Yamaha keyboards

Phil_aka_Pip

I may have mentioned before but I want to replace the DJX that inexplicably broke 2 months ago. Considered the NP-11 digital piano, but would like more sounds to choose from. The PSR-E353 looks OK, but the PSR-253 is slightly cheaper, and doesn't have touch sensitivity. When I played string pads on my DJX I used to turn off the touch sensitivity because of the unpredictable nature of my (horribly deficient) keyboard technique, so that I didn't get some chords inaudible with others blasting the cones out of the speakers. There are however more sounds in the 353. Does anyone have experience of either?

Danny1969

I personally wouldn't want a keyboard without touch sensitivity, be useless for piano. A decent keyboard makes a world of difference. I use a Roland A-33 midi keyboard and trigger various things via midi. I have got one of the all in one Yamaha's and some of the sounds are OK -ish but I still midi that up to the Roland and play from the Roland. It's like the difference between a well set up guitar and one which isn't. You might find your technique is better than you think on a decent playing surface

Nomad

No experience of either, but I'd suggest that it's worth looking into the specs in detail to see what other differences there are. On the 353, there is an option to globally override the touch sensitivity - bottom of page 40 in the manual...

http://download.yamaha.com/api/asset/file/?language=en&site=uk.yamaha.com&asset_id=64464

Glancing down the spec comparison (page 14), it has lots more sounds, styles and songs...

http://download.yamaha.com/api/asset/file/?language=en&site=uk.yamaha.com&asset_id=65627

A bit more reading indicates that the 253 doesn't do MIDI, while the 353 does. Don't know what your needs are, but no MIDI would be a 100% deal breaker for me on a keyboard like this, even if I had no plans to use it any time soon.

For all the difference in price, I'd choose the 353 over the 253.

Chalky

Had several keyboards and eventually got a nice Clavinova. Didn't like the piano-like action at first but now I'm fully converted to it and really appreciate the feel. So my advice would be get the best feeling keyboard you can. And MIDI so you can always expand your tones