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Are you looking for a piano with top-notch sound quality and a feel that’s as real as it gets? Then look no further than the Yamaha P-515. This flagship piano is like a professional concert grand piano packed into a digital instrument.
The Yamaha P-515 has all the bells and whistles you need to create music that will astound, with incredible attention to detail. It features an NWX action keyboard with Natural Wood X, Synthetic Ebony and Ivory feel with escapement, and key-off samples.
But that’s not all. The P-515 also comes with built-in speakers, effects, a recorder, Virtual Resonance Modeling, XG compatibility, and more. It truly has everything you need to take your music to the next level.
Key Takeaways
- Immaculate attention to detail in capturing the differences between the Yamaha CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial concert grand piano sounds
- Lovely acoustic pianos with brightness, warmth, and subtlety
- Gorgeous electric pianos covering classic sounds like Rhodes, DX, and Wurly
- Flagship acoustic piano sounds compete with most in the price range
Sound Quality
You’ll be impressed by the P-515’s flagship acoustic piano sounds. Yamaha CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial concert grand piano sounds are captured with immaculate attention to detail, giving you lovely acoustic pianos with brightness, warmth, and subtlety.
Electric pianos cover classic sounds like Rhodes, DX, and Wurly, and compare favorably to other Yamaha models and brands.
Outside of acoustic and electric pianos, the sound quality is average.
Built-in Speakers
Frequently, the Yamaha P-515 is praised for its built-in speakers. These speakers feature a total output of 40W split between two 20W amplifiers, two 4.7′ woofers, and two 1′ tweeters for balanced sound.
The speaker performance is suitable for home practice but not for live performances. The 40W output is enough for small rooms, but may struggle in larger spaces.
The woofers and tweeters provide a well-rounded sound, but the overall quality isn’t as good as with external speakers. Despite this, the P-515’s built-in speakers provide an adequate performance for most home use.
Keyboard Feel
The Yamaha P-515 features the NWX action keyboard with Natural Wood X for an authentic feel. Synthetic Ebony and Ivory texture provides a realistic playing experience, but there are slight complaints about lack of felt escapement and inconsistent texture of keys.
The weight of the keys is heavier than average, so it may not be suitable for everyone. NWX action does provide great responsiveness and expressiveness, but still falls short of the advertised experience.
Despite the lack of felt escapement, the NWX action keyboard is still a great feature that offers an enjoyable playing experience.
Features
Its features include internal effects, a built-in recorder, Virtual Resonance Modeling, and XG compatibility.
The recording capabilities include up to 80 minutes of audio and MIDI recording.
XG compatibility gives access to thousands of songs and additional voices.
Its internal effects include reverb types, chorus types, and master EQ.
Virtual Resonance Modeling adds realism with mechanical and reverberant sounds, while Key-off samples recreate the sound of a real grand piano.
The Yamaha P-515 offers excellent versatility and a simple interface with straightforward controls and USB connectivity.
In Use
Experience the Yamaha P-515’s flagship acoustic piano sounds for yourself and you’ll quickly see why it competes with most pianos in its price range. The keyboard action is responsive and expressive, perfect for a variety of genres.
The simple interface with straightforward controls and USB connectivity offer excellent versatility. The key-off samples accurately recreate the sound of a real grand piano. The internal effects include reverb types, chorus types, and master EQ, while the Virtual Resonance Modeling provides realistic mechanical and reverberant sounds.
However, the heavier keys may not be as enjoyable to play for long periods of time.
Conclusion
The Yamaha P-515 is a top-of-the-line instrument that will take your music to the next level.
It features incredible sound quality, built-in speakers, an NWX action keyboard with synthetic ebony and ivory feel and escapement, plus Virtual Resonance Modeling and other features.
All this adds up to an instrument that’s responsive, expressive, and extremely versatile.
If you’re looking for a high-end piano, the Yamaha P-515 is a great choice.
I’m thrilled to be able to share my passion for music with others through this audio blog, and I can’t wait to connect with fellow music lovers from all around the world. Let’s rock on!