Time for a review of the Yamaha DGX-660. If you have your eye on this piano it makes sense why. Yamaha as a brand is known for making really excellent stuff. One look at the DGX-660 could lead you to believe that the streak continues with it.
Of course, we can’t make buying decisions on looks alone, right? Regardless of how elegant this furniture quality keyboard looks, there are other factors to consider.
Fortunately for you, considering those factors is our job.
We studied the ins and outs of this keyboard to learn everything you could want to know about it. We have since assembled our findings in this guide.
(4.6 / 5)Contents
Important Features
Let’s now take a look at some important features that will help you make your decision.
Furniture Quality Stand
One of the first things that you will notice about the piano has nothing to do with the way that it will actually play.
When it comes to getting an electric keyboard, furniture stands are many people’s gold standard. Acoustic pianos have the natural benefit of doubling as a furniture piece. Keyboards do not have that same benefit.
However, this doesn’t need to be the case. Furniture stands like the one that you get here can be a statement piece in your family room while doubling as a high-quality instrument.
Usually, you have to pay a hefty sum to get a furniture stand. While this unit is not exactly cheap in a general sort of way, relative to industry standards, this is an affordable option.
Granted, as far as furniture stands go, this one is pretty basic. You don’t get onboard pedals the way that many others do.
Still, for the money, there is very little to complain about.
Keys Weighted Like Acoustic Piano
Keyboards often suffer from so, so keys. It sounds almost paradoxical but it is true. The reason for this is simply the fact that there is no natural need for a keyboard key to feel like the key of an acoustic.
Because of how an acoustic piano operates the keys have a natural heft that can enhance your playing experience.
Electric keyboards can feature keys that are as light as a feather if that is what the manufacturer decides to do.
The benefit of weighting a keyboard, as has been done with eh DGX, is simple. Weighted keys make it easy to transition into any piano.
Remember, if you are to take the piano seriously, you probably won’t spend all your time playing only your own keyboard.
In fact, you probably won’t stick exclusively to keyboards at all. Almost everyone that plays the piano will use an acoustic at least some of the time. Weighted keys ensure that you will have no trouble making the transition.
To make things even better, the keys that you get here are graded. This means that lower notes are heavier than higher notes, just as you see in an acoustic.
This is a tiny detail that will definitely make a big difference in the long run.
Onboard Recorder
One benefit of a keyboard is that they make recording your play very straightforward. Or at least they have the potential to do so, especially when they feature awesome onboard recorders like the one that you get here.
This six-track recorder allows you to document your play for posterity. You can also hook the piano up to your computer for further editing.
LCD Display
Another nice thing about the DGX is that you get a nice LCD display. The display will feature the notes of preprogrammed songs for easy reading. You can also download additional sheet music via a USB port.
The feature is really a pretty small one in the long run, but then a good display is also always nice to have.
Concert Quality Sound
Ok. Not really. That is how Yamaha advertises its sound engine though. They design just about all of their keyboards to feature the sound quality of one of their best concert pianos.
The reality is that even a really good keyboard won’t sound like a concert quality instrument.
Still, the effort does work to your benefit. The actual tones themselves that you get here are really good. There is the faintly electric quality that you get with most keyboards, but the piano does have some personality.
Speaking of tone, you will want to note that this unit struggles somewhat at higher volumes.
This is a pretty standard feature of most electric keyboards. While it will play just fine at a regular volume, you may suffer some distortion if you decide to really rock out.
Issues
There were only two issues that we found to be worth mentioning. We already addressed one of them. If you intend to play at high volumes, you might encounter some issues.
We also found that the stand quality itself is a little bit wobbly. It shouldn’t be a huge issue but it is something to look out for.
Pros And Cons
Now that you have read over the features, it is getting close to the time to make your decision. As you decide whether or not to add the DGX-660 to your home it may be helpful to weigh out some pros and cons.
Let’s do that now.
Pros Of Yamaha DGX-660
- Affordable price tag
- Furniture quality stand
- Weighted and graded keys
Cons Of Yamaha DGX-660
- Piano struggles at louder volumes
- Stand is a little bit wobbly
Conclusion
If you are looking for an affordable furniture quality keyboard and stand, this the DGX-660 would be hard to beat. It looks elegant it plays great and it comes from one of the most respected companies in the industry.
Of course, we aren’t trying to say that it is perfect. Despite all of its strong suits, this is still a pretty basic piano. If you want premium features, you have to be willing to pay premium prices though.
The bottom line is that in the world of affordable furniture sand keyboards, you won’t get much better than the DGX-660.
