Audio · Head-to-head
Roland FP-30X vs Yamaha P-225
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Digital Pianos: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The FP-30X pairs a weighted action with escapement and an ivory-feel surface with the strongest speakers and the most complete connectivity here. The P-225 gives you a well-specified weighted action and a concert grand sample in a lighter, more compact body.
Roland FP-30X
Buy itA portable digital piano with an escapement-equipped hammer action, strong speakers and full Bluetooth and USB connectivity, and the best all-rounder here.
- The 88-key PHA-4 Standard keyboard has hammer action, escapement and ivory feel, the same keyboard Roland fits to its premium FP-60X.
- It has 256-note maximum polyphony, 321 tones (56 from the panel) and 12 cm x 2 speakers rated at 11 W x 2, the most power in this group.
- Bluetooth audio and MIDI, USB audio/MIDI to a computer, a USB memory port and 1/4 in. L/R outputs cover lessons, recording and external speakers.
- At 14.8 kg (32 lb 11 oz) with music rest it is the heaviest of the four.
- The included DP-2 is a pedal switch; continuous damper detection needs an optional pedal such as the DP-10.
- The dedicated KSC-70 stand and KPD-70 three-pedal unit are sold separately.
Yamaha P-225
Buy itA slim, light weighted-key piano with Yamaha's CFX concert grand sound and a built-in USB audio interface, and the pick when portability matters.
- At 11.5 kg (25 lb 6 oz) and 129 mm tall without the music rest, it is the lightest and slimmest weighted piano here.
- It uses samples of Yamaha's CFX concert grand with VRM Lite resonance modeling and 192-note polyphony.
- USB to Host doubles as a 44.1 kHz, 24-bit stereo USB audio interface, and there are two headphone jacks and an AUX OUT.
- Bluetooth is audio only and varies by country; wireless MIDI to the Smart Pianist app needs the separately sold UD-BT01 adaptor, which is iOS only.
- Its amplifiers are rated at 7 W x 2, well below the Roland and Kawai.
- Only 24 preset voices, so it is a piano first and not much of a sound playground.
Side by side
| Roland FP-30X | Yamaha P-225 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Most home pianists who want the best key feel and the most connectivity in a portable body. | Players who move their piano often or have little space and mostly want a good piano sound and feel. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $$ · mid-range |
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Roland FP-30X - A portable digital piano with an escapement-equipped hammer action, strong speakers and full Bluetooth and USB connectivity, and the best all-rounder here. Choose the Yamaha P-225 instead if players who move their piano often or have little space and mostly want a good piano sound and feel.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Digital Pianos: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).