Yamaha P-S500 vs P-515 - What are the differences?
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- Опубліковано 26 чер 2024
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We get asked 'what the differences are between the Yamaha P-S500 & P-515?' so often that @chrisonpiano has made a video explaining all about it for your viewing pleasure!
⏰ Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:29 Main piano comparison
01:34 Design similarities
02:49 DIFFERENCE #1 - Stream Lights learning system
04:01 DIFFERENCE #2 - The keyboard mechanisms
11:06 DIFFERENCE #3 - The Rhythms & Accompaniments
19:39 DIFFERENCE #4 - The Smart Pianist companion app
29:03 DIFFERENCE #5 - The piano-playing experience
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I wonder if the rumours are true that the yamaha smart pianist don't work very well with this piano. I have been to the yamaha store in london to get a demonstration of the working of it including how the apps work and they couldn't get the app to work at all so i came away rather disappointed that if even the store can't get it to work what chance will i have. What tablet or android do you use for the app? Thank you.
Thank you for your great presentation. That was perfect as usual.
Loves the honest reviews, thanks Chris!
Good and fair review..thanks!
Hi great review and very informative thanks Steve Greater Manchester
Chris, thank you for another great demo! Years ago, I watched your comparison of the P-125 with the P-255. I bought the P-255. I now have the P-515 and am loving it! It does have that natural feel to it, and the sound is beautiful. And the Yamaha piano app. is an added plus with all the extra DX voices. But just the default CFX piano is so nice, and mix it with the dark pad is such a full sound. I can still see that expression on your face when demonstrating the 256 polyphony on the P-255 that left no doubt in my mind. Thank you
you can access the extra dx voices without the app pressing function + others. Took me some time to find out about that
such a useful overview! as a pianist who has finally decided to purchase a digital keyboard, this comparison has made my selection very easy. Thank you very much
..so which model did you purchase in the end?...the P525? or the Ps500 ?...thks
Nice video. Fully agree with the comments in the review. The P-515 is indeed an excellent instrument. The P-515 key mechanism feels very very good me.
Thanks for the review, Chris.
Firstly I'd say Yamaha made a big mistake not including NWX on the P-S500 - they have vastly narrowed their buying audience. P515 NWX with real wood and escapement versus P-S500 plastic keys / GHS, such a huge step backwards. Very few P515 owners would want to trade in for the P-S500 because they'd been swapping a superior action for an vastly inferior one. Had Yamaha included NWX, I believe many P515 owners might consider upgrading, and Yamaha would sell a lot more P-S500's.
Also you say 40 voices versus 660 voices - I don't believe that's really correct or fair on the old P515. 480 additional XG voices are available to use on the P515 even without the smart pianist app via the menu system (press OTHERS + FUNCTION). So it's really 520 voices v 660 voices? Admittedly the 660 voices on the P-S500 may be newer since the XG range is kinda old, but figured it was worth mentioning :)
No recording functionality on the P-S500 compared to at least some onboard recording on the P515? So as well the P-S500 having a heftier price tag than the P515, a new buyer potentially would also have to splash out on an iPad or Android tablet, so necessary does the smart pianist app seem for the P-S500. The P515 it's more of a nice-to-have but not essential.
Finally - I agree about the Bosendorfer Imperial Grand- it is my favorite piano sampling on ANY digital piano I have ever played, it is absolutely divine. I equate the CFX Grand to a snappy little Rottweiler, whereas the Bosendorfer is like someone giving you a mug of cocoa and a big hug whilst you are playing :)
Anyway, I certainly won't be buying the P-S500 for the reasons stated and will stick with my P515 for the foreseeable future, but I hope Yamaha are considering an NWX successor to the P515 over the next year or two.
Thank you so much for the comment 😊
Wait... Are you saying I have 480 sounds I didnt even know I had? On the flip-side, I rarely use anything but the CFX and Bösendorfer sounds.
What I do miss is the full rhythm/styles suite of the P-S500 or the much more expensive CVP models. Feels like they could have added that via smart app and updates...
Speaking of the CVP; I really would love to see a P-615 be super barebones digital piano-focused like the 515 is, with the only upgrade I would want hardware wise is the action from the CVP 809/909.
Softwarewise I would like a better and easier menu and interface (larger display; guess that is also hardware) and something Roland was able to do 20 years ago: not cut off sounds when e.g. turning of layering, but letting them ring out and fade away when doing so.
No they made a decision not to gut their CSP Line. If you could spend $2700 and get the P-S500 with that keyboard and a subwoofer, you wouldn’t need the CSP-170 and if you bought it without the Subwoofer, you would have a better option than the CSP-150 for far less money. This thing is pretty much a CSP-150 in a portable form factor.
Oh and the new line of CSP pianos are our, the NWX is their new action and has been renamed as a such. In short, it is going into much more expensive models, because it is that good. It is incredibly hard to beat and out of every digital piano I’ve had the pleasure of playing over the past few years, the NWX sits at the top (I have had a PHA-50 based Roland that my CSP-170 replaced) and I looked at the CVP line before deciding on the 170, as it was pretty much everything offered for less money.
