A portable piano priced under $2,000 (£1,600/€2,000) is typically a high-quality digital instrument. While manufacturers often cut corners on the case and speaker system to increase portability, this allows for improved quality in key areas such as the keyboard and sound engine.
A portable piano strikes an excellent balance between a home piano and a stage piano. Like the latter, portable pianos often resemble keyboards in design. However, their compact appearance should not be mistaken for compromised playability, as the keyboards in this price range are typically of very high quality.
In many cases, portable pianos match or even exceed the quality of home pianos at the same price point. For example, the Yamaha CLP-835 and the Yamaha P-525 both feature advanced Clavinova technology, but the P-525 takes quality a step further with its ‘GrandTouch-S’ keyboard, which is fitted with wooden elements.
Portable pianos share more similarities with home pianos than stage pianos, particularly in terms of features. Their built-in speakers allow you to play independently without the need for external amplifiers or speakers. Additionally, portable pianos offer essential auxiliary features, such as metronomes, recorders, and learning tools, making them ideal for practicing and learning to play.
Portable pianos in this category are significantly better constructed than models priced below $1,000. While they offer a more attractive design than real stage pianos, they are also more delicate when used on stage. Features such as line outputs and MIDI connectors provide added flexibility on the go. Operation is typically user-friendly, with an abundance of buttons and an LC display for easy navigation.
These instruments come with a wider range of sounds than entry-level models, programmable effects, and dedicated controls—at least for the built-in equalizer. Most portable pianos in this class also include registration memories and audio/MIDI player and recorder functions. Although the built-in speaker systems are often quite powerful, they may not fully match the performance of comparable home pianos.
The majority of manufacturers offer optional stands to match their portable pianos. In many cases, you can choose between purchasing just the stand or adding a triple pedal unit. It’s worth checking out bundle offers from retailers, which often include additional accessories such as piano benches, stands, and headphones at attractive prices.
Most portable pianos under $2,000 are offered in black or white finishes. Matching optional stands and pedal units typically range from $150 to $300, depending on the model. Note, however, that portable pianos also don’t come with a built-in keyboard cover.
One potential drawback of portable pianos is their reliance on external power supplies, which is the case for all manufacturers. These can cause problems when traveling, such as wobbly plugs, thin cables, or the risk of forgetting the power supply at home. Stage pianos, on the other hand, tend to have more robust built-in power cords.
This seemingly small feature can significantly enhance the integration of a digital piano with a music computer, tablet, or smartphone. While not yet standard on all digital pianos, the USB Audio/MIDI function is becoming increasingly common. A digital piano equipped with this feature essentially includes a built-in audio/MIDI interface, which is particularly valuable for recording purposes when used with a digital audio workstation (DAW).
Additionally, this function simplifies the connection between the piano and smart audio devices. You only need a single USB cable (with a Camera Connection Kit or OTG adapter if necessary) to seamlessly connect the piano to your device. This setup allows you to play the piano while simultaneously hearing the app’s sound through the piano’s built-in speakers or headphones.
Here you can find a list of digital pianos with USB Audio/MIDI functionality.*
If you need a digital piano primarily for rehearsals and performances and can do without built-in speakers, a stage piano is often a better choice than a portable piano. Stage pianos prioritize durability and impact resistance over a design suitable for a living room setting.
Key features of stage pianos include a wide range of connectivity options (such as line outputs, pedal jacks, and MIDI ports), extensive controls for real-time access to sounds and effects, MIDI controller functionality, and ample setup memory. These features allow you to quickly switch between various settings for a stage program with different songs at the press of a button.
Find out more: Buyer’s Guide: Stage Piano under $2,000
A portable piano is designed to be compact and lightweight for easy transportation. Key considerations include the cabinet, keyboard, and speakers. However, maintaining a high-quality playing experience is crucial, so the heaviest component in a portable piano is typically the weighted hammer-action keyboard. Instead, the use of lightweight materials, such as plastic for the cabinet, and compact design choices, such as for the speakers, result in the necessary weight savings.
Speaker configuration also differs between portable and home pianos. Portable pianos often feature upward-facing speakers that project sound directly toward the player. In contrast, home pianos aim to emulate the sound projection of an acoustic piano, with sound emanating indirectly from within the cabinet. To achieve this, the speakers are usually placed below the keyboard.
The $2,000 mark represents the upper limit of the current price range for portable pianos. Higher price points are typically reserved for home or stage pianos. In this segment, only Kawai and Roland offer models that fully utilize this budget, while portable pianos from other manufacturers are generally priced well below $1,500.
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