I am facing a difficult decision between P155 and YDP 181. Both keyboards have GH action and falls within my budget. I was practice on school's Steinway S/L back in college, and would like to pickup my piano skill again. I will be using headphone at all time, hence speaker system is not a major concern. The two options I am considering are:

P155 + L140 = 1299 (I found a music shop offers stand for free)

or

YDP181 = 1599

I played P155 at local music store and didn't feel like playing on a acoustic piano. Both key and sound seems to be artificial to me. I am not sure if it is due to the piano stand (they were using z shape mental stand) or the show room. Please share your through on the two piano above or other DP that I should consider.

Thanks!

The P155 has one more velocity layer, key off samples, a slot or a USB memory stick and better controls and costs $300 less

The YDP181 has a wood print finished stand, a key cover, one more pedal and costs $300 more.

If the sound is the #1 criteria then the P155 is slightly better. But for some people they really want their digital piano to look like a small acoustic piano and they have need for three pedals (the P155 has two) so they'd prefer the YDP181 even if it lacks some other features and costs a bit more.

Mechanically the two are the same, look under the stand and you see the same wooden (MDF actually) base.

I think the way you decide is to list the features in order of what is most important to you. Actually write them down. Once you have this list in hand decision should be easy.

One question: If you were using headphones how could a z-stand effect the sound? If you were using the speakers then yes, distance from a wall effects the sound. You need to push both pianos up to a wall to judge the speakers. The space from a wall has a large effect. Just use headphones.

The P155's speakers are OK for practice volume levels where you want to keep the sound low. If you were demoing them in a large space then, that space sucks up sound more then your living rom will. so again you really can't demo speakers in a dealer showroom - use headphones to judge the sound.

Thanks ChrisA,

I am using keyboard speaker at the (big and open) showroom, which might be the reason it doesn't sound like a acoustic piano. Ultimately I will be using headphone with the new keyboard as I am living in a quiet apartment.

Someone else here on this forum was confused about why an older model DP sounded better than the newer model that replaced it. Turned out to be one piano was close to the wall in the showroom and the other was out in the center of the room.

This is why everyone recommends you take some high-end headphones with you.

Even with an acoustic grand piano, the space you play it in matters a lot. The Steinway in the 12 foot square practice room sounds different from the same piano on stage.

ChrisA, what is a key off sample?

On an acoustic piano, when you lift a key a felt damper is placed on the strings to quiet them. The damper makes a slight sound as it hits the vibrating sting. Also the process times time, the sound does not simply wink out in an instant.

A key off sample is a sample of the damper sound. Some DPs play this sampled sound hen you lift a key.

On a real piano the stings vibrate with a larger amplitude if you play louder so the damper hits a loud string sooner then a softly sounding string and it takes longer for the loud string to fully damp. Some DPs simulate this too

key-off is subtle on a piano but you really notice it on a harpsichord. Listen to a harpsichord and you will notice in a second. On the P155's harpsichord you can hear the wooden parts move back to rest position as you release the key