In the end, the NWX will prove to be the best action Yamaha has as it gets out into newer models renamed as the GrandTouch-S with Wooden Keys.
Hello ePianos, thank you so much with all my heart for making the video, definitely helped in choosing my future piano 🥹🥰
I'm really and sincerely glad you made a comparison between these 2 pianos, because these are exactly the models I was eyeing and you're the only one who tackled about them side by side!
I'd also like to know what piece were you playing at 6:48 on the P-515? They're just.. spectacular to hear..
I'm quite new in the world of music/piano so please pardon me if I can't recognize pieces 😕😕
And thank you so much in advance, if ever you get to read my message ☺
I'm so glad that you found the video helpful, Kat JMD. As I said in the video, we get so many customers asking about these two models that it made sense to record an expaination of the differences.
The piece I'm playing at 6:48 is improvised. I probably couldn't play it exactly that way again! Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for your support! - Chris
Thank you.
Makes you wonder if the extra instruments enabled via the app in P-S500 are actually in the instrument itself or the sound is transferred via the USB audio interface. I feel the P-S500 is way too expensive for offering the base GHS keybed just because it has the 'lights'. But I can understand people may wish to have this function in their piano if they are learning from YT videos, synthesia etc. I bought the 515 myself and I really like it. I am not very fond of the non-piano voices though (and there are also 480 XG voices in the menu besides the base 40 ones)
Also worthy noting is the Smart pianist app is also available for Android now and it works. I am using it with a samsung tablet, all that's needed is suitable USB cable (type C to type B).
I played the Clavanova CLP 645 with NWX action, last year in a church for a wedding. It was for me the best digital piano action ive ever played. I absolutely loved it. Was considering a Clavanova for myself but was gutted that the CLP 745 has dispensed with the N W X action and feels very light in comparison, and not sure how this can be marketed as being comparable to a 'real piano'. Such a shame Yamaha are not using this action more widely.
I absolutely ❤ the pieces you’ve played :) Please tell us what they are, where I could find the sheet music for them? Many thanks
your review has given me a sigh of relief.... yesterday ..i had Zero knowledge about pianos... so i watch reviews on Utube and decided on the Ps500..... i just walked out of Yamaha and already placed an order for it.... but as i was at the cashier... i also touched and browsed the P525.... while having lunch...i pondered....shud i have bought the more expensive P525 instead...?... after watching your review....i realised that the Ps500 was what suited me. Thanks for the review....Thumbs up !
Excellent review, as a Yamaha C3 acoustic grand piano owner for 25 years I can tell you first hand that the P515 has a heavy action and is wonderful IF you are used to playing a big heavy action and you are only concerned with getting a great piano sound and feel - if you don't like a heavy action do NOT buy a P515 - IF you play a grand piano then the P515 is the closest to a grand piano that you can find by any company. For any serious player the P515 is the real deal, imho its for a grand piano player who needs a digital piano with that heavy action and incredible sound without the bells and whistles
David..you dont believe it has bells and whistles i do agree the keys are HEAVy.
A close friend's guitar teacher noted that he was almost always regretting not practicing more, asking for forgiveness. She asked him to look at shifting from beating himself up to a reframe of doing it for fun. I really liked the 515 but a demonstration of the S500 and spending time with it - I knew I'd have a lot more fun with it.
Would love to see a comparison between the P515 and P525! Thank you!
Great video. So professional. One question. I have an acoustic U1 Yamaha piano and I want a digital yamaha piano. Which you choose from this two?
You said that the feeling playing the 515 is much better, but in my case I have this feeling with the acoustic. You think I should choose the ps500 for the connectivity?
Thank you so much
Oh wow, thanks a lot for your video and advice!!! I am going to buy a new stage piano soon. I am a Yamaha girl, so i tried both - the P-S 500 and the P-515.... first all the funny functions catched me . but after playing the P-515 my decision was made, it feels like home playing the 515! 🥰😍🤩
Yamaha could have atleast upgraded to GH3 (3 key velocity sensors) versus the ancient 2 sensor GHS for this model, which is a contender price-wise to the NWX action on p515
Can the P-S500 be removed from the wooden stand and pedal unit and be played on a scissor stand ?
Hi! I strongly recommend that you do reviews on the Kawai KDP piano series. The best keyboard on the market, some of the most accurate timbres without plastic and artificiality, a polyphony of 192 or more (yamaha is not better or worse, just a brighter sound, and kawaii has a darker and deeper well, and kawaii's keyboard is more reliable) They are very cool devices. I also want more top-end Korg like Korg SV-1 and Nord Stage, Nord Piano, maybe the latest Moog Matriarch and Grandmother models - this is something special!
I love my P515, wouldn´t change it for anything.
I have P-515 and I will never pay so much for a digital piano with plastic action and a few gimmicks. P-S500 is a strange product with a high price. It does not give anything of value to those who play classical music!
I disagree that an adult can easily pick P-515 up and move it - it is 22.5kG (too heavy for me).
