We are looking for a DP for our church, budget is limited to around $1,000. Currently thinking about YPG-635, P140, and DGX-630B. I would prefer a stage piano, but the committee wants easy portability to three different areas of the church so onboard speakers are now a given. Comments and suggestions welcome.
Clyde

I doubt the built-in speakers inside any of those three pianos ware powerful enough for even a medium sized venue. They are about right for the typical 15 foot square home living room but nothing larger. You will need a good stereo PA system. The purpose of the built-in speakers is for practice, not public performance.

If you only have $1,000 to spend you'd be best off buying a $500 piano and a $500 sound system. The overall effect will be much better than what a $1000 piano can do.

Speakers are the weak link, that is where to spend the budget first. Look for a pair of PA speakers with 12" drivers and about 100W amp inside.

I owned a P140 for about a year, speakers are sad little things that won't do anything like what you are asking. I did not even find them satisfactory in my 12x15 home office, so I ran it through my stereo which worked great. I suggest buying an older used P model (P80, P90, P120) which you can probably pick up for $500 or maybe even a bit less, and spending the rest on a good set of speakers. You must already have some kind of PA system, or does the preacher just yell?

ChrisA said: "I doubt the built-in speakers inside any of those three pianos ware powerful enough for even a medium sized venue. They are about right for the typical 15 foot square home living room but nothing larger. You will need a good stereo PA system. The purpose of the built-in speakers is for practice, not public performance."

Give me a little credit, I'm fully aware of that. When it is used in the sanctuary it will be connected to the "house system", in the practice room and the social hall the onboard speakers will be used. What I need advice on is sound quality and keyboard action, not the onboard amp/speaker. I do appreciate you taking the time and effort to point that out though.
Clyde

MarkL, thanks for your reply, I'm not concerned about the onboard amp/speaker as the house PA will be used. I do need to know about keyboard action and onboard sound quality.
Clyde

OK, let's add some further info to make the best use of everyone's time/knowledge. There is a house PA system with a Yamaha 16 channel mixer going to two large power amps of undetermined wattage and then to two large speaker cabinets designed for the Allen organ in the sanctuary. The house system did not respond well when I took my SY77 and SY99 synths there as the uncompressed signal caused some rattling in the speakers. We have the ability to use my PA setup that I use to gig with, Yamaha mixer to Yamaha 265w RMS per channel power amp to a pair of Yamaha S300 speakers (15" woofer, 8" mid, horn tweeter) and a pair of EV SH1502ER speakers (15" woofer and a large tweeter/mid horn). So amplification/speakers is not an issue, I just need to know about sound quality and keyboard action for some guidance until we go to try out some different models in the near future. Due to my experience with the excellent durability of Yamaha gear over the last 24 years (and the ministers own similar experience), we are looking only at Yamaha DPs, we are not interested in Roland, Casio, etc. My wife is the Music Director and pianist, so she will have the final say on keyboard action. Thanks for any input you can give.
Clyde

Keyboard action was great in my opinion, but as you know touch is a personal thing, so the pianist will have to decide if they like it. I think all the P[80,90,120,140,155] have the same GH action and I like them all. I thought the internal sounds were very good for that priced DP. As I recall it had 2 grand piano voices, each with variation. It had split and dual voices, so you can add a wood bass with drum/cybal as a variation on top of one of the piano voices, or choir, or strings, etc. The only thing I did not like about it was the power button was on top where it was possible to accidentally turn it off.

Ironically the guy who bought my P140 bought it for his church. The only reason I sold it was because I had one P90 and one P140 and I could never remember which controls I was using. So I sold the P140 and bought another used P90 so they'd match. If you want to save some money buy a used P120, it's cheaper than the P140 and a lot of people say it had better speakers. I can't say I've never played one. I think the P80 might have had speakers, the P90 does not. You might also watch for the newer P155, I think on sale you could easy get it under $1000.

The OP said: "Currently thinking about YPG-635, P140, and DGX-630B."
The P140 will have "GH" key action. The others have "GHS". There is a split in the Yamaha line between these two key actions. Using current retail prices all the GH keyboards are over $1,000 and all the GHS under $1K. If you could find a P140 for under $1K it would be good. But I bought a new P155 for $960 on sale. But you can't predict sales.

Sorry about not "giving you credit" but you'd be surprised at the number of "which DP should I get" queries posted here by people who have not actually tried the piano, only read the specs.

One thing to look out for, not all of these pianos have a line out jack. Using the headphones is not ideal why to connect to a PA system. Yamaha has all the User Manuals on-line even for the discontinued models so you can check them out.

ChrisA, I've often wondered about the quality of sound from a headphone output to a PA instead of dedicated line outs. I've never had to do so as all the synths I've had in the last 24 years have had line/audio outs. Thanks for the comment about the GH vs the GHS actions as well as your other comments. We hope to go try out some DPs sometime this week, I'll also check and see what's available used or on consignment.
Clyde

So you will be using the on-board speaker/amp - at which point I would argue they become rather relevant to your discussion. No offense, but ChrisA can't read your mind (not that I know of anyway ).

Headphone out to PA is lousy and will not suit your needs. Look for units with line outs. A headphone out must go through a pre-amp before the board to PA. This extra step degrads the sound a bit.

No offense, but neither can you. The rather limited use in the other two locations may or may not involve outside amps/speakers, we have other amp/speaker options available if needed, so IMHO the onboard speakers are of very little concern.
Clyde

Forgive me, but I'm a bit confused over the internal speaker issue. Are they a given, or are they of very little concern? Your budget is rather limited, so our understanding of your position on this rather costly option this is fairly relevant.

Help us help you.

A far as I'm concerned this thread has become a hinderance rather than helpful. Instead of waiting for responses from some nit picking PITA posters, I'll simply rely on my and my wife's hearing and judgement of piano action. Dewster, if you spent nearly as much time on ANY thread having good discussion as you do being a PITA, people could likely benefit far more from this forum. That's it, I'm DONE with this thread, thank you to those others that tried to post informative answers.
Clyde

This is the only way. The best you can hope for here is the get a list of DPs that you should try.

I think you have the requirements such that there are only a hand full of DPs that could work. If you need a DP under $1,000 with built in sppeaks the total list to choose from is small,

The P140 is perfect. It sell for $999 at the few places that still have them the others are:
Casio PX330
Korg SP250
I think that isthe entire list. THe other either cost to much or don't have LIne out.

My Opinion: Find some more money. None of you options are really that great. Buy a REAL stage piano rather then a home paractic DP. For you uses yo should be looking at the Yamaha CP300 or the Roland FP7 or RD700GX. But you seem to prefer Yamaha (maybe for it's brighter sound?) then the CP300 t what youwant. Cost about $2K.

Ouch! Try to help a guy out and he slams the door in your face.

I'm guessing this DP is most likely for The Church of Brotherly Love.

There is some really funny irony going on here.

I'm with Chris on this one...get yourself a real stage piano that can handle being moved around, plus has great built in speakers.

Since you want the Yamaha sound, and with the new CP-series coming out, the CP-300 should be had at a decent price...get yourself a good solid stand, and you're good to go.

Snazzy