Customer Reviews

Yamaha DGX-630 88 Full-Sized Keyboard with Weighted Action

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a complete piano novice, but my next-door neighbor, who plays for a living and owns a Kurzweil came over, and after playing it a few minutes said, "If you don't mind my asking, how much did this cost?" His keyboard is a few years old, but he said that he likes the action on this better than his, and he found the sound excellent.

I'm writing this review because I had a few questions that I wished I knew the answers to, but could not find anywhere online before I bought this product sight unseen.

1. Question: How many degrees of loudness are there, depending on how hard you strike?

Answer: A lot. At least 8, but I suspect if my fingers were more dextrous and my ear better I could hear many more levels of touch sensitivity. In any case it sounds in this respect just like a piano to me.

2. Question: Does the timbre of the note change depending on how hard I strike the key?

Answer: Yes, and this effect depends on which keys you strike. In the low notes you hear a realistic sounding distortion when you slam down on the key. On the high notes you hear that hollow sound of the wood piano frame when you nail it. This latter effect was so realistic that I had to turn off the keyboard to be sure it wasn't something that was physically happening inside the box rather than a simulated effect.

Question: On a sustained note does the sound simply fade, or does the quality of the sound change in a natural sounding way as it fades out?

Answer: Again, it sounds just like a real piano to me in this regard.

This keyboard has a "graded hammer action" so that the weight of the keys at the top is lighter than the weight at the bottom. While they may have reproduced this effect accurately, it is almost indiscernable to me with the keyboard off. But with the keyboard on, the weight of the keys feels absolutely distinct from top to bottom because the "strings" at the top and bottom respond so differently. That is, the sound is so good that it tricks your brain into sensing that the keys have completely different weights.

I bought it in spite of the fact that I wasn't sure of the answers to these questions, and it is exactly what I had hoped for. It feels and sounds just like a piano to me, especially with good headphones, which allow me to practice scales in my living room without driving my family insane.

I bought this item based on customer reviews I had read, and wow ...it is everything I expected and more. When playing, the notes feel just like a standard grand piano (weighted), and the sound is phenomenal. Another customer review mentioned that the volume wasn't much for this piano, but it is adjustable to a volume that the average person would consider too loud (this is why external amplifiers are made). Aside from the sound and feel, this piano has some useful tools for teaching beginners, such as a 6-track recorder, a (USB) computer to piano interface, and a small LCD screen which can transcribe notes into music score as songs are played. Although the stand doesn't look very durable from the picture, the piano comes with a metal stabilizer bar which mounts underneath and keeps everything steady. Also, the Yamaha DGX-630 and the Yamaha YPG-635 are the same piano, except one comes with an extra bundled package, hence the difference in price. Overall, I highly recommend this piano to anyone (beginner or experienced) for the money.

I absolutely love this keyboard. Don't sell yourself short and think that it'd be better to spend $200 or so less on a different keyboard. Trust me, the money is worth it. If you're looking for a very acoustic piano sounding keyboard, this one is for you. It comes with lots of bells and whistles, which is great for whatever need you see fit...but if you're like me, than perhaps you just want a full-sized weighted keyboard that feels and sounds authentic. The keys are just about as sensitive as a piano, if not more, allowing you to gain emphasis in your playing. I've tested and played keyboards from $400 up to $3000 and I specifically chose this one for how it sounded. This one is the creme of the crop. :)

When I first listened to the piano sound I got amused!! The dynamics are fabulous. What I love of this piano is the graded hammer action and the weighted keys, it feels like a real piano. You won't be dissapointed with this machine!! You've gotta have it. The best part is that it's totally affordable. It worths the price.

My piano "died" after moving to an extremely dry climate (the piano was over 80 years old). Being in the military and never knowing where we'll end up, we decided on the option of a keyboard.

I love that this keyboard has the weighted keys, so that it feels more like a real piano. My children love the 50 million voices and such you can play with.

I really got it to replace my piano, so I haven't played with the many technical accessories, but it is a beautiful sounding keyboard, and the weighted action is done well. I love that it has the built in speakers with volume control, plus the ability to use headphones.

Very natural piano sounding with appropriately weighted keys up and down the keyboard. USB features that allow you to save, transport, etc. your music. Easy to connect to a computer for using great software out there to enhance your creative abilities. etc, etc,

Thanks for reading this,
Mark

We tried a lower end Yamaha model first (YPG portable Grand) but after hearing a soft clacking noise when I played I realized that this wasn't the one for me. We upgraded to the DGX-630 and what a difference! It feels very much like a piano keyboard, and the sustain is nice (a little subtler than a piano). But it's low profile compared to a piano, fits in a lot of places a piano won't, you don't have to worry about not putting it on an outside wall, and it's a lot cheaper, too. This piano will be acceptable to a piano teacher, who often won't take students if they use an electronic keyboard because the keyboard beds are so different in touch, and sound. I do have one criticism and I'll have to find a solution - the music stand is far away from the keyboard because of the electronic menu area, and it's hard for me to read. Not sure what to do about this, but I'll figure something out.

As for detailed and very specific reviews for these kind of keyboards, I'd recommend anyone try them out first before purchasing online. Keyboards are often a personal choice, just as pianos have their own character. I played piano for 15 years, on an upright, then owned a baby grand. Until I'm ready to spend $10K+ again, this is a great alternative.

I bought this for my fourteen yr. old daughter. She loves it! Having a blast! It's 55" wide so make sure you have a place for it.

The only problem we had was the LCD was solid blue when we turned it on. I haven't figured out the exact problem. I reversed the AC/DC adapter and it hasn't happened again (we'll see).

This review is based on years of ownership and playing experience with Yamaha Clavinova electric keyboard, Kurtzweil bottom of the line and midrange electric keyboards, and grand pianos by Mason & Hamlin and Steinway. I have owned the Yamaha DGX630 for about 3 months now.

My recommendation is to spend a few hundred bucks more and get a basic Kurtzweil. The improvement in the action, the sound, and the extra pedals is well worth the money. Only buy this piano if you can't afford the extra two or three hundred dollars (assuming that you have a local dealer willing to offer you a "sale").

I bought this unit based on the positive reviews and my satisfaction with lower-end Clavinovas. I was looking for a MIDI-compatible electric keyboard for my kids to use while at our cabin.

Cons:
It has a cheap-lightweight build and rocks on carpet when played.
The action feels like a spring-loaded underweight key-clearly inferior to a Clavinova.
The maximum volume is much lower than a real piano.
The screen is really tiny.
My 11-year old daughter uses the poor quality of this piano as another reason not to practice.
None of my kids like to play this piano.

Pros:
The built-in music library has some fun tunes that my kids have spontaneously decided to learn.
The polyphony (simultaneous tones) holds up better to other brands at a similar price.

We received this keyboard, set it up very easily and began to bang away on it right away. It's classy, compact yet not small, and has a great tone!