Thank you for your great review.
Everything is relative..... try picking up a kawai mp11se...... than the p515 is very light....😉
Are you one of those new 2023 type men? It’s only 50 pounds haha
@@theskyizblue2day431 Setting your sarcasm aside, I am just a 70 year old man with some (small) spine issues. Wait till you are 70 and comment again.
Thanks. I own a p515. Do you knkw hkw i can get tbe CFx ro be less bright? Its almkst overwhelming me with the tinny sound. Also rhe keys aee very heavy
Lid halfway open and less brightness on settings
Its all about how much money you have to spend.... I have the 515 at home, and ofcourse its great, but if you are a pianist and you have a few hundred more, and you want the best action, I would advice to take a look at the kawai mp11se..... if you wanna talk about a superior real wooden key action, thats the way to go.... I also own the kawai mp11se, so I really can tell the difference.
An odd question but I’ve never heard anyone talk about this…do the white keyboards ever yellow or get dirty with age? I’m interested in white but don’t want to make the wrong decision
Hello
Yeah, well the 515 is an excellent keyboard, but they missed the boat by not including the smart pianist expansion of features.
The guide lights are useless and the P-S500 could have been special if they dropped the lights in favor of the NWX keyboard as that is a thing of beauty. Knowing that the guide lights are truly worthless for the most part, really does create an issue where Yamaha has to justify an $1800 increase over the DGX-670 and the 2nd piano sample just isn’t going to be enough to cover it.
I have the CSP-170 and it is the convergence of these two with a better speaker system. I can honestly say, I love the sound, range, action, and build of the 170, but I hate the guide lights technology and wish I could get everything else in a single package.
Honestly, if Yamaha found a way to represent not values and finger position with the Guide lights, it would be infinitely better as a teaching tool, until then, get either the P515 or the DGX-670.
Which action is lighter? My 8yo child complains about sore hands.
P515 is known to have heavy action
Can you compare the ps500 to cvs908
Hi Pat. We plan to compare the Yamaha P-S500 to a few different models soon. Do you mean the Yamaha CVP809? I don't know a Yamaha model called 'cvs908'.
@@PattiJ39 Are you looking for variations of accompaniment?The Smart Pianist app’s audio-to-score function does offer notes / score for left and right hand in around 20 levels of increasing difficulty. You can even alter, e.g. your favorite pop ballad into another genre by changing the rhythm. The audio-to-score function works for as many family members’ smart devices as you like, individually.
Yes the CVP908. THE PS500 also uses the smart pianist app. But I am hoping there are more included songs in the CVp809 than in the ps500. I have tried downloading songs from my iTunes account to the ps500 and they load and show chords and the score feature. However they do not enable the guide feature. If instead I purchase MIDI file and download them the guide function will work. I am hoping for the increase in price between the CVP and the SP That the CVP will offer more songs using the guide function. Currently the guide feature on the SP only has 50 pop style songs the rest are either classical or lessons.
My husband has had two strokes and we bought the sp500 to help him regain function. Playing popular music is what he enjoys and the light function is so helpful. I will upgrade to the CVP if this will enable more popular music that enables the guide function… please advice. Thank you
@@alemann5007 I AM REALLY HOPING TO FIND MORE POPULAR SONGS THAT WORK WITH THE GUIDE LIGHT FUNCTION. the audio to score function works great for those who either play chords or read sheet music. But for handicapped person the guide light is so fabulous. However there are only about 50 popular songs included. I tried downloading MIDI files and they work great but finding really good ones is not easy.
Essa literalidade aí extremo é terrível 😅😂
Has anyone ever told you, that you look like Martin Freeman? LoL!
EN CUANTO AL P515 NO SON TECLAS DE MADERA, SOLO YAMAHA LE APLICO A CADA LADO DE LAS TECLAS, UNA LAMINITA DE MADERA, COMO UNA CHAPA DE MADERA PEGADA, AHI MIENTE YAMAHA AL DECIR QUÉ SU Teclado ES DE MADERA COMO EN LOS PIANOS ACUSTICOS, Y YA POR ESO LO DAN MUCHO MAS CARO!!!!😡
O PS500 é praticamente um PSR travestido de stage piano controlado por um tablet. o P515 é melhor.
The PS500 is practically a PSR disguised as a stage piano controlled by a tablet. the P515 is better.
Cleansing jazz 😂
I’m wondering for what sake I need this all rubbish crap from App? Action and quality of sounds are only the factors that actually matters. Long story short, P515 is superior and obvious winner. Ps500 is a toy with obsolete key actions. I do not know what Yamaha had thought, when they were manufacturing this piano. Seriously, this is a joke
The best for a Pianist is p515 and for a student dgx670
I think the dgx is also best for those who like to compose, it allows the pianist a range of phenomenal features
Non capisco perché in casa Yamaha si ostinano a fare pianoforti con gli style,troppo pesanti,Casio in questo l'ha superata.Potevano(ad esempio)fare un P125 con una sezione arranger,peso leggero e adatta ad ogni occasione.Mah...misteri.