Learn which piano offers more value for the money in this Yamaha P45 vs Williams Allegro III comparison.
With all the options available nowadays, finding a digital piano on a budget takes a lot of work. Granted, it is nice that you have many choices when going on the market, but if you aren’t sure what you want, actually choosing becomes a hassle.
Two models worth looking at when shopping for a budget-friendly digital piano are the Yamaha P45 and the Williams Allegro III. Both of these are affordable and decent pianos that would be great options for any beginner or novice.
That said, when I tried out both of the pianos myself, the Yamaha P45 was the easy winner. It came with better tones, a more realistic feel, and various piano features that make for a very versatile piano.
In this article, I’ll get into the details of why the Yamaha P45 could be the better pick over the Williams Allegro III.
Yamaha P45 vs Williams Allegro III: Comparison Chart
Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Yamaha P45 vs Williams Allegro III: The Features
To find a winner between the two pianos, I tested out each of the features and compared them against each other. And when conducting tests on the Yamaha P45 and the Williams Allegro III, the Yamaha won in almost every category.
By the end of the comparison, the score was 3-0 in favor of the Yamaha P45. While the Williams Allegro III is still a great pick, it could not compete with this Yamaha favorite.
Tone
The winner: Yamaha P45
The first feature I compared was the tone. You always want to get a digital piano that sounds good and realistic. And when trying the pianos out for myself, the Yamaha P45’s quality was very evident. Even if they had the same number of voices, there was no arguing that the P45’s voices were much more realistic.
+Sound Library
I was pretty surprised to find that these pianos came with the same sound library. Well, not exactly the same, but close enough. Both of them come with a sound library of just 10 voices. While this isn’t the most varied sound library, it’s more than enough for beginners and novices.
Both the pianos come with various acoustic and electric piano voices and some strings, synth, and bass tones as well. So, you won’t have the most flexible set of tones, but you have enough to play various musical styles.
+Tone Generation
So, when it came to the sound library, the two pianos were tied. But if you listen closely, it’s pretty clear that the Yamaha P45 has higher-quality tones. This is from the Yamaha AWM Stereo Sampling system.
This tone generator works in the same way as the one on the Williams Allegro III. Whenever you press a key, you trigger a sample or recording of the real instrument. The difference with the Yamaha P45, however, is that it comes with stereo samples that contain much more information.
So, you get more crisp and detailed piano tones on the Yamaha P45, which is why it ended up taking the point in this comparison.
Feel & Playability
The winner: Yamaha P45
The next feature I looked at with these pianos was the feel and playability. It’s always great when a digital piano emulates the feel of playing an acoustic piano. And between these two options, I found that the Yamaha P45 does a better job of that.
Keep reading to learn why.
+Hammer Action
Hammer action refers to the weight of the piano keys when you play them. The Williams Allegro III comes with fully-weighted keys. So, there is some similarity to the feel of playing a real acoustic piano. However, I found that it still felt like I wasn’t playing a real piano.
The Yamaha P45, on the other hand, does it much better. This is because it uses the GHS or the Graded Hammer Standard. This is a system on many Yamaha pianos that replicates the subtle weight differences on each key of an acoustic piano.
So, the Yamaha P45 feels way more accurate when compared to the Williams Allegro III. If you’re keen on buying a piano that replicates the feel of a real acoustic piano, the Yamaha P45 is the clear winner.
+Key Texture
I also decided to compare the key texture of these pianos. And sadly, I was let down by both of them. This is because both of these pianos don’t do anything to replicate the feel of playing a real acoustic piano.
Both of these pianos have glossy plastic keys that have an obvious difference compared to the real wooden keys on an acoustic piano. Granted, it’s very understandable that these budget-friendly pianos don’t have textured or real wooden keys. However, it would have been a huge plus to find textured keys on either model.
Piano Features
The winner: Yamaha P45
The last thing I decided to compare was the extra piano features on the pianos. And between the two, the Yamaha P45 was the clear winner. Since the P45 comes with different playing modes and a cool set of effects, the Williams Allegro III couldn’t compare.
+Playing Modes
The Williams Allegro III has no extra playing modes. But on the flip side, the Yamaha P45 has two. The Yamaha P45 comes with duo and dual modes, which are some of the most useful playing modes for any pianist.
Duo mode allows you to split the piano into two smaller keyboards. Each of the keyboards will have the exact same tuning and timbre. This is designed for piano lessons and for playing duets and is great for beginners.
The next playing mode is dual mode. This mode blends two voices together to produce a unique tone that you won’t get anywhere else. This is great for experimentation and accompaniment and was one of my favorite features on this piano.
+Effects
As you might expect, the Williams Allegro III comes with no additional effects. This isn’t a deal-breaker, but it’s a slight letdown, especially since the Yamaha P45 at least comes with reverb.
Reverb allows you to add much more depth and character to your tone. This is one of the most commonly used effects by pianists, so it’s really cool that you can find this effect on the Yamaha P45. On top of that, it comes with different reverb presets so you can further customize your tone according to your needs.
Yamaha P45 vs Williams Allegro III: The Similarities
The Yamaha P45 and the Williams Allegro III seem every similar on the surface. However, I found that these two pianos, despite being in the same price range, are very different instruments.
Yes, they are both portable instruments with weighted keys. But the second you dig deeper, you’ll find that the Yamaha P45 is miles ahead in terms of quality. The Williams Allegro III is still decent and worth the money, but there’s no denying the Yamaha P45 has more value.
So, if you’re looking for a better bang for your buck, I would highly recommend the Yamaha P45.
Quick Rundown of the Yamaha P45
- Includes the P45 Digital Piano, power adapter, sustain pedal and music rest
- 88 fully weighted piano style keys simulate the feel of an acoustic piano and provide a quality playing experience
- GHS weighted action is heavier in the low end and lighter in the high end, just like an acoustic piano
- Contains 10 different voices, including digitally sampled tones from real Yamaha acoustic grand pianos
- Dual mode lets you combine 2 voices together, like piano and strings, for an inspiring new playing experience. Tuning- 414.8 - 440.0 - 446.8 Hz
Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown of the Williams Allegro III
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References:
- Yamaha P45: https://usa.yamaha.com/products/musical_instruments/pianos/p_series/p-45/specs.html#product-tabs
- Williams Allegro III: https://williamspianos.com/wp-content/uploads/usermanuals/Williams-Allegro-III-Keyboard-Manual.pdf
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