Yamaha Disklavier Review

We rated the Yamaha Disklavier a 10/10. The Disklavier is an upright piano with built-in video sync technology. The new Optical Sensor System technology allows for an extremely realistic hybrid sound. This instrument will serve classical pianists very well.

The only big cons we noticed were that 1. This piano is hard to find and 2. This piano is very heavy! We still rated this instrument a full 10/10. If you’re the right person for this piano, you’ll undoubtedly find it a showstopper.

Disklavier Overview

“In 1982, it started with a simple idea. To craft an acoustic piano with a record and playback system unlike any other. More than 30 years of continuous innovation has created an acoustic piano that can faithfully reproduce every nuance of performance and stream it, wirelessly, anywhere in the world. Including your living room.

It’s no wonder the Yamaha Disklavier has become the reproducing piano everyone is trying to reproduce.” 

The Disklavier line of pianos encompasses a wide range of features and styles of pianos. According to Yamaha.com, Disklavier pianos are made with not just one, but two patented systems to suit the needs of any player.

One of the biggest selling points of this upright piano is that it created variations that most other reproduction pianos can’t. It is actually advertised as ‘The world’s most advanced piano’. Any instrument with a big claim like this is worth researching! The Disklavier line actually has hybrid, grand, upright, and digital pianos. 

Today we are going to be focusing on the features of the hybrid and digital pianos from this stellar Yamaha line. To learn more about the uprights, grands, and baby grands from this line, stick around until the end of the article! 

Yamaha Disklavier Upright Piano Features

Video Sync Technology 

Video sync technology allows users to wirelessly record and sync their performances. This feature is available on both the E3 and Enspire Disklavier pianos. According to Yamahaden.com, this is how you connect the video sync to your piano without cables: 

1. Connect an MD-BT01 or UD-BT01 Bluetooth MIDI adapter to the MIDI jacks of your Disklavier. (For E3, don’t forget to select the MIDI input/output you are using: MIDI or USB)
2. Launch the My Music Recorder App
3. Click the gear wheel icon to connect Bluetooth (you’ll get a reminder if you do not already have Bluetooth enabled on your device) 

Please note that the Enspire CL does not have the video sync feature. 

Optical Sensor System 

In Disklavier’s optical sensor system, hammers, and optical sensors work together to create an extremely realistic sound. While some members of the Disklavier line, such as the Disklavier Grand Touch Digital Piano, have no real strings at all, some of the other Disklaviers do. This is such an interesting and unique line of pianos! 

On top of the optical sensor system, Yamaha’s accuplay technology allows very small movements to be detected by the keybed. This leads to the extremely accurate reproduction of sound. 

Measured Attack and Release 

According to Yamaha, the Disklavier is the only instrument on the market right now that has a measured attack and release. There are up to 1042 dynamics available on the instruments. 

Quiet Mode

You can turn your hybrid instrument into a digital one with the click of a button, so you don’t disturb the people around you! Everything will be recreated in your headphones. Another option is to turn on the SILENT piano feature, which will also convert the sound and play in your headphones. 

ENSPIRE Controller App

The Yamaha Disklavier is compatible with smartphones, tablets, and laptops. The ENSPIRE Controller app allows you to adjust settings from your device instead of onboard.

According to Yamaha, the Disklavier is actually the only piano on the market today that measures both attack and release on the keyboard. It has 1024 dynamic levels and 265 total pedal positions that are possible. 

Downloadable Performances 

Hybrid Disklavier pianos can play back thousands of performances to you, such as Jamie Cullum’s, Sarah Mclachlan’s, and Frederic Chiu’s. The Disklavier series has the largest collection of downloadable performances for any piano player. Ever. This line continues to impress me. 

