$1,599
Yamaha YDP-S55: a clear digital piano review for practice and comparison
8.3 Beginner 7.4 Night Practice 3.0 Portability 7.9 Touch Reality 6.5 Value
88 40 kg
Yamaha YDP-S56 Review
Yamaha YDP-S56 review: a 309 mm slim ARIUS with the GrandTouch-E keyboard and Bluetooth
88 Keys 40 kg GrandTouch-E
Bluetooth
Beginner
Scores
Where to Buy
MSRP
$1,699
Retail prices change, so check current pricing at retailers.
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How These Scores Were Calculated
Beginner
9.3| Factor | This Piano | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Base Score | — | 0.5 |
| Lesson Function | Yes | +1.8 |
| App Connectivity | Yes | +1.8 |
| Bluetooth MIDI | Yes | +1 |
| Recording | Yes | +0.8 |
| Practice Basics (Metronome / Transpose / Layer-Split) | Yes | +0.6 |
| Stand Included | Yes | +0.5 |
| Damper Pedal Included | Yes | +0.4 |
| Preset Songs | 303 | +1.7 |
| Sound Variety | 10 sounds | +0.2 |
Night Practice
8.2| Factor | This Piano | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Base Score | — | 1.0 |
| Headphone Jacks | 2 | +2.2 |
| Headphone Type | 6.3mm, 6.3mm | +0.9 |
| Headphone Optimization | Yes | +2.2 |
| Bluetooth Audio | Yes | +0.8 |
| Line Out | No | +0 |
| Speaker Mute with Headphones | Yes | +0.7 |
| Key Action Quietness | GrandTouch-E | +0.4 |
Portability
3.0| Factor | This Piano | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Base Score | — | 5.0 |
| Weight | 40 kg | -1.5 |
| Width | 1353 mm | -0.5 |
| Battery | No | +0 |
| Foldable | No | +0 |
| Key Count | 88 keys | +0 |
Touch Reality
7.9| Factor | This Piano | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Key Action Quality | GrandTouch-E (grade 7) | +4.2 |
| Key Count | 88 keys | +1.5 |
| Polyphony | 192 notes | +1.2 |
| Sound Modeling | Yamaha CFX (VRM Lite) | +0.5 |
| Key Surface | simulated-ebony-ivory | +0.5 |
Yamaha YDP-S56 review verdict
This Yamaha YDP-S56 review reads the published specifications from a comparison-first point of view: touch, sound, practice fit, value, and limits.
The YDP-S56 keeps the YDP-S55's slim 309 mm cabinet, 40 kg weight, Yamaha CFX sample and 20 W × 2 amplification. The changes are a GrandTouch-E keyboard with escapement in place of GH3, Bluetooth audio and MIDI, and diffuser grilles on the two 12 cm speakers.
Pros
- • 309 mm deep with the key cover closed, and a folding cover that leaves a flat top, so it fits corridors and bedrooms where a standard console does not.
- • GrandTouch-E keyboard with escapement and synthetic ebony and ivory keytops, the same keyboard as the full-depth YDP-166. The YDP-S55's GH3 keyboard did not list escapement.
- • Bluetooth audio and Bluetooth MIDI, so a phone or tablet can play through the piano and Smart Pianist connects without a cable. The YDP-S55 had neither.
- • Two 12 cm speakers behind diffuser grilles with 20 W × 2 amplification, the same output as the YDP-166.
- • Yamaha CFX sample with VRM Lite resonance, 192-note polyphony and 10 voices.
- • Two standard 6.3 mm headphone jacks with Stereophonic Optimizer, plus 303 lesson songs, 50 classics, a two-track recorder, metronome and transpose.
- • Three pedals, with half-pedal support on the damper.
Cons
- • No bench is included; Yamaha Japan lists it as sold separately, and the US accessory list does not include one.
- • The 309 mm figure grows to 382 mm with the anti-fall brackets fitted, which is the depth to plan around.
- • No AUX OUT or line output, so an external amplifier has to be reached through a computer over USB.
- • 192-note polyphony and 10 voices are unchanged from the YDP-S55.
- • Unlike the YDP-166, there are no music braces to hold pages open on the music rest.
The YDP-S56 applies the same three changes as the YDP-166 to the slim cabinet: GrandTouch-E with escapement, Bluetooth audio and MIDI, and diffuser grilles. Size, weight, CFX sample, polyphony, voices and amplifier output match the YDP-S55. That makes it the model to shortlist when depth is the constraint but the keyboard should not be a compromise, since it shares the full-depth YDP-166's action and amplification. What the slim format costs is practical rather than musical: no bench in the box, no music braces, and extra depth once the anti-fall brackets are fitted.
Yamaha YDP-S56 evaluation points
Yamaha YDP-S56 key action and touch
The YDP-S56 uses GrandTouch-E, the keyboard Yamaha developed for this ARIUS generation and shares with the YDP-166. The specification lists synthetic ebony and ivory keytops and escapement, which reproduces the small notch a grand action gives near the bottom of a very soft keystroke. The YDP-S55 before it used GH3 with the same keytop finish but no escapement in its specification. Yamaha describes GrandTouch-E as newly developed for steadier touch and response, without publishing key weights or sensor counts. Because the keyboard is identical to the YDP-166, choosing between the two comes down to cabinet depth and included accessories rather than touch.
