Yamaha Arius YDP 145 Review

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9.5
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We rated the Yamaha Arius YDP 145 a 9.5 out of 10. This brand new Arius model is an elegant space-saver that is excellent for serious beginners to advanced intermediate players. We love the fact that it has a built-in 2-track recorder and the ever-popular CFX grand piano voice in the sound bank. 

We wished it had a few more sounds for the price, but minimalism seems to be Yamaha’s style with this one. This instrument is a great buy, especially for serious players who are working in smaller spaces.

We rated the Yamaha Arius YDP 145 a 9.5 out of 10. This brand new Arius model is an elegant space-saver that is excellent for serious beginners to advanced intermediate players. We love the fact that it has a built-in 2-track recorder and the ever-popular CFX grand piano voice in the sound bank. 

We wished it had a few more sounds for the price, but minimalism seems to be Yamaha’s style with this one. This instrument is a great buy, especially for serious players who are working in smaller spaces.

The Yamaha Arius YDP-145 is an 88-key digital piano with weighted keys, a GHS keyboard, and the sought-after CFX concert grand sound. 

Fun fact: The abbreviation YDP means Yamaha Digital Piano!

The Arius line of pianos has been around since 2008. The Yamaha YDP-145 is the newest member of this line and was first released this year alongside the new Yamaha YDP-165, which you can check out here.

Overview

yamaha arius YDP 145 cost

Features

Tone Escapement

The YDP-145 has tone escapement. If you’ve a frequent reader here on Best Piano Keyboards, you probably already know that tone escapement was originally a feature inside of grand pianos, to help the hammer come away from the string after a key is played. In the realm of digital pianos, it simply means that that satisfying little clicking noise (and feeling!) will be present in your instrument. 

For those coming for a strictly acoustic background, this feature will help add that extra ‘je ne sais quoi’ in the digital instrument. 

Built-in 3 Pedal Unit

This Arius model comes with a full 3-pedal unit, and supports half-pedaling.Separate/external piano pedals often wear out faster than hefty built-in pedals like these, which are of a high quality. 

VRM Lite Technology 

VRM, or virtual resonance modeling is Yamaha-designed technology which aims to recreate acoustic sounds as accurately as possible. 

According to the brand,

“In a grand piano, when the damper pedal is pressed, all the dampers are lifted, not just those of the strings you are playing. The vibration of the strings you are playing are transmitted to the other strings and the sound board. The sound resonates throughout the entire body of the instrument.

The VRM (Virtual Resonance Modeling) technology recreates the distinctive sound of a grand piano by faithfully simulating the complicated interaction of both string and soundboard resonance.

Depending on the timing of keys being played and the timing/depth of damper pedals when pressed, VRM produces various resonant sound, and allows for richly-varied playing expressions.” -Usa.yamaha.com/support

Other features include: 

  • Compatibility with the Yamaha Smart Pianist App
  • Internal MIDI recording/ two tracks
  • Built in songs
  • Sheet music and backing tracks for 50 classics
  • Included music rest
  • Sterophonic optimizer
  • Reverb, chorus, and brilliance effects
  • Simulated ebony and ivory keys

Specifications

yamaha arius YDP 145 review

  • Weight – 83.75 Pounds
  • Dimensions – 4.2 x 6.1 x 5.4 inches

Who Is It Suitable For?

The Yamaha Arius YDP 145 is most suitable for serious pianists, from beginner students to advanced musicians. If you want an instrument to ‘just play around on’ the price is probably too steep, and the technology too complex. 

If you want to learn classical techniques from the get-go, then this new and shiny Arius model might just take the cake!

The YDP 145 in Action 

Check out this video to hear the YDP 145 for yourself! Pianist Gabiel Aldort guides us through the ins and outs of this beautiful model here.

You can also check out the small but might soundbank in this all playing, no talking video (also with Mr. Aldort).

Amazon Ratings

This model has a rating of 4.7/5 on Amazon.com. So what did the buyers have to say? 

