Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Korg LP350 vs Yamaha P85... Anyone?

Hello guys.
I am wondering on how this two DP's different to each other? In fact, I know that the Yamaha is more portable than the Korg, but it seems to me that the Korg produce better acoustic piano sound than the Yamaha. I am totally confused right now. Please help me to decide which one is better for me. TQ.

The Korg SP250 is identical to the LP350 except for the style of the case. If you want a portable LP350 get the SP250.

Which is better? On paper the Korg wins. But you have to look. You just might like the sound or keys on the Yamaha.

Is that true? Never thought of that...
another thing,is there other suggestions on DPs at the same price range?

Based on playing both SP250 and the P-85, I like the Korg better. I haven't played the Korg LP-350. I don't like the touch on the P-85 and from what I remember I did like the touch and sound on the SP-250 which I considered buying. These two things are personal so you have to decide what you like best and what meets your needs. It is a good idea to play everything and figure out what you like and don't like. This is the best way to narrow down your choice. Take a look at Casio Privia as these are in your price range.

Thanks galaxy.
Anyway, I also heard that the keys of the P-85 feel a little less heavier than SP-250. I think this should make the SP-250 a better choice for me. I did not have a chance to take a look on the Privia but I don't know about the Casio or any other brand other than this two, either Korg or Yamaha. How about Kawai ES6? Is it better or not to SP-250?

Boring advice I know but...what you've heard and what you would perceive from personal experience are two different things so, you really need to try them, particularly the Yamaha before dismissing it.

Best wishes,

Steve

Thanks a lot Steve.
Tomorrow I will stop by a musical instruments store and try all of it. Can't wait for that.

Enjoy the selection experience. And as you've already mentioned, try to check the Kawai out as well. I would also chime in for Casio...the PX-130 is quite a bargain.

If I were you I would take a decent pair of headphones...don't use them exclusively but they will help you in your selection process if you play each piano with them.

Good luck,

Steve

Thanks a lot Steve.

I guess I should look for the SP-250 then. Thanks Music Guy. I am going to a music store and test it by myself. Thanks for the advice.

Having played the Korg SP-250, I was immediately put off by the keyboard, which had varying gaps between the keys, and felt rather cheap.

I was told the SP-250 uses a Fatar keyboard...Korg used to use Yamaha keyboards, during, and a short time after, their financial bail-out by Yamaha.

I really liked the P-85, not just for it's "bang for the buck" price, but I really enjoyed the keyboard action, which I call the "Baby Bear's Bed" action...not too hard, not too soft, but just right.

I play professionally, and have been playing piano since a kid, and at 61, I must say, I like an action that is smooth, supports repetition very well, is durable, and does not get loose or noisy with time.

I played an older SP-250 at a jam session a few weeks ago...it sounded like an old typewriter...several keys clicked and clacked and felt loose.

If the piano sound of the Korg was stellar, it might be worth bearing the agony of the keybed, but the piano sound was thin and rather lifeless to my ears, but it does have it's supporters, who, no doubt, have less sensitive ears than I.

I heartily recommend the Yamaha P-85, or it's newest version, the P-95.

Snazzy

I have a P85 as my first weighted piano keyboard. Prior to that I played on a Roland A33. I have very limited experience with keyboards so can't much compare. Still, the P85 feels very convincing and pretty controllable. It has a pretty good dynamic range and the response on subtle notes is there, although I have had a few issues with 'missing notes' where a light key-press or repetition hasn't been registered. I don't know if that's the keyboard's fault or my playing style!

There's also the matter of what you want the piano for. The P85's piano sound is pretty good, quite bright although lacking tonal variations. However, its internal speakers are lightweight and lack any bass reproduction. For live performance it's a bit lacking. The headphone sound is much, much better, although there's a fair bit of noise and it is possible to hear the compression artefacts in the piano samples. It also lacks any line-out, a hideous ommission on a so-called stage piano! For playing at home for your own amusement, the P85 with headphones is a very good choice. I can't comment on the alternatives of course!

If you want to record audio, MIDI out means the option exists to use a computer piano sound. I recently invested in 4Front's TruePiano's virtual piano synthesiser. You can hear the P85 in action on my YouTube page. The most recent recording is through the TruePiano's. My original 'Untrained Pianist' piece is a recording of the P85 through its headphone out and digitally touched up (EQ etc.).

Another vote here for the Korg, I've always found their products to be very well made and competitively priced. The SP250 has a great action same as used on the superb Korg SV1 stage piano. The P85 is a very good piano for the price but if I were to buy Yamaha I go for the much better GH action.

You might want to consider the new Korg SP170 too, some people have said it has better samples than the SP250 (which is quite old now) and it's quite a bit cheaper too. Good luck finding one though, Korgs aren't nearly as common in the shops as Yamaha, Roland or Casio.

Of course ultimately you need to try them and decide for yourself!

Just bought a Korg-250 to practice in my office at work, I think the action is its best feature (I have it on its firmest touch). With the headphones on and the reverb off, the 2 pianos sound pretty good. That said my priority was in touch over sound as this is just a practice instrument, the majority of my time will still be spent on my home acoustic piano.

Thanks guys,
Recently I have been asked to also look for Kurzweil Mark Pro ONEiS by my friend but I cannot find any to test it out. Actually I was expecting to buy the P-85 but the sounds is a little bit disappointing to me. So I don't know anymore what to choose.

I tried to P85 (with headphones), and that's what I did not like:
1. Keyboard GHS is very specific and useful only for slow songs with a minimum of black keys
2. Sounds of a piano is not bad, but they spoil loud bass
3. Faced with a problem - the key after the piano has not played forte

In Korg liked everything except polyphonic (60 - a little) and too rapid decay in the average register

The Yamaha P-85 also has dedicated MIDI in-out sockets, and makes a great controller for other keyboards (I use it to control my PSR-S910),and it's also handy for using with software pianos.

My only beef is with the speakers, so I use the relatively inexpensive (under $200) Logitech Z-2300 speaker system to improve the volume and tone.

I agree with Yuri above...to me the Korg's decay is rather short and unnatural.

Snazzy

The P-85 pedals look so cheap for me (well, for some reason it should be reasonable for its price range). I really don't know that the P-85 keyboard GHS is specific. Considering that this is my first DP, how can I know the graded hammer action in a DP is good because there are some which do not have graded hammer action at all.

I bought the optional stand and three pedal assembly with my P-85, although I like the pianos very light weight for gigging (25 lbs) and the fact it had MIDI. You'll need an adaptor to use it with an X-Stand, and these are available at the dealer.

The pedals are great, and are well made...no problems with them or the piano itself, despite a lot of above average use.

The stand also makes the piano work well as a piece of furniture...I bought the black finished piano and stand.

Some people feel the P-155 is a better piano overall, but since most of us only keep a digital for a few years, I couldn't see paying the extra money for an action that didn't feel any better to my fingers.

The P-85's action is graded.

But, action and sound quality are subjective, as well as intensely personal, so go with what feels best to you.

Quite frankly, I wouldn't give the lower end Korgs a second look, although there are some here who really like them.

It's not really "what's better", but what's better for you and your needs and budget.

Snazzy