Yamaha YDP103 Vs P125

Yamaha is one of the most reputable brands in the world of musical instruments; but no two Yamaha keyboards are the same. Which means that you must understand the features that stand out between two Yamaha piano keyboards for you to be able to make the best choice.

In this post we will put two of them head to head, the Yamaha YDP103 Vs P125 and see which is better for you.

Both the Yamaha YDP103 and the Yamaha P125 are great Yamaha models, but for you to be able to pick one over the other, you need to know what makes these Yamaha keyboard tick.

The two represent some of the best digital pianos on the market, but one might be better for you and not the other.

Instrumental Global is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program; an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Yamaha YDP103 Vs P125

Before we compare them together, lets first look at them separately to get a better idea at what they offer, key features and a little about the price.

Yamaha YDP-103

No products found.

This Yamaha digital piano is one of the pianos in the Yamaha Arius line of top-rated home digital pianos.

This Yamaha YDP-103 is one of the most affordable digital pianos that’s housed in a cabinet, and it’s also among the cheapest console-style pianos on the market.

This cabinet design piano comes with 3 piano pedals offering half-pedal support. You might also like this digital piano because it boasts the graded-hammer standard action, and it’s a fully-weighted 88-key keyboard with a black finish.

It also boasts a high-function touch sensitivity function, which allows you access to touch options like soft, hard, medium, and fixed.

Yamaha P125

No products found.

An upgrade from Yamaha’s Iconic P115, the P125 is one of the pianos in Yamaha’s P (Portable series), and it boasts a wide range of excellent features and functions you might like.

You should also know that this P125, just like the YDP103, is a fully-weighted 88-key piano keyboard, and it boasts a nice matte black finish.

It also makes use of the graded-hammer standard action, hence the promise of an exceptional level of performance. Also, like the YDP 103, the P125 has medium, soft, hard, and fixed touch sensitivity functions.

Differences Between The Yamaha YDP103 vs P125

These two digital pianos might have the same graded-hammer standard action and touch sensitivity functions, but they have a number of differences.

Including the fact that the YDP103 (Check Price SP) makes use of the AWM stereo sampling function for sound while the P125 makes use of the Pure CF Sound Engine. Below, we explore the differences between these two.

Sound Quality

The first difference between these two is that while the YDP103 boasts an authentic and impressive sound, that’s just as good as what you’d expect from the best digital piano, and it offers a deep, rich, and a full sound effect when playing chords. Its sound qualities feel natural.

The P125 (Check Price SP), on the other hand, has some nice sounding single notes, which are quite bright and sharp compared to the sound from the YDP 103.

Unfortunately, the chords of the P125 do not sound as deep as the sound from the YDP103, and the chords sound pretty much like what you’d get from a cheaper digital piano.

The tones of these two pianos differ as well, with the P125 offering a 3-way variation selector, which means that you can make some changes to the settings; a function that takes the sound/ tone qualities of the P125 as close to that of the YDP103 as it can get.

Even so, the tone qualities of the P125 do not feel as good as what you get from the YDP103.

The other sound features you need to know about include the fact that the YDP 103 comes with 64-note polyphony, 10 instrument sounds, 10-demo and 10 preset piano sounds, Duo and Dual piano modes, as well as the Fine-tuning, Metronome, and Transpose functions. It also features 2 oval 6-inch speakers.

The P125, on the other hand, has 192-note polyphony, a lesson function, 24 instrument sounds that include 4 grand piano sounds, Dual, Duo, and Split modes, 21 demos, and 50 preset piano sounds, as well as Fine-tuning, metronome, and transpose functions; and also two 7-inch speakers.

It also features a sound boost as well as additional functions like the Stereophonic optimizer table EQ and the Intelligent Acoustic Control.

Look and Build

Both pianos boast a black matte finish, and the build is pretty much the same for the two, as you’d expect from pianos from one brand.

However, they aren’t exactly the same. Though they look super-sleek and are both built to last, you will notice some differences such as the P125’s no-frills design and layout of the connections and the buttons.

You will also notice the volume-control function which slides from left to right, against YDP 103’s whose volume control moves from the left to increase the volume and to the left to reduce the volume.

The latter has better dialling volume levels than the P125, and it also offers more resistance, meaning that it has a more durable build.

The YDP103 (Check Latest Price On Amazon) comes with a laminated wood-stain finish, meaning that it feels and appears more fragile. The P125 is also made of a non-metal, and it feels intact.

And though both pianos have a red felt strip that runs across the top of the piano’s action, the YDP103 fits in a home with a dark-colored finish better; although you have to worry about scratches and dulling of the wood finish from cleaning. The P125 doesn’t fit in as well.

Sample Sound Controls

Digital pianos, unlike the acoustic ones, come with different tones and sound samples, which can be selected with only a push of the button, which is why they come highly recommended.

Looking at these two, the P125 features 3 simple variation banks, which make it easy for you to select certain sounds, and since there is a bright red LED light, you can see the buttons easily with this piano.

The control variations are labeled 1, 2, and 3. The YDP103, unfortunately, is quite confusing, and the controls feel mixed up. The controls are on the right and the left edges while the power and master volume controls are on the right.

The R and L buttons are rather confusing, and though labeled sounds and samples, there’s another button labeled metronome and voice, and sometimes, it’s just too hard to determine which is which.

Finally, note that the YDP103 weighs more than the P125 (Check the latest price).

Yamaha YDP 103 – Pros & Cons

Yamaha P125 – Pros & Cons

Price Difference Between The YDP103 & P125

There is a large enough price difference between these two digital pianos. With the standard version of the P125 costing roughly $650.

However, the YDP103 has a more grand piano feel as its a full unit with a seat, rather than just the keyboard.

If you were to upgrade the P125 with a seat, frame and pedals, it would cost you roughly the same for both, as you can see below.

No products found.

Conclusion – Yamaha YDP103 vs P125

Your choice between these two pianos will largely depend on what you need. The P125 will be a good option for you if you need an affordable, portable digital piano that comes with more features and functions, allowing you to learn more about playing the piano.

The YDP 103, on the other hand, is not portable, and it’s the preferred choice for anyone who’s mastered the piano and loves to have one at home for their own practice and for entertaining. The latter is ideal for you if you are an experienced pianist.

I hope you enjoyed my post comparing the Yamaha YDP103 vs P125 and it has helped you determine which one is best for you.

If you have any questions, comments or feedback; be sure to leave a comment below.

Disclaimer

Instrumental Global is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program; an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.

Follow me!