Positive ratings: 

  • It is great for experienced pianists
  • The minimalist instrument will not add too many bells and whistles for new piano students who trying to focus
  • It fits well in a small space
  • It has a great sound
  • The rosewood color is beautiful and matches the customer’s home
  • The action and feel is close to that of a real piano
  • Everything is good quality

Critical ratings: 

  • It takes a while to assemble but is a nice instrument overall 
  • The internal settings can be difficult to adjust without the help of a manual: It could be more intuitive

Pros and Cons

yamaha arius YDP 145 Keyboard

Pros

  • This is an expressive piano with a rich sound
  • The dynamics on this keybed are impressive
  • It is a great model for many different kinds of players, due to its GHS and full-size keyboard
  • It has a heartilty-build pedal unit
  • It has a full pedal unit with half-pedaling support
  • It comes in 3 different colors: white, black, and rosewood
  • It has a high amount of polyphony
  • There is onboard recording
  • It comes with the same internal song pack as the other Arius’s, including 50 classic pieces and over 300 tunes
  • This piano makes an obvious choice: More quality, less quantity

Cons

  • It is quite expensive 
  • It does not come with the most advanced VRM (Virtual resonance modeling)
  • The sound bank is small
  • It does not have a key cover
  • It does not support Bluetooth
  • Unlike some of the comparable Arius’s, it only has GHS, rather than GH3

The main cons to the YDP-145 are that it is pricey, and that it doesn’t have a large sound bank, key cover, or the full virtual resonance modeling like some of the other members of the Arius family. That being said, I believe that the Yamaha Arius YDP 145 cost is high, but  justified! Unless you are a pro musician, you probably won’t notice too much of a difference between the quality of the original VRM versus the VRM lite, and GHS versus GH3. 

Comparable Instruments 

For comparable Yamaha instruments, check out the following:

  • The YDP-184
  • The YDP-165
  • The YDP-S55
  • The YDP-S35

If you are looking for a similar instrument with a key cover, try the S35. So, if you are in the market for a higher level piano, try the Clavinova line. In this case, you are looking for a comparable instrument outside of the Yamaha band, try test driving:

  • The Kawai KDP 120
  • The Roland FP 30x
  • The Casio Privia PX-870

Quick View 

Keys 88-key GHS keyboard
Touch sensitivity  Yes: Hard2/Hard1/Medium/Soft1/Soft2/Fixed
Sounds 10 total sounds
Recording capabilities  Internal MIDI recording / Two tracks
Metronome Yes
Polyphony  192 notes of polyphony
Speakers 2 x 8 W
Headphones 2 headphone outputs available: Headphones not included
Accessories Yamaha YDP-145B: Bench, Owners manual, Classics Book and power supply  included on Sweetwater
Price point  $1,299.99-1,599.99

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Yamaha Arius YDP 145 is a beautiful new model that has a lot to offer to a wide variety of audiences. 

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about this instrument in this Yamaha Arius YDP 145 review.  Come back for more reviews and curiosities soon!

References

Virtual resonance modeling quote.

9.5Expert Score
Yamaha Arius YDP 145 Review We rated the Yamaha Arius YDP 145 a 9.5 out of 10. This brand new Arius model is an elegant space-saver that is excellent for serious beginners to advanced intermediate players. We love the fact that it has a built-in 2-track recorder and the ever-popular CFX grand piano voice in the sound bank. We wished it had a few more sounds for the price, but minimalism seems to be Yamaha’s style with this one. This instrument is a great buy, especially for serious players who are working in smaller spaces.
PROS
  • This is an expressive piano with a rich sound
  • The dynamics on this keybed are impressive
  • It is a great model for many different kinds of players, due to its GHS and full-size keyboard
  • It has a heartilty-build pedal unit
  • It has a full pedal unit with half-pedaling support
  • It comes in 3 different colors: white, black, and rosewood
  • It has a high amount of polyphony
  • There is onboard recording
  • It comes with the same internal song pack as the other Arius’s, including 50 classic pieces and over 300 tunes
  • This piano makes an obvious choice: More quality, less quantity
CONS
  • It is quite expensive
  • It does not come with the most advanced VRM (Virtual resonance modeling)
  • The sound bank is small
  • It does not have a key cover
  • It does not support Bluetooth
  • Unlike some of the comparable Arius’s, it only has GHS, rather than GH3

Videos: Yamaha Arius YDP 145 Review

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