🎹Yamaha P125 vs Roland FP-30X Digital Piano Review - Upgraded FP-30 vs The Industry Favorite🎹

Introduction - 2:21
Piano Sound - 3:25
Action Comparison - 26:04
Piano Features - 32:27

Alternative Options - Comparable Digital Pianos

#P125 #FP30X #DigitalPiano

Welcome to Merriam Pianos on YouTube. Today we’ll be comparing two of the most popular mid-range all-in-one portable digital pianos with the Yamaha P-125 and Roland PHA4.

Please like the video below, and if it’s your first time to the channel, subscribe and hit that notification bell!

Piano Background

We’ve done a number of videos on the recently released Roland FP-30X, as well as several on the Yamaha P-125, but we have yet to actually compare these two pianos side by side.

Both are very solid instruments, and you can’t really make a bad choice going with one or the other.

Piano Sound

On paper, the FP-30X’s 22 watts of power pumping through it’s dual speaker system led us to assume it would have a more powerful bass and stronger treble presence than the P-125’s 14 watt system. While the FP-30X does have a fuller bass, the P-125 actually manages to have a clearer, more defined treble due to it’s 4 speaker system that utilizes a pair of tweeters.

Now, this is a bit of a moot conversation since both of these pianos are built for professional applications where you’ll surely need to use the line out to connect to an amp for more juice. That said, comparing the on-board speakers is still a worthy endeavor.

What are the respective sound engines behind these speaker systems? In the case of the FP-30X, Roland has incorporated their new BMC processing chip to power the SuperNATURAL engine, resulting in a higher fidelity, more complex tone than what the FP-30 was capable of. The polyphony has been upped to 256 notes as well.

The P-125 uses Yamaha’s Pure CF sound engines, which is a 4 sample layer based engine derived from their CFIIIS concert grand piano. This is no longer their flagship concert grand having been replaced by the new CFX, but it’s still an excellent piano.

As far as the number of on-board tones available on each piano, the FP-30X is the obvious winner here with 56 total sounds, and access to the entire GM2 sound bank via Roland’s app.

The P-125 comparatively has 24 sounds. This is still a good selection for the price point, but it’s important to note that the FP-30X more than doubles it up, even without getting into the GM2.

The default grand piano tone is great on the P-125, but once you get into the other tones, the P-125 shows its age - the FP30X’s e. pianos, organs and strings simply sound better, with the exception of a few of the sounds on the P-125 that are rendered exceptionally well.

Piano Action

The FP-30X brings back the venerable PHA4 action that can be found pretty frequently throughout the lower half of Roland’s lineup. This action has a triple sensor, escapement, a nice key texture and a really nicely firm return pressure. We love this action, and think it’s hands down the best action at this price point.

Roland has also improved the dynamic response when playing at lower volume levels due to the new BMC chip, giving the impression of more sensitivity.

The P-125 is using Yamaha’s Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) action, which has been on the market for several years now.

This action uses a dual sensor and does not have escapement, which might not matter depending on your experience level and the type of music you play.

The repetition speed is great, but oddly, the key return feels sluggish and delayed.

The GHS isn’t a bad action by any means, but the PHA4 is simply impossible to beat in this price category.

Summary

These pianos compare really well, with a lot of similar specs and features. The FP-30X is very tough to beat as a total package, but it does cost more, and the P-125 is still a powerhouse in the category for a reason.

Thanks for watching!

Connect with Merriam Music:

[ralphrestubog]

"Nerding out with us piano geeks" is so damned accurate lmao. I already own and enjoy the FP-30X yet here I am "nerding out".

[fulstaak]

Stu, you're on top of your game. This video was informative yes, but also so much fun to watch. You're the best. Keep it up.

[fabriziop]

I prefer my Yamaha p - 125, the sound is very good.

[okay]

Merriam Pianos - and Stu - about the best piano reviewers and music store on Youtube. Honest, comprehensive, well recorded and edited videos.

[groovy]

I just tried out the Yamaha P-125 and was very impressed with the bell like tone quality of the higher notes. The action was also remarkable!

[Elegyofawesomeness]

I bought the fp30x after trying both it, and the p125 in a store. I just liked the feel of the keys and the action better. It felt more "solid", while the p125 felt kind of cheap tbh.
I needed a light weight gigging keyboard, and my main piano at home is a yamaha p515. I often play baby grands around town too. The fp30x was much closer to what I'm used to than the p125.

[tunaroll]

I may never buy a piano but here I am, enjoying all Stu's videos :)

[VeijoKiuru]

Thank you for this! As an amateur guitar/bass/mandolin player since 14 now planning to buy my first piano/keyboard ever - at 67 - this is very informative and helpful. Happy new year from Finland.

[EvilDogFilmsOfficial]

I just wanna say a HUGE thanks for your reviews and comparisons, I just brought home a beautiful white FP-30X and you helped me tremendously settle on that final choice among other options (p125, es110, fp30, etc). It sounds absolutely amazing, I'm so impressed. Sounded good in your videos, sounded better in the store, and sounds even more delightful in my living room. Thank you! And the touch is so juicy, omg!

[edwardyang]

I was looking for a digital piano to buy, but after watching for 10 minutes I just enjoyed watching you playing and having fun. 😁
Nicely done! 👍👍

[brunomaiamusic]

Your channel and this video series is imho the most factual, straightforward and informative comparison which really helps a key load of players to decide which board to get.
Really well done, bro

[wolfpsx]

The P-125 has served me very well as a secondary practice instrument for 2 years. I'm a professional classical pianist/teacher, and explore jazz a bit every day too. I usually use the 2nd piano variation or the main sound with +5 reverb. It doesn't replace anything but certainly gets the job done without being a hindrance.

[KaceyBakerFilms]

As a sound engineer, the Roland sounds beautifully dynamically processed, and perfectly compressed and EQ’d ready for release. The Yamaha sounds maintains that glorious live stage sound.

[elizabethvhwong]

I still prefer the piano sound from P-125 as I always use it with Roland headphone. It's almost the same as the acoustic one.

[MoonlightHusky]

For me personally the winner is the P125, but because I really like the CFX sample and even if more rich I find the modelling (edit: it has sampling combined with modeling between each note) on the FP-30X more artificial... I put it this way, those two digital pianos if you are serious about learning piano wont do it after at max 1-2 years, after that you will want to upgrade... So for me that boils down to what sound do you prefer, the action for a beginner in both of those pianos are plenty for learning.

Technically the FP-30X has a better action, so if you plan on using a VST o something like that, yeah.. It's a better choice, or if you are more interested in the other instruments other than the acoustic samples. BUT if you want to learn classical music and you're a beginner, go for the P125 and save the extra 200$ for a future upgrade or buy a good stand, even the P45 will do it just fine if you can bear the thin sound, plan to use headphone or to use a VST with external monitors.

[ashykutcher]

We need to talk about the Yamaha Smart Pianist app and how it bumps up the P125 significantly.

[themastermind]

Great video as always, really love the Roland sounds, the blend, texture and richness of the tones is just right.The yamaha's tones I find a bit too bright, and sharp sometimes especially with classical playing but its okay for POP style playing.

[barkofink]

FX30 is superior in every way imo, but is also 170€ more expensive. At least rn in Europe. Txs for the info.

[joytekb]

Amazing that youtube give you opportunity to study instruments and music

[rinzan]

Here in India the Roland Fp30x cost 320$ more than the Yamaha P125.
So for the price yamaha is the better buy.