Yamaha Arius YDP-165 Digital Piano: Upgrades, Features & Review

The Yamaha Arius YDP-165 marks a significant step forward, replacing the popular YDP-164 model as a leading digital piano for aspiring and established pianists. This updated model introduces several key enhancements designed to deliver a more authentic and expressive piano performance.

For keyboard players considering an upgrade or choosing between models, the YDP-165 boasts notable improvements over its predecessor, the YDP-164. These include:

• Improved Yamaha CFX Sound Engine: Experience an even richer and more nuanced concert grand piano sound, sampled from Yamaha's flagship CFX concert grand.
  
• Virtual Resonance Modeling (VRM): This advanced technology meticulously recreates the complex sympathetic string and damper resonances found in an acoustic piano, adding depth and realism to your playing.
  
• Tone Escapement: A newly incorporated feature that allows sound to project more naturally from the instrument, closely mimicking the sound dispersion of an acoustic piano for a more immersive auditory experience.
  
• Convenient Music Clip: Securely holds your sheet music or mobile device in place.
  
• Expanded Song Capacity: Offers 150KB for recording your performances or practicing with built-in songs.
  
• Integrated Volume Limiter: A thoughtful addition that helps protect hearing by allowing users to set a maximum volume level, perfect for practice sessions.

True Piano Touch
The YDP165 has Yamaha’s Graded Hammer 3 (GH3) piano action, which utilizes the same hammering system and springless mechanism as a grand piano. It reproduces the touch of an acoustic piano, from the heavy feel in the lower register to a lighter touch in the upper octaves, providing a grand piano-style response and feel. Additionally, synthetic ivory keytops provide a tactile surface to the white keys, absorbing moisture from the fingers and preventing them from slipping.

Authentic Piano Tone
Yamaha’s CFX Premium Grand Piano Voice in the Arius YDP 165 recreates the power and tone of Yamaha's flagship CFX concert grand piano, producing a very dynamic and expressive sound. The CFX sound engine is enhanced by the Tone Escapement feature which uses a long and narrow hole in the back of the piano to create a wide sound space.

Virtual Resonance Modeling (VRM) Lite Technology
VRM technology in the Arius YDP-165 faithfully reproduces string resonance using a virtual musical instrument (physical modeling) and produces a sound more like that of a real acoustic piano. VRM technology allows you to vary the sound expressively by changing the timing of your pressing the keys, and the timing and depth of your pressing the pedal. VRM only affects the Piano Voices.

The Smart Pianist App gives you full control over your piano's major functions using your smart device and also analyzes your favorite songs right out of your music library using chord tracker technology. It allows you to use functions like selecting Voices, controlling the metronome, or displaying the score on your smart device. It is available as a free download from Yamaha and requires the UD-WL01 USB Wireless LAN adaptor when using WI-FI.

The Stereophonic Optimizer in the YDP165 digital piano is unique to Yamaha and adjusts the spacing of the sound and the separation from the piano when using headphones. The resulting spacious, and surround sound quality will inspire you to play for hours on end. The sound of the piano seems to come from the body of the instrument rather than from the headphones, providing a more realistic and natural experience.

Other important features in the Yamaha Arius YDP-165 include: a 2-track song recorder, a dual-mode for playing two voices together, Intelligent Acoustic Control (IAC) automatically ensures the richest tone at any volume level, and the USB TO HOST port for connecting to a computer or mobile device. 

The Yamaha Arius YDP-165 digital piano boasts quality materials teamed with modern performance technology and delivers a weighted action digital piano unsurpassed by anything in its class. Contact Andy's Music and order yours today.

Andy's Music, a 12X winner of the NAMM TOP 100 Dealer, is a family business with family values serving musicians, schools, and houses of worship in the Southeast U.S. Keeping the gift of music alive since 1977.

Yamaha Arius YDP165 Specs

• Graded Hammer 3 (GH3) action with synthetic ivory keytops adds a tactile surface to the white keys
• CFX Stereo Sampling
• 3 Piano-Style Pedals sustain, sostenuto, and soft-pedal performance
• Half-damper pedal control allows for continuously increasing amounts of sustain as the pedal is depressed.
• Tone Escapement uses a long and narrow hole in the back of the piano to create a wide sound space.
• VRM Lite (Virtual Resonance Modeling) technology makes the sound more like that of a real acoustic piano
• Intelligent Acoustic Control (IAC) automatically adjusts the EQ of the built-in stereo speaker system
• Stereophonic Optimizer
• Volume Limiter protects your hearing with or without headphones.
• 192-note polyphony
• 10 preset voices, 353 songs
• Duo mode splits the keyboard into two halves
• Dual Mode lets you combine two Voices together
• The Smart Pianist app
• USB to HOST
• 150KB/Song Capacity
• Music Clip
• Smooth Release
• 2 tracks, 150KB/Song Capacity
• 20W x 2 Amplifiers
• Auto power off
• Standard stereo headphone jacks x 2
• Available finishes: Black Walnut YDP165B and Dark Rosewood YDP165R
• Included Accessories: 50 Greats for the Piano Music Book, owner's manual, PA150 adapter, and matching bench
• Dimensions: 53 7/16" W x 33 27/64" H x 16 5/8" D
• This item is considered oversize and will incur an additional shipping fee shown in the shopping cart.
• Weight: 92.10 lbs.