| Musical Keyboard Comparisons and Reviews | |
By Brandy Kraemer, About.com Guide
(You can get even more details about each instrument by visiting its full review page.)
Organize by: Price | Number of Keys | Rating
Casio Privia PX-130
Price: $500-$850 | Stars: 4.5
♦ Keyboard features: Graded; weighted
♦ Touch Sensitivity: Yes; 3 settings or off
♦ Polyphony: 128-note
♦ Voices: 16
♦ Layering: Yes; some bass tones excluded
♦ Split: Yes
♦ Reverb / Chorus: 4 settings each
♦ USB / MIDI ports: USB (type B)
♦ Phones: 2 x 1/4"
♦ Sustain included: Yes
♦ Available Colors: Black w/ silver; white w/ silver; red w/ dark gray
Image Courtesy of Casio
Yamaha P95
Price: $550-$750 | Stars: 4
♦ Keyboard features: Graded; weighted
♦ Touch Sensitivity: Yes; 3 settings, or off
♦ Polyphony: 64-note
♦ Voices: 10
♦ Layering: Yes
♦ Split: No
♦ Reverb / Chorus: 4 reverb; no chorus
♦ USB / MIDI ports: MIDI in/out
♦ Phones: 2
♦ Sustain included: Yes
♦ Available Colors: Black; silver
Image Courtesy of Yamaha
Korg SP250
Price: $700 | Stars: 5
♦ Keyboard features: Graded; weighted
♦ Touch Sensitivity: Yes; 3 settings
♦ Polyphony: 60-note
♦ Voices: 30
♦ Layering: Yes
♦ Split: No
♦ Reverb / Chorus: 3 settings each
♦ USB / MIDI ports: MIDI in/out; audio OUT (R, L/mono)
♦ Phones: 2 x 1/4"
♦ Sustain included: Yes
♦ Available Colors: Black w/ faux wood; black & silver w/ faux wood
Image Courtesy of Korg
Akai Pro MPK88
Price: $700 (average) | Stars: 4
♦ Keyboard features: Graded; weighted
♦ Touch Sensitivity: Yes; 5 settings
♦ Polyphony: N/A
♦ Voices: N/A; for use with studio software
♦ Layering: N/A
♦ Split: Yes
♦ Reverb / Chorus: N/A
♦ USB / MIDI ports: USB (type B); MIDI in/out
♦ Phones: No
♦ Sustain included: No, but 2 pedal inputs
♦ Available Colors: Black
Image Courtesy of Akai Professional
Yamaha P85
Price: $500-$700 | Stars: 4
♦ Keyboard features: Graded; weighted
♦ Touch Sensitivity: Yes; 3 settings, or off
♦ Polyphony: 64-note
♦ Voices: 10
♦ Layering: Yes
♦ Split: No
♦ Reverb / Chorus: 4 reverb; 1 chorus
♦ USB / MIDI ports: MIDI in/out
♦ Phones: 2
♦ Sustain included: Yes
♦ Available Colors: Black; silver
Image Courtesy of Yamaha
Roland E-09
Price: $600 | Stars: 5
♦ Keyboard features: Non-weighted/non-graded
♦ Touch Sensitivity: Yes; incremental from 1-127
♦ Polyphony: 64-note
♦ Voices: 870
♦ Layering: Yes
♦ Split: Yes
♦ Reverb / Chorus: 8 reverb; 8 chorus
♦ USB / MIDI ports: MIDI in/out; audio OUT (R, L/mono)
♦ Phones: 2
♦ Sustain included: No
♦ Available Colors: Black; white
Image Courtesy of Roland
Casio WK-7500
Price: $500 (average) | Stars: 4.5
♦ Keyboard features: Semi-weighted/non-graded
♦ Touch Sensitivity: Yes; 2 settings, or off
♦ Polyphony: 64-note; 32 for some voices
♦ Voices: 800 + 100 custom
♦ Layering: Yes
♦ Split: Yes
♦ Reverb / Chorus: 10 reverb; 5 chorus
♦ USB / MIDI ports: USB (type B); audio OUT (R, L/mono); 1/4" inst IN
♦ Phones: 1 x 1/4"
♦ Sustain included: No
♦ Available Colors: Black
Image Courtesy of Casio
Korg SP170
Price: $500 | Stars: 5
♦ Keyboard features: Graded; weighted
♦ Touch Sensitivity: Yes; 3 settings
♦ Polyphony: 120-note; 60-note for stereo tones
♦ Voices: 10
♦ Layering: No
♦ Split: No
♦ Reverb / Chorus: Both
♦ USB / MIDI ports: MIDI out
♦ Phones: 2 x 1/8" / OUT
♦ Sustain included: Yes
♦ Available Colors: Black; white; red
Image Courtesy of Korg
Casio CDP-100
Price: $300-$500 | Stars: 3.5
♦ Keyboard features: Graded; weighted
♦ Touch Sensitivity: Yes; 3 settings or off
♦ Polyphony: 32-note
♦ Voices: 5
♦ Layering: Yes
