Korg B1 vs Yamaha P45 [2023 Review]

Korg and Yamaha have been on the market for a while now and the issue of Korg B1 vs Yamaha P45 is still alive because these are the best selling models of both brands. For that reason, we decided to give you this Korg B1 vs Yamaha P45 review and help you figure out which digital piano is better for you.

Korg has been producing affordable digital pianos for a long while now and their keyboards are of great quality and have modern designs. However, Korg is not a popular brand like Yamaha.

Since it is not popular in the digital piano market, we think they have to offer much more than Yamaha. But is that the case? In this Korg B1 vs Yamaha P45 review, we will try to find that out.

Korg B1 comes with an 88-key hammer-action keyboard and 18W onboard speakers. In addition to that, it has 120-note polyphony. On the other hand, Yamaha P45 digital piano also features an 88-key weighted action.

Yamaha comes with a large music library created with Yamaha’s Stereo Advanced Wave Management technology and has lots of more aspects to offer. If you are interested in this model, keep reading our Korg B1 vs Yamaha P45 review for more information below.

Winner: Yamaha P45 88-Key Weighted Action Digital Piano

Korg B1 88 Key Digital Piano Review

Features:  Korg B1 is really similar and it can be compared to a grand piano. Its main feature is its huge tonal range and it really sounds like the real thing. You can understand really well why people are buying Korg B1 if you look at its portable design and affordable price.

Korg B1 has lots to give back for the money you are paying. However, do not think of it as Korg B1 is not a quality keyboard.

Another amazing feature we liked about Korg B1 is its dual partner mode. It means you can use this digital piano with someone else, be it a piano class or inviting over your friend for some music time.

Korg B1 is not a digital piano that mimics other high-end models, because it has its own style and aspects to offer. It has its own technological development process and Korg definitely can keep up with the latest updates. This makes it fun to play whether you are a beginner or an intermediate player.

The B1 does not need tuning, just like any other digital piano. At the same time, you can use the transpose and tuning functions to change the keyboard’s pitch. You may use the transpose feature to adjust the pitch of the entire keyboard and we think that it is an amazing aspect to have in a piano.

Korg B1 will give you space and opportunity to develop your piano skills without getting you bored.

Yamaha P45 88-Key Weighted Action Digital Piano Review

Features: Yamaha P45 has an 88-key weighted action which is really common to see in digital pianos in this price range. However, Yamaha P45 comes with a huge music library in it and the songs were collected with Yamaha’s Stereo Advanced Wave Management.

Since this is a new model, Yamaha managed to upgrade it with some amazing features such as 64-note orchestration for a rich and deep tone. This model is definitely a continuation of Yamaha’s fame and success.

Yamaha P45 comes with eight octaves which we can say is not very common among digital pianos. Having eight octaves in an 88-key keyboard from Yamaha at this price range is an amazing thing to have if you ask us.

Since it has eight octaves, Yamaha P45 can give you the opportunity to play even the hardest songs. If you are a beginner, this feature might not interest you but it means that Yamaha also had the intermediate and professional piano players in mind when they produced P45.

Yamaha P45 is also light and portable, giving you lots of chances to carry it wherever you want or store it wherever you want. You can use both hands to use the whole keyboard since it is a relatively small one.

P45 can be used by both beginners and intermediate piano players. However, we can say that it is especially suitable for beginners because it comes pre-programmed with ten songs and ten demos that you can play along with to learn the basics.

Comparison of Korg B1 vs Yamaha P45

Our Korg B1 vs Yamaha P45 comparison will help you choose between these two excellent and common keyboards if you are looking for a lightweight and cost-effective keyboard. Two names come to mind when it comes to keyboard choices for beginners.

When it comes to the basics, they are both made up of 88 keys that are all fully weighted and fitted with matte black keytops. So physically appealing features of both products are the same. This is also the same case for the feel of both instruments as well.

There is one difference though and that is the type of weight that they are fitted with. The Korg B1 uses natural waited action which is what most instruments at this point come with. On the other hand, the Yamaha P45 uses graded hammer standard action which is a bit different compared to other counterparts.

Sound quality is one of the main goals both brands are aiming the highest for and these products are no laughing matter. The Korg B1 uses stereo PCM output while the Yamaha has AWM stereo sampling. This might sound like nonsense but this just means they process audio differently but they are both stereos so the user should not hear a difference.

