Yamaha P105 Review

The Yamaha P105 comes as the successor to the P95 with many exciting features and functions for the beginner to enjoy.

It’s a very approachable instrument with a control panel that’s user-friendly and intuitive enough for any user.

Coming from industry leader, Yamaha, there’s no question of quality here. It’s fantastic for beginners and advanced players alike. It’s also compact, portable and lightweight which means that will easily fit in anywhere.

As long as you keep your expectations realistic concerning the P105, you’re sure to like it a lot. Come with us as we show you around this keyboard.

We’ll show you what we like, and what we don’t and tell you why…

The Yamaha P105 At A Glance – Is This For You?

Here are the major highlights of the Yamaha P105.

The P105 comes with 88 keys and Yamaha’s most affordable hammer action – the Graded Hammer Standard. This is what makes the keyboard feel somewhat like an acoustic piano.

Also, because the action is graded, the keys are lighter on the high notes and heavier on the bass notes.

But, the keys squeak a little. So, don’t expect perfection at this price.

As for sound, Yamaha equips this with the Pure CF sound engine. This is one of Yamaha’s most advanced sound technologies. It’s an excellent sound engine, and it reproduces the sound samples on the P105 beautifully.

For connectivity, there is an array of ports available. There’s a USB to Host port as well as line-level AUX outputs. These can be used for connecting your digital piano to either your computer, an iPad and an amplifier or PA system.

Plus, this 128 note polyphony digital piano also comes with a good number of sound effects. So, there are plenty of options to modify your sounds.

Moreover, the Intelligent Acoustic Control will also help your sound adapt itself to your current volume level. This way, you always get an ideal sound.

The speakers, however, aren’t excellent and they do tend to compromise the sound of this fantastic instrument quite a lot.

And, let’s not forget that this is a compact and portable instrument so making it the perfect companion for a traveling musician.

Do all this work for you? If so, then it’s time to check out the other features of this piano in our full review below…

Features Of The Yamaha P105

Design and Layout of the Yamaha P105

As we mentioned earlier, this is a compact piano, hence the reason it is in the Yamaha’s P series. It measures in at about 52 inches in length and 11 inches in width which is the common size for most portable keyboards.

However, this keyboard weighs 36 pounds, which doesn’t exactly make this piano very portable. Most portable keyboards weigh about 25 pounds.

But then again, this is a compact unit which still makes it a convenient unit regardless of its size. This keyboard will fit in anywhere, be it a studio, a house, a dorm, or wherever.

As for looks, this piano is actually quite aesthetically pleasing in its matte black finish.

But here’s the thing, this doesn’t come with any accessories whatsoever, and that’s a bit confusing to us. There’s no stand, pedal, or adapter in the package at all which is unusual considering the price.

But then you have the option of getting the L-85 stand which also comes in the matte black finish.

Also, if you choose to purchase the L-85, you get the 3-unit pedal which includes the sostenuto, soft pedal, and the sustain pedal. You also get the half-pedaling function with these pedals as well.

Well, that said, the P105 does at least come with a music rest where you can place your music score sheets.

Built-in Tones, Rhythms, and Such Features

The P105 comes with 14 high-quality built-in tones. And you can hear the quality in their sound when you play this piano.

Now, some people might find the number of tones available to be too few. But when you look at things from the right perspective, you’ll notice that it isn’t really a disadvantage.

Yes, some keyboards do come with hundreds of voices. But, that only matters if you’re looking for a keyboard to create music with. This is a digital piano, where the quality of sound rather than the quantity of sounds is more important.

And the quality of sound here is high, plus with the Pure CF sound engine, you can expect a top level of performance.

Yamaha created the CF sound engine meticulously as an exact replica of its world-famous CFIIIS concert grand piano. Now, combining this with 128-note polyphony, you end up with a good sounding piano.

So, when it comes to sound quality, the P105 does well in our books.

Graded Hammer Standard Keyboard

Now, when it comes to the keyboard on the P105, things are quite simple. Yamaha uses one of its most basic hammer actions which is the Graded Hammer Standard action.

This keyboard has its pros in that it comes with tiny hammers in the keyboard. These hammers give the keys a resistance that makes the P105 feel a bit like a classical piano. Plus the action is graded, so there’s a variation in tension across the keyboard, just like you would get on an acoustic piano.

However, there are still a few drawbacks to this keyboard.

It doesn’t exactly feel one hundred percent like an acoustic piano. But then again we know that that’s asking a lot from a sub-$1000 digital piano.

A few things could be improved on, but then again, this piano could cost a lot more as well.

Duo Mode

There are quite a number of Function modes on the P105. There are the Split and Layered functions which you may know about. However, we will focus on the Duo Mode for the sake of the review.

The duo mode is an impressive feature that has some significant benefits. In that it let’s two people can play the keyboard simultaneously.

So that means that if you have to practice for a duet, there’s no need to lug around two separate pianos. The P105 can accommodate two players at the same time.

Plus, this function is great when your learning. Allowing tutors to show their students by actually playing. Teacher and student can then play simultaneously on the same keyboard.

This way of learning is faster and much more efficient.

Connectivity

This comes with a number of ports for connectivity. There’s a port for the USB to Host, and there’s also an auxiliary line out.

With these ports, you can hook your piano to your computer and expand the functionality of your piano. Plus, the lineout makes this piano excellent for performing live.

And now for those who need more technical details, check out the specs of the Yamaha P105.

Tech Specifications of the Yamaha P105

Pros Of  Yamaha P105

Cons Of  Yamaha P105

Conclusion

Overall, the P105 is a quality instrument. The keys actually feel pretty realistic when you compare it with those on other Yamaha keyboards at this price point. The only sad thing is that they are a bit noisy.

The sound is another big plus on this keyboard. Featuring Yamaha’s Pure CF sound engine with samples sourced from one of the companies best concert grand pianos. And, with 14 high-quality built-in tones, the sound is marvelous.

We recommend this digital piano to any pianist who can afford it. The fact that it doesn’t come with any accessories makes it a little out of place in the entry-level category, though.

The Yamaha P105 is a solid and dependable piano. So, if you can afford it, why not?

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