♦ Split: No
♦ Reverb / Chorus: 4 settings each
♦ USB / MIDI ports: MIDI in/out
♦ Phones: 1 x 1/8"
♦ Sustain included: Sometimes
♦ Available Colors: Black
Image Courtesy of Casio
Casio WK-500
Price: $225-$450 | Stars: 3.5
♦ Keyboard features: Non-weighted/non-graded
♦ Touch Sensitivity: Yes; 2 settings, or off
♦ Polyphony: 48-note; 24 for some tones
♦ Voices: 670 + custom
♦ Layering: Yes
♦ Split: Yes
♦ Reverb / Chorus: 10 reverb; 5 chorus
♦ USB / MIDI ports: USB (type B); audio OUT (R, L/mono)
♦ Phones: 1 x 1/4"
♦ Sustain included: No
♦ Available Colors: Black
Image Courtesy of Casio
Yamaha Piaggero NP-V80
Price: $370-$400 | Stars: 4
♦ Keyboard features: Graded; non-weighted
♦ Touch Sensitivity: Yes; 3 settings, or off
♦ Polyphony: 32-note
♦ Voices: 486
♦ Layering: Yes
♦ Split: Yes
♦ Reverb / Chorus: 9 reverb; 4 chorus
♦ USB / MIDI ports: USB (type B)
♦ Phones: 1 x 1/4" / OUT
♦ Sustain included: Yes
♦ Available Colors: Black
Image Courtesy of Yamaha
Casio WK-225
Price: $200-$300 | Stars: 3.5
♦ Keyboard features: Non-weighted/non-graded
♦ Touch Sensitivity: Yes; 2 settings, or off
♦ Polyphony: 48-note; 24 for some tones
♦ Voices: 600 + 8 custom
♦ Layering: Yes
♦ Split: Yes
♦ Reverb / Chorus: 10 reverb; 5 chorus
♦ USB / MIDI ports: USB (type B)
♦ Phones: 1 x 1/4" / OUT
♦ Sustain included: No
♦ Available Colors: Silver
Image Courtesy of Casio
Yamaha NP-30
Price: $250-$275 | Stars: 2.5
♦ Keyboard features: Non-weighted/non-graded
♦ Touch Sensitivity: Yes; 3 settings, or off
♦ Polyphony: 32-note
♦ Voices: 10
♦ Layering: Yes
♦ Split: No
♦ Reverb / Chorus: 4 reverb; no chorus
♦ USB / MIDI ports: MIDI in/out
♦ Phones: 1 x 1/4" / OUT
♦ Sustain included: No
♦ Available Colors: Black
Image Courtesy of Yamaha
Yamaha PSR-E423
Price: $230-$265 | Stars: 3
♦ Keyboard features: Non-weighted/non-graded
♦ Touch Sensitivity: Yes; 3 settings, or off
♦ Polyphony: 32-note
♦ Voices: 645
♦ Layering: Yes
♦ Split: Yes
♦ Reverb / Chorus: 9 reverb; 4 chorus
♦ USB / MIDI ports: USB (type B)
♦ Phones: 1 x 1/4" / OUT
♦ Sustain included: No
♦ Available Colors: Black
Image Courtesy of Yamaha
Yamaha YPG-235
Price: $180-$250 | Stars: 3.5
♦ Keyboard features: Graded
♦ Touch Sensitivity: Yes; 3 settings, or off
♦ Polyphony: 32-note
♦ Voices: 477
♦ Layering: Yes
♦ Split: Yes
♦ Reverb / Chorus: 9 reverb; 4 chorus
♦ USB / MIDI ports: USB (type B)
♦ Phones: 1 x 1/4"
♦ Sustain included: No, but has pedal effect button
♦ Available Colors: Platinum
Image Courtesy of Yamaha
Casio LK-165
Price: $120-$200 | Stars: 2.5
♦ Keyboard features: Lighted; non-weighted/non-graded
♦ Touch Sensitivity: No
♦ Polyphony: 48-note; 24 for some tones
♦ Voices: 400 + custom
♦ Layering: No
♦ Split: No
♦ Reverb / Chorus: 10 reverb; no chorus
♦ USB / MIDI ports: USB (type B)
♦ Phones: 1 x 1/4" / OUT
♦ Sustain included: No
♦ Available Colors: Black
Image Courtesy of Casio
Yamaha EZ-200
Price: $150-$180 | Stars: 3
♦ Keyboard features: Lighted; non-weighted/non-graded
♦ Touch Sensitivity: Yes; 3 settings, or off
♦ Polyphony: 32-note
♦ Voices: 362
♦ Layering: No
♦ Split: No
♦ Reverb / Chorus: 9 reverb; no chorus
♦ USB / MIDI ports: MIDI in/out
♦ Phones: 1 x 1/4"
♦ Sustain included: No
♦ Available Colors: Dark gray
Image Courtesy of Yamaha
More on Electric Keyboards:
- How to Shop for a Musical Keyboard
- Learning Acoustic Piano vs. Keyboard
- Finding Middle C on Different Keyboard Sizes
- Comparing Portable Keyboards & Digital Pianos
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