Who the Yamaha YDP-S56 is for
Someone in an apartment or a small room who wants a piano-style instrument with three pedals rather than a portable on a stand, and who does not want to give up keyboard quality for the slimmer cabinet. It suits beginners starting lessons, adults returning to the piano and players who practise mostly on headphones and use an app on a tablet. If the room can take 422 mm of depth, the YDP-166 offers the same keyboard with a sliding cover, music braces and, in Japan, a bench and headphones included.
Yamaha YDP-S56 sound and speakers
The sound source is the Yamaha CFX sample with VRM Lite resonance, as on the YDP-S55, with 10 voices and four reverb types. The two 12 cm speakers now sit behind diffuser grilles, which Yamaha says carry the upper range more clearly and spread the sound more evenly; amplification stays at 20 W × 2, so the change is in dispersion rather than volume. A slim cabinet placed against a wall shapes the sound differently from a deeper console, so hearing it in a comparable position is worthwhile. On headphones, Stereophonic Optimizer moves the piano image out in front of the player.
What to know before buying the Yamaha YDP-S56
Check Bluetooth before buying. Yamaha's US specification marks Bluetooth audio and MIDI as varying by area, so some regional versions may not include it; the Japanese specification lists audio receive and MIDI send and receive without that note. Confirm with the dealer that the unit sold in your country has it if wireless Smart Pianist use matters. Plan the space with the real figures: 1,353 mm wide, 792 mm high, 309 mm deep (317 mm with the key cover open) and 382 mm deep with the anti-fall brackets attached; with the cover open the height is 976 mm. Budget for a bench, because none is included. Yamaha Japan now lists the YDP-S55 as discontinued; against remaining stock, the differences are the keyboard, Bluetooth and the speaker grilles, while dimensions and weight are the same.
Demo Video
Video coming soon for this model
We embed videos from manufacturer official channels and trusted reviewers. As soon as a suitable demo or review is available, it will appear here.
Specifications
| Keys | 88 |
| Key Action | GrandTouch-E |
| Polyphony | 192 notes |
| Sounds | 10 |
| Weight | 40 kg |
| Speakers | 40W (×2) |
| Bluetooth | Audio + MIDI |
| Key Surface | Simulated Ebony Ivory |
| Sound Modeling | Yamaha CFX (VRM Lite) |
| Headphone Jacks | 2 |
| Headphone Type | 6.3mm, 6.3mm |
| Headphone Optimization | Yes |
| USB MIDI | Yes |
| Line Out | No |
| Lesson Function | Yes |
| App Connectivity | Yes |
| Recording | Yes |
| Metronome | Yes |
| Transpose | Yes |
| Layer / Split | Yes |
| Preset Songs | 303 |
| Battery | No |
| Foldable | No |
| Dimensions (W×D×H) | 1353×309×792 mm |
| Stand Included | Yes |
| Pedal Included | Yes |
Spec terms are explained in the glossary. Glossary →
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Recommended Accessories
🪑
Stand
Stand included
A sturdy X-stand or furniture-style stand is essential if one isn't included.
🎧
Headphones
Closed-back headphones with good bass response make practice sessions more enjoyable.
🎹
Sustain Pedal
The included pedal is usually basic. A half-damper pedal upgrade is worthwhile for expressive playing.
💺
Bench
An adjustable-height bench helps maintain proper posture during long practice sessions.
Where to Buy
MSRP
$1,699
Retail prices change, so check current pricing at retailers.
Buttons without a “search” label open the product page directly; the others open retailer search results. Links may include affiliate tracking. Stock and listing status can change without notice.
Thomann ships from Germany; check shipping cost and import fees before ordering.
Buttons without a “search” label open the product page directly; the others open retailer search results. Links may include affiliate tracking. Stock and listing status can change without notice.
How It Compares
YDP-S56 vs F-701
the F-701 is stronger in quiet practice. Choose the F-701 if quiet practice matters most.
Roland F-701 →YDP-S56 vs YDP-166
The YDP-S56 scores higher in portability. The YDP-166 costs $100 less. Choose the YDP-S56 if portability matters most.
Yamaha YDP-166 →YDP-S56 vs CX102
The YDP-S56 scores higher in piano-like touch. The CX102 costs $400 less. Choose the YDP-S56 if piano-like touch matters most.
Kawai CX102 →Head-to-head comparisons
Spec-by-spec pages pitting this model against the alternatives it is most often weighed up with.
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Read more →Sources & transparency
This page is written by the operator, who has run the piano-learning site Piano Juku since 2017, based on published manufacturer specifications. We are not a retailer or tied to any maker — every model is compared by the same criteria. About the operator
- Last verified
- Data referenced from
- Manufacturer official Official press release ×2 Published spec sheet ×3 Authorized retailer
How the 5-axis scores are calculated
We do not aggregate user reviews or star ratings (see methodology for why).
Spot a mistake or have a question about what's on this page? Let us know and we'll review it.
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Yamaha YDP-S56