The new ARIUS, side by side with the old one
Yamaha released the YDP-146 in June 2026 as part of a new ARIUS line, together with the YDP-166, YDP-S56 and YDP-S36. It takes the place of the YDP-145, which Yamaha Japan now lists as discontinued. Dealers may still have YDP-145 stock, and used units are common, so the practical question is whether the newer model is worth it or whether a YDP-145 at a good price does the same job.
A note on method: this is a spec-based comparison. We have not played the two side by side. We placed Yamaha's specification tables for both models next to each other, row by row, and read Yamaha's announcement of the new line.
The short version: the cabinet, the sound engine, the amplifier and almost every function are identical. The YDP-146 adds Bluetooth and a revised speaker grille, and Yamaha says it improved the sensors of the same GHS keyboard.
What changed
Bluetooth. This is the clearest difference. The YDP-145 has no Bluetooth at all; it connects to a computer or tablet only through its USB TO HOST port. Yamaha's Japanese table lists Bluetooth audio (receive) and Bluetooth MIDI (send and receive) for the YDP-146. In practice that means two things: you can play music from your phone through the piano's speakers and play along, and you can use Yamaha's Smart Pianist app without a cable. Yamaha's US table adds that Bluetooth "varies by area", so check the unit sold in your country.
Speakers. Both have two 12 cm speakers driven by 8 W × 2. On the YDP-146, Yamaha lists them as "12 cm with diffuser". Yamaha's announcement says the diffuser grille spreads the sound more widely, so that the high register carries further into the room. The amplifier power is unchanged, so this is about how the sound spreads, not about volume. Whether you hear the difference is something to judge in a shop.
Keyboard sensing. Both tables name the same GHS (Graded Hammer Standard) keyboard with matte black keytops and the same four touch settings: Hard, Medium, Soft and Fixed. Yamaha's announcement says the sensor design was improved, so that fast repeated notes and complex passages reflect the player's intent more accurately. Yamaha does not describe a change to key weight or to the mechanism, and neither model has escapement.
App features. With the new line, Yamaha also announced new Smart Pianist practice features: a guide mode where the accompaniment waits until you play the right note, and a medal challenge that scores your playing. Yamaha presents these together with the new models; it does not say whether they work with the YDP-145.
What stayed the same
According to Yamaha's tables, the two share:
- Yamaha CFX sampling with VRM Lite, 192-note polyphony, 10 voices and 4 reverb types
- Intelligent Acoustic Control and the Stereophonic Optimizer for headphone listening
- Two standard 6.3 mm headphone jacks, and no AUX or line output
- Three pedals, with half-pedal on the damper, and a sliding key cover
- 10 voice demos, 50 classical pieces and 303 lesson songs, Dual and Duo modes, one-song two-track recording, a metronome and transpose
- The same cabinet: 1,357 mm wide, 422 mm deep, 815 mm high (969 mm with the music rest up), 38 kg
If you read that the YDP-146 sounds louder, has more voices or a heavier action, Yamaha's own specifications do not support it.
What comes in the box
Both US tables list a bench as included "depending on your area". In Japan, both the YDP-145 and the YDP-146 come with a fixed-height bench and headphones, so the bundle is not a difference between the generations there either. Ask your dealer what is included in your market.
Price
The YDP-146's US launch price is a little above what the YDP-145 listed at. Remaining YDP-145 stock is often sold below its old list price, and used prices vary widely, so the real gap depends on what you find. Compare the actual offers side by side.
Which one to choose
Choose the YDP-146 if you will use Bluetooth: playing along to music from your phone, or using Smart Pianist without a cable. For a beginner who practises with an app, that is a feature used every day. It is also the simpler choice if you want a new piano from current production rather than remaining stock.
Choose a YDP-145 if you find one clearly below the YDP-146 and you do not need Bluetooth, or you are happy to connect a tablet with a USB cable. On Yamaha's tables you get the same keys, sound engine, amplifier power, functions and cabinet. With used units, check the keys and pedals in person.
If the GHS touch is the part you are unsure about, neither model changes it. In the new line, the YDP-166 has the GrandTouch-E keyboard with escapement; our CLP-826 vs YDP-166 and Kawai CX202 vs YDP-166 comparisons cover it.