Yamaha YDP S34 vs YDP 144
Yamaha is one of the most popular musical instruments and audio gear brands out there that produce high-quality digital pianos in which many are designed to prepare you for the real unit. Two of them are Yamaha YDP S34 Vs YDP 144 which are ideal for learners and enthusiasts who want to train their skill but without spending so much on higher-end items. If these pianos also look attractive to you, see below about what they can offer and which of them will be the best option.
In this article, we are going to give you information about:
- Why Choosing Digital Piano
- What are Yamaha YDP S34 and YDP 144
- What Yamaha YDP S34 and YDP 144 Look Like
- How are the Keys in Yamaha YDP S34 and YDP 144
- How are the Sound of Yamaha YDP S34 and YDP 144
- What else Yamaha YDP S34 and YDP 144 can offer
- Yamaha YDP S34 Vs YDP 144
Acoustic and Digital Piano
Piano is a versatile instrument and has been in many people’s lives throughout their childhood until retiring. Many of us fall in love with their sound as a child and find it beautiful but it is not the only thing why the instrument is learned more compared to many others. We do think the fact that they are a good accompaniment for most genres is one of the best advantages and the fact that it is easy to create sound with, makes them a convenient start for almost anyone.
The issue may surface when you want to have the instrument at home and not sure about which piano to buy. Piano is an acoustic instrument and digital piano offers various benefits over the more traditional approach yet, both have their own advantages and disadvantages. The best thing about acoustic instruments is always their natural sound which is indeed difficult to replicate into the finest details. The mechanism of the piano that vibrates and resonates produce the corresponding sound as we press the keys.
This makes it impossible to tune it down and while it won’t be a problem if you live somewhere with only distant neighbors but most of us today live near each other. Digital piano can adjust its volume level or if you want it loud without bothering the neighbors, we can just stick a headphone jack and practice silently. Acoustic piano sounds amazing when tuned perfectly but to produce this sound they will have many fragile parts inside and this needs constant maintenance.
Not only maintenance that may cost you some every now and then, it becomes more inconvenient when you need to move since we won’t be able to drag them by ourselves without damaging the instrument so a cost for professional movers is a must in many cases. Digital pianos on the other hand often do not look as attractive to many people due to the “digital” sound but while it is true for cheaper models like children piano Casio SA 76 Vs SA 78, the expensive range is much different.
Nowadays, price is reflected well into the unit and depending on what model or how much you spend, there are many great digital pianos that not only can emulate the sound of acoustic piano near perfect into its finest details but also carry weighted keys and actions to provide the best experience and mimic the real acoustic instrument. This and with tons of added sound collection makes them a versatile option for people with taste in different genres.
| Yamaha YDP S34 | Yamaha YDP 144 | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
|
| Product Dimensions | 53.27 x 11.65 x 30 inches | 56 x 18.75 x 18 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 80.5 pounds | 49.9 pounds |
| Shop now at Amazon | Check price | Check price |
About Yamaha YDP S34 and YDP 144
You will not find any shortage when it comes to digital piano because there are so many of them out there. Digital piano can be played or used by anyone from small children to professionals who compose their own songs and it is best to shop based on your level or playing or budget range because chances are, most units in the same price range are usually similar to each other. Personally we prefer to stick with known names as they tend to have reliable products as well.
When checking out the options of digital piano, we are sure you will meet Yamaha in almost any store you visit because they are one of the main players in this segment and it has been well-known that they make great pianos for different range of users. We love the fact that it seems they have almost any options no matter where you want to shop or how many to spend thus, everyone can have the best unit fitting their preference and pocket the most.
What we are not very fond of is they also carry so many models in which some are too similar to each other and often cause confusion such as the Yamaha YDP S34 and YDP 144. These cabinet setup or console pianos are very much similar to each other which is why many are not sure about which to purchase. They are technically the same piano but sold in different models and as you may already know, these two are Arius models and this line indeed boasts the slim form factor.
In general Yamaha YDP S34 and YDP 144 are ideal for enthusiasts who already have polished skills or students who don’t want to quickly upgrade their instrument as they are not anywhere near cheap. Not only sound beautiful, these pianos can be a great addition in your room whether it is in a more classic setup or minimalist and modern.
Yamaha YDP S34 and YDP 144 Design
When you line them up together, it becomes more apparent that S34 is not as bulky as the YDP 144 which is why many will recommend this model if you want to have the minimalist setup or small room and optimizing its available space. The cabinet itself is made from particleboard and not solid wood which is understandable in this price range but, speaking about the quality they are not flimsy at all and seem solid enough to last for a long time.
Just like when you buy a table or chairs from IKEA, this setup doesn’t come assembled and you need to spend anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour to put everything together yet, there usually are services that will do it for you. In measurement, the YDP 144 is 53.4-inch wide, 16.6-inch deep, and 32-inch tall compared to 53-inch wide, 11-inch deep, and 31-inch tall with the cover closed so, the gap is not that much and mostly only how far the unit will took space from front to back instead of actually smaller.
Yamaha YDP S34 and YDP 144 Keys
Moving further, let’s see what Yamaha YDP S34 and YDP 144 can offer and as it has been mentioned above, they are specifically the same pianos so from here we are going to talk about the same capabilities. Starting from the keys, both of them are using the GHS technology which is like the standard of Yamaha piano but it is weighted and similarly a full size 88-keys model. Since they have graded hammer action, the keys will feel heavier on the lower register and lighter on the higher register.
Similarly, they offer touch action as well that you can manually adjust from 4 different options in which one is deactivating the function. For the available option, you can choose from a soft, medium, and hard setting but they are coming in medium as default setting. This level feels natural and probably the most accurate compared to the other two higher and lower levels. But, for those who are used to the real instrument, their keys left a lot to be wished for yet, already good for the price range.
Yamaha YDP S34 and YDP 144 Sound
Another reason why Yamaha is one of the best options for digital piano is their sound quality. Yamaha’s older YDP 143 piano was designed to use their Pure CF sound engine; similar to SuperNATURAL by Roland but now they are also putting samples from the flagship 9’ CFX concert grand piano so now you can play with its unique tone. This sound is beautiful, it has this brilliant high-end and resonant bass very similar to the real deal and still amazing even through the speaker.
As for the sound collection, unlike cheaper pianos, these two doesn’t have tons of varying sounds as they are often not useful so we only have the main options here from the 3 variations of CFX Concert Grand with three different mode, 2 electric piano, 2 organs, orchestral strings ensemble, vibraphone, and harpsichord. In addition they have 3 built in effects that can be modified to match your preference.
Yamaha YDP S34 and YDP 144 Features
The last part we want to mention is their additional features but here both are similar to the older model YDP 143 and what’s unfortunate, they also use the same combination buttons which can be very confusing. For the modes, we have a layer function that will play two different sounds at the same time, duo mode where you can play the instrument with two people as it cuts the keys into two same ranges, but the split mode that separates the piano to play two different sounds is missing here.
Yamaha YDP S34 vs YDP 144
These digital pianos are great for beginners, students, or those who casually play at home and in general, they are the same unit with the same capabilities including the keys and sound, as well as features. What sets Yamaha YDP S34 and YDP 144 apart from each other is the setup itself which makes the S34 more compact but when only measured from front to back as the height and width are very similar.
Conclusion
Because there is no bad option between the two, you can pick any of these models based on which fits in your room. But, we do think if a compact and streamlined design is more preferred, the YDP S34 is a more suitable option.
