Yamaha P 515 Overview

Are you a die hard fan of Yamaha? Like me you love digital pianos but you are not sure about the Yamaha p-515? Well you must read till the end, i’m sure you will have a good idea about whether you want to buy one or not.

The P 515 is the latest baby in Yamaha’s P-series. This keyboard is supposed to replace the great P-255 and according to the manufacturers, Yamaha p 515 comes with everything its predecessor had to offer and a few extra features to meet the new music demands. This keyboard is marketed as a revolutionary keyboard with remarkable keys and even better voices, but does it really live up to the hype? Is it good enough for anyone with a p-255 to consider upgrading? In this review, we will be taking a quick look at the key features and all other specs about this keyboard. We will also try to see whether the new features are worth the time of either a beginner or an advanced pianist.

Click image for best price on P515:

Yamaha P515 Overview

The first amazing thing we noticed about the Yamaha P 515 is the use of the two finest pianos in the world to come up with incredible sound samples. These samples were made from the Bösendorfer Imperial and the CFX acoustic grand. These two premium pianos have been used at some of the biggest music stages in the world. The Yamaha P 515 becomes the first keyboard in the p-series to carry principal voicing from these instruments and it doesn’t take long to realize just how big of an impact it has had. The sounds are simply stunning! They were recorded at various velocity layers and this helped in ensuring that the loudness and harmonic content match the keyboards playing style perfectly. As if that wasn’t enough, they had to further enhance the sounds with the Virtual Resonance Modelling technology. This tech added some soundboard resonances, strings and made a few improvements to the damper pedal. When playing this keyboard, you will also notice timbral and amplitudinal changes every time you release the keys. The sounds here will definitely satisfy your taste for high-quality music. Combine this with its various supporting features and you get an incredible instrument that’ll take your musical creativity to new places.

One of the biggest selling points of the Yamaha P 515 has been the changes they have made on the keys. Unlike most other keyboards in the market whose keys are made of plastic, the Yamaha P 515s’ are made of natural wood that’s carefully dried for a soft and natural feel and response. The wood is then finished with synthetic ebony and ivory surfacing. So, is all this worth the trouble and how is it different from plastic keys?

First, the keys on this keyboard feel a lot better than their plastic counterparts. Rubbing through them feels more natural and the response is also incredible. This has been achieved by its sleek designing and it’s also due to the fact that they are all weighted perfectly.

Secondly, the finishing has done a fantastic job in helping to get rid of the nuisance that is moist keys. Spending too much time on the keyboard can take its toll and one of the most prevalent issues is sweaty fingers which can ruin your entire playing experience. This is also a problem to aspiring or advanced pianists who have naturally sweaty hands. With the ivory finishing, moist around your keys will never be an issue again. This surface ensures that any moist from your hands don’t stick around to mess with your performance.

Additionally, with the keys, you’ll get a feeling of playing an acoustic piano thanks to their escapement mechanism. This mechanism is especially notable when you press the keys lightly. You’ll find this experience very useful especially if you are planning or preparing to play an acoustic piano.

Sounds

Yamaha P-515 has an excess of 500 high-quality sounds recorded from Bösendorfer Imperial, the Yamaha CFX and a few other hybrid keyboards. These sounds are of different genres making sure that your skills are as diversified as possible. You’ll also be able to split and layer the sounds in different combinations to create the melodies of your choice.

As we already pointed out, the VRM technology incorporated in this technology has breathed life to sounds that were already out of this world. To make sure that the final output doesn’t spoil them, the manufacturer has added twisted bass ports. This has increased the depth of the sounds while maintaining their precision. Play these sounds alongside the choruses and reverbs and the final product will be magical.

On top of all the voices available on the Yamaha P 515, you’ll also get 40 drum and bass rhythms, 21 full demo songs, and 50 inbuilt piano songs.

All the sounds will be relayed through the two high-quality speakers. These are powerful enough for the keyboard to be used in a home setting and also in small gigs. For anyone looking for a more private experience, the keyboard offers two separate sockets where you can connect your headphones. We’d also like to recognize the binaural sampling system included, exclusively, for the headphones. This technology is designed to bring the experience of playing on a concert grand piano right in your ears. The music becomes really authentic. Using the headphones can even become addictive.

Smart Pianist Application

For any device with hundreds of features, getting lost or having a hard time finding what you need can be very easy. It’s for this reason that the Yamaha P 515 comes with a Smart Pianist Application to get you organized. With this app, you can edit the layout of the keyboard into your preferred design. You can have the functions you use more often closer to you and the ones that you rarely use a bit further. From this app, you’ll gain access to read sheet music, sounds and playback & capture performances Thanks to this iOS app using this keyboard becomes more intuitive.

Check Price & Reviews on Amazon

Digital Expansion

Almost all keyboards are designed to capture huge amounts of audio and MIDI data but one thing we have come to learn is that they are never enough especially to people who create lots of music. To make sure that space never becomes an issue, Yamaha provides a digital expansion capability through a USB storage port and other host connectivity options. You’ll be able to store your digital media in other easily accessible gadgets. It’s also possible to link the piano to other digital audio workstations that’ll add more taste to your sounds allowing you to make catchy music.

Another interesting connectivity option is the Bluetooth connection. With this function, you can link the keyboard to other nearby devices and stream the music directly to the keyboard! With this feature, the keyboard isn’t just ideal for home use because it brings music closer to you but also because it can function as a secondary sound system allowing you to stream music from your phone, tablet, and other gadgets.

Yamaha P 515 Specs

• Dimensions: Width 52.62” (1336mm); Height 5.68” (145mm); Depth 5 11/16” (376mm)
• Weight 48lbs 8oz (22kg)
• Available in white and black
• Comes with 88 NWX keys (Natural Wood X)
• Touch sensitivity: Fixed/soft2/soft1/medium/hard1/hard2
• Features a full dots LCD screen (128 by 64 dots)
• Key-off samples, smooth release, and Binaural sampling capability
• 256-note polyphony
• 40 voices + 480 XG voices
• 18 drum/SFX kits
• 21 demo songs
• 50 classic songs
• 250 additional songs
• 40 rhythms
• 6 revers + 3 choruses
• Supports stereophonic optimizer and Intelligent Acoustic Control
• Tempo range: 5-500
• Tuning: 414.8-44.0-466.8 Hz
• Transpose: -12 – 0 – +12
• USB Flash Memory function
• Maximum internal storage of 1.4mb
• Data capacity of around 500kb per song
• Supports sustain pedal and pedal unit
• Aux in, aux out and USB-to-host connectivity options
• 15w + 5W Amplifiers
• Automatic power off function
• 15w power consumption
• A recommended power supply of PA-300C

Conclusion on The Yamaha P515

The Yamaha P 515 is made in an elegant manner offering advanced functions that most other keyboards can’t match. Its compact designing makes it portable and ideal for any musician who spends much of his/her time on the road. The Yamaha P 515 houses great sounds and features that make it earn its place among the best keyboards in the P-series. It’s better than most of its predecessors and it’s definitely worth investing in.

Check Price & Reviews on Amazon