the DGX-630 and to me it sounds very one-dimensional and boring. For someone who is mainly intersted in playing piano, I would certainly not recommend the DGX-630.

Thanks guys; I know you must be sick of reading threads like this. I tend to do "analysis to paralysis" when making major purchases so I'm sorry if my thread seemed redundant with some of the older, similar threads - I did read them.

I suppose for me my decision essentially boils down to;
- Am I willing to spend a few extra hundred for better "piano" and less "keyboard".
- Does portability matter? (It might - i'm receptive to playing in a band some day!)



Gets to over $3,000 at that point, I'm already feeling guilty about potentially spending over $2,000! My wage is pretty average

If wage is an issue and you think you might want to play in a band, then a stage or portable slab style sounds like a better fit. You can always add keyboard sounds via computer, just make sure they have the appropriate line out/usb, etc. I don't believe the YPG 630 does, but I could be wrong.

You can then look at Casio Px330, Yamaha p155, Roland fp4 and Kawai ES6 since they are portable. The Roland and Casios have quite a few on board extra sounds (200+), while the Kawai model doesn't have as many (30+) though all three of these models have drum rhythms. The p155 does not have drum rhythms and it has the least voices. Wasn't sure if these were in your budget in Australian dollars, but it looks like you've increased your piano budget. The Casio is certainly the most budget friendly and I think it is the lightest weight, too!

Good luck! It's hard to figure out what is most important. Having a definite $ max gives you parameter, though. I believe in the buying the best one can comfortably afford.

I think if portability is an issue and you might want to play in a band, or even have a keyboard you can take out of town for practice the DGX is not for you. Unless you want a 2nd keyboard for portability and piano sound.

For portability, good piano sound and some other sounds, the new Privias might fit the ticket or maybe the Casio CDP 200R, for budge.

The ROland FP-7 is very nice also.

I second the FP-7; it has a nice set of non-piano voices you can use, and they sound much better than the DGX-630 ones. Pretty much all the DGX voices sound digital and compressed, and the piano is is indeed quite flat.

The action on the FP-7 is great as well. Pretty much the only thing you'd be missing is furniture-ish stand, but it's not like the DGX has a great one anyway.