YDP184

This piano has a wonderful sound, looks great and has great features. HIGHLY recommended!

I'm a professional pianist and teacher who believes strongly in the advantages of using an acoustic piano. So I didn't purchase this one to play on - I'll use my grand piano for that. But I am also a composer who uses a DAW and digital notation programs, and needed to replace my Roland digital piano after 35 years of use. This Yamaha was a good replacement for it, and I appreciate the slim design that takes up very little space, considering it has a full set of pedals and a cabinet and a full sized keyboard. The action is very decent, and that's a compliment coming from me, because no digital on the face of the earth is ever going to match what can be done on a good acoustic piano. It's like comparing apples and oranges. You can't. But Yamaha did a good job of coming as close as they could. The recording of the tone is also good (sorry, but that's what you're getting with any digital - you are not producing the tone, like you are on an acoustic, you're hearing a recording of an acoustic.) So yes, I highly recommend this digital for those who want or need one. However, for those of you who are shopping for a piano for your kids to begin lessons on, for heavens sake get the real deal and shop for an acoustic -- and Yamaha does make very good acoustic pianos as well. Speaking as a teacher of the instrument at all levels for well over a half century, I can tell you that there is simply no way to develop a good technique on any musical instrument if you have no control over the tone you're producing on it. Which is why teachers like me who teach thru the advanced levels will not even take students who only have a digital. They're going to be too limited by it. And if you want to get one for them anyhow, then get one like this, that has good weighted keys and a decent touch and action. Getting a cheap digital is a huge mistake -- those aren't musical instruments, they're just glorified toys and absolutely worthless for any serious purpose. The tense technique they'll develop will keep your child from ever getting much beyond the intermediate level, and that won't be played well. What you learn on matters.

Pros:-Easy Assembly-2x8 Watt speakers is plenty for home use and still packs a punch (Lower registry will be felt in your chest at higher volumes) in a smallish 10x10 foot room.- Despite what some youtube reviewers and piano forums say, GHS weighted keys provide a “close enough” approximation to an acoustic piano. I grew up playing on a $20k Schimmel baby grand and can tell you the key action is not the same, but it is absolutely close enough for novice / intermediate players.- Looks great. Someone would walk into the room and know it was a piano, and not a digital keyboard.- VRM Lite is exceptional and really does give the feeling of sympathetic vibrations.- Won’t ruin relationships having to get friends and family to help you move it- Piano sound is a 9/10 from the speakers, and a 11/10 with a good pair of headphones.- Just expensive enough to be quality without breaking the bank. You are buying the best price to performance in this range.- It is quite easy to forget you aren’t actually playing something with strings.Cons:- A lot of Digital Piano Forums and YouTube reviews paint the GHS and 8W speakers in a bad light which gave me crazy buyers remorse in the time between ordering and receiving the piano. Once I had assembled the piano and played on it for a while, all buyer's remorse melted away. I really like this piano especially in this price point.When buying this piano keep in mind the following.- The GHS key action is different than an acoustic, but isn’t bad, and will still feel lively and expressive.- if you are a beginner or intermediate player the Keys will be just fine- If you are an accomplished enough pianist to be held back by the GHS keyboard then why are you looking at entry level digital Pianos?- The VRM lite is a wonderful feature and worth getting in the 145 over the 144- It is easy to forget you are playing a digital Piano.