Other Notable Features

• 16 digital voices (All hybrid models)
• Damper and soft-pedal reproduction (all but Enspire Ct model) 
• USB to host connectivity (All hybrid models)
• Built-in Yamaha MSP3 speakers (all hybrid models) 
• Free streaming through Yamaha’s Piano Radio

Yamaha Disklavier Specifications

• Built-in songs: 500
• Available songs: 900
• USB to device: 3
• Auto calibration: Yes
• Size and weight: Varies per specific mode
• Key release velocity: 128 (not available on Enspire Pro)
• Keying velocity: 128
• Incremental pedaling levels: 128 (not available on Enspire Pro) 

Who Is It Suitable For?

The hybrid Yamaha Disklavier pianos are suitable for intermediate and professional pianists. There is so much to discover about these instruments. I feel that it would be too much for beginners to handle, and would suggest a different Yamaha piano such as one from the Arius line (1-3 for $1000), or even, the Yamaha P45 (Find it here for $549) 

E3 Yamaha Disklavier Piano In Action

You can learn more about the Yamaha Disklavier E3 in the following video by Yamaha_Global.

Whoa! At the beginning of the video, did you notice anything odd? I forgot to mention this to you earlier- The Disklaviers can perform pieces, and press down the keys (a-la ghost piano) without you touching the keyboard (The proper term for this is self-playing, by the way). And can we talk about the sound for a second? Absolutely lovely. 

All of the E3 Disklaviers are self-playing pianos with the silent feature. They also have recording capabilities. Down at the bottom of the piano, you can see a screen that tells you when your playing is being recorded/ written onto the disk. Again, I have to emphasize how good the details fiber optics pick up are. 

Pros and Cons

Pros

• They are extremely versatile pianos 
• The keys are made of spruce, making them feel heavy and high-quality
• The soundboard is made from spruce as well, improving the overall resonance of the instrument
• The hybrid nature of these instruments gives you the best of both words
• This technology can’t be found in any other instrument line on the market 
• As your instrument ages, the Disklavier line pianos still get Yamaha updates
• The hybrid models have a physical control unit, with features such as record, playback, and the inputs and outs in order to connect your piano. From here you can access MIDI, USB, and analog inputs and outputs 
• The control units on the Yamaha Disklavier are easy to navigate/use 
• You can control the Disklavier on your Ipad, or smartphone using the Disklavier controller app via the Apple App Store. This controller feature is really handy if you want to turn on your music and sit back while the self-playing piano sets the mood

If you are looking for the best of both worlds when it comes to digital pianos and grand pianos, in my professional option, the Disklavier line is your best bet. This technology can’t be found anywhere else. From the optical sensors to the biggest performance play-back library (on any piano ever) you can’t go wrong with the Disklaviers.

There are all the connections you need, and then some. Having the separate control unit and Disklavier controller app makes it easier to navigate the technology you have on hand. 

If I typed out every single ‘pro’ of the hybrid Disklavier pianos in this section, you’d fall asleep! (Or, I’d get carpal tunnel from writing for so long…) Anyways. The point is, there is a lot to like about these instruments. So check them out for yourself on the Yamaha site here.

Cons

• The Yamaha Disklavier’s price is quite steep 
• You can not find the Disklavier pianos on Guitar Center or Amazon
• The Enspire CL does not have a lot of the sought-after features, such as the optical sensor technology, and calibration 
• Many of these pianos are available in-store only, so you won’t get the convenience of having it delivered to your door
• These instruments are quite heavy

There honestly aren’t very many cons besides the fact that A. these instruments are expensive and B. they are downright difficult to find! Some of these pianos are more expensive than a car! The instrument from the Yamaha Disklavier with the most cons is definitely the Enspire CL, as it is missing recording, playback, and high-tech keybed technology. 

Another con is that you can hardly find any Disklavier pianos available for delivery. Perhaps it is because the pianos are so large and expensive. If you are looking to have a piano delivered from an online supplier like Amazon, Guitar Center, or Sweetwater, this one might not be your best bet. 

Circling back now to the price, While many of the Disklavier’s are upwards of $25,000, this is a steal when we compare them to the Steinway self-playing models (which run $110,000 and up). With that kind of money, you could buy a whole house!

