Yamaha CP73From real comments

Verdict distilled from 45 mentions across 13 aspects in comments under product review videos.

Positive sentiment50%
PROS 50%
CONS 50%

Rank based on 45 mentions across 13 aspects

View the verdict as

Buy this if...

  • You want an excellent hammer-action keybed with an immediate, real-piano feel
  • You mainly need strong acoustic piano and electric piano sounds with hands-on controls
  • You want a stage piano priced competitively against Nord Stage/Grand

What users love

Skip this if...

  • You need drawbar organ sounds or deep synth layering/splitting
  • You want a large sound library (57-80 sounds is far fewer than rivals like Grandstage)
  • You need longer sample decay/sustain or true string resonance for solo piano work

What users complain about

Compare in seconds

Based on user comments

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1Mid
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Great with extended-range guitars
Strong overall tone quality
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Long-term reliability and board loyalty
Simple, intuitive controls
High price point
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Distortion at high settings
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Long-term favorite / durability of appeal
Sweet, low-gain tone quality
High price versus clones
Deluxe loses some original character
Limited mid control
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MXR Super Badass Distortion
Exceptional versatilityNatural, amp-like tonePowerful 3-band EQDemo videos undersell the pedalNoticeable noise floorVolume drop when engaged
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Exceptional versatility
Natural, amp-like tone
Powerful 3-band EQ
Demo videos undersell the pedal
Noticeable noise floor
Volume drop when engaged
5Premium
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Exceptional reverb qualityHigh-quality warm pitch shiftingStrong aspirational appealHigh priceCheaper alternatives may sufficeEffect can feel like it plays for you
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Exceptional reverb quality
High-quality warm pitch shifting
Strong aspirational appeal
High price
Cheaper alternatives may suffice
Effect can feel like it plays for you
6Premium
Origin Effects Deluxe61
Authentic amp-like toneExcellent low-to-mid gain driveUnderrated favorite among ownersHigh price pointLimited gain-staging flexibilityNo built-in reverb
Origin Effects Deluxe61
Authentic amp-like tone
Excellent low-to-mid gain drive
Underrated favorite among owners
High price point
Limited gain-staging flexibility
No built-in reverb
7Premium
Roland TR-808
Iconic, powerful kick drumWarmer, more alive analog characterCultural and historical influenceExtremely high collector priceAnalog noise and static requiring EQReliability concerns of aging hardware
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Iconic, powerful kick drum
Warmer, more alive analog character
Cultural and historical influence
Extremely high collector price
Analog noise and static requiring EQ
Reliability concerns of aging hardware
8Premium
Moog Subsequent 37
Inspiring and addictive to playWarm, fat analog toneStrong DAW/VST editor integrationHigh price for what it offersLimited versatility outside bass rangeNeeds effects/partner gear to shine
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Inspiring and addictive to play
Warm, fat analog tone
Strong DAW/VST editor integration
High price for what it offers
Limited versatility outside bass range
Needs effects/partner gear to shine
9
Wampler Tumnus V2
Klon Centaur-style toneConvincing demo influenced purchaseExcellent clean boostNot suited for metal tones
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Klon Centaur-style tone
Convincing demo influenced purchase
Excellent clean boost
Not suited for metal tones
10Mid
Wampler Paisley Drive
Transparent toneVersatile across genresWorks well across many guitar typesTwo-channel routing complexityDry signal bleed-throughInconsistent demo impressions
Wampler Paisley Drive
Transparent tone
Versatile across genres
Works well across many guitar types
Two-channel routing complexity
Dry signal bleed-through
Inconsistent demo impressions
You are here
31Premium
Yamaha CP73
Great control layout and hands-on interfaceStrong piano tone (CFX/C7)Excellent key actionBright/harsh piano toneMissing per-instrument EQ and other software gapsSmall sound library
Yamaha CP73
Great control layout and hands-on interface
Strong piano tone (CFX/C7)
Excellent key action
Bright/harsh piano tone
Missing per-instrument EQ and other software gaps
Small sound library

Who wins on what

Ranked by what users actually praise

Overall Impression

The keybed and playing feel are the CP73's standout strength. Multiple commenters who tried it side-by-side with the Nord Stage 3, SV1, and Korg Kronos at retail said the CP73/CP88 had the best-feeling key bed of the group, calling it the closest thing to a real piano. Owners report the action is 'probably better than Nord' and that the keybed makes them want to play every day, though one buyer described toggle switches as cheap-feeling.

Piano and electric piano tone draw praise, but brightness and short decay bother some players. The new C7 sample and CFX-based grand pianos are called beautiful and inspiring by several owners, with the upright/gospel patch singled out as excellent. However, other listeners on quality systems found the acoustic pianos bright, boxy, or harsh at higher velocity, and one noted sustain and decay are noticeably shorter than on Kawai MP7/MP11 or Nord instruments.

The sound library and feature set feel thin next to Nord and Korg competitors. Commenters repeatedly note the CP73/88 ships with far fewer sounds than the Korg Grandstage or Nord, lacking drawbar organs, a metronome, per-instrument EQ, extra bass patches, and higher polyphony. Some call it an overpriced 'Nord copy' with subpar organ and synth sounds, while others still find it a better overall value than a $4500 Nord Stage.

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