Speaking about sound quality, note polyphony potential is a huge deal for music producers as a higher caliber keyboard will be able to create more. The Korg keyboard is able to make 120-note polyphones meanwhile the Yamaha can only make 64 which is almost half as much as the Korg.

When it comes to the sound quality of Korg B1 vs Yamaha P45 can produce, we can also talk about the possible instruments these keyboards can emulate. The Korg can emulate 8 instruments which 3 are pianos. The Yamaha can emulate 10 instrument sounds, 2 of them being pianos. So, the difference in polyphone might be a deal-breaker but it makes up for it.

When it comes to the physical build qualities of these products, they both come with dual speakers since they have stereo output. The Korg comes with 2 9W speakers that are 4 inches in diameter.  The latter on the other hand though has dual 6W speakers that are 12 centimeters in diameter.

The digital output is a must in these products as it will increase the potential of what these instruments are able to produce. The Korg has a headphone jack and a sustain pedal jack which are the fundamentals of any keyboard.

Yamaha also has what the Korg has but with a bonus USB to Host connector which increases the bandwidth of the instrument.

Speaking about build quality. How does it really feel to use one of these keyboards? The sensitivity on the Korg has 3 increments which are light, normal, and heavy which can be adjusted anytime during playing sessions.

The Yamaha has a bit more depth when it comes to touch sensitivity as it has 4 stages that are hard, medium, soft, and fixed. This gives the user a bit more flexibility when it comes to the actual usage of the keyboard.

Both are considered good options for learners due to their nice and smooth keys. Both come with a foot pedal and a music rest. There is even a chorus and reverberation effect aboard. All have matte black keytops and weighted keys that replicate the sound of a typical piano.

The P45, on the other hand, has a midi input, which the Korg B1 does not. Furthermore, as compared to the Yamaha P45, the B1’s speaker system is thought to be much more advanced which might be a more attractive feature for higher-end music producers as they would want to utilize this more compared to beginners.

The Korg B1 is characterized by its wide tonal range, which creates a sound that is comparable to that of a grand piano. The Korg B1’s key selling points have to be its elegant, lightweight nature and fair price. However, this does not imply that you would have to sacrifice efficiency.

If you are searching for a novice keyboard, the Yamaha P45 is a brand you’ve already heard of. Because of its simplicity, the P45 is particularly popular among beginner pianists.

The P45 was first released in 2015, and its user-friendly nature immediately made it a hit with beginners who are still looking for an easy-to-use digital piano to practice on.

The P45 is a good option for beginner piano players because it has all of the same features as its predecessor, the P35, which made it one of the most popular digital piano designs.

As compared to the Korg B1, the Yamaha P45 is unquestionably superior. Despite the fact that both pianos are similarly attractive in terms of design and appearance, the Yamaha P45 scores higher due to its superior music quality and sound options.

However, if you only need a simple digital piano for piano lessons, Korg is a better option because it is much more portable and cost-effective which also means the player would not have to worry about anything related to investing in the time and money that is needed to play a product like this.

At the end of the day, a novice needs a keyboard that is both reliable and easy to understand. The Yamaha P45 has a lot of features for a low price, while the B1 has comfortable keys that make practice sessions simpler, but you may have to compromise on features.

In terms of assisting beginners during piano lessons, both the Korg B1 and the Yamaha P45 have something to say. It really all comes down to what the user wants or expects from the keyboard they are purchasing. The player has the last saying in all of what has been stated in this review so far.

Conclusion: Korg B1 vs Yamaha P45 [2023 Review]

To conclude this battle between Korg B1 vs Yamaha P45, we have to decide on a winner. We know that every person who is looking for a digital keyboard wants something that can last them a long while and easy to learn.

Fortunately, if you are stuck with these two, they have lots of features to offer and they are both easy to learn. However, Yamaha P45 can give you more features to explore at an affordable price that you cannot find anywhere.

On the other hand, Borg B1 offers comfortable keys that you can play with. This will definitely give you easier piano lessons for sure. But it does not have as much as to offer when compared to Yamaha in terms of features.

Overall, both the Korg B1 vs Yamaha P45 are beginner-friendly when it comes to using during piano lessons. We hope you liked our Korg B1 vs Yamaha P45 review and it was helpful.