The last con is that many of these pianos are very heavy. The Yamaha Enspire CL is over 620 pounds! And, instruments from the E3 are over 700 pounds! 

While the Disklaviers suit intermediate and professional pianos, they aren’t made to travel. The Disklavier lines are best saved for locations where they will remain stationary, such as in a classroom, or living room. 

Quick View 

The Disklavier Piano Family

From upright pianos to baby grands and even concert grands, this line is SO expansive. Here is a list of the acoustic pianos in this line. 

• Yamaha DC7X ENPRO Disklavier Enspire (Pro Grand Piano) (In store only)
• This oneYamaha DGB1K ENST Disklavier Enspire (ST Grand Piano)  (In store only) 
• Yamaha DS67 ENPRO Disklavier Enspire (Pro Grand Piano  (In store only) 
• That one Yamaha DGC2 ENST Disklavier Enspire (Baby Grand Piano)  (In store only) 
• Yamaha DGC1 ENST  Disklavier Enspire (Baby Grand Piano)  (In store only)

The baby grands from this line include reinforced, full-length ribs, which makes the sound lush. Both the full-sized grands and baby grands are made from extremely high-quality quarter-sawn spruce. The workmanship in these instruments is truly remarkable. 

Other models from the Disklavier line include 

• DGB1K
• DS67
• DGC2
• DGC1

And while this model can’t be found online (either, sigh) the DUI from the E3 series is a highly sought-after model. This one is an upright that comes with built-in speakers. 

The Yamaha Disklavier price varies widely depending on the model. Most start around $25,000 or above, with the DGC2 and DUIE3 hovering around $27,000 and $28,000.

The following instruments are hybrid/ digital pianos from the line:

• Enspire Pro 
• This Enspire ST
• This one Enspire CL
• DKC-900

Other hybrid Yamaha pianos outside of the Yamaha Disklavier line that you may like include:

• Avant Hybrid
• Silent Piano
• TransAcoustic

Yamaha Disklavier Conclusion

In conclusion, the hybrid pianos from Yamaha’s Disklavier line are beautiful instruments all-around. They have state-of-the-art technology and a unique design that has absolutely no rivals. 

Still haven’t found the right piano for you yet? Come back next week to learn about the Donner DEP-10!

Music quote of the week: 

“If Music is a Place — then Jazz is the City, Folk is the Wilderness, Rock is the Road, Classical is a Temple.

-Vera Nazarin

10Expert Score

We rated the Yamaha Disklavier a 10/10. The Disklavier is an upright piano with built-in video sync technology. The new Optical Sensor System technology allows for an extremely realistic hybrid sound. This instrument will serve classical pianists very well. The only big cons we noticed were that 1. This piano is hard to find and 2. This piano is very heavy! We still rated this instrument a full 10/10. If you’re the right person for this piano, you’ll undoubtedly find it a showstopper.

PROS

• They are extremely versatile pianos
• The keys are made of spruce, making them feel heavy and high-quality
• The soundboard is made from spruce as well, improving the overall resonance of the instrument
• The hybrid nature of these instruments gives you the best of both words
• This technology can’t be found in any other instrument line on the market
• As your instrument ages, the Disklavier line pianos still get Yamaha updates
• The hybrid models have a physical control unit, with features such as record, playback, and the inputs and outs in order to connect your piano. From here you can access MIDI, USB, and analog inputs and outputs
• The control units on the Yamaha Disklavier are easy to navigate/use
• You can control the Disklavier on your Ipad, or smartphone using the Disklavier controller app via the Apple App Store. This controller feature is really handy if you want to turn on your music and sit back while the self-playing piano sets the mood

CONS

• The Yamaha Disklavier’s price is quite steep
• You can not find the Disklavier pianos on Guitar Center or Amazon
• The Enspire CL does not have a lot of the sought-after features, such as the optical sensor technology, and calibration
• Many of these pianos are available in-store only, so you won’t get the convenience of having it delivered to your door
• These instruments are quite heavy